Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have waited for longer than five weeks to receive their first payment of universal credit in Blackburn.

The Department’s data on Universal Credit payment timeliness is not currently available for publication by area or region.

Our latest research shows that nationally, 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.