Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report Drowning in debt, published by Christians Against Poverty in July, and in particular its findings on the impact of debt cases and associated mental ill-health on social mobility.

DWP remains committed to working with anyone who is struggling with their repayment terms. The Department strives to set affordable, sustainable repayment plans, and encourages anyone unable to afford the proposed rate of repayment to contact DWP’s Debt Management at the earliest opportunity.

DWP has introduced several measures to support our most vulnerable customers including a Vulnerability Hub for DWP Debt Management colleagues to ensure that customers who are in challenging circumstances or have complex needs are supported to help them manage their debts effectively and a specially trained Advanced Customer Support team with access to a range of tools and guidance to support our most vulnerable customers. The Department can also enlist support from a DWP Visiting Officer who can visit the individual to offer tailored support and advice and where appropriate referrals can be made to external support providers. DWP also continues to work in partnership with the Money Adviser Network (MAN) who offer free professional independent and impartial money and debt advice, and customers are routinely offered a referral to this service with their consent. DWP also remains committed to HM Treasury’s Breathing Space policy, which provides those with problem debt the right to legal protections from creditor action for a period of 60 days to enable them to receive debt advice and enter an appropriate debt solution.

In addition, we have introduced our Universal Credit Act which legislates to rebalance Universal Credit by bringing in, for the first time ever, a sustained above inflation increase to the UC standard allowance for all claimants. We have also introduced a new Fair Repayment Rate, helping 1.2 million low-income households to keep more of their Universal Credit and we have extended Free School Meals to all pupils in households in receipt of Universal Credit - lifting 100,000 children out of poverty by the end of this Parliament.