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1128213

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 deductions under universal credit paused; and what the average length of the pause was in the last (a) month and (b) 12 months.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	257511
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/06/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 06/06/2019 17:06:52 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1128214

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 with underlying debts resulting in deductions under universal credit had those debts written off in the last (a) month and (b) 12 months.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	257512
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/06/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 06/06/2019 17:12:20 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1127966

registered interest
date	21/05/2019
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 and what proportion of universal credit claims that had a deduction applied had (a) up to 20 per cent, (b) between 21 and 30 per cent, (c) between 31 and 40 per cent and (d) more than 41 per cent deducted in the latest period for which data is available.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	257147
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2019 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 is 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 all eligible claims to Universal Credit Full Service due a payment in Feb 2019, 57% (840,000 claims) had a deduction.</p><p> </p><p>Of this 840,000 claims with a deduction:</p><p>a) 50% (420,000 claims) had deductions up to 20% of the Standard Allowance (29% of all eligible claims).</p><p>b) 20% (170,000 claims) had deductions between 21% and 30% of the Standard Allowance (12% of all eligible claims).</p><p>c) 28% (238,000 claims) had deductions between 31% and 40% of their Standard Allowance (16% of all eligible claims).</p><p>d) 1% (13,000 claims) had deductions above 40% of their Standard Allowance (1% of all eligible claims).</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p>Claim numbers may not match official statistics caseloads due to small methodological differences.</p><p>Claim numbers are rounded to the nearest 1,000</p><p>When categorising claims into the groups above the figures for the percentage of the Standard Allowance for individual claims have been rounded to the nearest percent.</p><p>Deductions include advance repayments and all other deductions, but exclude sanctions and fraud penalties which are reductions of benefit rather than deductions.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p /> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 04/06/2019 15:57:14 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1127967

registered interest
date	21/05/2019
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 plans her Department has to introduce an affordability test for deductions taken from universal credit payments.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	257148
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2019 answer text <p>I refer the Hon. Member to the answer to Question 218205 answered on 7 February 2018.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 04/06/2019 15:33:51 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1124182

registered interest
date	01/05/2019
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: Arrears
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of the universal credit claimants who have taken an advance payment on their first payment are in arrears.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	249941
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% of the Universal Credit standard allowance, and from October 2019, this will be reduced to 30% of a claimant’s standard allowance of their UC award. 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>Universal Credit (UC) 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, and in the Autumn Budget 2018, we announced that from October 2021, the payback period for these advances will be extended further, up to 16 months.</p><p> </p><p>Currently there are around 850,000 claimants that have a UC advance repayment in place. Of these claimants, the table below shows 440,000 also have at least one other debt relating to benefit overpayments, social fund loans or previous advances (figures rounded to nearest ten thousand). The data held by the Department does not include other third party debts, for example arrears, utility bills or other borrowing. However, research conducted by Almo’s shows that while many people join UC with pre-existing arears, this fell by a third after 4 months on universal credit.</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Debt Source/Combination</p></td><td><p>Volume</p></td><td><p>Percent</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Tax Credits only</p></td><td><p>120,000</p></td><td><p>27.31</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Social Fund only</p></td><td><p>80,000</p></td><td><p>18.29</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other Combinations inc Social Fund</p></td><td><p>62,000</p></td><td><p>14.04</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other Combinations</p></td><td><p>40,000</p></td><td><p>9.05</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>UC Overpayment only</p></td><td><p>22,000</p></td><td><p>4.94</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other Combinations inc UC</p></td><td><p>20,000</p></td><td><p>4.49</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other Combinations inc Leg OP &amp; SF</p></td><td><p>18,000</p></td><td><p>4.05</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Legacy Benefit overpayment only</p></td><td><p>18,000</p></td><td><p>4.04</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other Combinations inc Legacy</p></td><td><p>17,000</p></td><td><p>3.89</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>UC Recoverable Hardship Payment</p></td><td><p>10,000</p></td><td><p>2.39</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Legacy Benefit overpayment and Social Fund</p></td><td><p>10,000</p></td><td><p>2.22</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Housing Benefit only</p></td><td><p>10,000</p></td><td><p>2.20</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Tax Credits &amp; Housing Benefit</p></td><td><p>9,000</p></td><td><p>2.05</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Housing Benefit &amp; Social Fund</p></td><td><p>5,000</p></td><td><p>1.03</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Source: DWP internal statistics</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p> </p><p>1. Data has been sourced from DWP internal statistics.</p><p>2. The figures within the data table for those with more than two types of benefit debt have been combined and reported according to whether they have both a legacy benefit (LegOP) and a social fund (SF) debt, either of these singularly or another UC related debt.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 249847 question first answered 08/05/2019 17:20:03 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1124183

registered interest
date	01/05/2019
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: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people in receipt of severe disability premium (SDP) who claimed universal credit before 16 January 2019 and who will be repaid their entitlement to SDP when the Universal Credit (Managed Migration) Regulations 2018 come into force.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	249942
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2019 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question 215614, from 6 February 2019.</p><p> </p><p>Since the introduction of The Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) (SDP Gateway) Amendment Regulations 2019, which came into force on 16th January 2019, claimants who are entitled, or have been within the last month, to an award of an existing benefit that includes SDP have not been required to move to Universal Credit; even if they have experienced a relevant change in their circumstances. The draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019, which are currently before Parliament, make provision for SDP transitional payments for those eligible claimants who have already moved to UC and for moving existing legacy claimants onto Universal Credit and implementing transitional protection.</p><p>We are currently considering the court judgment handed down on 3 May 2019.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 08/05/2019 13:44:40 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1110624

registered interest
date	09/04/2019
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, with reference to the Written Statement of 12 March on Universal Credit, HCWS1399, whether a person's legacy benefits could be terminated if they have not made a claim for universal credit during the course of the pilot.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	242938
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2019 answer text <p>We do not intend to stop anyone’s benefit during the pilot. In the pilot phase, our intention is to learn how to effectively assist people onto Universal Credit and to develop processes to deliver that help. This is particularly important for vulnerable and hard-to-reach claimants, who the Department will help to move across to the new system. We are piloting this approach precisely to learn how we can contact and support people to move to Universal Credit without ending their legacy entitlement.</p><p>Through the pilot process we will work to understand the reasons for unsuccessful applications. However, there will be safeguards in place to protect those who might otherwise fail to make a successful claim.</p><p> </p><p>We will report on our findings from the pilot before bringing forward legislation to extend this process.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 242943 question first answered 15/04/2019 16:03:53 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1110625

registered interest
date	09/04/2019
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, reference to the Written Statement of 12 March on Universal Credit, HCWS1399, whether her Department plans to pay discretionary payments to cover the two-week run on for all claimants migrating to universal credit during the course of the pilot.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	242939
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2019 answer text <p>Subject to the Parliamentary approval, of the draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) regulations 2019, the Department will introduce a Discretionary Hardship Payment to support those claimants who will be a part of the pilot phase and who appear to be in hardship. The power for Discretionary Hardship Payments is broad and could be used to pay the equivalent of the two-week legacy run on to claimants who will be moved to Universal Credit as part of the piloting phase and who are in hardship on account of the absence of the run on. We will also have the discretion to make payments if any other issues related to managed migration have resulted in hardship.</p><p /><p /> <p>Introducing the Discretionary Hardship Payment during the piloting phase will allow the Department to evaluate this support and assess what impact the current policy may have on claimants before introducing the run-ons from July 2020. This evaluation will allow us to consider whether further support is needed as a result of other issues that may arise and we have committed to reporting on our findings from the pilot before bringing forward legislation to proceed with volume managed migration.”</p><p /><p /> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 15/04/2019 16:41:19 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1110629

registered interest
date	09/04/2019
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, whether her Department will report to Parliament on its evaluation of the effect of the managed migration pilot on (a) disabled people, (b) people with mental health conditions and (c) people identified by her Department as having complex needs.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	242940
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2019 answer text <p>The Department is committed to ensuring that all claimants, especially the most vulnerable, are supported as they move and the aim of the pilot is to ensure claimants on all legacy benefits with a range of different characteristics can successfully move onto Universal Credit. All individuals involved in the pilot process will be tracked through the process and there will be safeguards in place to protect them throughout the journey.</p><p>We are working closely with a diverse range of stakeholders, including those who focus on disability and mental health, so that a range of insights are played into the design of the pilot and we will work with partners to ensure we reach everyone in the most effective and supportive way, and that no-one is left behind. Learnings from the pilot will shape the future support we provide to claimants.</p><p>The Department has committed to reporting its findings from the pilot to Parliament before we continue.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 15/04/2019 10:37:06 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1110631

registered interest
date	09/04/2019
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, whether her Department has set a minimum number of people it will migrate to Universal Credit before concluding its pilot of the managed migration.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	242941
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2019 answer text <p>It is our aim to support all claimants on legacy benefits and tax credits in moving successfully Universal Credit. To help us learn how best to achieve this, we have sought powers to conduct a pilot phase involving up to a maximum of 10,000 claimants. This number is a ceiling, not a target. It reflects our commitment to return to Parliament with our findings before extending the move onto Universal Credit to more people. There has been no minimum number set for the people who will go through the pilot – we will start small and then increase numbers as slowly and gradually as necessary, learning and adapting as we go.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is currently working closely with a wide and diverse range of stakeholders to design the process and we are considering our approach to the pilot, including which groups or individuals we might begin to move first.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 16/04/2019 11:54:47 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George