Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2019 to Question 269122, what sums her Department has spent on the use of enforcement agencies to collect (a) civil penalties and (b) benefit overpayments in each of the last five years.
Answered by Will Quince
The information requested is commercially sensitive.
Suppliers have to comply with the Credit Services Association code of practice, Office of Fair Trade guidance, Financial Conduct Authority principles around fair treatment of customers and are bound by the Data Protection Act 2018.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2019 to Question 269123, the total amount of civil penalties her Department has issued in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Will Quince
A £50 Civil Penalty may be imposed by both Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Local Authorities where an individual incurs a recoverable overpayment as a result of failing to provide accurate information as part of their benefit claim or in connection with an award of benefit, and has not taken reasonable steps to correct the error.
The table below shows the volume of Civil Penalties applied in the 12 months from July 2018 to June 2019*.
Month | Civil Penalties Applied |
Jul-18 | 6,600 |
Aug-18 | 7,300 |
Sep-18 | 6,800 |
Oct-18 | 8,900 |
Nov-18 | 8,900 |
Dec-18 | 7,500 |
Jan-19 | 10,600 |
Feb-19 | 10,800 |
Mar-19 | 9,000 |
Apr-19 | 8,200 |
May-19 | 8,000 |
Jun-19 | 7,000 |
Total | 99,600 |
If a claimant is having difficult repaying a benefit overpayment or Civil Penalty, they can request a review of the amount that is being taken. Any adjustment in the rate of repayment will be based on the individual circumstances of the debtor.
When recovering benefit overpayments, the DWP ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect claimants from any undue financial hardship.
*The data provided in this response has been sourced from internal management information and was not intended for public release. It should therefore not be compared to any other, similar data subsequently released by the Department. All figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the universal credit managed migration pilot is planned to begin in Harrogate.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
On 3 May 2019, the High Court handed down a judgment in relation to Universal Credit and the Severe Disability Premium (SDP). The judgment quashed the SDP related parts of the draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019.The Department is currently considering the options open to us and will respond in due course.
We plan to begin the “Move to UC” pilot in July 2019.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the letter from the Leader of the House to the hon. Member for High Peak on 7 June 2019 on universal credit managed migration regulations, when she plans to make an announcement on her Department's policies on the migration of people who received severe disability premium from legacy benefits to universal credit.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
On 3 May 2019, the High Court handed down a judgment in relation to Universal Credit and the Severe Disability Premium (SDP). The judgment quashed the SDP related parts of the draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019.The Department is currently considering the options open to us and will respond in due course.
We plan to begin the “Move to UC” pilot in July 2019.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many civil penalties relating to failure to undertake tasks required for universal credit compliance have been issued in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
A £50 Civil Penalty may be imposed by both Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Local Authorities where an individual incurs a recoverable overpayment as a result of failing to provide accurate information as part of their benefit claim or in connection with an award of benefit, and has not taken reasonable steps to correct the error.
The table below shows the volume of Civil Penalties applied to UC Overpayments in the last 12 months along with the value of recoveries in the last 12 months where a Civil Penalty was imposed on a UC debt. *
Note that there is no correlation between the number applied and the value of recovery for the associated month. Civil Penalties issued in a 12-month period will not necessarily be recovered in that same 12-month period as debts will be repaid over different timeframes, in accordance with a debtor’s particular commitments.
Month | Number applied to UC overpayment | Value of Recovery |
Jun-18 | 140 | £4,300 |
Jul-18 | 120 | £4,700 |
Aug-18 | 190 | £8,100 |
Sep-18 | 130 | £5,800 |
Oct-18 | 80 | £8,600 |
Nov-18 | 20 | £5,700 |
Dec-18 | Fewer than 5 | £5,400 |
Jan-19 | 10 | £4,800 |
Feb-19 | 20 | £3,700 |
Mar-19 | 20 | £3,800 |
Apr-19 | 10 | £2,300 |
May-19 | 10 | £1,600 |
When recovering overpayments, DWP ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect claimants from any undue financial hardship. Like the Department, private collection agencies will look to establish sustainable repayment arrangements.
*The data provided in this response has been sourced from internal management information and was not intended for public release. It should therefore not be compared to any other, similar data subsequently released by the Department. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much revenue has been received from civil penalties relating to failure to undertake tasks required for universal credit compliance in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
A £50 Civil Penalty may be imposed by both Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Local Authorities where an individual incurs a recoverable overpayment as a result of failing to provide accurate information as part of their benefit claim or in connection with an award of benefit, and has not taken reasonable steps to correct the error.
The table below shows the volume of Civil Penalties applied to UC Overpayments in the last 12 months along with the value of recoveries in the last 12 months where a Civil Penalty was imposed on a UC debt. *
Note that there is no correlation between the number applied and the value of recovery for the associated month. Civil Penalties issued in a 12-month period will not necessarily be recovered in that same 12-month period as debts will be repaid over different timeframes, in accordance with a debtor’s particular commitments.
Month | Number applied to UC overpayment | Value of Recovery |
Jun-18 | 140 | £4,300 |
Jul-18 | 120 | £4,700 |
Aug-18 | 190 | £8,100 |
Sep-18 | 130 | £5,800 |
Oct-18 | 80 | £8,600 |
Nov-18 | 20 | £5,700 |
Dec-18 | Fewer than 5 | £5,400 |
Jan-19 | 10 | £4,800 |
Feb-19 | 20 | £3,700 |
Mar-19 | 20 | £3,800 |
Apr-19 | 10 | £2,300 |
May-19 | 10 | £1,600 |
When recovering overpayments, DWP ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect claimants from any undue financial hardship. Like the Department, private collection agencies will look to establish sustainable repayment arrangements.
*The data provided in this response has been sourced from internal management information and was not intended for public release. It should therefore not be compared to any other, similar data subsequently released by the Department. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many payments of the child element of universal credit have been ceased due to a child being in hospital for over six months in each of the last three years.
Answered by Will Quince
The requested information is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many civil penalties have been passed to debt collection agencies by her Department in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Will Quince
The table below details the total number of Civil Penalties which have been passed to Debt Collection Agencies in each of the last 12 months*.
Month | Civil Penalties |
Jun-18 | 700 |
Jul-18 | 900 |
Aug-18 | 800 |
Sep-18 | 600 |
Oct-18 | 600 |
Nov-18 | 800 |
Dec-18 | 500 |
Jan-19 | 900 |
Feb-19 | 600 |
Mar-19 | 600 |
Apr-19 | 700 |
May-19 | 700 |
Grand Total | 8400 |
A £50 Civil Penalty may be imposed by both Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Local Authorities where an individual incurs a recoverable overpayment as a result of failing to provide accurate information as part of their benefit claim or in connection with an award of benefit, and has not taken reasonable steps to correct the error.
When recovering overpayments, DWP ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect claimants from any undue financial hardship. Like the Department, private collection agencies will look to establish sustainable repayment arrangements.
*The data provided in this response has been sourced from internal management information and was not intended for public release. It should therefore not be compared to any other, similar data subsequently released by the Department. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total monetary amount is of civil penalties which have been passed to debt collection agencies by her Department in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Will Quince
The table below details the total monetary amount of Civil Penalties which have been passed to Debt Collection Agencies in each of the last 12 months.*
Month | Total Monthly Amount |
Jun-18 | £32,800 |
Jul-18 | £42,500 |
Aug-18 | £38,500 |
Sep-18 | £28,000 |
Oct-18 | £26,700 |
Nov-18 | £35,500 |
Dec-18 | £25,200 |
Jan-19 | £43,500 |
Feb-19 | £26,400 |
Mar-19 | £26,900 |
Apr-19 | £35,400 |
May-19 | £31,200 |
Grand Total | £392,600 |
A £50 Civil Penalty may be imposed by both Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Local Authorities where an individual incurs a recoverable overpayment as a result of failing to provide accurate information as part of their benefit claim or in connection with an award of benefit, and has not taken reasonable steps to correct the error.
When recovering overpayments, DWP ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect claimants from any undue financial hardship. Like the Department, private collection agencies will look to establish sustainable repayment arrangements.
*The data provided in this response has been sourced from internal management information and was not intended for public release. It should therefore not be compared to any other, similar data subsequently released by the Department. All figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department has received from debt collection agencies in respect of civil penalties in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Will Quince
The table below details the amount recovered from Debt Collection Agencies in respect of Civil Penalties in each of the last 12 months.*
Month | Recovery Value |
|
|
Jun 2018 | £6,900 |
|
|
Jul 2018 | £5,500 |
|
|
Aug 2018 | £6,900 |
|
|
Sep 2018 | £5,200 |
|
|
Oct 2018 | £4,600 |
|
|
Nov 2018 | £6,400 |
|
|
Dec 2018 | £4,600 |
|
|
Jan 2019 | £3,000 |
|
|
Feb 2019 | £4,700 |
|
|
Mar 2019 | £5,800 |
|
|
Apr 2019 | £3,500 |
|
|
May 2019 | £3,800 |
|
|
A £50 Civil Penalty may be imposed by both Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Local Authorities where an individual incurs a recoverable overpayment as a result of failing to provide accurate information as part of their benefit claim or in connection with an award of benefit, and has not taken reasonable steps to correct the error.
When recovering overpayments, DWP ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect claimants from any undue financial hardship. Like the Department, private collection agencies will look to establish sustainable repayment arrangements.
*The data provided in this response has been sourced from internal management information and was not intended for public release. It should therefore not be compared to any other, similar data subsequently released by the Department. All figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.