Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1130235

	registered interest
	date	05/06/2019
	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: Repayments
	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 case for modifiying the repayment of Universal Credit advance payments in order to take into account individual circumstances such as debts related to (1) utilities, (2) Council Tax, and (3) previous loans.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
	uin	HL16096
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2019 answer text <p>The Department 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><p> </p><p>The average advance amount for new claims is around £400, which can be repaid over a period of 12 months, at a rate of £33.33 per month. Therefore, in the majority of cases, advance payment recovery is small in comparison to the whole Universal Credit award, with a current average award of £658 per month.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that exceptional circumstances may occur to claimants that were not foreseen when the advance was taken out. Help is available for those struggling to meet the recovery rate once recovery begins and if the claimant is facing unexpected financial hardship they can ask the Department for a deferral of the repayment of any advance they have taken out. The deferral periods are up to 3 months for a new claim, benefit transfer or change of circumstances advance and up to 6 months for a Budgeting advance.</p><p> </p><p>Where a claimant has a reduction in benefit due to a Fraud Penalty or Conditionally Sanction that equals or exceeds 40% of their Universal Credit standard allowance then no advance repayment will be taken. If there is insufficient Universal Credit in payment due to reductions such as earnings, other income and capital yield to take the full amount of advances repayment, a lesser amount will be taken.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 19/06/2019 11:35:17 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1132639

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	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	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to start the pilot of Universal Credit managed migration in July; if so, when in July; and what meetings they have held with stakeholders to discuss any such pilot.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL16417
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2019 answer text <p>We plan to commence the Move to UC pilot when the necessary preparations are in place, subject to management checks of readiness. Preparations are proceeding to plan.</p><p>Stakeholder engagement has been and continues to be a vital part of the work we are doing on Universal Credit. Since last October we have been working closely with a diverse range of stakeholders to listen to their views and to better understand their concerns, to ensure the widest possible range of insights are played into the design of the process for moving claimants from legacy benefits onto Universal Credit.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 25/06/2019 13:40:22 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1132641

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	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	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 6 June (HL15922), whether the information provided about deductions in the Universal Credit statement includes information about how much debt is left to pay and the recovery rate being applied.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL16419
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>This information is not currently included on a claimant’s Universal Credit statement.</p><p> </p><p>Under Universal Credit there is a structured and simplified approach to deductions from benefit. Claimants can view their Universal credit statement online to see how their award is calculated and a breakdown of what deductions are being made, supporting them to manage their financial obligations.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 01/07/2019 14:21:27 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1131883

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2019
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Greater Manchester
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many pensioners aged 75 and over receive (1) state pension, and (2) pensioner credit, in each of the ten districts of Greater Manchester.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bradley
	uin	HL16301
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>In November 2018, the number of pensioners aged 75 and over claiming the State Pension and Pension Credit in the Greater Manchester districts can be found in the table below.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Pension Credit and State Pension Recipients by district</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>State Pension</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Pension Credit</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bolton</p></td><td><p>21,321</p></td><td><p>4,859</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bury</p></td><td><p>15,189</p></td><td><p>2,790</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Manchester</p></td><td><p>21,524</p></td><td><p>8,290</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oldham</p></td><td><p>16,374</p></td><td><p>3,746</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Rochdale</p></td><td><p>15,231</p></td><td><p>3,798</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Salford</p></td><td><p>16,157</p></td><td><p>4,255</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Stockport</p></td><td><p>27,258</p></td><td><p>4,239</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Tameside</p></td><td><p>17,049</p></td><td><p>3,790</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Trafford</p></td><td><p>19,359</p></td><td><p>3,006</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wigan</p></td><td><p>26,354</p></td><td><p>5,416</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 24/06/2019 15:00:45 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	452 label Biography information for Lord Bradley

1134314

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2019
	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	Social Security Benefits
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the current (1) weekly rates of Child Benefit, and (2) monthly rates of Universal Credit standard allowances and child elements; and what would each of those rates have been had they not been frozen for the past four years.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL16599
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>Work is the best route out of poverty and for people to be more financially independent. Our welfare reforms are part of the Government’s commitment to incentivise moves into work and progression in work, and to better support working families.</p><p>The Department completed an Impact Assessment titled ‘Welfare Reform and Work Bill: Impact Assessment of the Benefit rate freeze’ in July 2015 which included information surrounding the policy objectives and the intended effects. Benefits for the additional costs of disability, and for carers, are exempt from the benefit freeze.</p><p>Currently the weekly rate of Child Benefit is £20.70 for the eldest or only child and £13.70 for additional children.</p><p>Universal Credit is made up of a standard allowance and any additional amounts which apply to claimants with certain circumstances, such as dependent children. The current monthly rates for the requested Universal Credit components are shown in the tables below.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Standard allowance</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Single and under 25</p></td><td><p>£251.77</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Single and over 25</p></td><td><p>£317.82</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>In a couple and both under 25</p></td><td><p>£395.20 (for both)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>In a couple and either are 25 or over</p></td><td><p>£498.89 (for both)</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong>Child components</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>For the first child</p></td><td><p>£277.08 (born before 6 April 2017) £231.67 (born on or after 6 April 2017)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>For the second or other eligible children</p></td><td><p>£231.67</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>For a disabled or severely disabled child</p></td><td><p>£126.11 or £392.08</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>We are unable to determine what each of the rates would have been had they not been subject to a freeze, as the legacy system is not comparable with Universal Credit.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 08/07/2019 15:17:12 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1134319

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2019
	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	Poverty: Children
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children who live in a household where at least one adult is employed are currently living in absolute poverty after housing costs.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Primarolo
	uin	HL16604
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>National statistics on the number of children in absolute poverty in a family where at least one adult is employed can be calculated from figures published in the annual &quot;Households Below Average Income&quot; publication.</p><p>In 2017/18, 2.5m children were in absolute poverty (after housing costs) in families with at least one adult in employment. However, nearly half of these families are in part time work only, or are self-employed</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 08/07/2019 14:38:48 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	217 label Biography information for Baroness Primarolo

1134320

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2019
	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	Poverty: Children
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children live in a household where the adult employed is in part-time employment and are living in absolute poverty (1) before housing costs, and (2) after housing costs.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Primarolo
	uin	HL16605
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>National statistics on the number of children in absolute poverty in a family where the adults are in part time employment only can be calculated from figures published in the annual &quot;Households Below Average Income&quot; publication.</p><p>In 2017/18, the number of children in absolute poverty in families where the adult or adults were in part-time employment only, was 400,000 before housing costs, and 700,000 after housing costs</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 08/07/2019 15:16:00 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	217 label Biography information for Baroness Primarolo

1134321

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2019
	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	Poverty: Children
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children live in a household where the adult is self-employed and are living in absolute poverty (1) before housing costs, and (2) after housing costs.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Primarolo
	uin	HL16606
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>National statistics on the number of children in absolute poverty, in couple families where at least one adult is in full-time self-employment, can be calculated from figures published in the annual &quot;Households Below Average Income&quot; publication.</p><p> </p><p>In 2017/18, the number of children in absolute poverty, in couple families where at least one adult was in full-time self-employment, was 400,000 before housing costs and 500,000 after housing costs.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 08/07/2019 14:02:26 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	217 label Biography information for Baroness Primarolo

1130234

	registered interest
	date	05/06/2019
	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	Poverty
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last discussed (1) low and insecure incomes, (2) issues emerging from the rollout of Universal Credit, and (3) increased demand for food banks, with representatives of the relevant voluntary agencies; and what was the outcome of those discussions.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
	uin	HL16095
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2019 answer text <p>Ministers and officials have regular meetings with key stakeholders to discuss a diverse range of issues that fall within the Department’s remit and impact on the lives of claimants. Many of these contacts occur at a local level between Jobcentres and external stakeholders which serve or represent their local communities, and such contacts are not recorded centrally, and to provide this information would incur disproportionate cost to the Department.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit is designed to react and respond quickly to feedback from our stakeholders and claimants to improve the service we offer; ensuring welfare payments reach those who need them most, and effectively supporting those with insecure or fluctuating incomes. At a national level we meet regularly with stakeholders, partners and third party organisations to discuss Universal Credit and invite views and collaboration, for example, on the design of the processes for moving people onto Universal Credit. This includes identifying and tackling barriers and concerns.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, the Government is committed to building an economy that works for everyone. Through the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and the National Living Wage (NLW) the Government protects the lowest paid within our society.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 19/06/2019 11:32:43 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1134313

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2019
	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	Poverty
	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 19 June (HL Deb, col 771), on what occasions the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights was "not keen to engage" with UK officials.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL16598
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>Department for Work and Pensions officials liaised extensively with the Special Rapporteur’s office over the arrangements for his visit to the UK last November. From the outset, his staff were clear that Professor Alston’s priority was to secure meetings with UK Government Ministers.</p><p> </p><p>DWP proposed meetings and round tables with senior officials across the relevant departments so that topics, including health, housing and welfare benefits, could be explored in more detail. The scope and time available for these meetings was significantly curtailed as the Special Rapporteur’s office asked that meetings with parliamentary committees and other public bodies, for example the National Audit Office, be prioritised over meetings with UK Government officials.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 08/07/2019 13:50:34 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett