{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?AnswerDate=2019-06-05&tablingMemberConstituency=Birkenhead&max-date=2019-05-22&writtenParliamentaryQuestionType=NamedDay", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?AnswerDate=2019-06-05&tablingMemberConstituency=Birkenhead&max-date=2019-05-22&writtenParliamentaryQuestionType=NamedDay", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?AnswerDate=2019-06-05&tablingMemberConstituency=Birkenhead&max-date=2019-05-22&_metadata=all&writtenParliamentaryQuestionType=NamedDay", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_page=0&AnswerDate=2019-06-05&tablingMemberConstituency=Birkenhead&max-date=2019-05-22&writtenParliamentaryQuestionType=NamedDay", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?AnswerDate=2019-06-05&tablingMemberConstituency=Birkenhead&max-date=2019-05-22&writtenParliamentaryQuestionType=NamedDay", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?AnswerDate=2019-06-05&tablingMemberConstituency=Birkenhead&max-date=2019-05-22&writtenParliamentaryQuestionType=NamedDay", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128235", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128235/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

We are currently carrying out a literature review on the factors driving the use of food banks which will be published in due course.<\/p>

<\/strong><\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-05T13:48:15.837Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Food Banks"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the timescale is for her Department to publish the findings of the study it commissioned on the links between Government policy and demand on food banks.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/478", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birkenhead"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Frank Field"} ], "uin" : "257456"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128236", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128236/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

In 2018/19, 16,260 successful applications for a reduction in their repayment rate were made by claimants or their representatives.<\/p>

In 2018/19, 10 overpayments were waived, either in full or in part, as a result of applications made by claimants or their representatives. In the same period, 20 applications were unsuccessful.<\/p>

The Department has an obligation to ensure that public funds are administered responsibly and to abide by the principles set out in Her Majesty\u2019s Treasury\u2019s guidance on Managing Public Money (which can be found on gov.uk). Waivers are only granted in limited circumstances including where the recovery of an overpayment is causing substantial financial and/or medical hardship and clear supporting evidence of this is provided.<\/p>

Rather than waiving benefit overpayments, the Department works to support claimants through the recovery of these overpayments.<\/p>

If a claimant is having difficulty repaying a benefit overpayment, they can request a review of the amount that is being taken. Any adjustment to the rate of repayment will be based on the individual circumstances of the claimant.<\/p>

*All figures in this response have been sourced from internal management information and were not intended for public release. They should therefore not be compared to any similar figures subsequently released by the Department. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.<\/em><\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4014", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Reading West"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alok Sharma"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "257458"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-05T14:34:51.337Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit: Overpayments"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases involving universal credit overpayments have not been pursued on the grounds of hardship.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/478", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birkenhead"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Frank Field"} ], "uin" : "257457"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128238", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128238/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

In 2018/19, 16,260 successful applications for a reduction in their repayment rate were made by claimants or their representatives.<\/p>

In 2018/19, 10 overpayments were waived, either in full or in part, as a result of applications made by claimants or their representatives. In the same period, 20 applications were unsuccessful.<\/p>

The Department has an obligation to ensure that public funds are administered responsibly and to abide by the principles set out in Her Majesty\u2019s Treasury\u2019s guidance on Managing Public Money (which can be found on gov.uk). Waivers are only granted in limited circumstances including where the recovery of an overpayment is causing substantial financial and/or medical hardship and clear supporting evidence of this is provided.<\/p>

Rather than waiving benefit overpayments, the Department works to support claimants through the recovery of these overpayments.<\/p>

If a claimant is having difficulty repaying a benefit overpayment, they can request a review of the amount that is being taken. Any adjustment to the rate of repayment will be based on the individual circumstances of the claimant.<\/p>

*All figures in this response have been sourced from internal management information and were not intended for public release. They should therefore not be compared to any similar figures subsequently released by the Department. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.<\/em><\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4014", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Reading West"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alok Sharma"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "257457"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-05T14:34:51.387Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit: Overpayments"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases involving universal credit overpayments have been pursued subsequent to an appeal on the grounds of hardship.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/478", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birkenhead"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Frank Field"} ], "uin" : "257458"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 3, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }