Universal Credit

(asked on 25th February 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to identify universal credit claimants who need additional support in completing the application for that benefit under managed migration so that vulnerable individuals are not left without an income.


Answered by
Alok Sharma Portrait
Alok Sharma
COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
This question was answered on 7th March 2019

Subject to Parliamentary approval, we have sought powers to conduct a pilot exercise to test how best we can move existing legacy benefit claimants onto Universal Credit.

The Department is committed to ensuring that all claimants, especially the most vulnerable, are supported as they move and the aim of the pilot is to ensure claimants on all legacy benefits with a range of different characteristics can successfully move onto Universal Credit. All individuals involved in the pilot process will be tracked through the process and there will be safeguards in place to protect them throughout the journey.

We are working closely with a diverse range of stakeholders, including those who focus on disability and mental health, so that a range of insights are played into the design of the pilot and we will work with partners to ensure we reach everyone in the most effective and supportive way, and that no-one is left behind. Learnings from the pilot will shape the future support we provide to claimants.

The Department has committed to reporting its findings from the pilot to Parliament before we continue.

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