Universal Credit: Domestic Abuse

(asked on 7th October 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the merits of bringing forward proposals to amend universal credit regulations to allow her Department to apply discretion on the recovery of advance loans taken out by domestic abuse victims under duress.


Answered by
Will Quince Portrait
Will Quince
This question was answered on 12th October 2020

The Government is fully committed to the prevention of abuse and the Department for Work and Pensions has a range of measures designed to support people who flee violent and abusive households.

If a Universal Credit claimant has been forced into claiming an advance through domestic abuse, we would urge the claimant to talk to the Department about this. If the advance was taken whilst part of a couple claim, 50% of the outstanding balance would be apportioned upon pursuing a single claim. Additionally, the Department offers deferrals of advance repayments by up to 3 months in exceptional circumstances and will apply discretion wherever possible with the rates of repaying other government debts. A range of other support is available across the Department for those impacted by domestic abuse.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-violence-and-abuse-help-from-dwp/help-available-from-the-department-for-work-and-pensions-for-people-who-are-victims-of-domestic-violence-and-abuse#universal-credit

The Department will continue to look at ways to further support the victims of domestic abuse.

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