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1273806

	registered interest
	date	06/01/2021
	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	Infant Foods
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on whether the provision of first infant formula milk to formula fed babies at (a) baby and (b) food banks across the UK complies with relevant regulatory requirements.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Riverside
	tabling member printed	Kim Johnson
	uin	134241
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2021 answer text <p>Foodbanks are independent, charitable organisations and the Department for Work and Pensions does not have any role in their operation. Decisions about which donations to accept and make available to food bank users are therefore a matter for food bank providers.</p><p><br>Healthy Start vouchers support pregnant women or households with children under four, who are on a low income, with the cost of milk (including infant formula), fruit and vegetables helping to boost children’s long-term health. We are increasing the weekly value of these vouchers from £3.10 to £4.25 in April.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 134221 question first answered 11/01/2021 17:37:12 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4824 label Biography information for Kim Johnson

1251906

	registered interest
	date	13/11/2020
	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	Redundancy: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the need to provide financial support for employees made redundant before 23 September 2020 who cannot be furloughed and are not entitled to any statutory redundancy payment.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	92004
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>Universal Credit is in place to support claimants in difficult circumstances. The Government introduced a package of temporary welfare measures worth around £9.3 billion this year to help with the financial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. This included the £20 weekly increase to the Universal Credit Standard Allowance rates as a temporary measure for the 20/21 tax year.</p><p>Our long-term ambition is to level up across the country and continue to tackle poverty through our reformed welfare system that works with the labour market to encourage people to move into and progress in work wherever possible.</p><p> </p><p>Our £30bn Plan for Jobs is the first step on the ladder to achieving this and will support economic recovery through new schemes including Kickstart and Job Entry Targeted Support.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 23/11/2020 16:31:07 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1233677

	registered interest
	date	11/09/2020
	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: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, further to the Social Security Advisory Committee’s letter of 27 May 2020 which stated that it is increasingly untenable for (employment support allowance (ESA) and job seeker's allowance (JSA)) claimants to be excluded and continue to have a lower level of income than those in receipt of Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit, if she will commission research into the comparative effect of the covid-19 lockdown on people who are living on (a) £74.35 a week standard allowance for ESA, JSA and Income support and (b) £95 a week paid to those on universal credit, working tax credit and statutory sick pay.
	tabling member constituency	Edmonton
	tabling member printed	Kate Osamor
	uin	88919
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2020 answer text <p>The Department has no current plans to commission such research.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants on legacy benefits can make a claim for Universal Credit if they believe that they will be better off. Claimants should check their eligibility before applying to Universal Credit as legacy benefits will end when they submit their claim and they will not be able to return to them in the future. For this reason, prospective claimants are signposted to independent benefits calculators on GOV.UK.</p><p> </p><p>There are special arrangements for those in receipt of the Severe Disability Premium, who will be able to make a new claim to Universal Credit from January 2021.</p><p /> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 21/09/2020 17:00:10 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4515 label Biography information for Kate Osamor

1309602

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2021
	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: Wales
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many additional children in Wales have been affected by the two-child limit on universal and child tax credit since March 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Arfon
	tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
	uin	181198
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/04/2021 answer text <p>The Government has committed to annual statistics releases related to the operation of the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children. Statistics related to the period up to April 2020 were published in July 2020 and can be accessed at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-tax-credit-and-universal-credit-claimants-statistics-related-to-the-policy-to-provide-support-for-a-maximum-of-2-children-april-2020" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-tax-credit-and-universal-credit-claimants-statistics-related-to-the-policy-to-provide-support-for-a-maximum-of-2-children-april-2020</a>. Statistics related to the period up to April 2021 will be published in the summer.</p><p> </p><p>The government’s published Impact Assessment noted that ethnic minority households may be more likely to be impacted by the policy. This is because they are, on average, more likely to be in receipt of CTC and UC, and on average have larger families. However, the government does not collect sufficiently robust data on the ethnic background or religious beliefs of benefit claimants to enable a fuller assessment of the impact of the policy on particular ethnic or religious groups. The Government has assessed the impact of the policy from an equality and human rights perspective, meeting our obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty, and ensuring compliance with the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 and the UN Convention.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 181197 181199 question first answered 20/04/2021 16:01:24 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1240759

	registered interest
	date	06/10/2020
	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: Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many families are affected by the two-child limit on social security benefits in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
	tabling member printed	Jonathan Edwards
	uin	99586
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>In Carmarthen East and Dinefwr 60 families on Universal Credit were affected by the policy in April 2020.</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Families affected means households reporting a third or subsequent child on or after 6 April 2017 and not receiving a child element/amount.</li><li>This data is for households that had an open UC claim in April 2020, and so will have been included in this year’s Two Child Policy Publication.</li><li>Percentages rounded to nearest percent and number of families rounded to nearest 10.</li></ul><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 12/10/2020 12:20:40 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	3943 label Biography information for Jonathan Edwards

1238854

	registered interest
	date	29/09/2020
	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: Overpayments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit overpayments have been caused by maladministration by her Department between April 2019 and April 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
	tabling member printed	Justin Madders
	uin	96945
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2020 answer text <p>DWP is focused on paying people their correct entitlement and a quality checking regime is in place. However, there are occasions where administrative or ‘official errors’ have arisen from processing or delays, which we look to correct as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p>The latest National Statistics Fraud and Error statistics were published on 14<sup>th</sup> May 2020 and show that estimated losses from official error in 2019/20 accounted for 0.4% of total benefit expenditure.</p><p> </p><p>These statistics can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fraud-and-error-in-the-benefit-system-financial-year-2019-to-2020-estimates" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fraud-and-error-in-the-benefit-system-financial-year-2019-to-2020-estimates</a></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2020 17:00:20 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

1219796

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2020
	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, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2020 to PQ 62300 on Universal Credit: Fraud, at what stage her Department's investigations into cases of universal credit scams for claimants in the Borough of Halton are; and when those claimants will have their benefits restored.
	tabling member constituency	Halton
	tabling member printed	Derek Twigg
	uin	67552
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/07/2020 answer text <p>The Department does not store information at a constituency level. As a result, providing the requested information would incur disproportionate costs.</p><p> </p><p>If an individual approaches DWP alleging they have had their identity fraudulently used, we will investigate the matter. We endeavour to ensure that these investigations are brought to a conclusion as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p>Where a person has had their details used to make a fraudulent claim for Universal Credit, the Department may consider the reinstatement of legacy benefits where it is clear they played no part in the making of the claim.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 06/07/2020 16:11:09 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	429 label Biography information for Derek Twigg

1289523

	registered interest
	date	24/02/2021
	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 recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of universal credit payment rates; and whether her Department undertakes regular analysis to help ensure universal credit payment rates are set at levels that meet the basic needs of recipients.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow East
	tabling member printed	David Linden
	uin	158179
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2021 answer text <p>No such assessment has been carried out.</p><p> </p><p>There is no objective way of deciding what an adequate level of benefit should be as everyone has different requirements. Income related benefit rates are not made up of separate amounts for specific items of expenditure such as food or fuel charges.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to helping people with the cost of living and providing a safety net for those that need it. We have injected billions into the welfare system for those most in need, including increases to the Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit standard allowances of up to £1040 this financial year, and uplifts to the Local Housing Allowance rates to cover the lowest 30% of market rents. The Covid Winter Grant Scheme builds on that support with an additional £170m for local authorities in England, to support families with children and other vulnerable people, with the cost of food and essential utilities this winter.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 158180 question first answered 01/03/2021 15:38:01 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4640 label Biography information for David Linden

1215989

	registered interest
	date	22/06/2020
	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, at what stage his Department's investigations into cases of universal credit scams for claimants in Halton constituency are; and when those claimants will have their benefits restored.
	tabling member constituency	Halton
	tabling member printed	Derek Twigg
	uin	62300
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2020 answer text <p>The Department does not hold this data by constituency and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 25/06/2020 15:26:58 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	429 label Biography information for Derek Twigg

1221406

	registered interest
	date	07/07/2020
	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, for what reason claimants of universal credit under the age of 25 receive a lower rate than claimants over the age of 25.
	tabling member constituency	Paisley and Renfrewshire South
	tabling member printed	Mhairi Black
	uin	70433
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2020 answer text <p>We have injected over £6.5bn into the welfare system, including increasing Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit by up to £1,040 a year for everyone. This was in addition to the 1.7 per cent inflation increase which was part of the Government’s decision to end the benefits freeze meaning more financial support for millions of people across the UK, including those under 25.</p><p> </p><p>The Universal Credit rate for under 25s reflects the lower wages that younger workers typically receive.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit also includes separate elements to provide support for housing costs, children and childcare costs and support for disabled people and carers. These additional amounts are provided to claimants at the same level irrespective of age.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 15/07/2020 16:54:15 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4421 label Biography information for Mhairi Black