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1128212

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	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 people have had their deductions under universal credit reduced from the maximum rate of 40 per cent of an individual's standard allowance in the last (a) month and (b) 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	257510
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><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> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/06/2019 14:52:01 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1128322

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	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 has taken to ensure that universal credit claimants (a) are fully aware of how the repayment of advance payments work and (b) understand that the deferment of repayments is for a maximum of three months.
	tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
	tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
	uin	257562
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>Applications for a Universal Credit advance payment can be made in person, by telephone or online depending on the claimant’s circumstances. Depending on the type of advance payment application, we will consider whether the claimant satisfies the eligibility conditions for receiving the advance. If the claimant is eligible we will agree the amount of the advance and the period over which the advance will be recovered from their future Universal Credit payments. If the claimant has made the application in person or by telephone, the outcome of the application is explained to the claimant face to face or over the phone and then their online journal is updated. If they have made the application online the outcome will be displayed on screen.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has taken a number of steps to ensure that advances meet the needs of claimants and that the recovery arrangements are personalised and reasonable. Affordability is managed by ensuring the recovery rate will not be more than the equivalent of 40% of the claimant’s standard allowance. The claimant is given the choice over the repayment period and it is explained to them exactly how much will be deducted each month depending on the option they choose. If the claimant is making the advance application online, these options are clearly displayed on screen for them to choose from.</p><p> </p><p>Help is available for those struggling to meet the recovery rate. In exceptional circumstances, recovery can be deferred for up to three months from the start of the recovery period. If the claimant tells us that due to unforeseen circumstances they are experiencing hardship and are having difficulty repaying the advance over the agreed recovery time, we would explain that repayment can be deferred by a maximum of three months.</p><p> </p><p>From October 2019 the maximum rate of deductions from a claimant’s standard allowance will be reduced from 40% to 30%. From October 2021 we are increasing the recovery period for advances from 12 to 16 months, further supporting those in financial need.</p><p> </p><p>Information about advances is available on the Gov.uk site at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-advances" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-advances</a></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/06/2019 14:31:16 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley

1128342

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	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 18 February 2019 to Question 218205 on Universal Credit, which regulations referred to in that Answer protect claimants from excessive deductions.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	257576
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the importance of safeguarding the welfare of claimants who have incurred debt. Under Universal Credit there is a structured approach to deductions from benefit, which simplifies the current complex arrangements. Claimants can view their Universal credit statement online and easily understand both how their award is calculated and what debts are being repaid, supporting them to manage their financial obligations.</p><p> </p><p>The aim of the deductions policy in Universal Credit is to protect vulnerable claimants by providing a last resort repayment method for arrears of essential services. The policy also enables social obligations to be enforced when other repayment methods have failed, or are not cost effective, and ensures that benefit debt is recovered in a cost effective manner.</p><p> </p><p>Regulations protect claimants from excessive deductions, which could lead to financial difficulty.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit is made up of a standard allowance plus any additional elements that apply, for example a housing element or child element. The overall maximum amount that can be deducted for debt repayments from a claimant’s Universal Credit each month is an amount equal to 40 per cent of their Universal Credit standard allowance.</p><p> </p><p>Where requested deductions exceed the 40 per cent maximum, or there is insufficient Universal Credit in payment for all deductions to be made, a priority order is applied, which determines the order in which items should be deducted. ‘Last resort’ deductions, such as rent or fuel costs, are at the top of the priority order, ensuring that claimant welfare is prioritised, followed by social obligation deductions, such as fines and child maintenance, and finally benefit debt, such as Social Fund loans and benefit overpayments.</p><p> </p><p>There are two exceptions to the overall maximum deduction rate. The first is deductions for current consumption of gas, electricity and water, which do not count towards the overall maximum amount. The second is where a Conditionality Sanction or Fraud Penalty is being applied or an Advance is being recovered, ‘last resort deductions’ (that is arrears of rent, service charges, gas or electricity) continue to be taken, even if it means that more than 40 per cent is deducted. This is to protect vulnerable claimants from being made homeless or having their fuel disconnected.</p><p> </p><p>The Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) Regulations 2013(S.I, 2013/380) and specifically Regulation 60 and Schedule 6, paragraph 4 explains how claimants are protected from excessive deductions. These regulations are available at <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/380/contents/made" target="_blank">http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/380/contents/made</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/06/2019 11:23:39 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1128546

	registered interest
	date	23/05/2019
	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: Terminal Illnesses
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of Scottish Government guidance for registered medical professionals on making clinical judgments about terminal illness; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Bridgend
	tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
	uin	257689
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>It is a matter for the Scottish Government how they assess entitlement for devolved benefits and to decide on appropriate guidance to support that.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 10/06/2019 14:18:31 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

1128547

	registered interest
	date	23/05/2019
	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: Terminal Illnesses
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Scottish Government guidance for registered medical professionals on making clinical judgments about terminal illness was a contributory factor in revised UK guidance notes for the DS1500 form.
	tabling member constituency	Bridgend
	tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
	uin	257690
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>A variety of stakeholders were involved in the development of the revised guidance notes for the DS1500 form. This included specialist clinicians as well as disability charities, representing a broad clinical perspective. This work was a result of our continual improvement activity and engagement with stakeholders.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 257691 question first answered 10/06/2019 14:15:25 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

1128548

	registered interest
	date	23/05/2019
	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: Terminal Illnesses
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) consultants, (b) GPs and (c) specialist nurses were consulted during the process to develop the revised guidance notes for the DS1500 form.
	tabling member constituency	Bridgend
	tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
	uin	257691
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>A variety of stakeholders were involved in the development of the revised guidance notes for the DS1500 form. This included specialist clinicians as well as disability charities, representing a broad clinical perspective. This work was a result of our continual improvement activity and engagement with stakeholders.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 257690 question first answered 10/06/2019 14:15:25 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

1129599

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Ministerial Policy Advisers
	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 1 April 2019 to Question 237786 on Department for Work and Pensions: Ministerial Policy Advisers, for what reason her Department has no plans to publish the number of alleged breaches of the Special Advisers’ Code of Conduct by her Department's Special Advisers in the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
	tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
	uin	260085
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The Department does not routinely publish this information.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 10/06/2019 11:33:22 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1129611

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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: Pensioners
	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 pensioner couples who no longer receive pension credit because one of them is below state pension age and are no longer entitled to housing benefit will not qualify for the two-week housing benefit run-on after applying for universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	259829
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The two week transition to Universal Credit housing payment can be paid to mixed age couples who move from Housing Benefit to Universal Credit. The payment will be issued once the UC claim is made and the Housing Benefit claim closed.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 10/06/2019 14:46:09 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1129626

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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	Food Poverty
	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 reduce food poverty.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	259945
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>This Government is committed to a sustainable solution to poverty in all its forms. This means a strong economy and a benefit system that supports employment and higher pay. Compared to 2010, there are over 3.6 million more people in work, 1 million fewer workless households and 667,000 fewer children in workless households.</p><p>Whilst we have always said that there are many reasons people use Food Banks, we have responded quickly to concerns about the early roll out of Universal Credit and made numerous improvements to ensure people get the money they need as soon as possible. New questions have been added to the Family Resources Survey to develop a food insecurity measure from 2021 to help better understand the drivers of food insecurity and identify which groups are most at risk.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 10/06/2019 11:19:07 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1129679

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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 13 May to Question 249845 on Universal Credit, what proportion of universal credit claimants who had not fully repaid their advance as of 5 May 2019 had taken out that advance prior to 5 November 2017.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	259851
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>8.1% of UC advances which were paid before 5 November 2017, have not been fully repaid as at 5 June 2019, which is the latest position available.</p><p>Universal Credit new claim advances provide access to a payment for those in financial need, which can be accessed on the same day, until their first UC payment is due. Claimants can access up to 100% of the total expected monthly award, for which they can pay back over a period of up to 12 months. From October 2021, this maximum repayment period will be extended further to 16 months.</p><p>Notes:</p><p>1. This data has been sourced from internal management information and was not intended for public release. It should therefore not be compared to any other similar data subsequently released by the Department.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/06/2019 14:08:16 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe