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1131195

	registered interest
	date	11/06/2019
	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 is taking to bring forward proposals to simplify the process by which social housing landlords advise her Department of a rent increase in order for a tenant in receipt of universal credit to receive an uplift in housing benefit.
	tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
	tabling member printed	Alan Brown
	uin	263186
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit payments are designed to mirror the world of work, with monthly payments reflecting the way many working people are paid. This model of monthly payments allows claimants to take responsibility for budgeting their own income and helps prepare them for getting back to work.</p><p> </p><p>Many claimants are capable of managing their own financial affairs and for these claimants a Managed Payment to Landlord is not appropriate. However, we recognise that additional support is sometimes necessarily to ensure rent is paid on time.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Our Trusted Partner scheme allows social landlords to play a key role in engaging with their tenants who are on Universal Credit, helping those who cannot manage their housing payments to access the support available and to help put managed payments in place where appropriate. We are rolling out the scheme alongside the Landlord Portal, which provides social landlords with the ability to submit information directly to the Universal Credit online system, supporting the timely and accurate payment of housing costs to Universal Credit claimants.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is developing a facility whereby social landlords whose tenants are on the landlord portal are able to advise Universal Credit about an annual rent change through the platform. This will help reduce administration for landlords and ensure the correct housing costs are paid.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 17/06/2019 15:07:19 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1132858

	registered interest
	date	18/06/2019
	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 17 June 2019 to Question 263186 on Universal Credit, what the timeframe is for the (a) Landlord portal going live and (b) platform within the Landlord portal to enable social landlords to notify his Department of annual rent increases.
	tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
	tabling member printed	Alan Brown
	uin	266176
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>The Department maintains guidance on GOV.UK, relevant for private and social sector landlords, with information about Universal Credit including the landlord portal which has existed since 2017. This can be accessed at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-rented-housing--2/universal-credit-and-rented-housing-guide-for-landlords" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-rented-housing--2/universal-credit-and-rented-housing-guide-for-landlords</a></p><p> </p><p>The Department will deliver improvements which include: (a) an online form for all landlords to request a managed payment for rent from Universal Credit, and (b) an upload facility for social landlords to notify annual rent changes via the existing landlord portal. Both systems are expected to be fully operational by the end of 2019 following completion of rigorous testing.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 24/06/2019 13:28:17 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1175969

	registered interest
	date	04/02/2020
	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, whether she plans to change the calculation of universal credit payments to take account of when earnings are scheduled to be paid to claimants.
	tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
	tabling member printed	Alan Brown
	uin	12354
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2020 answer text <p>Assessment periods allow for UC awards to be adjusted on a monthly basis, ensuring that if a claimant’s income changes, they do not have to wait several months for a corresponding change in their UC award.</p><p> </p><p>Earnings are taken into account in the assessment period they are received and in this way the UC paid to claimants reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has been working closely with HM Revenues and Customs (HMRC) since UC went live in 2013 to support and inform employers who report payroll earnings, to emphasise the importance of timely reporting via the Real Time Information (RTI) system.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC have updated their guidance to reiterate to employers the importance of reporting payroll accurately and the impact of reporting payments late.</p><p> </p><p>Employers should already record on HMRC’s RTI system the date a salary is scheduled to be paid, rather than the date it is paid, where it is earlier due to a weekend, bank holiday or at Christmas.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 12286 question first answered 12/02/2020 16:34:51 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1176309

	registered interest
	date	05/02/2020
	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, with reference to the High Court judgment of 11 January 2019, [2019] EWHC 23 (Admin), on universal credit and periodic assessments of income, what submissions on remedies her Department has made to the court.
	tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
	tabling member printed	Alan Brown
	uin	12944
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/02/2020 answer text <p>The judgment affects a small number of people on Universal Credit (UC), with specific characteristics. The Department is currently appealing this judgment, and as such will await the outcome of that process before taking any further action.</p><p>Monthly assessment periods align to the way the majority of employees are paid and also allows UC to be adjusted each month. This means that if a claimant's income falls, they will not have to wait several months for a rise in their UC.</p><p>The amount of UC paid to claimants reflects the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period, as closely as possible<strong>.</strong></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 14/02/2020 14:59:59 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1285089

	registered interest
	date	09/02/2021
	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 changes she has made to the universal credit system to comply with the Court of Appeal judgement of 22 June 2020 on assessing two wage payments received within a single assessment period.
	tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
	tabling member printed	Alan Brown
	uin	151764
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2021 answer text <p>The Universal Credit (Earned Income) Amendment Regulations 2020 were laid in October 2020, so for cases affected by this issue, monthly earnings can be reallocated to another assessment period. To support this, we have designed a tool which interacts with the Universal Credit Service to allow the redistribution of earnings where appropriate, with guidance having been issued to staff to ensure that where an issue is identified, the correct remedial action is taken.</p><p> </p><p>Automated identification of affected claimants is expected to be implemented in early 2021. This will allow us to proactively correct Universal Credit awards before they are paid without the claimant needing to raise the issue.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 16/02/2021 11:31:48 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1287367

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2021
	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, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2021 to Question 151764, on Universal Credit, whether that new process covers claimants that are paid every four weeks, in the event that they receive two sets of four weekly payments within a single calendar month.
	tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
	tabling member printed	Alan Brown
	uin	155189
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2021 answer text <p>No, automated identification will only be for affected claimants receiving monthly earnings in the same assessment period.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 01/03/2021 17:41:21 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1378391

	registered interest
	date	15/11/2021
	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, how many waivers were granted for universal credit overpayments classed as official error in financial year 2020-21.
	tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
	tabling member printed	Alan Brown
	uin	75017
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2021 answer text <p>The table below details the number of waivers of Universal Credit Official Error overpayments granted in the requested years:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Financial Year</p></td><td><p>Number of UC Official Error overpayments where recovery was waived</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020/2021</p></td><td><p>9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021/2022 (April to October)</p></td><td><p>5</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p /><p><em>Please note that this data is taken from operational data systems, and is not intended for publication. Therefore, the data itself is not quality assured to the standard of published Official Statistics and National Statistics.</em></p><p> </p><p>DWP pays welfare benefits to around 23 million people and is committed to ensuring that the right people are paid the right amount of Universal Credit. The vast majority of benefit expenditure (more than £200bn across all benefits last financial year) is paid correctly, with front line staff working hard to prevent overpayments from occurring.</p><p> </p><p>Where an overpayment does occur, the Department has a responsibility to taxpayers to recover the money without creating undue financial hardship. Universal Credit overpayments are recoverable, irrespective of how they arose. Where recovery is made by deduction from Universal Credit, there is a limit placed on the overall amount that can be deducted. Formerly 40% of the Universal Credit Standard Allowance, this was reduced to 30% in October 2019 and again to 25% in April 2021.</p><p> </p><p>A waiver can only be granted where the recovery of the overpayment is causing substantial medical and/or financial hardship, and where clear evidence of this can be provided.</p><p> </p><p>However, any claimants struggling with the proposed rate of deductions are encouraged to contact DWP Debt Management to discuss affordability, so that a lower repayment rate can be negotiated as appropriate.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 75018 question first answered 18/11/2021 17:04:44 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1378393

	registered interest
	date	15/11/2021
	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, how many waivers have been granted for universal credit overpayments with the classification of official error in financial year 2021-22 to date.
	tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
	tabling member printed	Alan Brown
	uin	75018
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2021 answer text <p>The table below details the number of waivers of Universal Credit Official Error overpayments granted in the requested years:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Financial Year</p></td><td><p>Number of UC Official Error overpayments where recovery was waived</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020/2021</p></td><td><p>9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021/2022 (April to October)</p></td><td><p>5</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p /><p><em>Please note that this data is taken from operational data systems, and is not intended for publication. Therefore, the data itself is not quality assured to the standard of published Official Statistics and National Statistics.</em></p><p> </p><p>DWP pays welfare benefits to around 23 million people and is committed to ensuring that the right people are paid the right amount of Universal Credit. The vast majority of benefit expenditure (more than £200bn across all benefits last financial year) is paid correctly, with front line staff working hard to prevent overpayments from occurring.</p><p> </p><p>Where an overpayment does occur, the Department has a responsibility to taxpayers to recover the money without creating undue financial hardship. Universal Credit overpayments are recoverable, irrespective of how they arose. Where recovery is made by deduction from Universal Credit, there is a limit placed on the overall amount that can be deducted. Formerly 40% of the Universal Credit Standard Allowance, this was reduced to 30% in October 2019 and again to 25% in April 2021.</p><p> </p><p>A waiver can only be granted where the recovery of the overpayment is causing substantial medical and/or financial hardship, and where clear evidence of this can be provided.</p><p> </p><p>However, any claimants struggling with the proposed rate of deductions are encouraged to contact DWP Debt Management to discuss affordability, so that a lower repayment rate can be negotiated as appropriate.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 75017 question first answered 18/11/2021 17:04:44 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown