Widening access to universal credit content across a range of digital devices is proving popular with claimants and helping to boost digital skills, with around 15,000 hits a month since it launched in October 2013, according to digital content provider Looking Local. People have used interactive TV, smartphone apps and social media to access universal credit information and viewed more than 100,000 pages of content, as the new benefit continues to roll out.
A range of digital information channels have been designed by the DWP in partnership with Looking Local to give millions of people who do not have internet access in their homes the support to find important information about the new benefit, as well as reminding people of their increased responsibilities to look for work.
People can now search for jobs while they’re on the move by using ‘universal jobmatch’ on their smartphones, as part of the government’s long-term plan to help people move off benefits and into work.
Sky and Virgin customers who have interactive TV can scroll through the menu to the relevant page to view a raft of information, including checking their eligibility for universal credit and learning how they can make a claim.
Universal credit information is also available on Facebook, as well as on more than 50 smartphone apps across the local government and housing sectors and the national ‘My Council’ app. And in a ground-breaking development, Looking Local has also designed the only public sector service interface for a games console, which Wii users can now use to view the details.
Popular pages include the universal credit eligibility checker, along with information about the claimant journey and what people need to do to prepare for universal credit.
Looking Local’s channels and apps have enabled over 360,000 job searches with universal jobmatch so far this year and give direct access to a range of budgeting, financial and consumer advice from the Money Advice Service.
Looking Local also manages bespoke versions of the My Landlord app on behalf of over 20 housing providers, each of which offers direct access to the universal credit module, universal jobmatch, the Money Advice Service and other local housing services. The latest versions of the My Landlord service have been for Home Group, Stockport Homes and Rochdale Boroughwide Housing.
Looking Local is available via Apple iTunes and Google Play.
