Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish the guidance issued by her Department on the thresholds for (a) financial hardship when a universal credit claimant applies for an advanced payment and (b) exceptional circumstances when a universal credit claimant with an advance payment applies for repayments to be delayed for up to three months.

Universal Credit guidance is published in the House of Commons Library and the Department is committed to refreshing the information on a regular basis.

New claimants to Universal Credit have always been able to apply for a Universal Credit Advance in their first month if they need financial support until their first regular payment of Universal Credit is made.

We have previously increased the maximum amount available for advances from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the total award, and increased the repayment period from 6 months to 12 months. Last month’s Autumn Budget 2018 extended - from October 2021 - the maximum period over which an advance can be recovered, from 12 to 16 months. From October 2019, we will also reduce the maximum rate at which deductions can be made from a Universal Credit award from 40% to 30% of the standard allowance

If during the recovery of an advance the claimant experiences an unforeseen expense that would cause them or their family genuine hardship if they were required to continue to repay the advance, then they can be offered a deferral period of the repayment of the advance of up to 3 months for a new claim, benefit transfer or change of circumstance advance and up to 6 months for a budgeting advance.

In addition Personal Budgeting Support (PBS) is also offered to Universal Credit claimants from the outset of their claim. PBS helps claimants as they transition to Universal Credit and adapt to the financial changes that Universal Credit brings. PBS can be online, telephone or face to face support. Face to face support is currently delivered through local authorities via Universal Support.