Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time is after an application is submitted for universal credit before the first payment is received for claimants in (a) London and (b) the UK.

The Department’s data on payment timeliness is not available by area or region.

The assessment period and payment structure of Universal Credit creates a fixed period between date of entitlement and the first payment. However advances of up to 100% of a claimant’s indicative award are available straight away.

Most new claims to Universal Credit Full Service have their entitlement to Universal Credit calculated within 31 days of submitting their application. The assessment period runs for a full calendar month from the date of entitlement and the Universal Credit pay date is up to 7 calendar days after the end of the assessment period.

Our latest research shows that around 80% of new claims are paid in full and on time. The Department’s internal data shows that for those cases where full payment has not been made, around a sixth have not signed their Claimant Commitment or passed identity checks, and the others have outstanding verification issues such as housing, self-employed earnings and childcare costs. Many of these claimants receive a part payment for those elements of the claim that have been verified.