Asked by: Lucy Powell (Labour (Co-op) - Manchester Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to research published by the Family and Childcare Trust on childcare costs published in February 2018, whether her Department has plans to change the current limit on childcare costs covered by universal credit.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
We have already increased the level of support for childcare costs within Universal Credit from 70% to 85%, it’s highest ever level. This is more generous than the support available to people on legacy benefits, and means that hard working families on Universal Credit can now reclaim up to 85% of their eligible childcare costs. This gives parents up to £646.35 per month for one child and £1108.04 per month for two or more children.
The Government now provides more support than ever before to help parents with the costs of childcare, including providing 15 hours a week of free childcare in England for all 3 and 4 year olds and disadvantaged 2 year olds, doubling free childcare available for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds to 30 hours a week.
DWP has no plans to change the current limit on childcare costs covered by Universal Credit.
Asked by: Lucy Powell (Labour (Co-op) - Manchester Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department plans to allocate from the public purse to the childcare element of (a)tax credits and (b) universal credit in each of the next five years.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
HMRC currently estimate spending around £1.2bn per annum on the childcare element of Working Tax Credit. This figure will decrease as tax credits claimants gradually move across to Universal Credit, and spending on childcare under Universal Credit will increase accordingly.
The profile of spending on childcare in Universal Credit is as follows:
Ann. cost 17/18 | Ann. cost 18/19 | Ann. cost 19/20 | Ann. cost 20/21 | Ann. cost 21/22 |
£100m | £300m | £800m | £1200m | £1500m |
Notes:
The figures in the table above are derived from internal DWP models, and costs have been rounded to the nearest £100 million.
Further information on spending on childcare on Universal Credit can be found at paragraph 5.10 and table 5.4 of the Welfare Trends Report which can be accessed at:
http://obr.uk/docs/dlm_uploads/WelfareTrends2018cm9562.pdf
Asked by: Lucy Powell (Labour (Co-op) - Manchester Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of households in receipt of housing benefit who were also in receipt of childcare tax credits in each of the last three years.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The requested information is shown in the table below:
Claimants receiving both Housing Benefit and the Childcare Element of Tax Credits - 31st August 2015, 2016 and 2017
| Thousands |
August 2015 | 90 |
August 2016 | 90 |
August 2017 | 100 |
Asked by: Lucy Powell (Labour (Co-op) - Manchester Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who are in receipt of tax credits, including the childcare element of tax credits, do not receive housing benefit.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
At 31st August 2017 approximately 3.2 million people receiving tax credits, including those receiving the childcare element) were not receiving housing benefit.
Asked by: Lucy Powell (Labour (Co-op) - Manchester Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many families with 16-18 year olds on apprenticeships have had their benefits (a) reduced and (b) withdrawn in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The information requested is not available.