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Written Question
Universal Credit: Overpayments
Wednesday 28th January 2026

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit overpayments arising from official error were identified in each month since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.


Written Question
Universal Credit: Migrants
Wednesday 28th January 2026

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit awards were made following the application of an exception to a No Recourse to Public Funds condition in each of the last three years.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.


Written Question
Universal Credit: Foreign Nationals
Wednesday 28th January 2026

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the amount paid in Universal Credit to claimants recorded as non-UK nationals by month since 1 July 2024.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.


Written Question
Universal Credit: Habitual Residence Test
Wednesday 28th January 2026

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit claims failed the Habitual Residence Test in each month since 1 July 2024.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.


Written Question
Universal Credit: Refugees
Wednesday 28th January 2026

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time was between the date refugee status was first recorded and first payment for Universal Credit claimants with refugee status in 2025.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

This information is not centrally held by DWP, and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost.


Written Question
Universal Credit: Standards
Wednesday 28th January 2026

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time was between a Universal Credit claim being made and first payment being issued in each month since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

However, monthly Universal Credit payment timeliness statistics for new claims are published in UC Households 6 - Payment Timeliness New Claims table in the Households on Universal Credit dataset on Stat-Xplore, and are currently available to July 2025.

Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract information. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.


Written Question
Universal Credit
Wednesday 28th January 2026

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit awards were made with an Alternative Payment Arrangement in each month since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Monthly Universal Credit statistics showing the number in payment and using alternative payment arrangements, including managed payment to landlord, more frequent payment, and split payment methods, are published in the Households on Universal Credit dataset on Stat-Xplore, and are currently available to August 2025.

Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract information. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 28 Jan 2026
Youth Unemployment

"My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. Summer and holiday jobs are important ways for young people to gain experience before they leave education and seek full-time jobs, but there has been a shocking decline in the availability of such jobs because of this Government, who have increased regulation and …..."
Helen Whately - View Speech

View all Helen Whately (Con - Faversham and Mid Kent) contributions to the debate on: Youth Unemployment

Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 28 Jan 2026
Youth Unemployment

"If the hon. Gentleman had been listening, he would have heard me say that there is a place for programmes that support young people into work, particularly if they find that they do not have the skills needed to do the jobs in their area. When we were in government, …..."
Helen Whately - View Speech

View all Helen Whately (Con - Faversham and Mid Kent) contributions to the debate on: Youth Unemployment

Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 28 Jan 2026
Youth Unemployment

"I am glad that the hon. Lady has some sympathy with the position of young people who are struggling to get jobs. My party halved unemployment; her party’s record is of unemployment going up and up. Since Labour has been in power, unemployment has gone up every single month.

What …..."

Helen Whately - View Speech

View all Helen Whately (Con - Faversham and Mid Kent) contributions to the debate on: Youth Unemployment