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1147067

	registered interest
	date	30/09/2019
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of backdating universal credit payments to reduce the five week wait for a first payment.
	tabling member constituency	South Cambridgeshire
	tabling member printed	Heidi Allen
	uin	292316
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit new claim advances provide access to a payment for those in financial need, which can be accessed urgently, until their first regular Universal Credit payment is due. Claimants can access up to 100% of the total expected monthly award, which they can pay back over a period of up to 12 months. We have announced that from October 2021, the repayment period for these advances will be extended further, to 16 months.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has delivered a number of improvements to support claimants during their first assessment period, such as removing waiting days and paying those claimants moving from Housing Benefit onto Universal Credit a two week ‘transitional housing payment’. We are also introducing a two-week run on for eligible claimants of Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance from July 2020.</p><p> </p><p>Claims may be backdated, by up to one calendar month, in limited circumstances for vulnerable claimants who may be delayed in claiming Universal Credit through no fault of their own. Claims may also be backdated in specific circumstances when a couple separates to ensure that there is no gap in entitlement between the couple claim and the new claim made by a single claimant.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 13:48:25 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4516 label Biography information for Heidi Allen

1147068

	registered interest
	date	30/09/2019
	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	Social Security Benefits
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of establishing an independent commission to review the value of benefits to ensure they consistently match the cost of living.
	tabling member constituency	South Cambridgeshire
	tabling member printed	Heidi Allen
	uin	292317
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has a statutory duty to complete an annual review of benefit and pension rates to determine whether they have retained their value in relation to either prices or earnings.</p><p> </p><p>If there has been an increase in prices or earnings she must increase certain benefits by at least the increase in prices or earnings, using ONS data. For other benefits she may take into account the prevailing economic conditions and other relevant factors.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst organisations external to Government are free to make representations to the Secretary of State, the Department has made no assessment around the introduction of an independent commission to review the value of benefits.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 13:39:43 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4516 label Biography information for Heidi Allen

1147069

	registered interest
	date	30/09/2019
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of universal credit payments were subject to a deduction for child maintenance arrears.
	tabling member constituency	South Cambridgeshire
	tabling member printed	Heidi Allen
	uin	292318
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>For eligible Universal Credit claims with a payment due in May 2019 (the latest month of available data) 0.6% [11,000 claims] had a deduction for child maintenance arrears.</p><p> </p><p>Notes</p><p>- Number of claims rounded to nearest 1000.</p><p>- Percentage rounded to nearest 0.1%</p><p /> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 13:55:09 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4516 label Biography information for Heidi Allen

1147173

	registered interest
	date	30/09/2019
	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
	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 effect of the roll-out of universal credit on trends in the level of referrals to food banks.
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	uin	292337
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>The Department does not keep official statistics on food bank use, so no such assessment has been completed. Some food aid providers produce statistics on the number of food parcels distributed, but the Government has no plans to require individual food banks to keep records as this would place a significant burden on charitable and voluntary organisations.</p><p> </p><p>We have listened to feedback on how we can improve Universal Credit to support our claimants and acted quickly, making improvements such as extending advances, removing waiting days, and introducing housing benefit run on. These changes are giving support to vulnerable people who need it most, whilst at the same time helping people get into work faster.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 13:29:48 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones

1147174

	registered interest
	date	30/09/2019
	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	Poverty: Children
	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 trends in the level of child poverty.
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	uin	292338
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>National statistics on the number of children in relative and absolute low income are set out in the annual &quot;Households Below Average Income&quot; publication available here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/789816/hbai-2017-2018-tables-ods-files.zip" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/789816/hbai-2017-2018-tables-ods-files.zip</a></p><p> </p><p>In the latest low income statistics, the number of children in low income increased in three of the four measures.</p><p> </p><p>Since 2009/2010 there has been a 1 percentage point reduction in child poverty on an absolute before housing cost (BHC) basis.</p><p> </p><p>The evidence shows that work is the best route out of poverty and there are 730,000 fewer children in workless households compared with 2010.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 13:09:50 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones

1147448

	registered interest
	date	01/10/2019
	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	Social Security Benefits: Wirral
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many advance benefit payments were made to people in (a) Wallasey constituency and (b) Wirral in each of the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Wallasey
	tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
	uin	292839
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>The table below gives the number of advances paid for the Wallasey constituency and the Wirral local authority.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Wallasey Constituency</p></td><td><p>Wirral Local Authority</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jun-18</p></td><td><p>360</p></td><td><p>1,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul-18</p></td><td><p>480</p></td><td><p>1,530</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aug-18</p></td><td><p>450</p></td><td><p>1,410</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sep-18</p></td><td><p>380</p></td><td><p>1,280</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct-18</p></td><td><p>410</p></td><td><p>1,350</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nov-18</p></td><td><p>410</p></td><td><p>1,370</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Dec-18</p></td><td><p>290</p></td><td><p>1,040</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan-19</p></td><td><p>390</p></td><td><p>1,340</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Feb-19</p></td><td><p>430</p></td><td><p>1,370</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mar-19</p></td><td><p>490</p></td><td><p>1,480</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr-19</p></td><td><p>490</p></td><td><p>1,490</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May-19</p></td><td><p>590</p></td><td><p>1,780</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong>Notes</strong></p><p>Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.</p><p>Figures include all types of advances.</p><p>Figures relate to Universal Credit full service only.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 13:02:42 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1147573

	registered interest
	date	01/10/2019
	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, what assessment she has made of the reasons for differing rates of home visits to universal credit applicants in different geographical areas; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	292795
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>Home visits are available to support claimants in making and maintaining their Universal Credit claims. No assessment has been made regarding the differing rates of home visits in different geographical areas as home visits are given based solely on the circumstances of the claimant.</p><p> </p><p>To ensure all claimants are supported, the Department has allocated additional funding for the home visiting service. This year we have allocated £1 million of funding for the home visiting service. For 2019/20 the total fund allocated will rise to just under £2 million, and will continue to increase to over £5.5 million per year by 2023/24, reflecting the increase in the total number of claimants of Universal Credit whether through managed migration or from other sources.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 12:56:03 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1147855

	registered interest
	date	02/10/2019
	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	Poverty: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate she has made of the number of women and girls living below the poverty line.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	293446
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>National Statistics on the number of children in relative and absolute low income are set out in the annual &quot;Households Below Average Income&quot; (HBAI) publication.</p><p> </p><p>In the latest low income statistics, the number of women (including those of pension age) and female children below the poverty line decreased in three out of four measures compared to 2009/10. In 2017/18 there were 3.8 million women in absolute poverty before housings costs, down from 3.9 million in 2009/10. In 2017/18 there were 1.2 million female children in poverty in absolute poverty before housing costs, down from 1.3 million in 2009/10.</p><p> </p><p>The above information has been sourced from the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) statistics using Stat-Xplore. Stat-Xplore can be accessed using: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html</a>.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 12:58:16 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1147920

	registered interest
	date	02/10/2019
	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, pursuant to the Answer of October 1 to Question 290635 on universal credit, what evidence her Department used to reduce the repayment level from 40 per cent to 30 per cent of universal credit award.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	293439
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>The Department collects and analyses data on Universal Credit regularly, including on the rate of deductions. Alongside this, the Department is always building our understanding on the impact deductions can have on claimants, and has heard evidence from external organisations on this issue. We have to balance these impacts with the need for claimants to meet their obligations.</p><p> </p><p>We believe the reduction from 40 percent to 30 percent strikes a fair balance between a claimant’s need to make essential repayments and their ability to ensure they can meet their day-to-day needs. It maintains our policy to enforce social obligations such as the payment of fines and Child Maintenance, ensure Government debt is recovered and vitally to safeguard claimants from the potential impacts of not repaying priority debts, such as homelessness or the deduction of fuel.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 13:16:52 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe