Oral Answers to Questions

Heidi Allen Excerpts
Monday 7th January 2019

(5 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Sharma Portrait Alok Sharma
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I am happy to look at the individual case that the hon. Lady raises, but I would point out that £2.4 billion was unclaimed under the legacy benefit system, and that is changing under universal credit.

Heidi Allen Portrait Heidi Allen (South Cambridgeshire) (Con)
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I would like to put on the record my thanks to the Secretary of State for listening and changing her approach to managed migration. I think we will see a step change in how vulnerable claimants feel about their security under universal credit. I have given her a list of other areas of UC that need improving. I urge her to look at one area that will completely revolutionise how people feel about the system—the five-week wait has got to go. If we make the advance payment the first payment rather than a loan, we will see food bank usage and the whole system transformed immeasurably.

Amber Rudd Portrait Amber Rudd
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I thank my hon. Friend. There are many contributions on how we can improve universal credit. Some of them carry quite a big price tag, and some have had more success with the Treasury than others. I look forward to further conversations with the Chancellor in due course.