Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many advance benefit payments have been made all universal credit claimants for the months (a) March 2017 (b) March 2018 and (c) March 2019.

Around 60% of new claims to Universal Credit receive an advance payment in the first month of their claim. Subject to some fluctuation, this rate of advance take-up has been broadly consistent. This shows that claimants are being made aware of advances and are using it where they need this help.

The table below shows the number of advance payments made to Universal Credit claimants.

Data for March 2019 is not currently available

Notes

1. All figures are rounded to the nearest 1000

2. The number of advances includes advances for both Universal Credit live service and full service. However different methodologies and data sources are used for each

3. Where a claim receives multiple advances within the same month, all are counted individually.