Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to ensure that deductions from social security payments do not leave people in relative poverty.

The primary aim of deductions in Universal Credit is to protect customers by providing a last resort repayment method for arrears of essential services, such as, housing, electricity and gas. The policy also enables social obligations, such as, paying Court Fines to be enforced when other repayment methods have failed, or are not cost effective, and ensures that benefit debt is recovered in a cost-effective manner.

The Department has an established process to support anyone experiencing financial hardship and encourages customers unable to afford the proposed rate of repayment to contact DWP Debt Management at the earliest opportunity. Departmental agents will, where applicable, negotiate an affordable and sustainable repayment plan.   Furthermore, there is no limit on the number of times a person can request a change to their repayment rate. In exceptional cases, based on individual circumstances, a temporary suspension of recovery may be agreed.

We are committed to reviewing Universal Credit, to make sure it is doing the job we want it to.