Building relationships of trust? The experiences of military veterans claiming ‘interface first’ Universal Credit

Abstract

Trust is a central consideration when understanding the administration of social security benefits and interactions between the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and claimants, which is increasingly digitalised. While this can have administrative advantages for the DWP and some claimants, less is known about how this digital shift impacts on the relationship between the DWP and claimants within the context of the DWP’s commitments to restore trust. This paper will draw on unique qualitative longitudinal data from interviews with military veterans to examine how they experience interactions with the DWP over time, with a particular focus on trust. We find that although interactions through the Universal Credit (UC) online journal have advantages for some, for those with more complex needs or complex benefits issues to resolve, online communication can create additional barriers to relationships of trust. Our research demonstrates how participants often required ‘analog’ support from friends, family, third sector organisations and DWP staff to navigate their claims. The existence of DWP Armed Forces Champions provides an example of how targeted support is needed alongside digital contact, and how the ‘interface first’ nature of UC must recognise the on-going importance of human interactions for rebuilding relationships of trust.