Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children have parents who have been subject to the five-week wait for universal credit after transitioning from legacy benefits since the beginning of the covid-19 outbreak.

All new UC claimants are able to request a new claim advance during the first assessment period, of up to 100% of their estimated monthly award. Advances can be repaid over the following year, allowing new claimants to receive 13 payments during the year instead of 12. We are extending the maximum repayment period to two years from October 2021 to reduce the impact of taking an advance even further.

There is financial support available for individuals transitioning to UC from specific legacy benefits. As of 22 July 2020, a two-week run on of Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance has been available for all claimants whose claim to UC ends entitlement to these benefits to provide additional support for claimants moving to UC.

This is in addition to the Transition to UC Housing Payment, a two-week extension of Housing Benefit.