Department for Work and Pensions 

Since the start of the COVID-19 emergency, 1.5 million people have submitted claims for Universal Credit (UC), a benefit that normally runs on a caseload of 2 million people. Turning to DWP for support during their time of need, many of these people were unfamiliar with claiming benefits and found themselves in a bewildering and uncertain position with nowhere else to turn.

Bathgate UC Service Centre was set up at pace to help support. More than 120 staff with no UC experience were trained and operational within six weeks. The Bathgate centre is consistently now the top performing in the UK, with the highest ever recorded payment timeliness of 99.5%.