Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Autumn Statement 2022, published on 17 November 2022, whether his Department plans to recruit additional work coaches to deal with the increased caseload of Universal Credit claimants.

We are continuously employing more staff and have plans to recruit further to enable us to meet outcomes, subject to fiscal events and departmental finances.

The Department continually impacts and assesses the service being offered to customers. Staff numbers are reviewed on an ongoing basis, in line with the latest economic and benefit forecasts. The Department has governance controls in place at all levels of forecasting and modelling to ensure the estimated numbers of staff needed to meet demand for our services are robust and affordable.

All new work announced in any Fiscal Statement will need to be built into forecasts and funding assessed by HM Treasury. Until DWP planning receives both elements, we would not be in a position to comment on whether we will have additional resources for new areas of work.