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1241284

	registered interest
	date	07/10/2020
	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: Domestic Abuse
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the merits of bringing forward proposals to amend universal credit regulations to allow her Department to apply discretion on the recovery of advance loans taken out by domestic abuse victims under duress.
	tabling member constituency	Brent North
	tabling member printed	Barry Gardiner
	uin	100279
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>The Government is fully committed to the prevention of abuse and the Department for Work and Pensions has a range of measures designed to support people who flee violent and abusive households.</p><p> </p><p>If a Universal Credit claimant has been forced into claiming an advance through domestic abuse, we would urge the claimant to talk to the Department about this. If the advance was taken whilst part of a couple claim, 50% of the outstanding balance would be apportioned upon pursuing a single claim. Additionally, the Department offers deferrals of advance repayments by up to 3 months in exceptional circumstances and will apply discretion wherever possible with the rates of repaying other government debts. A range of other support is available across the Department for those impacted by domestic abuse.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-violence-and-abuse-help-from-dwp/help-available-from-the-department-for-work-and-pensions-for-people-who-are-victims-of-domestic-violence-and-abuse#universal-credit" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-violence-and-abuse-help-from-dwp/help-available-from-the-department-for-work-and-pensions-for-people-who-are-victims-of-domestic-violence-and-abuse#universal-credit</a></p><p> </p><p>The Department will continue to look at ways to further support the victims of domestic abuse.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 12/10/2020 15:28:55 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	146 label Biography information for Barry Gardiner

1241297

	registered interest
	date	07/10/2020
	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: Fraud
	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 support victims of universal credit scams.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry North East
	tabling member printed	Colleen Fletcher
	uin	100430
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>The Department takes this issue very seriously and we continue to look across government and beyond to tackle benefit fraud.</p><p> </p><p>In June, the Department launched a new process for claimants who allege that without their participation or knowledge, their identity has been used to make a fraudulent claim for Universal Credit. Where this is found to be the case, the Department will consider reinstatement of relevant legacy benefits and/or tax credits.</p><p> </p><p>The Department considers each case on its own merits and decisions are made on the strength of the evidence provided.</p><p> </p><p>If a claimant has been the victim of a scam, and has not benefited from it in any way, they will not be held liable for any debt. In these cases, we will seek to recover any losses from the perpetrator of any fraud.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 12/10/2020 15:51:32 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4378 label Biography information for Colleen Fletcher

1241859

	registered interest
	date	08/10/2020
	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: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department is providing to people classed as clinically extremely vulnerable and who are unable to safely visit job centres or other assessment locations.
	tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
	tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
	uin	100923
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2020 answer text <p>Jobcentre Work Coaches are trusted and empowered to engage with claimants by the best and most appropriate channel, giving careful consideration to a claimant’s personal circumstances and needs, such as any health conditions, and the local situation to determine whether or not this should be by phone, digital or face-to-face.</p><p> </p><p>In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department made a number of changes to health and disability benefits to safeguard the health of claimants and staff and to prioritise new claims and continuity of awards. The changes included the suspension of all face-to-face assessments and the introduction of telephone-based assessments where suitable, in addition to paper-based assessments (paper-based assessments were in place for some claims prior to the Covid-19 pandemic).</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 13/10/2020 13:10:58 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma

1241804

	registered interest
	date	08/10/2020
	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: East Renfrewshire
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many families with children received the £20 per week uplift in universal credit standard allowance payments, announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 20 March 2020, in East Renfrewshire constituency in each month since it was introduced.
	tabling member constituency	East Renfrewshire
	tabling member printed	Kirsten Oswald
	uin	101032
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>The available information on the number of households with children with Universal Credit in payment, by parliamentary constituency, is published and can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>The following special points should be noted:</strong></p><p> </p><p>For 1 year from 6 April 2020, the standard allowance of Universal Credit has been increased by £20 per week from 6 April 2020 above the already announced annual uprating, raising the standard allowance from £317.82 to £409.89 per month (for claimants aged 25 and over).</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 14/10/2020 14:00:52 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4413 label Biography information for Kirsten Oswald

1242075

	registered interest
	date	09/10/2020
	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	Lifetime Skills Guarantee: Children
	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 Prime Minister's recent announcement of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee, whether she is taking steps to increase the childcare available for single parents on universal credit with pre-school-aged children to enable those parents to gain equal access to training and upskilling opportunities.
	tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
	tabling member printed	Neil Gray
	uin	101282
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>The Government now provides more support than ever before to help parents with the costs of childcare, including providing 15 hours a week of free childcare in England for all 3 and 4 year olds and disadvantaged 2 year olds, and doubling free childcare available for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds to 30 hours a week.</p><p>Parents already have access to more generous support for childcare costs through Universal Credit than via the legacy system. Working families can claim up to 85% of their eligible childcare costs each month up to a maximum support of £646.35 per month for one child and £1,108.04 per month for two or more children.</p><p>The childcare costs element is available to all lone parents and couples who are in receipt of Universal Credit, for relevant childcare provided, when both members are in paid work, regardless of the number of hours they work within their assessment period.</p><p>Help with upfront childcare costs for starting work is available through a non-repayable Flexible Support Fund (FSF) award for eligible UC claimants up to the limits set. This does not apply for claimants already in work. We have issued guidance to Work Coaches in Jobcentres to ensure that eligible claimants, who require help with upfront childcare costs in order to start work, are directed to the governments FSF.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 101284 question first answered 14/10/2020 14:55:13 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1242077

	registered interest
	date	09/10/2020
	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 recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of support for single parents on universal credit with pre-school-aged children.
	tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
	tabling member printed	Neil Gray
	uin	101284
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>The Government now provides more support than ever before to help parents with the costs of childcare, including providing 15 hours a week of free childcare in England for all 3 and 4 year olds and disadvantaged 2 year olds, and doubling free childcare available for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds to 30 hours a week.</p><p>Parents already have access to more generous support for childcare costs through Universal Credit than via the legacy system. Working families can claim up to 85% of their eligible childcare costs each month up to a maximum support of £646.35 per month for one child and £1,108.04 per month for two or more children.</p><p>The childcare costs element is available to all lone parents and couples who are in receipt of Universal Credit, for relevant childcare provided, when both members are in paid work, regardless of the number of hours they work within their assessment period.</p><p>Help with upfront childcare costs for starting work is available through a non-repayable Flexible Support Fund (FSF) award for eligible UC claimants up to the limits set. This does not apply for claimants already in work. We have issued guidance to Work Coaches in Jobcentres to ensure that eligible claimants, who require help with upfront childcare costs in order to start work, are directed to the governments FSF.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 101282 question first answered 14/10/2020 14:55:13 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1242078

	registered interest
	date	09/10/2020
	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, whether she plans to offer tailored support for jobseeking single parents on universal credit with pre-school-aged children.
	tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
	tabling member printed	Neil Gray
	uin	101285
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>Universal Credit is committed to helping parents prepare for work, move into work and stay in work.</p><p> </p><p>Work coaches have the ability to tailor the frequency and type of face-to-face support they offer to the needs of each lone parent or lead carer. Generally, lone parents and lead carers need to prepare for work when their youngest child reaches age 2 and will be required to look for and be available for work when their youngest child is aged 3. Additional safeguards apply during this period and any work-related expectations will be limited to a maximum of 16 hours per week because they are caring for a pre-school age child. Those expected to look for work may limit the time they can spend travelling to and from work and have additional time to attend an interview or take up work so they can make childcare arrangements.</p><p> </p><p>Flexible Support Fund (FSF) is a discretionary fund available for use by Jobcentre Plus Service Leaders and work coaches.</p><p> </p><p>The fund has many uses and could be used to contribute to upfront childcare costs, but it’s core purpose is supporting our customers back into employment through the removal of barriers and funding innovative programmes which sit outside of our mainstream contracted provision.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 14/10/2020 16:28:49 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1242566

	registered interest
	date	12/10/2020
	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: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to extend the £20 uplift to universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Tynemouth
	tabling member printed	Sir Alan Campbell
	uin	101977
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2020 answer text <p>The Government introduced a package of temporary welfare measures worth around £9.3 billion this year to help with the financial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. This included the £20 weekly increase to the Universal Credit Standard Allowance rates as a temporary measure for the 20/21 tax year.</p><p> </p><p>Future decisions on spending will be made at the next appropriate fiscal event, and Parliament will be updated accordingly.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 103425 question first answered 20/10/2020 14:36:28 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	529 label Biography information for Sir Alan Campbell

1242589

	registered interest
	date	12/10/2020
	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	Local Housing Allowance: Young People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor on the potential merits of removing the Shared Accommodation Rate exemptions for homeless young people and care leavers under-22 during the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	102027
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2020 answer text <p>There are currently no plans to remove the existing exemptions from the Shared Accommodation Rate.</p><p> </p><p>The Government remains committed to supporting homeless young people and care leavers and extending the exemptions to the shared accommodation rate by October 2023. The changes will require amendments to legislation as well as local authority and universal credit IT systems therefore they will take time to implement.</p><p> </p><p>In the meantime, for individuals who may require more support and whose circumstances may make it difficult for them to share accommodation, Discretionary Housing Payments are available. We have provided £180m in Discretionary Housing Payment funding to local authorities to support vulnerable claimants with housing costs in England and Wales for 2020/21.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 21/10/2020 13:15:44 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1242501

	registered interest
	date	12/10/2020
	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	Employment: Poverty
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of people in employment that are living in poverty.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry North East
	tabling member printed	Colleen Fletcher
	uin	102090
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2020 answer text <p>National Statistics on the number and percentage of children in low income are published annually in the “Households Below Average Income” publication.</p><p> </p><p>Latest statistics for the number of people living in working families which are in absolute low income, before housing costs can be found at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-199495-to-201819" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-199495-to-201819</a>.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 15/10/2020 16:38:31 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4378 label Biography information for Colleen Fletcher