Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the introduction and implementation of universal credit on its ability to meet Equality Act 2010 obligations towards disabled people compared to its ability to meet those obligations with legacy benefits.

The Department published an Equality Impact Assessment for Universal Credit in 2011, which stands overall, although in line with Ministers’ legal duties equality impacts have been considered on all major changes to Universal Credit.

We recognise that claimants with disabilities or health conditions may face extra challenges in their lives and so Universal Credit provides unprecedented personalised support for people by simplifying the benefit system. Universal Credit will provide an extra £2.1bn a year once fully rolled out, compared to the legacy benefit system it replaces. Millions of people who move onto Universal Credit from legacy benefits will be better off, including around a million disabled households who will gain on average around £100 per month.

Additionally, where people are unable to make or manage their Universal Credit claim online, telephone and face to face support in Jobcentres is available. Our Work Coaches are committed to delivering what is right for a person’s circumstances and receive training to ensure they can offer effective support to different claimant groups. This enables them to provide tailored support and gain an excellent understanding of whether their claimants have conditions that require extra support.