Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December to Question 96602 on Cost of Living Payments and Universal Credit, if he will take steps to collate the cost of living payment and Universal Credit payments so that claimants avoid benefit overlap which would require them to reapply for Universal Credit.

I refer the Hon member to the response I gave to her last PQ 96602, the cost of living payments have no impact on existing benefit awards, and so they do not cause claimants to have to reapply for Universal Credit.