Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support his Department provides applicants for universal credit subject to the three month timescale to meet the habitual residence criteria.

We can, and do, assist in making contact with the Home Office to support individuals to check their status and provide advice on how to obtain the correct documents to prove they are eligible to claim benefits.

However, we do not provide financial support to these applicants during this process, as we are legally obliged to ensure that all recipients of public money are eligible to receive that money.