Sinn Féin's Elisha McCallion has today called on the British government to scrap helpline charges and six week waiting times for Universal Credit recipients.
The Foyle MP also said an urgent review must be held regarding PIP assessments which are unfairly disadvantaging claimants:
"From the start, the implementation of Universal Credit has been a disaster that has only caused more hardship in areas where it is now operational.
"The six week waiting period is a shameful policy designed to punish vulnerable welfare recipients.
"It should be scrapped immediately.
"Extortionate helpline charges, which are often the only means by which recipients can make benefit queries, are unfair and should also be scrapped.
"Sinn Féin will also be pressing Capita, a private firm conducting reassessments, to review their assessment process which has proved restrictive and unjust.
"The fact that so many claimants are unfairly rejected, only to have these decisions overturned on appeal, signals a deliberate attempt to drive away citizens from benefits to which they are entitled."
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