The Department does not have a statutory safeguarding duty or legal duty of care. The safety of claimants is of great importance to us and the Department provides staff with training and guidance to help them identify those who require further support beyond the provision of benefits.<\/p>
<\/p>
Our staff can direct vulnerable claimants to agencies and services who are best placed to support them, including those who have statutory safeguarding duties such as local authorities and social services.<\/p>
<\/p>
DWP supports the work of all statutory safeguarding agencies, either when formally requested to do so, or by engaging with them to identify, where possible, those who might need particular support.<\/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" : "2021-09-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-09-08T16:03:53.99Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-09-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"} , "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, whether her Department accepts a statutory safeguarding duty of care to vulnerable benefits claimants.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1548", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jessica Morden"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newport East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jessica Morden"} ], "uin" : "41756"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1352511", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1352511/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
There are no plans to replace the publication \u2018What happens if you are overpaid Universal Credit, Jobseeker\u2019s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance\u2019, which was withdrawn in October 2017. This is because the information previously contained in that publication is now part of the mainstream guidance on GOV.UK under the sections \u2018Benefit Overpayments\u2019 and \u2018Reporting Changes in Circumstances\u2019.<\/p>
The majority of claimants are able to make and maintain their Universal Credit claim online. Claimants can report a change of circumstance by signing into their Universal Credit account and accessing the \u2018How to manage your Universal Credit Claim\u2019 Guide. Where a Universal Credit claim is made and maintained by telephone, changes of circumstance can be reported by telephone.<\/p>
Full details of how the Department deals with overpayments can be found in the publically available Benefit Overpayment Recovery Guide - Benefit overpayment recovery guide - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)<\/a>.<\/p> It should be noted that the Department has a duty to protect public funds and an obligation to ensure that overpaid benefit payments are recovered in accordance with the appropriate<\/p> social security legislation. We seek to do so as quickly as possible without creating any undue financial hardship to the claimant.<\/p> Recovery rates are set out in legislation, but customers can contact DWP Debt Management if they are experiencing financial hardship in order to negotiate a reduction in their rate of<\/p> repayment, or a temporary suspension of repayment, depending on financial circumstances.<\/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" : "2021-09-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-09-13T16:51:09.42Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-09-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"}
, "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, when her Department plans to produce a replacement publication for the document entitled What happens if you are overpaid Universal Credit, Jobseeker\u2019s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4470", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alan Brown"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kilmarnock and Loudoun"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alan Brown"}
], "uin" : "41995"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1344075", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1344075/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Following the introduction of the 2012 Welfare Reform Act, all overpayments of Universal Credit and new style benefits paid in excess of entitlement are recoverable.<\/p> <\/p> Where recovery is made by deduction from Universal Credit, there is a limit placed on the overall amount that can be deducted in circumstances where, for example, a claimant may have multiple deductions to be considered. In recent years we have seen two successive reductions in the maximum that may normally be deducted \u2013 from 40% of the UC Standard Allowance to 30% and now 25% from April 2021.<\/p> <\/p> Where requested deductions exceed the 25% maximum, or there is insufficient Universal Credit in payment for all deductions to be made, a priority order is applied, which determines the order in which items should be deducted. \u2018Last resort\u2019 deductions, such as rent or fuel costs, are at the top of the priority order, ensuring that claimant welfare is prioritised, followed by social obligation deductions, such as fines and child maintenance, and finally benefit debt, such as Social Fund loans and benefit overpayments.<\/p> <\/p> This ensures that benefit claimants repaying debt are left with more of their benefit, striking a balance between the Department\u2019s responsibility to recover overpayments whilst not creating undue financial hardship.<\/p> <\/p> Anyone with overpayment deductions who does experience financial hardship is encouraged to contact the Department\u2019s Debt Management unit. Where a person cannot afford the proposed rate of these deductions repayment a lower amount can be negotiated.<\/p> <\/p> In exceptional circumstances, discretion not to pursue recovery of overpayments can also be applied under guidelines set out by HM Treasury. Typically, this would be where the continuing recovery would cause severe hardship or risk to the customer and/or their family. Further details of which are publicly available in HM Treasury\u2019s Managing Public Money.<\/p> https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/994902/MPM_Spring_21_with_annexes_180621.pdf<\/a><\/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" : "2021-07-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-07-14T15:55:06.323Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-07-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"}
, "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, whether she plans to provide support to families required to make repayments as a result of being overpaid by her Department in error.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4638", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Slough"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
], "uin" : "28294"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1341433", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1341433/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We do not comment on specific legal matters including costs of litigation.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> <\/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" : "2021-07-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-07-06T15:59:34.633Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-06-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"}
, "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 estimate she has made of the costs her Department has incurred as a result of the judicial review proceedings on its decision not to extend the £20 uplift to legacy benefit claimants.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4491", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham, Deptford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Vicky Foxcroft"}
], "uin" : "23274"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1329818", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1329818/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The available information for daily claims made to Universal Credit to 8 April 2021 is published and available at:<\/p> https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk<\/a><\/p> <\/p> Guidance for users is available at:<\/p> https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html<\/a><\/p> The available information for Jobseeker\u2019s Allowance monthly on-flows to April 2021 is published on the NOMIS website and available at:<\/p> https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp<\/a><\/p> <\/p> Guidance for users is available at:<\/p> https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp<\/a><\/p> <\/p> Employment and Support Allowance Work Capability Assessments statistics for initial assessments, including those still in progress, by month of claim start to June 2020, are published in Table 1a of the data tables available at:<\/p> https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/esa-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessments-including-mandatory-reconsiderations-and-appeals-march-2021<\/a><\/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" : "2021-06-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-06-09T13:28:39.343Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-06-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"}
, "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 applications have been processed for (a) universal credit, (b) jobseekers allowance and (c) employment support allowance in each of the last three years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4413", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kirsten Oswald"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Renfrewshire"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Kirsten Oswald"}
], "uin" : "10427"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1327284", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1327284/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government continues to take action to help families with the cost of living, including raising the national living wage, reducing the UC earnings taper, raising the income tax personal allowance, introducing tax-free childcare and 30 hours a week of free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds.<\/p> <\/p> Families are able to claim support for up to two children, and there may be further entitlement for other children if they were born before 6 April 2017 or if an exception applies. It is important to support families, but it is also important to be fair to the many working families who do not see their budgets rise when they have more children. This does not apply to Child Benefit, nor the disabled child element of Universal Credit.<\/p> <\/p> Throughout the pandemic, we have taken great steps to protect family incomes, including spending an additional £7.4 billion last year to strengthen the welfare system for those most in need. This took our total expenditure on welfare support for people of working age to an estimated £112bn in 2020/21.<\/p> <\/p> As the economy recovers, our ambition is to help parents move into and progress in work as quickly as possible. This is based on clear evidence around the importance of parental employment, particularly where it is full-time, in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty. We are investing over £30 billion in our ambitious Plan for Jobs which is already delivering for people of all ages right across the country.<\/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" : "2021-05-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-05-28T14:03:43.69Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"}
, "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 steps her Department is taking to support people subject to the limit on welfare benefits for households with more than two children.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
], "uin" : "6292"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1299900", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1299900/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.<\/p> <\/p> The Benefit Cap and the two-child limit policies restore fairness between those receiving working age benefits and taxpayers in employment and a benefits structure adjusting automatically to family size is unsustainable<\/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" : "2021-03-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-03-08T17:41:44.79Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-03-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"}
, "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 estimate she has made of the number of families in temporary accommodation subject to the (a) benefit cap and (b) two-child limit.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4511", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ealing Central and Acton"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Rupa Huq"}
], "uin" : "913012"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1278729", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1278729/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " At each fiscal event the Department works closely with the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to estimate welfare spend based on latest unemployment projections. The OBR\u2019s latest projections are available here: http://cdn.obr.uk/CCS1020397650-001_OBR-November2020-EFO-v2-Web-accessible.pdf<\/a><\/p>