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1166874

registered interest
date	28/10/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department has spent on payments of universal credit advances to claimants in each month since advances were introduced.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	6504
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit is now the main system of working age welfare support across the country. It is available in every Jobcentre, with a caseload of over 2.5 million claimants, growing every month, now able to access the additional support and flexibilities it offers.</p><p> </p><p>Around 60 per cent of new claims take up an advance. Subject to some fluctuation, this rate of advance take-up has been broadly consistent over the last 12 months. As the overall Universal Credit caseload grows, we expect the volume and value of advance payments to change in correlation. This shows that claimants are being made aware of advances and are using it where they need this help.</p><p> </p><p>Information surrounding the amount spent on Universal Credit advances each month since they were introduced is shown in the table below:</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Jun-13</p></td><td><p>£1,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul-13</p></td><td><p>£2,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aug-13</p></td><td><p>£3,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sep-13</p></td><td><p>£10,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct-13</p></td><td><p>£10,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nov-13</p></td><td><p>£18,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Dec-13</p></td><td><p>£18,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan-14</p></td><td><p>£25,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Feb-14</p></td><td><p>£30,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mar-14</p></td><td><p>£47,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr-14</p></td><td><p>£42,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May-14</p></td><td><p>£36,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jun-14</p></td><td><p>£34,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul-14</p></td><td><p>£33,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aug-14</p></td><td><p>£48,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sep-14</p></td><td><p>£133,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct-14</p></td><td><p>£153,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nov-14</p></td><td><p>£203,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Dec-14</p></td><td><p>£278,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan-15</p></td><td><p>£360,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Feb-15</p></td><td><p>£371,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mar-15</p></td><td><p>£607,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr-15</p></td><td><p>£574,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May-15</p></td><td><p>£1,050,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jun-15</p></td><td><p>£1,061,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul-15</p></td><td><p>£1,261,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aug-15</p></td><td><p>£1,605,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sep-15</p></td><td><p>£1,786,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct-15</p></td><td><p>£1,762,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nov-15</p></td><td><p>£2,081,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Dec-15</p></td><td><p>£2,171,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan-16</p></td><td><p>£2,736,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Feb-16</p></td><td><p>£2,642,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mar-16</p></td><td><p>£4,080,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr-16</p></td><td><p>£3,801,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May-16</p></td><td><p>£3,996,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jun-16</p></td><td><p>£3,827,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul-16</p></td><td><p>£4,438,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aug-16</p></td><td><p>£4,629,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sep-16</p></td><td><p>£4,817,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct-16</p></td><td><p>£4,801,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nov-16</p></td><td><p>£4,879,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Dec-16</p></td><td><p>£5,452,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan-17</p></td><td><p>£6,062,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Feb-17</p></td><td><p>£5,601,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mar-17</p></td><td><p>£7,876,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr-17</p></td><td><p>£6,847,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May-17</p></td><td><p>£7,051,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jun-17</p></td><td><p>£6,873,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul-17</p></td><td><p>£7,367,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aug-17</p></td><td><p>£8,002,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sep-17</p></td><td><p>£8,396,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct-17</p></td><td><p>£9,363,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nov-17</p></td><td><p>£12,130,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Dec-17</p></td><td><p>£13,254,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan-18</p></td><td><p>£25,685,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Feb-18</p></td><td><p>£24,977,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mar-18</p></td><td><p>£25,721,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr-18</p></td><td><p>£25,934,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May-18</p></td><td><p>£28,812,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jun-18</p></td><td><p>£32,678,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul-18</p></td><td><p>£43,321,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aug-18</p></td><td><p>£46,636,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sep-18</p></td><td><p>£44,778,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct-18</p></td><td><p>£55,693,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nov-18</p></td><td><p>£62,991,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Dec-18</p></td><td><p>£58,697,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan-19</p></td><td><p>£75,758,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Feb-19</p></td><td><p>£79,955,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mar-19</p></td><td><p>£91,646,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr-19</p></td><td><p>£91,957,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May-19</p></td><td><p>£103,096,000</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes:</strong></p><ol><li>Figures are rounded to the nearest £1000.</li><li>Figures go up to May 2019 in line with published statistics relating to households on Universal Credit.</li><li>Figures include all types of advances.</li><li>Figures prior to April 2019 include hardship payments made under Universal Credit live service.</li></ol> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 31/10/2019 17:40:15 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1148850

registered interest
date	14/10/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Department for Work and Pensions: Metro Newspaper
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the letter of 31 July 2019 from the Minister for Family Support, Housing and Child Maintenance placed in the Library disclosing the cost of the Department’s partnership with Associated Newspapers, if she will provide (a) costs of the advertising consultancy and (b) all other costs incurred in the Universal Credit Uncovered advertising campaign which ran in May and June 2019 in The Metro and online.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	316
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2019 answer text <p>We are the biggest Government Department with a day to day operation on which around 22 million citizens depend. The Department has a responsibility to communicate policy and essential information to claimants and other key audiences.</p><p> </p><p>The Metro partnership was designed to increase understanding of Universal Credit and ensure people have the right factual information they need to make a claim and understand their potential entitlement.</p><p> </p><p>We went to great lengths to ensure the factual accuracy of the campaign through extensive consultation within the Department, including the Government Legal Department. We also consulted with the Advertising Standards Authority Copy Advice Team prior to the launch and continued to do so throughout the campaign lifetime.</p><p> </p><p>The letter of 31 July 2019 placed in the House of Commons Library disclosed the full cost of the Department’s partnership with Associated Newspapers. There were no advertising agencies, consultancy or additional costs associated with the campaign and detailed planning was taken forward by Departmental officials.</p><p> </p><p>We have already shared a copy of the memo of 2 May 2019 from the Director General of Universal Credit and Director of Communications to DWP staff with the Work and Pensions Select Committee but can also commit to placing a copy in the House of Commons Library.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 322 323 question first answered 17/10/2019 13:34:22 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1148856

registered interest
date	14/10/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Department for Work and Pensions: Daily Mail and Metro Newspaper
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government Legal Service approved the Universal Credit Uncovered advertising campaign in the Metro and the Mail Online in May and June 2019.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	322
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2019 answer text <p>We are the biggest Government Department with a day to day operation on which around 22 million citizens depend. The Department has a responsibility to communicate policy and essential information to claimants and other key audiences.</p><p> </p><p>The Metro partnership was designed to increase understanding of Universal Credit and ensure people have the right factual information they need to make a claim and understand their potential entitlement.</p><p> </p><p>We went to great lengths to ensure the factual accuracy of the campaign through extensive consultation within the Department, including the Government Legal Department. We also consulted with the Advertising Standards Authority Copy Advice Team prior to the launch and continued to do so throughout the campaign lifetime.</p><p> </p><p>The letter of 31 July 2019 placed in the House of Commons Library disclosed the full cost of the Department’s partnership with Associated Newspapers. There were no advertising agencies, consultancy or additional costs associated with the campaign and detailed planning was taken forward by Departmental officials.</p><p> </p><p>We have already shared a copy of the memo of 2 May 2019 from the Director General of Universal Credit and Director of Communications to DWP staff with the Work and Pensions Select Committee but can also commit to placing a copy in the House of Commons Library.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 316 323 question first answered 17/10/2019 13:34:22 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1148857

registered interest
date	14/10/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Department for Work and Pensions: Daily Mail and Metro Newspaper
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will place in the Library a copy of the memo of 2 May 2019 sent by her Department’s Director General of Universal Credit and Director of Communications to DWP staff setting out the purpose of the Universal Credit Uncovered advertising campaign in the Metro and Mail Online.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	323
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2019 answer text <p>We are the biggest Government Department with a day to day operation on which around 22 million citizens depend. The Department has a responsibility to communicate policy and essential information to claimants and other key audiences.</p><p> </p><p>The Metro partnership was designed to increase understanding of Universal Credit and ensure people have the right factual information they need to make a claim and understand their potential entitlement.</p><p> </p><p>We went to great lengths to ensure the factual accuracy of the campaign through extensive consultation within the Department, including the Government Legal Department. We also consulted with the Advertising Standards Authority Copy Advice Team prior to the launch and continued to do so throughout the campaign lifetime.</p><p> </p><p>The letter of 31 July 2019 placed in the House of Commons Library disclosed the full cost of the Department’s partnership with Associated Newspapers. There were no advertising agencies, consultancy or additional costs associated with the campaign and detailed planning was taken forward by Departmental officials.</p><p> </p><p>We have already shared a copy of the memo of 2 May 2019 from the Director General of Universal Credit and Director of Communications to DWP staff with the Work and Pensions Select Committee but can also commit to placing a copy in the House of Commons Library.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 316 322 question first answered 17/10/2019 13:34:22 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1145855

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Fraud
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department has taken to prevent third-party universal credit fraud.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	291055
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>The Department has raised awareness of Universal Credit advance fraud via Jobcentreplus and a dedicated social media campaign, which reminds people of the importance of safeguarding their identity. The Department has also worked with social media sites to shut down pages that promote this type of fraud, with 125 pages closed to date.</p><p> </p><p>The Department remains committed to keeping all Universal Credit services and processes, including advance payments, under review, and are making improvements to address any vulnerability in the system.</p><p> </p><p>The Department now requires customers not only to prove their identity, but also attend a face to face interview at the Jobcentre before they can claim an advance. The Department remains on track with design and test activity to further reduce the risk of opportunistic advances fraud by using real time validation of key elements of the application.</p><p> </p><p>In each instance we are taking care to ensure that there is no adverse effect on our ability to provide advance payments to those who need them.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 01/10/2019 15:33:01 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 136339 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1145856

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Fraud
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many third parties who have allegedly scammed people into making a universal credit claim have been identified and investigated; and how many of those third parties have been referred for prosecution.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	291056
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/10/2019 answer text <p>Examination of the cases currently being progressed by the Department indicates there are 107 third-party individuals that are subject to investigation. This number is subject to change as cases progress.</p><p> </p><p>At the time of submission, one 3rd party case has been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service and has been successfully prosecuted. There are a number of other cases at an advanced stage of investigation.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 02/10/2019 15:21:38 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 136340 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1145971

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Fraud
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many administrative penalties her Department has levied on individuals who have reported they have been a victim of universal credit fraud.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	291086
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>The information you have requested could only be provided by manually examining a substantial number of individual cases. The Department estimates that this would incur disproportionate costs.</p><p> </p><p>For the sake of clarity the policy is that an Administrative Penalty is only ever considered as an alternative to a referral for a prosecution in cases where benefit fraud has been committed, and not for innocent victims who report fraud.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 01/10/2019 16:30:25 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 136341 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1145972

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Fraud
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in how many interviews under caution have individuals who have reported they have been a victim of universal credit fraud had a legal representative to accompany them.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	291087
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>I have interpreted your question to relate to Universal Credit advances fraud.</p><p> </p><p>The information requested could only be provided by manually examining the cases. We estimate that this would incur disproportionate costs. However, all claimants are entitled to bring a legal representative and are advised of this in their invitation to interview.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 01/10/2019 16:23:33 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 136343 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1145973

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Fraud
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many administrative penalties her Department has levied on victims of universal credit fraud who attended interviews under caution and who were accompanied by legal representatives.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	291088
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>Administrative Penalties would not be used in any case where evidence showed that a claimant was an innocent victim of Universal Credit advances fraud.</p><p /><p>Administrative Penalties are financial penalties which can be used as an alternative to prosecution in cases where benefit fraud has been committed.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 01/10/2019 16:16:23 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 136344 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1145975

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Fraud
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many interviews under caution have been held with victims of universal credit fraud.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	291090
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/10/2019 answer text <p>The information you requested could only be provided by manually examining a substantial number of individual cases. The Department estimates that this would incur disproportionate costs.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 03/10/2019 15:41:59 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George