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1109701

registered interest
date	04/04/2019
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, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2019 to 228698, when electronic access will be provided to a claimant in order for them to access their previous universal credit claim without the need for a claimant to ask a case manager for information.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Laura Pidcock
uin	241092
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2019 answer text <p>The Department has no plans, at present, to provide claimants with direct access to their previous claims.</p><p>A key reason a claimant cannot access a previous claim is that it could contain information the Department has an obligation to protect. This could include, for example, information about a previous partner. However, if a claimant, who has had a previous claim closed, needs to access their own information contained in previous statements or their journal, a case manager can access this information on their behalf and provide them with any information they might require.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 09/04/2019 16:38:15 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4665 label Biography information for Laura Pidcock

1109454

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
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, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of advance repayments of universal credit on the (a) household income and (b) levels of debt among claimants.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	240478
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <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. In January 2018 we increased the amount available for advances from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the total award.</p><p> </p><p>From October 2021 we are increasing the recovery period for advances from 12 to 16 months, further supporting those in financial need. Furthermore, if a claimant feels that they are experiencing financial hardship because of the amount that is being deducted from their Universal Credit award, they can ask the Department to consider reducing their deductions. From October 2019, the overall maximum level of deductions that can be taken from a Universal Credit award will be reduced from 40% to 30% of the claimant’s Standard Allowance. The Money and Pension Service also provides debt advice and money guidance to claimants if they need support managing their money.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 08/04/2019 15:47:41 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1109463

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
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, pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2019 to Question 237589, what the level of uptake has been by universal credit claimants of the guidance services offered by the Money and Pension Service.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	240481
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>From January to March 2019 around 9300 individuals visited the <a href="https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/tools/money-manager" target="_blank">Money Manager tool for Universal Credit claimants</a>, hosted on the Money Advice Service website.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, over the same period, The Money and Pension Service money guidance contact centre was contacted around 1100 times regarding Universal Credit.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 08/04/2019 15:41:22 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1109511

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
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, if her Department will make an estimate of the cost of abolishing the five week wait for universal credit claimants.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	240463
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The assessment period and payment structure of Universal Credit is integral to the overall design, which requires an assessment period of a month to assess earnings. Universal Credit payments are designed to mirror the world of work, with monthly payments reflecting the way many working people are paid. This model of monthly payments allows claimants to take responsibility for budgeting their own income and helps prepare them for getting back to work. Assessment periods allow for Universal Credit awards to be adjusted on a monthly basis, ensuring that if a claimant’s income falls, they do not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit award.</p><p> </p><p>No claimant has to go five weeks without receiving support, as advances, worth up to 100 per cent of a claimant’s indicative award, are available up front, if there is need. Advances are paid back over a period of 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. This is just one of a number of measures the Department has put in place to support claimants such as paying those claimants moving from Housing Benefit onto Universal Credit a two week ‘transitional housing payment’. We are also introducing a two-week run on for eligible claimants of Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance from July 2020.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 08/04/2019 15:40:56 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1109199

registered interest
date	02/04/2019
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, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing universal credit claims to be backdated to the starting point of each claim being made rather than the point at which a submit button is pressed on the claim.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	239889
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2019 answer text <p>Claimants make a claim at the point of need, not before or after. Therefore, the date of claim for an online application to Universal Credit is the date the claimant submits the claim. As such, there is limited provision for backdating claims within Universal Credit. The newly launched Help to Claim offers tailored, practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim and receive their first full payment on time.</p><p> </p><p>Claims may be backdated, by up to one calendar month, in limited circumstances for vulnerable claimants who may be delayed in claiming Universal Credit through no fault of their own. Claims may also be backdated in specific circumstances when a couple separates to ensure that there is no gap in entitlement between the couple claim and the new claim made by a single claimant.</p><p> </p><p>In cases where the Department have had direct contact with a claimant and have assisted them in making their applications, either by telephone, face to face contact or a home visit, the date of claim will be the date of first contact.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/04/2019 09:50:55 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1108738

registered interest
date	01/04/2019
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, what assessment she has made of the potential (a) cost to the public purse and (b) benefits of universal credit claimants receiving an up-front payment after making a valid claim for universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
uin	239300
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/04/2019 answer text <p>The Department is committed to ensuring that Universal Credit works for all claimants. We listen to the concerns and views of organisations and individuals and have delivered improvements to better support claimants, and will continue to do so.</p><p> </p><p>New claimants can apply for a Universal Credit new claim advance, worth up to 100 per cent of a claimant’s indicative award, and are available up front, if there is a need. Advances are paid back over a period of 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>This is just one of a number of measures the Department has put in place to support claimants such as paying those claimants moving from Housing Benefit onto Universal Credit a two week ‘transitional housing payment’. We are also introducing a two-week run on for eligible claimants of Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance from July 2020.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 04/04/2019 16:57:35 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1105935

registered interest
date	28/03/2019
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, if he will will publish disaggregated data by medical condition for claimants in receipt of universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	238367
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/04/2019 answer text <p>The self-reported health condition or disability of individual Universal Credit claimants are recorded on our system and can be viewed by work coaches. However, it is not centrally collated in a way that allows aggregated analysis to be undertaken.</p><p>The Department can record complex needs through the use of pinned notes which support staff in identifying and managing relevant experiences and circumstances of individual claimants.</p><p>We continue to develop our approach to capturing accurate, aggregate data on claimants, including claimants with vulnerabilities. This work has been prioritised for the current Universal Credit development phase.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 04/04/2019 15:14:49 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1105485

registered interest
date	27/03/2019
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 receives information automatically from HMRC when a tax refund is paid directly by HMRC to a universal credit claimant.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	237574
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>The Department does not receive automatic information regarding a tax refund if it is paid directly by HMRC to a Universal Credit Claimant.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 01/04/2019 14:20:07 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1105486

registered interest
date	27/03/2019
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 universal credit claimants are able to deduct the tax relief claimed by relief at source pension schemes from their earned income figure to calculate their award of universal credit.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	237575
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2019 answer text <p>100% of contributions to employer pension schemes, whether Net or Relief at Source pensions, will be taken into account when calculating the level of employed earnings in UC. This means that a UC claimant that contributes to either type of pension will, automatically (where employers report the information correctly), have their UC entitlement calculated on their taxable pay, after their pension contribution. This ensures fairness for all affected UC employed claimants.</p><p> </p><p>If there is some discrepancy in the way in which it’s reported, DWP will manually ensure that the Relief at Source pension contribution is deducted before any UC entitlement is calculated on their employed earnings.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 17/06/2019 15:25:05 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1105508

registered interest
date	27/03/2019
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 made use of implied consent when making a claim under the legacy system.
tabling member constituency	Argyll and Bute
tabling member printed	Brendan O'Hara
uin	237718
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 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 01/04/2019 14:18:32 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4371 label Biography information for Brendan O'Hara