Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people received (a) hardship payments and (b) short-term benefit advances in each of the last (i) five years and (ii) six months.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) intends to publish figures on the number of hardship applications and awards in May 2015. The date of publication will be announced shortly.

For Short Term Benefit Advances (STBAs) I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the oral answer given to him by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Official Report, 8 December 2014, column 633. The Secretary of State set out how the department will be doing more to raise awareness of STBAs. This will include providing more information to claimants about STBAs online and in Jobcentres. Staff guidance on STBAs will also be updated and staff reminded of the process for considering an STBA.