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1177630

registered interest
date	11/02/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications for universal credit lapsed or were withdrawn due to the death of the applicant in (a) Liverpool West Derby constituency, (b) Merseyside and (c) England since the introduction of universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, West Derby
tabling member printed	Ian Byrne
uin	614
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2020 answer text <p>The breakdown requested is not available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs. However, in the 12 months to end of 2019, 2,300, or less than 0.07 per cent, applications were made to Universal Credit where the claimant passed away and the claims closed after the declaration, but prior to receiving the first payment.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit can be claimed by a range of working age people, some of whom have health conditions or disabilities, which may be degenerative or life limiting. The decision to claim Universal Credit can be prompted by a range of a factors, including when someone is terminally ill, so mortality figures should not be viewed in isolation.</p><p /> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 19/02/2020 17:08:42 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4831 label Biography information for Ian Byrne

1177808

registered interest
date	11/02/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she will make an assessment of the potential merits of giving in-work universal credit claimants the option to move their assessment period to reflect more closely the dates on which they receive their earnings.
tabling member constituency	South Shields
tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
uin	726
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/02/2020 answer text <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 RTI system.</p><p> </p><p>Employers should already record on HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Real Time Information (RTI) system the date a salary is scheduled to be paid, rather than the date it is paid, where it is earlier due to a weekend, bank holiday or at Christmas.</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><p>Universal Credit takes earnings into account in a way that is fair and transparent. The amount paid reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period. This allows Universal Credit awards to be adjusted on a monthly basis, ensuring that if claimant’s incomes falls, they do not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit award. Currently there are no plans to change assessment periods.</p><p>Claimants can discuss queries about how fluctuating income effects Universal Credit with their case managers and work coaches, who can also signpost to services appropriate to individual circumstances.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 17/02/2020 17:03:25 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1177315

registered interest
date	10/02/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effect of the quarterly payment schedule of student finance on universal credit calculations for claimants who are responsible for one or more children; and whether she plans to halt the reduction of payments for those claimants whilst the fluctuations in income are adequately assessed.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Sir Mark Hendrick
uin	14616
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/02/2020 answer text <p>Most full-time students in education do not qualify for Universal Credit. Students are able to access funding to support their education courses through various loans and grants, which are the responsibility of the Department for Education. It is important that Universal Credit does not duplicate this support, which is designed for their needs unlike the social security system. Exceptions are made only where students have additional needs that are not met through the student support system.</p><p> </p><p>The full year’s award of student’s maintenance loan/grant is averaged out over the academic year. This average usually covers 10 monthly Assessment Periods as no student income is taken into account during the summer break. The amount taken into account is subject to a £110 disregard in each of these Assessment Periods, which is equivalent to that provided under Legacy Benefits, which includes an amount to cover the cost of books, travel and equipment.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 17/02/2020 16:32:07 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

1177413

registered interest
date	10/02/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants who transferred from (a) severe disability premium and (b) enhanced disability premium payments to universal credit are waiting for their payments to be (i) reinstated and (ii) backdated.
tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
tabling member printed	Mr Toby Perkins
uin	14695
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/02/2020 answer text <p>Disabled people are some of the biggest beneficiaries of Universal Credit, with around 1 million disabled households having on average around £100 a month more on Universal Credit than they would have had on the legacy benefits. When designing Universal Credit, a choice was made not to replicate every aspect of the disability provision in the previous system, including the Enhanced Disability Premium.</p><p> </p><p>The Severe Disability Premium (SDP) gateway has been in place for over a year to prevent those claimants entitled to the SDP as part of their legacy benefit from claiming Universal Credit. We have successfully identified eligible former SDP claimants who have already moved to Universal Credit due to a change in circumstances, providing them with monthly payments and a lump sum in arrears, where appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>As of 17 January 2020, 15,397 claims have been paid an SDP transitional payment. The median value of the lump sum payments is £2,280. To date, over £51.5m has been disbursed to support former SDP claimants, including the recurring payments that have now commenced.</p><p> </p><p>Positive progress has been made and caseload growth has now slowed, however, in the event a new case is discovered payments will be in place quickly. It is not possible to estimate when we will have paid everyone who is entitled as some people become entitled to these payments retrospectively, and therefore the caseload is not a fixed number.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p /> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 14696 question first answered 17/02/2020 17:35:49 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

1177414

registered interest
date	10/02/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the timescale is for all universal credit claimants who previously received (a) severe disability premium and (b) enhanced disability premium to (i) have their payments reinstated and (ii) receive backdated payments.
tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
tabling member printed	Mr Toby Perkins
uin	14696
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/02/2020 answer text <p>Disabled people are some of the biggest beneficiaries of Universal Credit, with around 1 million disabled households having on average around £100 a month more on Universal Credit than they would have had on the legacy benefits. When designing Universal Credit, a choice was made not to replicate every aspect of the disability provision in the previous system, including the Enhanced Disability Premium.</p><p> </p><p>The Severe Disability Premium (SDP) gateway has been in place for over a year to prevent those claimants entitled to the SDP as part of their legacy benefit from claiming Universal Credit. We have successfully identified eligible former SDP claimants who have already moved to Universal Credit due to a change in circumstances, providing them with monthly payments and a lump sum in arrears, where appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>As of 17 January 2020, 15,397 claims have been paid an SDP transitional payment. The median value of the lump sum payments is £2,280. To date, over £51.5m has been disbursed to support former SDP claimants, including the recurring payments that have now commenced.</p><p> </p><p>Positive progress has been made and caseload growth has now slowed, however, in the event a new case is discovered payments will be in place quickly. It is not possible to estimate when we will have paid everyone who is entitled as some people become entitled to these payments retrospectively, and therefore the caseload is not a fixed number.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p /> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 14695 question first answered 17/02/2020 17:35:49 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

1177415

registered interest
date	10/02/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of legal challenges to her Department's policy to remove (a) severe disability premium and (b) enhanced disability premium payments from claimants transferring to universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
tabling member printed	Mr Toby Perkins
uin	14697
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/02/2020 answer text <p>The Government remains committed to ensuring everyone receives the support they need, which is why we currently spend a record £55 billion a year to support people with disabilities. Universal Credit is a simpler system than its predecessor. By not replicating the SDP and other premiums, we have been able to target additional support to a wider group of claimants and create a more streamlined system. It is important that the Government can design policy and challenge court decisions, where appropriate, that seek to change that policy.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>As at 13 February 2020, the Department has spent £215,846.89 on legal costs defending and appealing the cases in relation to people formerly in receipt of Severe Disability premium that have transferred to Universal Credit. These figures include Government Legal Department litigation fees, counsel’s fees and other disbursements, as well as VAT where payable.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 18/02/2020 16:14:56 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

1177044

registered interest
date	07/02/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what additional financial support his Department provides to vulnerable people that claim universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	13977
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/02/2020 answer text <p>Millions of people who move onto Universal Credit from legacy benefits are better off, including around a million disabled households who will gain on average around £100 per month.</p><p>The Department takes seriously the need to support vulnerable claimants, and wants the application process for Universal Credit to be as quick and easy as possible, ensuring that claimants receive money at the earliest opportunity.</p><p>Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland have supported over 180,000 individuals through the ‘Help to Claim’ provision since April 2019, offering tailored and practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim up to receiving their first full correct payment on time. ‘Help to Claim’ is available online, on the phone and face-to-face in multiple locations including Jobcentres and Citizen’s Advice Bureaux.</p><p>We have listened to feedback on how we can improve Universal Credit to support our claimants and acted quickly, making improvements such as extending advances, removing waiting days, and introducing housing benefit run on. These changes are giving support to those who need it most, whilst at the same time helping people get into work faster.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 17/02/2020 15:39:41 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1177111

registered interest
date	07/02/2020
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when the pilot project for Managed Migration from legacy benefits to Universal Credit, commenced in July 2019, will be completed; whether they intend to report the findings from that pilot to Parliament; and if so, when.
tabling member printed	Baroness Donaghy
uin	HL1436
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2020 answer text <p>The Move to Universal Credit pilot commenced, as scheduled, in the area served by Harrogate Jobcentre in July 2019. The goal of the pilot is to learn as much as possible about how to safely move people from legacy benefits onto Universal Credit. As a result, we will increase numbers as slowly and gradually as necessary.</p><p> </p><p>We are adapting the design of this service and its processes frequently to ensure we provide the best possible support to those claimants who move to Universal Credit from their legacy benefit claims.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has already committed to updating Parliament and stakeholders on progress. We expect to provide our first update in the Spring.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 21/02/2020 13:26:26 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4166 label Biography information for Baroness Donaghy

1177112

registered interest
date	07/02/2020
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee's 59th report of Session 2017–19 (HL Paper 419) on the Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/1152), published on 6 September 2019; what steps they have taken in response; and whether they intend to report to Parliament on their progress.
tabling member printed	Baroness Donaghy
uin	HL1437
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2020 answer text <p>The Department has noted the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee’s (SLSC) 59th report of Session 2017-19 (HL Paper 419) on the Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/1152), published on 6 September 2019.</p><p> </p><p>As the Parliamentary website notes, the SLSC’s scrutiny role is advisory; it does not seek to recommend courses of action on these instruments, and its reports are published principally to provide information for members of the House. Ministers regularly update Parliament regarding progress on Universal Credit and will continue to do so.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 21/02/2020 13:35:59 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4166 label Biography information for Baroness Donaghy

1176713

registered interest
date	06/02/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps she has taken to ensure that universal credit claimants paying rent weekly do not face a one-week shortfall in their UC housing element in 2020.
tabling member constituency	Aberavon
tabling member printed	Stephen Kinnock
uin	13476
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2020 answer text <p>Neither tenants or landlords lose a week’s rent in a 53 weekly rent payment year as has been alleged; no year contains 53 weeks. The problem is alignment between weekly and monthly cycles. Each month the UC housing element is a constant figure but claimants with weekly tenancy agreements will be required to make either four or five rent payments within this period. If the claimant always pays their rent on time, in five payment months they are effectively making payment for part of the following month. That month will always be a four rent payment month, so the combination of the advance payment and the ‘overpayment’ of housing support during that month will result in the correct amount of housing element being paid.</p><p> </p><p>Where a landlord charges rent weekly on a Monday, because of the way the calendar falls every 5 or 6 years, they will seek 53 rent payments in a year, with the 53rd payment in part covering the tenancy for the first few days of the following year. The effect of this is that, over the course of the next housing association rental year, a tenant’s UC payments will accurately reflect their liability, irrespective of the 53 payment weeks.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 11/02/2020 10:37:53 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4359 label Biography information for Stephen Kinnock