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967412

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2018
	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 when they expect the roll out of Universal Credit to be completed; and what steps they are taking to ensure that data collected on access to free school meals is reliable.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
	uin	HL9912
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2018 answer text <p>Universal Credit will be available for all new claims by the end of December 2018. The Managed Migration of current benefit claimants to Universal Credit will begin in 2019 and is due to be completed in 2023.</p><p> </p><p>DWP works closely with the Department for Education, electronically verifying Universal Credit claimants who meet the eligibility criteria for free school meals.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 18/09/2018 14:20:10 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

942017

	registered interest
	date	16/07/2018
	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	Social Security Benefits: Children
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 16 July (HL9124), whether they will now provide an estimate of the number of working families with two children or more currently using foodbanks following reductions in benefit entitlement or delays in benefit payments.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
	uin	HL9531
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2018 answer text <p>We do not record the number of people using foodbanks or other types of food aid. [Some food aid providers, such as the Trussell Trust, produce statistics on the number of food parcels distributed.]</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 23/07/2018 16:16:51 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

935145

	registered interest
	date	05/07/2018
	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 report by the National Audit Office Rolling out Universal Credit, published 15 June, which states that of those transferred onto Universal Credit (1) 40 per cent are experiencing financial difficulties, (2) 25 per cent are unable to make online claims, and (3) 20 per cent are not paid in full on time; and what steps they intend to take to meet their legal obligations to those receiving in-work benefits.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
	uin	HL9262
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2018 answer text <p>The National Audit Office (NAO) report recognised that the Department’s agile approach allows it to adjust its plans based on what it learns and that some elements are working well. The report also recognised that payment timeliness has improved. We have already implemented policy changes to address many of the concerns raised in the report.</p><p> </p><p>(1) The DWP Claimant Survey (which the NAO Report quoted) says that nearly seven out of ten claimants said they were confident managing their payments. We are investing up to £200 million into budgeting and digital support, to help claimants with the transition to Universal Credit and work coaches work closely with claimants, ensuring they can identify any vulnerabilities or specific needs, such as financial difficulties, at an early stage. We have listened to concerns and invested £1.5 billion in a package of measures to support claimants financially in the first assessment period, and recently announced we would be introducing further protection for people who receive the Severe Disability Premium.</p><p> </p><p>(2) The Claimant Survey research also states that 98 per cent of claims are made online, and that nearly half of claimants had help from others or from their jobcentre adviser to do so. This shows that people get the support they need to make their claim. We knew that people would require digital support with the transition to Universal Credit, that is why, as above, we are investing up to £200 million. All jobcentres across the country have free Wi-Fi, and there are more than 8,000 computers available to support customers who need help with making their claim digitally and applying for jobs online. Work coaches will also assist anyone who needs assistance. If people cannot get online we have also a freephone helpline available.</p><p> </p><p>(3) Around 80 per cent of new claims are paid in full and on time. In many cases, where full payment is not made on time by the end of the first assessment period, this is as a result of unresolved issues: some claimants have not signed their Claimant Commitment or passed identity checks, others have outstanding verification issues, such as for housing and self-employed earnings. Whilst their verification is on-going, many of these claimants receive a part payment. We know that, within five weeks of the payment due date, 95% of the claims are paid in full. As the NAO report acknowledges, we have taken steps to improve the verification processes (Paragraph 2.18). For example we have listened to feedback and built processes into the system to make it easier and quicker for people to verify their housing costs.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 19/07/2018 14:34:09 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

904234

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2018
	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	Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they have saved in housing benefit payments in each year since the introduction of the under occupancy charge as a result of the introduction of the charge; how many extra units of accommodation have been made available in each of those years as a result of that charge; and how many tenants have opted to continue occupying accommodation subject to the charge.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
	uin	HL7814
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2018 answer text <p>The removal of the spare room subsidy (RSRS) policy has saved over £1.5 billion since its introduction in April 2013. Information on the number of households subject to a RSRS deduction and average deduction amounts is available via the DWP Stat Xplore website:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/login.xhtml" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/login.xhtml</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance for users is available at:</p><p><a href="https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p><p> </p><p>Deductions figures do not take into account any additional savings due to behavioural change before/after the policy has been introduced, for example moving to a smaller property to avoid a deduction.</p><p> </p><p>Information on extra units of accommodation made available due to the introduction of the policy is not currently available. However, the decline in the number of households subject to a deduction evident in the data on DWP Stat Xplore suggests that many people have been able to find alternative accommodation of a more suitable size.</p><p> </p><p>The DWP provided £54 million in Discretionary Housing Payments to local authorities in England and Wales in 2017/18 to provide support for vulnerable people affected by the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy policy.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Notes</strong></p><p> </p><ol><li>Figures on Stat Xplore do not include claimants on Universal Credit (UC) with a removal of the spare room subsidy (RSRS) deduction, as this data is not currently available.</li></ol><p> </p><ol start="2"><li>The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has been looking at the savings realised from the RSRS policy and may publish something in future.</li></ol> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 23/05/2018 12:23:04 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

838872

	registered interest
	date	08/02/2018
	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	Housing Benefit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average amount of housing benefit provided per dwelling for (1) council housing, (2) housing association properties, and (3) privately rented properties, in England and Wales for each year since 2010.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
	uin	HL5512
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2018 answer text <p>The available information is shown in the table below.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 1: Annual average award amount for Housing Benefit by detailed housing type in England and Wales, August 2010 to August 2017</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>£</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Detailed Housing Type </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Aug-10</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Aug-11</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Aug-12</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Aug-13</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Aug-14</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Aug-15</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Aug-16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Aug-17</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>England</strong></p></td><td colspan="8"><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>LA tenant (SRS)</p></td><td><p>69.20</p></td><td><p>73.12</p></td><td><p>78.24</p></td><td><p>79.58</p></td><td><p>83.36</p></td><td><p>86.12</p></td><td><p>86.29</p></td><td><p>85.27</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Registered social landlord tenant (SRS)</p></td><td><p>79.40</p></td><td><p>82.52</p></td><td><p>87.78</p></td><td><p>89.00</p></td><td><p>93.27</p></td><td><p>95.94</p></td><td><p>96.98</p></td><td><p>97.18</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Private regulated tenant (PRS)</p></td><td><p>78.62</p></td><td><p>81.60</p></td><td><p>85.44</p></td><td><p>89.26</p></td><td><p>93.15</p></td><td><p>96.05</p></td><td><p>99.64</p></td><td><p>103.79</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Private deregulated tenant (LHA) (PRS)</p></td><td><p>116.60</p></td><td><p>115.74</p></td><td><p>110.01</p></td><td><p>109.06</p></td><td><p>110.66</p></td><td><p>112.55</p></td><td><p>113.98</p></td><td><p>114.28</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Private deregulated tenant (non-LHA) (PRS)</p></td><td><p>106.76</p></td><td><p>106.20</p></td><td><p>107.05</p></td><td><p>107.20</p></td><td><p>108.81</p></td><td><p>110.75</p></td><td><p>113.96</p></td><td><p>117.63</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Wales</strong></p></td><td colspan="8"><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>LA tenant (SRS)</p></td><td><p>61.37</p></td><td><p>64.74</p></td><td><p>67.52</p></td><td><p>67.52</p></td><td><p>69.81</p></td><td><p>72.83</p></td><td><p>75.04</p></td><td><p>77.26</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Registered social landlord tenant (SRS)</p></td><td><p>69.74</p></td><td><p>72.10</p></td><td><p>76.16</p></td><td><p>76.69</p></td><td><p>80.25</p></td><td><p>83.20</p></td><td><p>85.05</p></td><td><p>87.33</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Private regulated tenant (PRS)</p></td><td><p>56.41</p></td><td><p>57.52</p></td><td><p>58.47</p></td><td><p>60.40</p></td><td><p>62.86</p></td><td><p>64.20</p></td><td><p>65.63</p></td><td><p>67.54</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Private deregulated tenant (LHA) (PRS)</p></td><td><p>86.40</p></td><td><p>85.06</p></td><td><p>81.44</p></td><td><p>80.51</p></td><td><p>80.46</p></td><td><p>81.18</p></td><td><p>81.03</p></td><td><p>80.15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Private deregulated tenant (non-LHA) (PRS)</p></td><td><p>76.57</p></td><td><p>76.56</p></td><td><p>76.76</p></td><td><p>76.48</p></td><td><p>77.82</p></td><td><p>79.69</p></td><td><p>81.23</p></td><td><p>82.44</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 21/02/2018 15:38:40 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

90907

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2014
	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	Welfare Assistance Schemes
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of those who have received local welfare assistance, by region, (1) were registered disabled, (2) have learning difficulties, (3) suffer mental health issues, (4) are escaping domestic violence, and (5) are families with dependents.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
	uin	HL1833
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/09/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>Local authorities are not required to provide DWP with details of who has received Local Welfare Assistance. Consequently, we do not have information about the volumes of people of certain types receiving support.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 26/09/2014 10:37:01 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

988435

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2018
	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 how many families in receipt of Universal Credit affected by any reductions in income caused by the managed migration roll out they estimate have children of school age.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
	uin	HL10634
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2018 answer text <p>The regulations to enact managed migration will come before Parliament this autumn and are subject to parliamentary approval.</p><p> </p><p>These regulations include transitional protection for claimants which will mean that no one will have a reduced benefit entitlement at the point that they move over to Universal Credit as a result of managed migration. They also provide additional protection to claimants receiving a Severe Disability Premium, to ensure they are not moved onto Universal Credit ahead of managed migration, and to provide financial protection to those claimants who have already moved over.</p><p>In the legacy system there are £2.4bn of unclaimed benefits not taken up by people who need them, because they do not know about them. These regulations will ensure that 700,000 more people will get paid their full entitlement under Universal Credit, worth an average of £285 per month.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL10632 HL10633 question first answered 29/10/2018 16:19:10 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

988434

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2018
	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 percentage of those whose income may be reduced as a result of the roll out of Universal Credit through the managed migration process they estimate will be claimants in employment.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
	uin	HL10633
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2018 answer text <p>The regulations to enact managed migration will come before Parliament this autumn and are subject to parliamentary approval.</p><p> </p><p>These regulations include transitional protection for claimants which will mean that no one will have a reduced benefit entitlement at the point that they move over to Universal Credit as a result of managed migration. They also provide additional protection to claimants receiving a Severe Disability Premium, to ensure they are not moved onto Universal Credit ahead of managed migration, and to provide financial protection to those claimants who have already moved over.</p><p>In the legacy system there are £2.4bn of unclaimed benefits not taken up by people who need them, because they do not know about them. These regulations will ensure that 700,000 more people will get paid their full entitlement under Universal Credit, worth an average of £285 per month.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL10632 HL10634 question first answered 29/10/2018 16:19:10 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

988433

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2018
	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 percentage of claimants in receipt of Universal Credit who will be affected by managed migration they estimate will lose income as a result of the roll out of that scheme in 2019.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
	uin	HL10632
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2018 answer text <p>The regulations to enact managed migration will come before Parliament this autumn and are subject to parliamentary approval.</p><p> </p><p>These regulations include transitional protection for claimants which will mean that no one will have a reduced benefit entitlement at the point that they move over to Universal Credit as a result of managed migration. They also provide additional protection to claimants receiving a Severe Disability Premium, to ensure they are not moved onto Universal Credit ahead of managed migration, and to provide financial protection to those claimants who have already moved over.</p><p>In the legacy system there are £2.4bn of unclaimed benefits not taken up by people who need them, because they do not know about them. These regulations will ensure that 700,000 more people will get paid their full entitlement under Universal Credit, worth an average of £285 per month.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL10633 HL10634 question first answered 29/10/2018 16:19:10 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

933737

	registered interest
	date	02/07/2018
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Children
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many families who have been affected by the two-child benefit policy are using, or have used, food banks; and what estimate they have made of the saving to the Exchequer from that policy since its introduction.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
	uin	HL9124
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2018 answer text <p>No estimate has been made of the use of food banks by families affected by the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children.</p><p> </p><p>Estimates of the savings from the policy were published at the Spring Budget 2017 in table 2.2 (measures announced at Autumn Statement 2016 or earlier that take effect from April 2017 or later). The table shows annual savings of just under £2 billion by 2021-22.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 16/07/2018 12:10:05 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton