Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of ensuring that 90 per cent of claims for universal credit are paid in full in advance of managed migration; and if she will make a statement.

Currently around 80 per cent of new claims are paid in full and on time. In many cases where full payment is not, it is due to unresolved issues such as: claimants not accepting their Claimant Commitment or passing identity checks, or having outstanding verification issues, such as housing costs and self-employed earnings.

We have taken steps to improve verification processes. For example, we have listened to feedback and built processes into the system to make it easier and quicker for people to verify their housing costs, for example through the landlord portal.