Oral Answers to Questions

Tony Lloyd Excerpts

Monday 13th September 2021 Commons Chamber

[Dr Coffey]

Communications have already been issued to every UC claimant, through the journal messages, and further communications are continuing to go out.

[Tony Lloyd (Rochdale) (Lab)]

In my constituency, some 5,000 families with children—possibly more than 10,000 children—are dependent on UC. Can the Secretary of State guarantee that when the benefit is reduced by that £20 a week not one of those children will suffer as a result? Can she look me in the eye and promise that that is the case?

[Dr Coffey]

Every family has a different situation and I encourage any of the hon. Gentleman’s constituents who are concerned to approach their jobcentre. We are very conscious that where both parents are actively working, rather than one parent being economically inactive, that will bring more revenue into the household budget. That is one thing we need to do to try to make sure that as many people are economically active as possible, for not only their own prosperity, but the prosperity of the nation.