We are committed to harnessing the potential of new technologies in making a positive difference to our customers\u2019 lives. In 2016, we ran a pilot to explore whether a product by GovCoin (now DISC) could help some Universal Credit customers budget. The product utilised blockchain technology.<\/p>
<\/p>
The pilot that ended in early 2017, provided valuable insight into customer needs, and this was used to inform the decision to develop a future method of payment strategy that outlines DWP\u2019s commitment to improving the methods available to make payments to customers.<\/p>
<\/p>
We continue to explore payment innovations, including distributed ledger and blockchain technologies and their potential to securely deliver services that our customers rely on.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4495", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kit Malthouse"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Hampshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kit Malthouse"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-02-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-02-27T12:14:46.79Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-02-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits: Cryptocurrencies"} , "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 assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits of using blockchain for the the welfare and benefits system; and if she will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4635", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Eddie Hughes"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Walsall North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Eddie Hughes"} ], "uin" : "128693"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/834804", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/834804/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
A small proof-of-concept trial was undertaken in 2016. The trial was led by Universal Credit officials who worked with DISC Holdings (formerly Govcoin) to trial an app on a mobile phone that customers could use to receive and manage benefit payments.<\/p>
<\/p>
The trial provided valuable insight into customer needs, and this was used to inform the decision to develop a future method of payment strategy that outlines DWP\u2019s commitment to improving the methods available to make payments to customers. The Department is currently working with industry to identify new and emerging payment opportunities that suit the needs of DWP and its customers, in support of the future strategy.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4495", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kit Malthouse"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Hampshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kit Malthouse"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-02-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-02-09T11:23:33.127Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-02-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits: Cryptocurrencies"} , "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 assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the GovCoin trial; and what plans her Department has for the future use of that technology.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4635", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Eddie Hughes"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Walsall North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Eddie Hughes"} ], "uin" : "126226"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 2, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }