Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1146457

registered interest
date	26/09/2019
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	Children: Disadvantaged
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 merits of ensuring that data held by her Department that would qualify a person's child for free school meals also captures (a) how many children that person is the main carer of and b) the school year of each qualifying child.
tabling member constituency	West Ham
tabling member printed	Lyn Brown
uin	291347
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2019 answer text <p>The Department provides colleagues at the Department for Education (DfE) projections of the Universal Credit caseload, split by the earnings of the household and number of children in each household by age. This enables DfE to estimate how many households will be eligible for Free School Meals in the future.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 08/10/2019 09:43:26 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1583 label Biography information for Ms Lyn Brown

1146582

registered interest
date	26/09/2019
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	Social Security Benefits: Payments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what comparative assessment she has made of the average length of time for a claimant to receive their first (a) legacy benefit payment and (b) universal credit payment in the each of the last two years.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	291447
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/10/2019 answer text <p>The design of Universal Credit is fundamentally different to legacy benefits, so any assessment would not reflect this adequately.</p><p> </p><p>The Department published an assessment of legacy benefit and Universal Credit payment timeliness in its Annual Report and Accounts 2018-19. This showed that the speed of Universal Credit payments has continued to improve during its rollout and the Department continues to introduce improvements. Between February 2018 to February 2019 Universal Credit payment timeliness improved with 86% of new claims to Universal Credit receiving full payment on time in February 2019, an increase from 78% in February 2018.</p><p> </p><p>Monthly assessment periods align to the way the majority of employees are paid, and how utility companies and other service providers collect payments. This allows Universal Credit to be adjusted each month, which means that if a claimant’s income falls they will not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>Overall, Universal Credit provides more tailored support, and makes it more financially rewarding to increase earnings when in employment compared to legacy benefits.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 03/10/2019 15:55:01 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1146583

registered interest
date	26/09/2019
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: Payments
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 whether households have reduced their expenditure on non-essential items in order to avoid debt while waiting for their first payment of universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	291448
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/10/2019 answer text <p>For new claimants applying for Universal Credit (UC), new claim advances provide access to a payment for those in financial need, which can be accessed quickly, until their first UC payment is due.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to this, the Department has delivered a number of improvements to support claimants during their first assessment period, such as removing waiting days and 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><p> </p><p>For those who need help with budgeting, support is available for Universal Credit claimants via the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS). MaPS will help UC claimants with personal budgeting and money management through its free helpline, printed guides and digital guidance.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 03/10/2019 15:52:55 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1146584

registered interest
date	26/09/2019
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: Payments
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 merits of introducing a policy of backdating universal credit payments.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	291449
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/10/2019 answer text <p>Under Universal Credit, claims may be backdated, by up to one calendar month, in some 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 order to provide the best possible support to our claimants it is important that we are able to have discussions about their claim and circumstances at the earliest possible opportunity, whether to support them back into work or to provide or signpost other support and guidance. It is therefore important that backdating provisions are used in specific circumstances, and that all claimants are encouraged to engage with us at the earliest opportunity.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 03/10/2019 15:44:06 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1146585

registered interest
date	26/09/2019
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: Payments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the effect of ending the five week wait for the first universal credit payment on (a) levels of poverty and (b) the public purse.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	291450
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>Nobody has to wait for five weeks for a payment following an application for Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit new claim advances provide access to a payment for those in financial need, which can be accessed urgently, until their first regular Universal Credit payment is due. Claimants can access up to 100% of the total expected monthly award, which they can pay back over a period of up to 12 months. We have announced that from October 2021, the repayment period for these advances will be extended further, to 16 months.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has delivered a number of improvements to support claimants during their first assessment period, such as removing waiting days and 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><p> </p><p>Assessment periods align to the way the majority of employees are paid, and how utility companies and other service providers collect payments. This allows Universal Credit to be adjusted each month, which means that if a claimant’s income falls they will not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 01/10/2019 13:58:32 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1146693

registered interest
date	26/09/2019
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	Food Banks
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Government plans to publish its report into the factors driving the use of food banks.
tabling member constituency	Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford
tabling member printed	Yvette Cooper
uin	291234
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>The Department is currently working on the literature review and a release date is yet to be determined.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p /> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 01/10/2019 13:47:23 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	420 label Biography information for Yvette Cooper

1145736

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
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	Social Security Benefits: Glasgow
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many advance benefit payments have been made to people in Glasgow in each month between April 2019 to August 2019; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	290749
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/09/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit new claim advances provide access to a payment for those in financial need, which can be accessed urgently, until their first UC payment is due. Claimants can access up to 100% of the total expected monthly award, for which they can pay back over a period of up to 12 months.</p><p> </p><p>For Glasgow City local authority:</p><p> </p><ul><li>In April 2019 there were 3,100 Universal Credit advances paid</li><li>In May 2019 there were 3,100 Universal Credit advances paid</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department has taken a number of steps to ensure that advances meet the needs of claimants and that recovery arrangements are personalised and reasonable. The maximum rate of deductions cannot normally exceed 40 per cent of the Universal Credit standard allowance and does not reduce other components of an award, such as money paid for children, housing or when someone is caring for a severely disabled person. From October 2019 this will be reduced to 30 per cent and from October 2021 we are increasing the maximum recovery period for advances from 12 to 16 months.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes:</strong></p><p> </p><ol><li>Figures are rounded to the nearest 100</li><li>Figures only go to May 2019 in line with published statistics relating to households on Universal Credit</li><li>Figures include all types of advances</li><li>Figures relate to Universal Credit full service only</li></ol> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 30/09/2019 14:50:37 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1145737

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
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	Food Banks: Glasgow South West
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to visit a food bank in Glasgow South West constituency in October 2019; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	290750
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/09/2019 answer text <p>DWP Ministers regularly travel across the country visiting jobcentres, charities, food banks and partnership organisations. We receive many requests for visits across all parts of the UK and try to get to as many places as is possible with the constraints of Departmental business and the Parliamentary timetable.</p><p /> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 30/09/2019 14:50:19 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1146021

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
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 steps her Department is taking to review universal credit assessment periods when claimants receive two paychecks within the same assessment period due to a change of employer.
tabling member constituency	Chichester
tabling member printed	Gillian Keegan
uin	291103
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/10/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit seeks to take earnings into account in a way that is fair and transparent. The amount of Universal Credit paid reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period, including any earnings reported by their employer or employers during the assessment period, regardless of when they were paid, or which month they relate to.</p><p> </p><p>Assessment periods allow for Universal Credit awards to be adjusted on a monthly basis, ensuring that if a claimant’s income changes, they do not have to wait several months for a corresponding change in their Universal Credit award. Claimants can always discuss the implications of any changes in earnings with their case managers and work coach and can be referred to personal budgeting support to help them manage their budgeting.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 03/10/2019 15:59:24 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4680 label Biography information for Gillian Keegan

1146122

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
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 information her Department holds on reductions to deductions for claimants of universal credit in latest period for which data is available.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	290635
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 01/10/2019 14:40:17 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe