Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications have been made for (a) short-term benefit advances and (b) hardship payments in each of the last 12 months.

a) The number of Short-term benefits advance applications received from April 2014 to February 2015 was 226,126. The Secretary of State announced on 8 December 2014 that DWP would do more to raise the awareness of Short Term Benefit Advances and as well as more information now on Gov.UK there will be posters and leaflets in all Jobcentres by the end of March.

b) 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.