Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time is for a hearing by the Upper Tribunal of an appeal by her Department against a decision by the First-tier Tribunal to allow an award of personal independence payment.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The information requested is not held by the Department.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial safeguards his Department have put in place to protect vulnerable claimants in the event that their claim is delayed as a result appeals by her Department on the First-tier decision to award personal Independence payments.
Answered by Sarah Newton
At any time whilst payment is suspended as a result of a challenge to the tribunal judgement by the Secretary of State, a claimant can request that it is lifted on hardship grounds. Each case is considered on its merits and challenge will only be brought if we believe that a tribunal’s decision is erroneous in law.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he will take to ensure that people paid weekly do not lose universal credit entitlements in months that contain five Fridays.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
No one on Universal Credit, who are weekly paid, will see a drop in their total income from earnings and benefits in any assessment period with 5 paydays in it. In contrast because of the way UC works in 5 payday assessment periods, the total income a claimant will receive in that month will always be higher, whether their UC is reduced or extinguished
For example if someone is weekly paid at a rate of £200, and has a gross UC entitlement of £1400 a month their total UC entitlement (assuming no work allowance) is £896 a month and £800 from earnings. Total income in the month, benefits and earnings of £1696.
In a five payday month their earnings rise to £1000, UC falls to £770. Total income from benefits and earnings £1770.
For someone on higher earnings of £450 a week, with the same UC gross entitlement of £1400 will receive in a four payday month earnings of £1800 and UC of £266 a month with a total monthly income of £2066. In a five week month their total earnings rise to £2250, UC entitlement zero but total income in that month is higher than in the four payday month.
Everyone who is weekly paid will have a higher income in the 5 payday month, either through a combination of UC and earnings or on straight earnings. The UC taper ensure that people keep every pound of their earnings, with only a 63% reduction in UC entitlement. This is how the system works and how we make work pay. Media reports to the contrary were wrong, misleading and alarmist for UC claimants and I welcome the opportunity to put the record straight.