Citizens Advice St Helens and MPs Conor McGinn and Marie Rimmer are working together to raise awareness of the roll out of Universal credit in July for new claimants.

Universal Credit will eventually replace Child Tax Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Working Tax Credit.

At present the roll out in St Helens will affect new claimants only with legacy claims due to move over in the next few years.

On the 17th July from 10am-3pm, staff from Citizens Advice and both of the MPs’ offices are holding an information event in Church Square where you will be able to get advice and information on what information you will need to claim, evidence you may be required to provide and advice should you require assistance due to hardship.

Conor McGinn MP said: “The roll out of Universal Credit in St Helens will present distinctive challenges for our residents and it’s important that we support new claimants as much as possible to mitigate some of the chaos we have seen in other areas once the benefit has been rolled out. Citizens Advice St Helens do some outstanding work with families across our borough and I am delighted that my office is supporting the work they are undertaking in this area.”