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1126933

registered interest
date	15/05/2019
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 penalties universal credit claimants incur if they are unable to repay their advance within 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	254729
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2019 answer text <p>Before accepting a Universal Credit Advance the number of monthly repayment instalments is agreed with a claimant, up to a maximum of 12. For a variety of reasons, instalments may not occur consecutively, so claimants do not incur a penalty if it takes them more than 12 calendar months.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has taken a number of steps to ensure that advances meet the needs of claimants and that recovery arrangements are personalised and reasonable. From October 2019 we are reducing the maximum rate of deductions to 30 per cent and from October 2021 we are increasing the maximum recovery period for advances from 12 to 16 months.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 24/05/2019 12:02:18 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1126934

registered interest
date	15/05/2019
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 13 May to Question 249845, 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 2018.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	254730
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2019 answer text <p>The latest available data shows there were 610,000 claimants who had not fully repaid a Universal Credit Advance which had been taken out prior to 5 November 2018. This equates to around 40% of the total claimants with a Universal Credit Advance.</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><ol><li>Data is a snapshot of information held on 15 May 2019 and has been rounded to the nearest ten thousand.</li><li>Many Universal Credit advances are taken out over a 12-month repayment period, so this snapshot of data includes cases where repayments are being made to the agreed timeline.</li><li>This data has been sourced from internal management information and due to the time available, has not been quality assured to the usual standards for public release. It should therefore not be compared to any other similar data subsequently released by the Department.</li></ol> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 23/05/2019 16:28:49 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1126936

registered interest
date	15/05/2019
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 13 May to Question 249845, what information her Department holds on the demographics of universal credit claimants who have been unable to repay their advance within 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	254731
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>The table below shows the volumes of customers who have had an advance of their Universal Credit award on the system for a year or more as of 13 May 2019, broken down by age, gender and region. All figures are rounded to the nearest 500.</p><p> </p><p>Prior to taking a new claim advance, the claimant agrees the number of monthly instalments in which they will repay it, up to a maximum of 12. For a number of reasons, their 12 monthly instalments may not necessarily run consecutively. Claimants do not incur a penalty if it takes them more than a calendar 12-month timescale to replay their advance.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2"><p>Age of Claimant</p></td><td><p>Female</p></td><td><p>Female</p></td><td><p>Male</p></td><td><p>Male</p></td><td rowspan="2"><p>Total</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>England &amp; Wales</p></td><td><p>Scotland</p></td><td><p>England &amp; Wales</p></td><td><p>Scotland</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Under 20</p></td><td><p>2,000</p></td><td><p>500</p></td><td><p>2,000</p></td><td><p>500</p></td><td><p>5,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>20-29</p></td><td><p>35,000</p></td><td><p>4,500</p></td><td><p>53,000</p></td><td><p>8,000</p></td><td><p>100,500</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>30-39</p></td><td><p>24,000</p></td><td><p>2,500</p></td><td><p>43,500</p></td><td><p>6,000</p></td><td><p>76,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>40-49</p></td><td><p>15,500</p></td><td><p>2,000</p></td><td><p>24,000</p></td><td><p>3,500</p></td><td><p>45,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>50-59</p></td><td><p>12,000</p></td><td><p>1,500</p></td><td><p>16,000</p></td><td><p>2,000</p></td><td><p>31,500</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>60+</p></td><td><p>2,500</p></td><td><p>500</p></td><td><p>3,500</p></td><td><p>500</p></td><td><p>7,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>90,500</p></td><td><p>11,000</p></td><td><p>142,000</p></td><td><p>21,000</p></td><td><p>264,500</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Note:</p><p>This data has been sourced from internal management information and has not been quality assured to the usual standards 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 20/05/2019 15:48:29 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1126940

registered interest
date	15/05/2019
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 5 May 2019 to Question 249847, what information her Department holds on the proportion of universal credit claimants who have (a) requested a reduction in their deduction and (b) received a reduction in their deduction.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	254733
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 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 20/05/2019 15:48:07 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1124349

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
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 15 April 2019 to Question 243330 on Universal Credit, what proportion of universal credit claimants are unable to pay back the benefit advances they have taken within 12 months of their receipt in each year for which information is available.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	249845
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>33% of UC advances which were paid before 5th May 2018, have not been fully repaid as at 5th May 2019.</p><p> </p><p>Advances are not loans; they are an interest free payment benefit advance, available to help people who need immediate financial support, which is then recovered over an agreed period. 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. 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>Queries against the current repayment stock are only ever a snap shot in time and therefore the position at the end of each financial year cannot be recreated.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 13/05/2019 17:00:23 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1124350

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
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 15 April 2019 to Question 243330 on Universal Credit, what assessment her Department makes of other repayment commitments that claimants may have alongside their obligation to repay a universal credit advance; and whether any such assessments affect the repayment period relating to such advances.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	249846
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2019 answer text <p>The purpose of Universal Credit new claim advances is to provide those in financial need with fast access to a payment to see them through until their first Universal Credit payment is due. Introducing an assessment of claimant’s other repayment commitments would delay this.</p><p> </p><p>Affordability is managed by ensuring the recovery rate will not be more than the equivalent of 40% of their benefit unit’s standard allowance. Help is available for those struggling to meet the recovery rate. In exceptional circumstances, recovery can be deferred for up to 3 months from the start of the recovery period.</p><p> </p><p>Advances are not loans; they are an interest free payment benefit advance, available to help people who need immediate financial support, which is then recovered over an agreed period. 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. From October 2021 we are increasing the recovery period for advances from 12 to 16 months, further supporting those in financial need.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 08/05/2019 17:10:20 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1124351

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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department holds on the number of universal credit claimants that have debts in addition to a universal credit advance.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	249847
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 249941 question first answered 08/05/2019 17:20:03 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1124353

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: Private Rented Housing
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 23 April to Question 243333, on Universal credit: private rented housing, what percentage of new claimants contact the Money and Pensions Service within three months of signing on to universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	249848
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2019 answer text <p>The requested information is not centrally collected by the Department.</p><p> </p><p>The Money and Pension Service (MaPS) has replaced the three existing providers of government-sponsored financial guidance – the Money Advice Service, the Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise – which has brought together the provision of debt advice, money guidance and pension guidance for the first time, streamlining the services offered and reducing confusion for members of the public on who they should contact.</p><p> </p><p>The new body delivers free and impartial financial guidance and a more streamlined service to members of the public providing easier access to the information and guidance.</p><p> </p><p>From January to March 2019 around 9,300 individuals visited the <a href="https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/tools/money-manager" target="_blank">Money Manager tool</a> for Universal Credit claimants, hosted on the Money Advice Service website. Additionally, over the same period, The Money and Pension Service money guidance contact centre was contacted around 1,100 times regarding Universal Credit.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 249849 question first answered 10/05/2019 14:57:13 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1124356

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: Private Rented Housing
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 23 April to Question 243333 on Universal Credit: Private Rented Housing, if he will make an assessment of trends in the level of claimants making contact since February 2019 as a result of those changes.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	249849
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2019 answer text <p>The requested information is not centrally collected by the Department.</p><p> </p><p>The Money and Pension Service (MaPS) has replaced the three existing providers of government-sponsored financial guidance – the Money Advice Service, the Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise – which has brought together the provision of debt advice, money guidance and pension guidance for the first time, streamlining the services offered and reducing confusion for members of the public on who they should contact.</p><p> </p><p>The new body delivers free and impartial financial guidance and a more streamlined service to members of the public providing easier access to the information and guidance.</p><p> </p><p>From January to March 2019 around 9,300 individuals visited the <a href="https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/tools/money-manager" target="_blank">Money Manager tool</a> for Universal Credit claimants, hosted on the Money Advice Service website. Additionally, over the same period, The Money and Pension Service money guidance contact centre was contacted around 1,100 times regarding Universal Credit.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 249848 question first answered 10/05/2019 14:57:13 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1124357

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: Private Rented Housing
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 15 April 2019 to Question 243334 on Universal Credit: Private Rented Housing, whether she has plans to classify being in receipt of benefits as a protected characteristic in order to eliminate discrimination against benefit recipients in the rental housing market.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	249850
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government has no current plans to classify receipt of benefits as a protected characteristic (under Equalities Legislation).</p><p> </p><p>Ministers are working with stakeholders from across the private rental sector to discuss how it can work with them to eliminate practices which prevent benefit recipients from renting property.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 08/05/2019 10:00:53 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe