Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Work and Pensions

Oral Answers to Questions

Sarah Champion Excerpts
Monday 29th June 2020

(3 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Diana Johnson Portrait Dame Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)
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What recent estimate her Department has made of the number of universal credit applicants awaiting a decision on applications made since the start of the covid-19 outbreak.

Sarah Champion Portrait Sarah Champion (Rotherham) (Lab)
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What recent estimate her Department has made of the number of universal credit applicants awaiting a decision on applications made since the start of the covid-19 outbreak.

Will Quince Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Will Quince)
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Since mid-March, we have processed about 3.2 million individual universal credit claims. Despite that surge, the system is standing up to the challenge and demonstrating the resilience and scalability that is a fundamental part of its design. From the peak of claims made, less than 1% of claimants have outstanding verification preventing payment. There is no way that the legacy benefit system could have coped with such pressure.

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Will Quince Portrait Will Quince
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The Department has processed an unprecedented number of claims during this period. We have put over £6.5 billion into our welfare system to support those who need it quickly. In terms of what the hon. Lady defines as the five-week wait, nobody has to wait five weeks for a payment. An advance is available, usually within a couple of days, for those who need it.

Sarah Champion Portrait Sarah Champion [V]
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Covid-19 has had a huge impact on manufacturing, particularly the automotive and aviation industries. In Rotherham, McLaren and Rolls-Royce face redundancies. As well as universal credit, what package of support can the Minister put in place to help these highly skilled workers if job losses do come their way?

Will Quince Portrait Will Quince
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Any job loss is regrettable, and the Department stands ready to support people who find themselves in that position. The £6.5 billion package included an increase to universal credit of over £1,000, a similar increase to the standard allowance for tax credits and an increase to the local housing allowance. That is over and above measures such as the job retention scheme, the self-employment income support scheme, the £500 million hardship fund via local councils and the £63 million local welfare assistance fund. As the Chancellor said, we will do whatever it takes to support people through covid-19.