A crucial Glasgow Life service that helps people to fill in Universal Credit applications has moved its service to an emergency helpline while the coronavirus lockdown continues. 

As Universal Credit is claimed for online, support in making applications was made available at Glasgow Libraries for the past 18 months until the coronavirus lockdown. 

In a bid to ensure people in Glasgow could still apply, the team quickly established an emergency helpline service that would also ensure socially distant guidelines were maintained during the application process. 

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Steven McTaggart, Financial Capability Project Manager said: “Over the last few weeks we have noticed some changes in the people seeking our help.

"Before coronavirus, they were mainly people out of work but more and more we have been receiving requests from people who have either been recently made unemployed or people who are still working.

"We have been working very hard to deliver the support we can to those who need it, when they need it.”

The helpline number is 0808 169 9901. Each call takes between 60 and 90 minutes to complete an application.

Callers can also get help with translations services and a general needs assessment helping them identify and access other sources of assistance like Citizens Advice.