Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2019 to Question 218361, whether she plans to make an assessment of the effect of the roll-out of universal credit in Fife on the provision of services for lone parents and disadvantaged families by local authorities and third party sector organisations in the next six months.

The Department currently has no plans to make this assessment. We do continue to evaluate Universal Credit as it is delivered. Research and analysis is conducted to assist and inform the evaluation and the expansion of Universal Credit, focusing specifically on the effects of Universal Credit on claimants’ behaviours and outcomes. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-evaluation-framework-2016.

Universal Credit spending will be £2 billion higher compared to the system it replaces, meaning on average £300 extra per year for a family on Universal Credit relative to the legacy system.

We have implemented a number of changes to help families on Universal Credit. For example, work allowance rates will be increased by £1000 from April 2019, directing additional support to some of the most vulnerable low paid working families.

Furthermore, New Burdens funding has been provided to local authorities to cover additional costs associated with rollout.