Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April to Question 243333, on Universal credit: private rented housing, what percentage of new claimants contact the Money and Pensions Service within three months of signing on to universal credit.

The requested information is not centrally collected by the Department.

The Money and Pension Service (MaPS) has replaced the three existing providers of government-sponsored financial guidance – the Money Advice Service, the Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise – which has brought together the provision of debt advice, money guidance and pension guidance for the first time, streamlining the services offered and reducing confusion for members of the public on who they should contact.

The new body delivers free and impartial financial guidance and a more streamlined service to members of the public providing easier access to the information and guidance.

From January to March 2019 around 9,300 individuals visited the Money Manager tool for Universal Credit claimants, hosted on the Money Advice Service website. Additionally, over the same period, The Money and Pension Service money guidance contact centre was contacted around 1,100 times regarding Universal Credit.