Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households are facing deductions to their universal credit award as a result of debts owed to the public purse.

Advances are not Government debt. They are a claimant’s benefit entitlement paid early, allowing claimants to access 100% of their estimated Universal Credit payment upfront. They ensure nobody has to wait for a Universal Credit payment, and those who need it are able to receive financial support as soon as possible. Claimants can receive up to 100% of their estimated Universal Credit award if required, resulting in 25 payments over a 24-month period.

For Universal Credit claims with a payment due during November 2021:

• 1,032,000 (22% of all claims) had a deduction towards a Government debt
• 1,296,000 (27% of all claims) had a deduction towards the repayment of an Advance.

Notes:

1) Claims may have a deduction for both advance repayments and Government debt.

2) All volumes are rounded to the nearest thousand and percentages rounded to nearest percent.

3) Government debt includes: DWP Benefit Overpayment (fraud and non-fraud), Tax Credit Overpayment (fraud and non-fraud), Housing Benefit Overpayment (fraud and non-fraud), Social Fund Loan, Recoverable Hardship Payment, Administrative Penalty, Civil Penalty, Eligible Loan Deductions, Integration Loan.

4) Figures are provisional and are subject to retrospective change as later data becomes available.

5) Number of claims rounded to the nearest 1,000 and percentage rounded to nearest percent.

6) Data for November 2021 has been provided in line with the latest available UC Household Statistics