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 grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1196238

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
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: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much money from the public purse her Department spent on the housing cost element of universal credit in each of the last twelve months.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	47170
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2020 answer text <p>The requested information is not readily available and the cost of undertaking such analysis would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold of a parliamentary question.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 20/05/2020 16:23:22 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1139323

registered interest
date	16/07/2019
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: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the liability for the whole rent of a property is reflected in the calculation of universal credit in cases where a claimant of universal credit in a joint tenancy remains after a partner leaves; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	277617
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>The Universal Credit regulations provide that a claimant is to be treated as liable to make rent payments - where the person who is liable to make the payments is not doing so, the payments are required in order to continue occupation, and it would be unreasonable to expect them to make other arrangements. Therefore, in the example described, it would be possible for the whole liability to be considered as part of the UC calculation, subject to any usual restrictions such as the Local Housing Allowance or removal of the spare room subsidy.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 22/07/2019 13:01:27 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1110573

registered interest
date	09/04/2019
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: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that universal credit adequately supports social housing tenants paying rent weekly to meet their obligations in relation to the 53 week year.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	242667
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2019 answer text <p>No year contains 53 weeks. This perceived issue of their being 53 weeks in a year arises where a landlord charges rent weekly on a Monday and, because of the way the calendar falls every 5 or 6 years, seeks 53 rent payments in a year, with the 53rd payment in part covering the tenancy for the first few days of the following year.</p><p>Universal Credit payments are designed to mirror the world of work, with monthly payments reflecting the way many working people are paid. This model of monthly payments allows claimants to take responsibility for budgeting their own income and helps prepare them for getting back to work. The Money and Pension Service can provide debt advice and money guidance to claimants if they need support managing their monthly Universal Credit payments.</p><p>We are aware of a separate issue with respect to the way the calculation in the Universal Credit regulations converts a weekly liability into a monthly allowance. The conversion is achieved by multiplying the weekly rent by 52 and then dividing by 12. This effectively means one day’s rent a year (two days in a leap years) are not covered by UC. We are currently considering whether this formulation around weekly rents, and potentially other weekly amounts in the UC calculation, should be amended.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 15/04/2019 14:48:11 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1063609

registered interest
date	18/02/2019
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: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 18 February to Question 220052 on Universal Credit, if she will publish the evidential basis for the statement that the indications at this stage are that Universal Credit actually helps to clear these arrears over time; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	222594
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2019 answer text <p>Following the initial work summarised in the NAO report with a single housing provider, we are currently carrying out analysis of this issue with a number of housing providers, to investigate and understand the true level of rent arrears for their tenants, what is causing them and any impacts Universal Credit may be having. It will be published when completed.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 21/02/2019 15:43:46 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1059730

registered interest
date	12/02/2019
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: Housing
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 effect of the roll-out of universal credit on levels of rent arrears among claimants.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	220052
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/02/2019 answer text <p>Safeguards are in place for Universal Credit claimants, including Advances, budgeting support and Alternative Payment Arrangements and claimants already receiving Housing Benefit are paid an additional two weeks of Housing Benefit to support them whilst they transition to monthly payments on Universal Credit. Our work coaches gauge claimants’ financial needs from their first interview and can refer them to more specialist support for debt advice if required.</p><p> </p><p>According to latest figures (August 2018), only about 7% of social rented households were claiming Universal Credit. Many tenants have pre-existing rent arrears at the start of their claim; indications at this stage are that Universal Credit actually helps to clear these arrears over time.</p><p /> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 18/02/2019 16:27:47 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

448447

registered interest
date	27/01/2016
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: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what circumstances the housing element of advance payments of universal credit can be paid directly to a landlord.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	24553
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2016 answer text <p>Universal Credit is paid as a single monthly amount. The advance payment provision is for the total UC payment, not for any particular portion of it.</p><p> </p><p>A payment of Universal Credit in respect of housing costs can be paid directly to the landlord, or in certain circumstances, via an Alternative Payment Arrangement.</p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel question first answered 01/02/2016 17:15:09 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

446091

registered interest
date	19/01/2016
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: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether a universal credit applicant who does not receive the housing part in their first payment due to lack of evidence provided in their application will receive a backdated payment upon receipt of the correct document.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	23084
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2016 answer text <p>Once all the relevant information is received, a backdated payment of the housing element can be made.</p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel question first answered 22/01/2016 13:44:12 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

431801

registered interest
date	23/11/2015
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: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure adequate expertise in local housing market conditions among staff administering universal credit in jobcentres.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	17300
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/11/2015 answer text <p>The role of DWP is to administer the payment of Universal Credit (UC) and within that there is a Housing Cost element. The Local Authorities (LA) and Valuation Office keep their existing roles by providing valuation and housing advice. UC claims are assessed in UC service centres, not jobcentres.</p><p>UC is being rolled out in a safe and controlled way to allow us to adapt and grow the capability we need over time. To support UC in assessment of the housing costs as part of delivering the live service, LA staff have been seconded on a short term basis to support improvements in housing cost knowledge for staff in UC Service centres.</p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel question first answered 26/11/2015 17:49:29 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

418045

registered interest
date	09/09/2015
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: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claims include an element for housing costs.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	9828
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The information requested is not available.</p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel grouped question UIN 9829 question first answered 14/09/2015 11:01:43 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

175826

registered interest
date	26/01/2015
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: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training has been given to staff working in universal credit service centres on dealing with the housing benefit component of universal credit.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	222046
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2015 answer text <p /> <p>We provide housing guidance on Universal Credit, including the housing element to all staff. In addition we have specialist teams in place within our Service Centres to support the housing element aspects of Universal Credit. Staff on secondment from local authorities, with experience of administering housing benefit, are working within these teams, and provide further support.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 29/01/2015 17:09:02 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms