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1128073

registered interest
date	22/05/2019
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations to improve information provision for Universal Credit claimants in the report by the Child Poverty Action Group Computer says ‘No!' Stage one: information provision, published in May.
tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
uin	HL15922
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/06/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit is designed to react and respond quickly to feedback from our stakeholders and claimants to improve the service we offer. This means that any report based on a view of the service at a given date may well be inaccurate only a short period afterwards.</p><p> </p><p>This is the case with this Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) report. The report does not take into account recent changes to the Universal Credit Statement which ensures that claimants receive detailed information about any deductions which have been made to their Universal Credit award, including a clear breakdown of what each deduction is for. Consequently, the Department has written to CPAG about the report, outlining the up to date position on these issues and inviting CPAG and his Honour Judge Sir Stephen Sedley, who wrote the report’s foreword, to meet to discuss these matters.</p><p> </p><p>The Department will continue to make improvements to Universal Credit to ensure that we provide claimants with the information they need to understand their Universal Credit award.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 06/06/2019 13:50:42 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1128083

registered interest
date	22/05/2019
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	Equality
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Buscombe on 21 May (HL Deb, col 1858), on what evidence they base their statement that “inequality has fallen”; and whether they will publish that evidence.
tabling member printed	Baroness Primarolo
uin	HL15932
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/06/2019 answer text <p>National statistics on income inequality are published annually in the “Households Below Average Income” publication using the Gini coefficient. The Gini coefficient is an international standard technical measure of how incomes are distributed across all individuals. It ranges from 0% (when everyone has identical incomes) to 100% (when all income goes to only one person).</p><p> </p><p>From 2009/10 to 2017/18 income inequality, measured using the before housing cost Gini coefficient, has fallen by 2 percentage points. See the table below for the annual statistics from 2009/10 to 2017/18.</p><p> </p><p>This data is published annually on the “Households Below Average Income” website on gov.uk.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Income inequality (Gini Coefficient. %)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>36</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>34</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>34</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>34</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>34</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>34</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015/16</p></td><td><p>35</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>34</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>34</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 06/06/2019 16:33:04 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	217 label Biography information for Baroness Primarolo

1128212

registered interest
date	22/05/2019
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 many people have had their deductions under universal credit reduced from the maximum rate of 40 per cent of an individual's standard allowance in the last (a) month and (b) 12 months.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	257510
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises the importance of safeguarding the welfare of claimants who have incurred debt. Universal Credit already has procedures and regulations in place to protect claimants from excessive deductions. The maximum rate of deductions cannot normally exceed 40 per cent of the Universal Credit standard allowance, and from October 2019 this will be reduced to 30 per cent.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/06/2019 14:52:01 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1128213

registered interest
date	22/05/2019
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 many people have had deductions under universal credit paused; and what the average length of the pause was in the last (a) month and (b) 12 months.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	257511
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/06/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 06/06/2019 17:06:52 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1128214

registered interest
date	22/05/2019
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 many people with underlying debts resulting in deductions under universal credit had those debts written off in the last (a) month and (b) 12 months.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	257512
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/06/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 06/06/2019 17:12:20 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1128240

registered interest
date	22/05/2019
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	Personal Independence Payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is her Department's policy to require that people applying for personal independence payments provide proof of identity prior to processing a completed application form.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	257460
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/06/2019 answer text <p>It is critical that DWP verifies a customer's identity correctly in all circumstances. Effective identity verification and authentication, using commonly applied standards across the Department, will protect the personal data of customers and make a direct contribution to the prevention of identity fraud.</p><p> </p><p>DWP does require people applying for Personal Independence Payment to provide proof of identity. This is sought prior to processing a completed application form to ensure any benefit awarded is paid to the right person. This proof is initially sought verbally at the start of the claim process when the customer will be asked security questions from the information DWP already holds. If we are unable to establish Identity Verification verbally then DWP will ask the customer to provide evidence of ID such as a Passport or Birth Certificate.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 07/06/2019 13:02:11 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1128280

registered interest
date	22/05/2019
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, how much her Department spent from the public purse advertising in The Metro newspaper on 22 May 2019.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	257542
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>The Department provides services to around 22 million people, and has a responsibility to communicate policy and essential information to claimants and other key audiences, in a similar way to other government departments. Newspaper advertising contributes to our routine communications activity that has been running alongside the rollout of Universal Credit since 2013.</p><p> </p><p>The Universal Credit Uncovered media partnership with the Metro is currently underway and running for a further six weeks so we are unable to provide accurate spend to date figures for the partnership. However, we can commit to publish final full spend on the partnership at the end of July once all activity has concluded.</p><p> </p><p>The information used for the partnership was sourced by DWP officials. The content features actual claimant case studies and interviews from Jobcentre work coaches, and the advertorials have been developed in partnership with the Metro.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 257404 257471 257563 257573 question first answered 11/06/2019 16:36:52 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1128290

registered interest
date	22/05/2019
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, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of her Department's advertising in the 22 May 2019 edition of the Metro newspaper.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	257471
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>The Department provides services to around 22 million people, and has a responsibility to communicate policy and essential information to claimants and other key audiences, in a similar way to other government departments. Newspaper advertising contributes to our routine communications activity that has been running alongside the rollout of Universal Credit since 2013.</p><p> </p><p>The Universal Credit Uncovered media partnership with the Metro is currently underway and running for a further six weeks so we are unable to provide accurate spend to date figures for the partnership. However, we can commit to publish final full spend on the partnership at the end of July once all activity has concluded.</p><p> </p><p>The information used for the partnership was sourced by DWP officials. The content features actual claimant case studies and interviews from Jobcentre work coaches, and the advertorials have been developed in partnership with the Metro.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 257404 257542 257563 257573 question first answered 11/06/2019 16:36:52 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

1128306

registered interest
date	22/05/2019
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, what proportion of universal credit claimants who have received an advance payment have had to delay their repayment for three months.
tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
uin	257557
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/06/2019 15:11:08 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley

1128322

registered interest
date	22/05/2019
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, what steps she has taken to ensure that universal credit claimants (a) are fully aware of how the repayment of advance payments work and (b) understand that the deferment of repayments is for a maximum of three months.
tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
uin	257562
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>Applications for a Universal Credit advance payment can be made in person, by telephone or online depending on the claimant’s circumstances. Depending on the type of advance payment application, we will consider whether the claimant satisfies the eligibility conditions for receiving the advance. If the claimant is eligible we will agree the amount of the advance and the period over which the advance will be recovered from their future Universal Credit payments. If the claimant has made the application in person or by telephone, the outcome of the application is explained to the claimant face to face or over the phone and then their online journal is updated. If they have made the application online the outcome will be displayed on screen.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has taken a number of steps to ensure that advances meet the needs of claimants and that the recovery arrangements are personalised and reasonable. Affordability is managed by ensuring the recovery rate will not be more than the equivalent of 40% of the claimant’s standard allowance. The claimant is given the choice over the repayment period and it is explained to them exactly how much will be deducted each month depending on the option they choose. If the claimant is making the advance application online, these options are clearly displayed on screen for them to choose from.</p><p> </p><p>Help is available for those struggling to meet the recovery rate. In exceptional circumstances, recovery can be deferred for up to three months from the start of the recovery period. If the claimant tells us that due to unforeseen circumstances they are experiencing hardship and are having difficulty repaying the advance over the agreed recovery time, we would explain that repayment can be deferred by a maximum of three months.</p><p> </p><p>From October 2019 the maximum rate of deductions from a claimant’s standard allowance will be reduced from 40% to 30%. From October 2021 we are increasing the recovery period for advances from 12 to 16 months, further supporting those in financial need.</p><p> </p><p>Information about advances is available on the Gov.uk site at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-advances" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-advances</a></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/06/2019 14:31:16 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Lord Sharma
tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley