Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria her Department uses to override a decision of a magistrates' court in relation to the value of deductions in claimants’ universal credit awards; and if she will make a statement.
Magistrate Courts impose fines and compensation orders on offenders, and can instruct the DWP to make a deduction from Universal Credit. We will not override the decision of a Magistrates Court.
When DWP receives a formal application from a Magistrates Court, which complies with the Fines (Deductions from Income Support) Regulations 1992 for a fine and/or compensation order, we will make a deduction from a claimant’s benefit. The deduction rate is set out in the regulations at a minimum rate of 5% of their standard allowance and up to a maximum rate of £108.35 (£25 per week) per assessment period, as long as there is sufficient Universal Credit in payment.