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1150702

registered interest
date	18/10/2019
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, how much a universal credit payment to a single mother is reduced by when two maternity payments are received within the universal credit calculation period due to a bank holiday.
tabling member constituency	Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
tabling member printed	Jamie Stone
uin	1922
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2019 answer text <p>Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid by an employer through their payroll system and is therefore a form of earnings subject to the work allowance (where a claimant is eligible) and tapering, in the same way as other earned income. As a consequence, information surrounding the volumes of SMP payments received by Universal Credit claimants in the Highland Council area is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit seeks to take earnings into account in a way that is fair and transparent. The amount of Universal Credit paid reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period, including any earnings reported by their employer or employers during the assessment period, regardless of when they were paid, or which month they relate to.</p><p> </p><p>Assessment periods allow for Universal Credit 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 Universal Credit award. Claimants can discuss the implications of any changes in earnings with their Case Manager or Work Coach and can be referred to personal budgeting support to help them manage their budgeting.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has been working closely with HMRC since Universal Credit went live in 2013 to support and inform employers who report earnings to emphasise the importance of timely reporting via the Real Time Information system.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC have updated their guidance to reiterate to employers the importance of reporting accurate dates and the impact on payment cycles; the Financial Secretary to the Treasury is also working closely with HMRC and employers to do this.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 1923 1924 question first answered 23/10/2019 16:41:15 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4612 label Biography information for Jamie Stone

1150703

registered interest
date	18/10/2019
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	Maternity Allowance: Highlands of Scotland
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 in the Highland Council area received two statutory maternity payments within the universal credit calculation period due to a bank holiday in 2019.
tabling member constituency	Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
tabling member printed	Jamie Stone
uin	1923
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2019 answer text <p>Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid by an employer through their payroll system and is therefore a form of earnings subject to the work allowance (where a claimant is eligible) and tapering, in the same way as other earned income. As a consequence, information surrounding the volumes of SMP payments received by Universal Credit claimants in the Highland Council area is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit seeks to take earnings into account in a way that is fair and transparent. The amount of Universal Credit paid reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period, including any earnings reported by their employer or employers during the assessment period, regardless of when they were paid, or which month they relate to.</p><p> </p><p>Assessment periods allow for Universal Credit 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 Universal Credit award. Claimants can discuss the implications of any changes in earnings with their Case Manager or Work Coach and can be referred to personal budgeting support to help them manage their budgeting.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has been working closely with HMRC since Universal Credit went live in 2013 to support and inform employers who report earnings to emphasise the importance of timely reporting via the Real Time Information system.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC have updated their guidance to reiterate to employers the importance of reporting accurate dates and the impact on payment cycles; the Financial Secretary to the Treasury is also working closely with HMRC and employers to do this.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 1922 1924 question first answered 23/10/2019 16:41:15 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4612 label Biography information for Jamie Stone

1150704

registered interest
date	18/10/2019
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	Maternity Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that payments of statutory maternity pay that are delayed due to bank holidays do not affect universal credit payments.
tabling member constituency	Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
tabling member printed	Jamie Stone
uin	1924
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2019 answer text <p>Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid by an employer through their payroll system and is therefore a form of earnings subject to the work allowance (where a claimant is eligible) and tapering, in the same way as other earned income. As a consequence, information surrounding the volumes of SMP payments received by Universal Credit claimants in the Highland Council area is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit seeks to take earnings into account in a way that is fair and transparent. The amount of Universal Credit paid reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period, including any earnings reported by their employer or employers during the assessment period, regardless of when they were paid, or which month they relate to.</p><p> </p><p>Assessment periods allow for Universal Credit 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 Universal Credit award. Claimants can discuss the implications of any changes in earnings with their Case Manager or Work Coach and can be referred to personal budgeting support to help them manage their budgeting.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has been working closely with HMRC since Universal Credit went live in 2013 to support and inform employers who report earnings to emphasise the importance of timely reporting via the Real Time Information system.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC have updated their guidance to reiterate to employers the importance of reporting accurate dates and the impact on payment cycles; the Financial Secretary to the Treasury is also working closely with HMRC and employers to do this.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 1922 1923 question first answered 23/10/2019 16:41:15 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4612 label Biography information for Jamie Stone

1150705

registered interest
date	18/10/2019
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, if her Department will introduce a bus voucher system for universal credit claimants who may not be able to afford public transport costs to attend job centres.
tabling member constituency	Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
tabling member printed	Jamie Stone
uin	1925
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2019 answer text <p>Since the introduction of Universal Credit, claimants have been supported by Jobcentre Work Coaches applying a more flexible approach to contact, with much greater use of digital and telephone channels. This enables claimants to continue to engage with the Department, receive appropriate support and satisfy the conditions of their personalised Claimant Commitment without having to always attend an appointment in person.</p><p>To assist with the affordability of public transport, and where an appointment at a Jobcentre has been agreed as necessary, Work Coaches are able to consider the reimbursement of a claimant’s travel costs. The Department publishes clear guidance to its staff of when mandatory awards for travel must be made from the Flexible Support Fund – a copy of this is available in the House of Commons’ Library. In exceptional situations, where a claimant’s requirements cannot be met in any other way, an advance payment can be made.</p><p>The Department works closely with partner organisations in Northern Scotland to deliver services in locations convenient for the local population it serves. Local Jobcentres have the flexibility to work alongside organisations to support the needs of their communities, providing our most vulnerable claimants with help tailored to their circumstances. For those who find it the most challenging to attend in person, we operate a 'Remote Customer Service Delivery' service, within the Wick area, which maximises the use of telephone and postal services to reduce the frequency of face-to-face appointments to make and maintain a claim to Universal Credit.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 1926 question first answered 23/10/2019 15:32:01 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4612 label Biography information for Jamie Stone

1150706

registered interest
date	18/10/2019
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 her Department has made of the affordability of public transport costs for those attending (a) Wick Job Centre and (b) job centres; and whether her Department is taking steps to provide advance funding to universal credit claimants for those costs.
tabling member constituency	Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
tabling member printed	Jamie Stone
uin	1926
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2019 answer text <p>Since the introduction of Universal Credit, claimants have been supported by Jobcentre Work Coaches applying a more flexible approach to contact, with much greater use of digital and telephone channels. This enables claimants to continue to engage with the Department, receive appropriate support and satisfy the conditions of their personalised Claimant Commitment without having to always attend an appointment in person.</p><p>To assist with the affordability of public transport, and where an appointment at a Jobcentre has been agreed as necessary, Work Coaches are able to consider the reimbursement of a claimant’s travel costs. The Department publishes clear guidance to its staff of when mandatory awards for travel must be made from the Flexible Support Fund – a copy of this is available in the House of Commons’ Library. In exceptional situations, where a claimant’s requirements cannot be met in any other way, an advance payment can be made.</p><p>The Department works closely with partner organisations in Northern Scotland to deliver services in locations convenient for the local population it serves. Local Jobcentres have the flexibility to work alongside organisations to support the needs of their communities, providing our most vulnerable claimants with help tailored to their circumstances. For those who find it the most challenging to attend in person, we operate a 'Remote Customer Service Delivery' service, within the Wick area, which maximises the use of telephone and postal services to reduce the frequency of face-to-face appointments to make and maintain a claim to Universal Credit.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 1925 question first answered 23/10/2019 15:32:01 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4612 label Biography information for Jamie Stone