Dumfries and Galloway Citizens Advice Service and the University Of Glasgow School Of Interdisciplinary Studies are presently collaborating on a project to identify links between universal credit claimants and mental health issues. The project is being led by Carla Fugaccia a third-year student at University of Glasgow studying Health and Social Sector Leadership.
Carla is currently on an eight-week placement at Dumfries and Galloway Citizens Advice Service (DAGCAS) conducting a research project on Universal Credit and the claimants’ mental health. Universal Credit is a current social policy issue in the UK and doing this research project allows me to analyse the developing issues and identify a way forward for supporting claimants during this very difficult time.
Carla states, “The aim of this research project is to gather information from claimants’ about their personal experience claiming Universal Credit and if it has affected their mental health. With current data already gathered, it has been interesting to analyse the different experiences claimants’ have had. The majority of claimants’ who have participated in the questionnaire exclaim they had to wait between 6-8 weeks for their first payment. Due to this, claimants’ mentioned they experienced high levels of stress and anxiety as they worried about being able to pay bills and buy basic necessities such as food”.
Carla is looking for people who have currently or have previously claimed universal credit to complete a short anonymous survey about their experiences. If you wish to participate but have no access to the online survey then please contact Carla at [email protected] or telephone 03003034321.
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GBCN67C
