Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of retaining the weekly £20 increase to universal credit payments beyond April 2021; and if she will make a statement.

The Government introduced a package of temporary welfare measures worth around £9.3 billion this year to help with the financial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The £20 weekly increase to the Universal Credit Standard Allowance rates was introduced as a temporary measure for the 20/21 tax year, in recognition of these consequences.

Future decisions on spending will be made at the next appropriate fiscal event and Parliament will be updated accordingly.