Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her oral contribution to the Work and Pensions Committee, of 24 July 2019, what guidance her Department provides to work coaches on how to apply discretionary support for upfront childcare costs.

The Department maintains guidance for its work coaches surrounding the eligibility and processes for awarding discretionary support to assist with claimants’ upfront childcare costs for those claiming Universal Credit.

There are two discretionary sources of financial support to help with childcare costs: The Flexible Support Fund and Universal Credit Budgeting Advances. Claimants are able to discuss eligibility for these with their jobcentre work coach.

Budgeting Advances provide valuable access to interest free payments for one-off items. They are designed to help claimants with irregular expenses including upfront childcare costs. Budgeting Advance payments are discretionary subject to eligibility conditions and must be repaid. Work coaches also have the discretion to use the Flexible Support Fund to support the transition into work until a claimant receives their first wage and is not repayable. Individual claimant circumstances are considered each time assistance may be appropriate.

The Department deposits guidance to the House’s library on a range of Universal Credits topics including the below. This was last updated on 28 March 2019 and we are currently working to share the latest guidance.

Childcare costs: http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2019-0465/Childcare_costs_v11.0.pdf

Budgeting Advance: http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2019-0465/Advances-_Budgeting_Advances_v2.0.pdf

Flexible Support Fund: http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2019-0465/Flexible_Support_Fund_v4.0.pdf