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1187208

registered interest
date	23/03/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of time taken to speak to a call handler on the universal credit helpline.
tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
uin	33414
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2020 answer text <p>Since mid-March we have seen a huge volume of calls to the Universal Credit helpline, with over 2 million calls on a single day at one point. We are aware that this demand has meant that some claimants were not able to get through.</p><p> </p><p>People making new claims for Universal Credit no longer need to call the Department as part of the process. Once they have completed their online application we will call them if we need to check any of the information they have given us. We have also introduced new processes to ease pressure on waiting times for identity verification over the phone and other processes.</p><p> </p><p>The Department’s priority is to continue to ensure those who are entitled to benefit receive the support they need at a time when new claims for Universal Credit are at an unprecedented level.</p><p> </p><p>Since 16 March 2020, we have received more than 1.5 million new claims for Universal Credit. 10,000 members of staff from other parts of DWP are being redeployed to support work on new claims and we are urgently recruiting additional people to assist with the processing of claims.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 33415 33416 question first answered 21/04/2020 16:54:49 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

1187211

registered interest
date	23/03/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how long after first applying can claimants for universal credit receive their first advance.
tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
uin	33417
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2020 answer text <p>Universal Credit new claim advance payments have long been an integral part of the UC system, allowing claimants to access up to 100% of their total expected monthly award at the start of their claim, which can be paid back over a period of up to 12 months, which will be extended to 24 months from October 2021.</p><p> </p><p>Applications are accepted by phone or online and payments can be issued on the same day.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 21/04/2020 16:41:21 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

1185506

registered interest
date	16/03/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what methods his Department will use to contact people receiving legacy benefits as part of the managed migration to universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Hallam
tabling member printed	Olivia Blake
uin	30210
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2020 answer text <p>The initial approach is based on using existing relationships that the Department or our partners have with legacy benefit claimants. We are initially identifying claimants for the pilot from those that currently attend the Jobcentre for meetings, in order for Work Coaches to build on existing relationships to prepare claimants to move and to support them through the process. We will establish whether someone is ready to move and explore how we can move them effectively across to Universal Credit (UC).</p><p>Since the introduction of UC, claimants have been supported by a more flexible approach regarding contact, with much greater use of digital and telephone channels. This enables claimants to continue to engage with the Department, receive appropriate support and satisfy the conditions of their personalised Claimant Commitment without having to always attend an appointment in person. This approach provides the ability to change or adapt our plans to make sure it is working, and to support vulnerable claimants and those in unusual circumstances.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 19/03/2020 14:49:30 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4864 label Biography information for Olivia Blake

1185510

registered interest
date	16/03/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the additional staff time required for administering managed migration from legacy benefits to universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Hallam
tabling member printed	Olivia Blake
uin	30211
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2020 answer text <p>The impact and pressure that moving existing legacy benefit claimants to Universal Credit (UC) will put on the Department is often overstated. Our Move to UC pilot will help to understand any additional support and resources required to migrate claimants to UC, so that we can tailor support for those who need it.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 19/03/2020 14:39:08 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4864 label Biography information for Olivia Blake

1185514

registered interest
date	16/03/2020
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
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 that universal credit claims received as part of managed migration are processed within the month-long assessment period.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Hallam
tabling member printed	Olivia Blake
uin	30212
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2020 answer text <p>Our current Move to Universal Credit (UC) pilot allows work coaches to support claimants and ensures they have the correct evidence to verify their claim in order to ensure they are paid in full and on time.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 19/03/2020 14:34:17 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4864 label Biography information for Olivia Blake

1183379

registered interest
date	09/03/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What assessment her Department has made of the effect of the roll-out of universal credit on referrals to food banks.
tabling member constituency	Coventry North West
tabling member printed	Taiwo Owatemi
uin	901400
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2020 answer text <p>The Department does not keep official statistics on food bank use, so no such assessment has been completed.</p><p> </p><p>There are many reasons people use food banks and their growth cannot be linked to a single cause.</p><p> </p><p>Some food aid providers produce statistics on the number of food parcels distributed, but the Government has no plans to require individual food banks to keep records, as this would place a significant burden on charitable organisations.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 09/03/2020 17:14:45 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4779 label Biography information for Taiwo Owatemi

1183715

registered interest
date	09/03/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to make an announcement on the appropriate delivery mechanism for the universal credit transition fund.
tabling member constituency	Inverclyde
tabling member printed	Ronnie Cowan
uin	26928
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2020 answer text <p>From April 2020, a new £10 million transitional fund will be available to partner organisations to provide extra help to the most vulnerable, improving access to welfare and labour market opportunities.</p><p>Further information on the fund and how organisations can bid to access it will be available shortly.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 12/03/2020 16:35:01 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4465 label Biography information for Ronnie Cowan

1183047

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
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
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 5 February 2020 to Question 10759, how many claimants had deductions taken from their universal credit payments in each parliamentary constituency in August 2019.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	25696
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2020 answer text <p>This Government is committed to providing a strong welfare safety-net for those who need it. Our deductions policy strikes a fair balance between a claimant’s need to meet their financial obligations and their ability to ensure they can meet their day-to-day needs. Since October 2019, Universal Credit deductions are set at a maximum of 30% of a claimant’s standard allowance, down from 40% previously.</p><p> </p><p>The requested information surrounding deductions to Universal Credit payments by parliamentary constituency is shown in the attached table.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 25694 question first answered 24/04/2020 08:30:03 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince attachment 1 file name PQs 25694, 25696- Chris Stephens- Additional Data Deductions incl. table.xlsx title Additional data deductions table previous answer version 11689 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1182205

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of the time taken for a claimant to receive their first universal credit payment on the financial situation of those claimants; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	24231
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2020 answer text <p>Universal Credit is now the main system of working age welfare support across the country. It is available in every Jobcentre, with a caseload of 2.8 million claimants, growing every month, now able to access the additional support and flexibilities it offers.</p><p> </p><p>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. Claimants who utilise this support have more money in the first 6 months than on legacy benefits.</p><p> </p><p>Our Work Coaches gauge claimants’ financial needs from their first interview. As part of this, every claimant is offered an advance payment on application. Proposed repayments of the advance are explained, and all claimants are advised to request a level of advance which is manageable both now and when considering the repayments required.</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 to Universal Credit a two-week run-on. 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>Data surrounding Universal Credit payments made in full and on time is published at: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk </a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance for users is available at: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html </a></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 09/03/2020 18:09:53 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

1182338

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
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
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 2 March 2020 to Question 21155 on Universal Credit, which organisation has the responsibility for setting and adjusting the rate at which a court fine is deducted from a universal credit claim.
tabling member constituency	Wallasey
tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
uin	24248
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2020 answer text <p>The Department’s deductions policy strikes a fair balance between a claimant’s need to meet their financial obligations and their ability to ensure they can meet their day-to-day needs. Deductions for court fines are based on rates provided in legislation.</p><p> </p><p>HMCTS have the ultimate responsibility for setting the amount of a court fine, which the Department will then make deductions for at their request.</p><p> </p><p>The rate of Universal Credit deductions for court fines is detailed in the Fines (Deduction from Income Support) Regulations 1992, Regulation 4(1B). This piece of legislation was amended to include Universal Credit and can be viewed at: <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/2182/regulation/4" target="_blank">https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/2182/regulation/4</a>.</p><p>Since October 2019, all standard Universal Credit deductions are a maximum of 30% of a claimant’s standard allowance down from 40% previously.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 09/03/2020 17:16:53 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle