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1737543

registered interest
date	28/10/2024
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 individuals claiming Universal Credit have received fit notes for each of the last three financial years.
tabling member constituency	Great Yarmouth
tabling member printed	Rupert Lowe
uin	11420
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2024 answer text <p>The number of people on Universal Credit in Great Britain who submitted an accepted fit note to the Department for each of the last three financial years is shown in the table below:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>2021 to 2022</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2022 to 2023</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2023 to 2024</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>854,390</p></td><td><p>896,790</p></td><td><p>908,740</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Notes:</strong></p><p>Numbers are rounded to 10.</p><p>Although most will have submitted Statements of Fitness for Work (fit notes), other forms of medical evidence that the Department accepts (e.g. hospital discharge letters) will be included in the totals.</p><p>Data is taken from Universal Credit analytical systems but results have not been quality assured to Official Statistics publication standard.</p><p>The Department regularly publishes Universal Credit Health Journey caseload statistics on <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/&amp;data=05|02|THOMAS.WALKER@DWP.GOV.UK|c6ffe4e7e51548c3896608dce86c9c6b|96f1f6e910574117ac2880cdfe86f8c3|0|0|638640800384484540|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0=|0|||&amp;sdata=rKgyiRWPkQXAsdIj98jr3lU5lR27zUbRSv1oZ4UYGlc=&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Stat-Xplore</a> including the monthly number of people on UC Health with a current fit-note.</p> answering member constituency Birkenhead answering member printed Alison McGovern question first answered 05/11/2024 12:18:44 answering member 4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern
tabling member	5158

1736984

registered interest
date	24/10/2024
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 it her policy to (a) replace new Universal Credit claim (i) advance and (ii) benefit transfer loans with new claim grants and (b) to write off overpayments made in error.
tabling member constituency	Stratford-on-Avon
tabling member printed	Manuela Perteghella
uin	11088
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2024 answer text <p>As not all new UC customers require the same level of immediate support, replacing every new customer’s advance with a UC grant would lead to significantly increased expenditure and the potential for increased fraud and error in the social security system.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to reviewing Universal Credit, to make sure it is doing the job we want it to. We will set out the details of this in due course.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State has an obligation to protect public funds and to ensure that, wherever possible, an overpayment is recovered. It is our policy to recover all debt where it is reasonable and cost effective to do so. Debts should be recovered as quickly and cost effectively as possible without causing undue financial hardship.</p><p> </p><p>There are no plans to write off overpayments made in error.</p> answering member constituency East Ham answering member printed Sir Stephen Timms question first answered 29/10/2024 11:40:29 answering member 163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms
tabling member	5122

1737008

registered interest
date	24/10/2024
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 and what proportion of people claiming Universal Credit were (a) born and (b) not born in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Harborough, Oadby and Wigston
tabling member printed	Neil O'Brien
uin	11036
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2024 answer text <p>The Department does not routinely collect data on the country of birth of individuals claiming any benefits.</p><p> </p><p>DWP policy responsibility lies in establishing a customer’s eligibility to claim benefits. An individual’s specific country of birth does not play a role in this and the Department therefore does not collect the country of birth information at the point of benefit claim.</p> answering member constituency Stretford and Urmston answering member printed Andrew Western grouped question UIN 11035 11037 11038 11039 11040 11041 question first answered 29/10/2024 11:40:02 answering member 4979 label Biography information for Andrew Western
tabling member	4679 label Biography information for Neil O'Brien

1735449

registered interest
date	18/10/2024
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 take steps to ensure that people with incomes (a) that fluctuate and (b) from multiple sources are accurately assessed for Universal Credit; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing (i) savings and (ii) earnings thresholds for Universal Credit.
tabling member constituency	Honiton and Sidmouth
tabling member printed	Richard Foord
uin	9970
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2024 answer text <p>Wherever possible, employed earnings are received through the Real Time Information (RTI) system used by employers to report Pay As You Earn (PAYE) data to HMRC (His Majesty s Revenue and Customs). RTI enables a customer’s Universal Credit award to be automatically adjusted to reflect their earnings each month, which eases the reporting burden on customers.</p><p> </p><p>If earnings are not reported through RTI for any reason, the customer needs to self-report their earnings.</p><p> </p><p>Unearned income such as pension payments and certain benefits, including new style Jobseeker’s Allowance or new style Employment and Support Allowance are taken into account when calculating Universal Credit entitlement. Where these are not paid monthly they are calculated as a monthly equivalent. This is to reflect the Universal Credit monthly assessment period and to ‘smooth’ the calculation of award.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is required by law to undertake an annual review of benefits and State Pensions. The outcome of the Secretary of State’s review will be announced in the usual way.</p> answering member constituency East Ham answering member printed Sir Stephen Timms question first answered 23/10/2024 11:10:32 answering member 163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms
tabling member	4942 label Biography information for Richard Foord

1734703

registered interest
date	16/10/2024
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, when she plans to launch her Department's review of Universal Credit.
tabling member constituency	South Shields
tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
uin	9461
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2024 answer text <p>We are committed to reviewing Universal Credit, to make sure it is doing the job we want it to. We will set out the details of this in due course.</p> answering member constituency East Ham answering member printed Sir Stephen Timms question first answered 21/10/2024 10:50:48 answering member 163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms
tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1734704

registered interest
date	16/10/2024
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's review of Universal Credit will include the income threshold used to determine eligibility for (a) free school meals and (b) the NHS Healthy Start scheme.
tabling member constituency	South Shields
tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
uin	9462
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2024 answer text <p>Eligibility criteria, including earnings thresholds for passported benefits including Free School Meals and Healthy Start payments are owned by Department of Education and the Department of Health and Social care respectively.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency East Ham answering member printed Sir Stephen Timms question first answered 21/10/2024 13:51:47 answering member 163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms
tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1734079

registered interest
date	14/10/2024
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 impact of the Universal Credit minimum income threshold on trends in the level of childminder (a) recruitment and (b) retention, in the context of recent changes to free childcare allowances.
tabling member constituency	Congleton
tabling member printed	Mrs Sarah Russell
uin	9047
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2024 answer text <p>There is no plan to assess the potential impact of the Minimum Income Floor specifically for self-employed childminders on Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>The department does not systematically collect data about the sector self-employed customers work in. Universal Credit treats all forms and sectors of self-employment in the same way, focusing on the level of the customer’s earnings rather than the sector. There is no link between the sector that a customer works in and the level of their Minimum Income Floor.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency East Ham answering member printed Sir Stephen Timms question first answered 21/10/2024 11:03:42 answering member 163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms
tabling member	5324

1733468

registered interest
date	10/10/2024
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 His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial impact that the five-week wait has on those awaiting their first Universal Credit payment.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Newcastle
uin	HL1499
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2024 answer text <p>No assessment has been made of the financial impact of the 5-week-wait. The Government is committed to reviewing Universal Credit so that it makes work pay and tackles poverty.</p><p> </p><p>The Universal Credit assessment period and payment structure are fundamental parts of its design.</p><p> </p><p>When customers are paid Universal Credit is determined by the date of entitlement. The first payment is usually made around five weeks after the claim is made. The first calendar month is the initial assessment period. At the end of that period, entitlement for that month is calculated and paid 7 days later. Payments thereafter are made monthly in arrears.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>If new customers need support before their first payment is made, all new customers can request an advance of their entitlement to support them. New Claims Advances of up to 100% of potential UC entitlement are available urgently if a customer needs support during their first assessment period and budgeting support is available for anyone who needs extra help.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sherlock question first answered 24/10/2024 15:58:29 answering member 4147 label Biography information for Baroness Sherlock
tabling member	4996 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Newcastle

1733021

registered interest
date	09/10/2024
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 impact of 53 Mondays in this financial year on rent payments for Universal Credit claimants .
tabling member constituency	North Norfolk
tabling member printed	Steff Aquarone
uin	8343
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2024 answer text <p>The current financial year, which runs from 06/04/24 to 05/04/25, does not contain 53 Mondays.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit always converts weekly amounts to monthly sums using 52 weeks. The legitimacy of this approach was confirmed by the High Court having been tested via a judicial review.</p><p> </p><p>Every five or six years, weekly tenants may have a rent charging year containing 53 charging days. This will not apply in all cases and some claimants will not have a 53-week charging year during the life of their benefit claim.</p><p> </p><p>The rent charging year beginning 1 April 2024 and ending on 6 April 2025 is one such year and is of a period which exceeds one calendar year and is not aligned to a financial year. The 53rd payment covers the tenancy for part of the following calendar year.</p><p> </p><p>Most people in work are paid monthly, as is Universal Credit, and they budget for their outgoings on a monthly basis. Weekly rental liabilities do not map directly onto a monthly cycle and this creates budgeting complexities for tenants. They will be required to make only four payments of rent in some months but five payments in others even though their monthly income remains constant. This problem exists in all rent charging years, not just those with 53 Mondays.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will consider this issue as part of its wider work on Universal Credit.</p> answering member constituency East Ham answering member printed Sir Stephen Timms question first answered 14/10/2024 11:58:23 answering member 163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms
tabling member	5164

1732652

registered interest
date	08/10/2024
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 His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of introducing a minimum floor for Universal Credit so that benefit deductions and the benefit cap do not push people into financial hardship.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Norwich
uin	HL1405
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2024 answer text <p>There are no plans to introduce a floor of this nature. However, the Government is committed to reviewing Universal Credit so that it makes work pay and tackles poverty.</p><p>Universal Credit customers can approach their local authority to be considered for a Discretionary Housing Payment. These can be paid to those entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their rental costs.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sherlock question first answered 16/10/2024 10:57:55 answering member 4147 label Biography information for Baroness Sherlock
tabling member	4999 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Norwich