Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 24 May to Question 254729 on universal credit, what penalties can be levied on claimants of universal credit if they are unable to repay their advance within 12 repayment instalments.

The Department does not levy penalties on claimants who do not repay their advance within either a calendar 12 month from taking out the advance, nor where they do not repay the advance in 12 monthly instalments.