Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of claimants of New Style Employment Support Allowance were refused assistance because of insufficient National Insurance contributions during the covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make it his policy to reduce the requirement for National Insurance contributions in that period.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

As part of the Government's strategy to support people affected by the Coronavirus, we made a number of changes to ensure people who needed financial help could have access to the benefit system. People who were unable to claim New Style ESA due to insufficient National Insurance credits could alternatively make a claim for Universal Credit, which is a means tested benefit. There are no plans to change the New Style ESA contribution conditions for this period of the Coronavirus pandemic.