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1123530

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	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	Carer's Allowance: Overpayments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of unprocessed change in circumstance notifications which led to the over-payment of carer's allowance.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	248577
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2019 answer text <p>There is no estimate. When we receive a notification of change, consideration is given as to whether the change will affect the benefit. Where it does, action is taken to prevent an overpayment, or to stop an overpayment. Once the customer has notified us of a change in their circumstances, any delay in actioning that notification would be official error and would not be recoverable from the customer.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 02/05/2019 15:26:47 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1123532

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	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	Carer's Allowance: Overpayments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what safeguards are in place to ensure reasonable rates of repayment from recipients of carers' allowance who have been overpaid through no fault of their own.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	248578
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2019 answer text <p>Claimants are required to tell us about any changes in their circumstances. Once a claimant has advised us of a change, any subsequent overpayment is called official error.</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not seek the recovery of Carer’s Allowance official error overpayments as this is not permitted under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 Section 71 (1).</p><p> </p><p>Where a claimant has failed to report a change, or has provided inaccurate information, overpayments are recoverable. When recovering overpayments, the Department ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect the welfare of claimants, including renegotiating repayment rates where this is needed.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 02/05/2019 14:58:20 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1123538

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	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: Lone Parents
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of universal credit claimants are lone parents (a) under 25 and (b) 25 and over.
	tabling member constituency	Newport East
	tabling member printed	Jessica Morden
	uin	248625
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department has a range of support on offer through Universal Credit (UC) to help claimants, including lone parents, prepare for and move into work. For example, from April 2019 we increased work allowance rates by £1,000 and they will be uprated in line with inflation in the future. This measure provides additional support in a package announced in Autumn Budget 2018, worth £1.7 billion by 2023/24, to some of the most vulnerable low paid working households.</p><p> </p><p>The table below has an estimate based on households claiming UC by matching the UC household dataset (which contains information about family type), with the people on UC dataset (which contains information about age). The table gives the estimated total number of households on UC and those occupied by single parents in November 2018, split by age groups. The information in the table should be read in conjunction with the notes.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p>Estimated number of total households on Universal Credit and those occupied by single parents, by age, in Great Britain, November 2018</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Number of households</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>1,262,000</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Single Parents aged 25 or over</p></td><td><p>273,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Single Parents aged under 25</p></td><td><p>55,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Single Parents age unknown</p></td><td><p>12,000</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong>Source:</strong> Universal Credit household dataset <strong>and</strong> people on Universal Credit dataset</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Notes:</strong></p><ol><li>The figures are estimates derived from unpublished information and have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard.</li><li>Figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand. Individual figures may not add up to the total due to rounding.</li><li>A count date of the second Thursday of the month is used when calculating the statistics for the people and households on Universal Credit.</li><li>The figure for households occupied by single parents has been deduced where the household has a family type of ‘single with child dependent(s)’.</li><li>Further information on the background and methodology can be accessed here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/739399/universal-credit-statistics-background-methodology.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/739399/universal-credit-statistics-background-methodology.pdf</a></li></ol> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 09/05/2019 15:49:20 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	1548 label Biography information for Jessica Morden

1123545

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what grounds can child maintenance be written off by the Child Support Agency.
	tabling member constituency	Bassetlaw
	tabling member printed	John Mann
	uin	248596
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2019 answer text <p>The grounds on which child maintenance arrears may be written off are available in The Child Support (Management of Payments and Arrears) Regulations 2009.</p><p> </p><p>Circumstances include where the receiving parent (or child in Scotland) has died, or requests that the arrears are written off; where the paying parent has died and there is no further action that can be taken to recover the arrears; and where the arrears fall under the circumstances detailed in the child maintenance Compliance and Arrears Strategy.</p><p> </p><p>A comprehensive list of the grounds for write off is available in the link below:</p><p><a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/3151/part/PART4B" target="_blank">https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/3151/part/PART4B</a></p><p> </p><p>The response to the Compliance and Arrears Strategy consultation is available in the link below:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/724358/response-child-maintenance-compliance-and-arrears-strategy-consultation.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/724358/response-child-maintenance-compliance-and-arrears-strategy-consultation.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 02/05/2019 10:28:43 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	1387 label Biography information for Lord Mann

1123546

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people had child maintenance payments written off by the Child Support Agency in 2018.
	tabling member constituency	Bassetlaw
	tabling member printed	John Mann
	uin	248597
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2019 answer text <p>The information is not readily available and has not previously been published as official statistics, however we expect these statistics to be published in June 2019. Information on the planned changes to the Child Support Agency Quarterly Statistical Summary to incorporate this information can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-support-agency-statistics-publication-strategy" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-support-agency-statistics-publication-strategy</a></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 02/05/2019 10:12:57 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	1387 label Biography information for Lord Mann

1123569

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which groups of parents are not required to pay child maintenance; and what estimate her Department has made of the number of parents who are primary carers for children who do not receive child maintenance.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	248589
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>All parents have a responsibility to support their children. Where an application is made to the Child Maintenance Service, a liability will be calculated based on the gross taxable income of the paying parent, provided all the relevant parties can be identified and are classed as habitually resident in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>In certain circumstances, where the paying parent: has a gross a weekly income below £7 per week; is a child; is in prison; is aged 16-17 years old and in receipt of prescribed benefits; is receiving a work based training allowance; is in a care home, hospital or receiving home care; this liability will be nil.</p><p /><p>The following publication includes statistics on the child maintenance arrangements of separated families:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/separated-families-population-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/separated-families-population-statistics</a></p><p> </p><p>Information on the number of parents who are primary carers for children but do not receive child maintenance is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/05/2019 12:05:38 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1123635

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	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 deductions above the maximum cap of 40 per cent in the last month for which data is available.
	tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
	tabling member printed	Neil Gray
	uin	248697
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government 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>However, last resort deductions can be applied to protect vulnerable claimants from eviction and/or having their fuel supply (gas/electricity) cut off, by providing a last resort repayment method for arrears of these essential services. In these circumstances, when it’s considered to be in the best interests of the claimant and their family, deductions may be taken above the 40 per cent limit.</p><p> </p><p>If a claimant is in financial difficulty as a result of the level of deductions being made they can contact the Department to request that a reduction in deductions be considered.</p><p> </p><p>Of eligible* claims to Universal Credit Full Service due a payment in December 2018:</p><p>• 0.8% (10,000 claims) had a deduction above 40 per cent of their standard allowance.</p><p> </p><p>Notes</p><p>1. *Eligible claimants are claimants that have satisfied all the requirements of claiming Universal Credit; they have provided the necessary evidence, signed their claimant commitment and are eligible and have received their first payment.</p><p>2. Deductions include Universal Credit advance repayments, third party deductions and all other deductions, but exclude sanctions and fraud penalties which are reductions of benefit rather than deductions.</p><p>3. Figures rounded to nearest 1,000.</p><p>4. Claim numbers may not match official statistics caseloads due to small methodological differences.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 08/05/2019 17:13:47 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1123636

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	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: Housing
	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 new claimants for universal credit received two weeks’ run-on housing benefit while waiting for their first payment (a) in the last six months and (b) in the last month for which information is available.
	tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
	tabling member printed	Neil Gray
	uin	248698
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. However, since it was introduced in April 2018, all Housing Benefit claimants, whose Housing Benefit award was ended because of a new claim to Universal Credit, have been awarded the two-week Transition to Universal Credit Housing Payment.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/05/2019 11:36:53 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1123637

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	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: Housing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of claimants of universal credit who have a deduction for housing rent arrears in the first month of their claim in the last month for which data is available.
	tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
	tabling member printed	Neil Gray
	uin	248699
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government 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. Last resort deductions can be applied to protect vulnerable claimants from eviction and/or having their gas, electricity and water cut off, by providing a last resort repayment method for arrears of these essential services. If a claimant is in financial difficulty as a result of the level of deductions being made, they can contact the Department to request that a reduction in their deductions be considered.</p><p> </p><p>The latest available data is for eligible claims to UC Full Service that are due a payment in December 2018. Of those claims with a payment in December 2018 relating to the first month of their claim, 2% have a deduction to repay rent arrears. This equates to 3,000 claims.</p><p> </p><p>Notes</p><ul><li>Rent arrears deductions are defined as arrears of rent and/or service charges relating to a rented property</li><li>Figures for rent arrears deduction include only those claims with a non-zero rent arrears deduction.</li><li>Figures rounded to nearest 1,000.</li></ul> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/05/2019 11:49:27 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1123659

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	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, if she publish guidance on what triggers a natural migration to universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	248643
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2019 answer text <p>Currently people only move to Universal Credit (UC) because they have had a significant change in their circumstances which would previously have led them to make a new claim to a legacy benefit. It has always been the case that in such circumstances, new claims would be assessed based upon their new circumstances and under the rules of the new benefit.</p><p> </p><p>Claimant circumstances within the legacy system are diverse and interact with a range of benefits in different ways. Eligibility for UC is dependent on individuals’ circumstances, the specific nature of the change and rules for access to legacy benefits.</p><p> </p><p>During oral evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee (WPSC) on Wednesday, 1 May 2019, the Minister of State for Employment confirmed that the Department will write to the Committee to provide, a list of examples which may prompt a move to UC after circumstances have changed.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 02/05/2019 10:03:27 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris