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1187250

registered interest
date	23/03/2020
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 steps he will take to increase staffing of the universal credit helpline in response to increasing demand as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Brent Central
tabling member printed	Dawn Butler
uin	33438
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">The Department is taking all appropriate steps to protect colleagues and customers, in line with Government advice.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Our priority as a Department is ensuring people get their benefit payments and that we can continue to support those who need us the most. We have mobilised our robust business continuity plans to ensure we can do just that. We are already redeploying 10,000 staff from other parts of DWP and are also recruiting additional staff to assist with the processing of claims, including support from other government departments and the private sector.</ins></p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 31/03/2020 10:07:19 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 14:57:56 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies previous answer version 15512 answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1489 label Biography information for Dawn Butler

1186852

registered interest
date	20/03/2020
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, if she will make universal credit payable in advance for all new claimants in response to the covid-19 outbreak; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	32699
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del> <ins class="ministerial">New Claims Advances are available to support those in immediate financial need until their first Universal Credit payment is made and the Department is committed to delivering advances as soon as possible to people who have requested them. It is for the claimant to choose to opt for an advance and it would not be appropriate for the department to require new claimants to have an advance.</ins></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 25/03/2020 12:56:22 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:02:32 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 14657 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1185808

registered interest
date	17/03/2020
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, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of removing the five-week wait for claimants to receive their first universal credit payment during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Inverclyde
tabling member printed	Ronnie Cowan
uin	30849
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">New Claims Advances are available to support those in immediate financial need until their first Universal Credit payment is made and the Department is committed to delivering advances as soon as possible to people who have requested them.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Universal Credit assessment period and payment structure are fundamental parts of the design and the current advance system works, and works quickly.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">It is not possible to award a Universal Credit payment as soon as a claim is made, as the assessment period must run its course before the award of Universal Credit can be calculated. In order to allow the Universal Credit system to cope with the unprecedented demand, we must limit the changes made to its framework.</ins></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 25/03/2020 13:00:43 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:02:42 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 14660 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4465 label Biography information for Ronnie Cowan

1185820

registered interest
date	17/03/2020
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 support her Department is providing to universal credit claimants infected by covid-19.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	30668
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Government has been clear in its commitment to support those affected in these difficult times and we have made a number of changes to the welfare system in the past fortnight to ensure people are receiving the support they need. These changes include increasing the standard allowance of Universal Credit and working tax credit for this year by over £1000 a year.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">We have also increased the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants so that it covers the cheapest third of local rents – which is on average £600 in people’s pockets. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">We are also temporarily relaxing the application of the Minimum Income Floor (MIF) for all self-employed claimants affected by the economic impact of COVID-19 to ensure that the self-employed can access UC at a more generous rate.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Together, these measures represent an injection of over £6.5 billion into the welfare system.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">New Claims Advances are available to support those in immediate financial need until their first Universal Credit payment is made and the Department is committed to delivering advances as soon as possible to people who have requested them.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Universal Credit assessment period and payment structure are fundamental parts of the design and the current advance system works, and works quickly.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">It is not possible to award a Universal Credit payment as soon as a claim is made, as the assessment period must run its course before the award of Universal Credit can be calculated. In order to allow the Universal Credit system to cope with the unprecedented demand, we must limit the changes made to its framework.</ins></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 25/03/2020 12:58:32 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:03:39 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 14658 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1185821

registered interest
date	17/03/2020
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 her Department has to shorten or bypass the universal credit assessment period for people who (a) need to self-isolate or (b) are out of work due to the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	30669
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Government has been clear in its commitment to support those affected in these difficult times and we have made a number of changes to the welfare system in the past fortnight to ensure people are receiving the support they need. These changes include increasing the standard allowance of Universal Credit and working tax credit for this year by over £1000 a year.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">We have also increased the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants so that it covers the cheapest third of local rents – which is on average £600 in people’s pockets. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">We are also temporarily relaxing the application of the Minimum Income Floor (MIF) for all self-employed claimants affected by the economic impact of COVID-19 to ensure that the self-employed can access UC at a more generous rate.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Together, these measures represent an injection of over £6.5 billion into the welfare system.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">New Claims Advances are available to support those in immediate financial need until their first Universal Credit payment is made and the Department is committed to delivering advances as soon as possible to people who have requested them.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Universal Credit assessment period and payment structure are fundamental parts of the design and the current advance system works, and works quickly.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">It is not possible to award a Universal Credit payment as soon as a claim is made, as the assessment period must run its course before the award of Universal Credit can be calculated. In order to allow the Universal Credit system to cope with the unprecedented demand, we must limit the changes made to its framework.</ins></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 25/03/2020 12:58:32 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:03:30 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 14659 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1185245

registered interest
date	16/03/2020
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, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, what plans she has to allow universal credit advance payments to be made as soon as possible without work coach meetings.
tabling member constituency	Dundee West
tabling member printed	Chris Law
uin	29994
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Face-to-face checks for Universal Credit advances have been removed for people self-isolating due to coronavirus so they can get the support they need quickly. Advances are available online or via the phone.</ins></p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies previous answer version 13622 answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies 13698 answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies question first answered 20/03/2020 13:15:42 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:00:49 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4403 label Biography information for Chris Law