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Written Question
Universal Credit: Debts
Thursday 1st December 2022

Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit claimants have deductions attached to their claim for non-universal credit debts; and if he will publish a breakdown of the number of those claimants for each benefit.

Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)

The number of customers who had deductions from UC posted to non-UC debts on Debt Manager in October 2022 was 776,664.

The table below shows the benefit to which the deductions were posted. Note that the total number of customers who had deduction posted, will be fewer than the number shown in the table, as some customers will have had deductions posted to more than one debt in the month of October, the period covered by the table, e.g., one debt ended, and another commenced.

Benefit

Volume

Attendance Allowance

10

Affordable Credit Deductions Scheme

7,280

Administrative Penalty

480

Bereavement Allowance

10

Carers Allowance

28,430

CA Short Term Advance

0

Civil Penalty

4,800

Disability Living Allowance

1,340

Disability Working Allowance

0

Employment & Support Allowance: Contribution Based

2,390

ESAC Short Term Advance

10

Employment & Support Allowance: Income Related

17,930

ESAIR Short Term Advance

90

Employment & Support Allowance: New Style

390

Exceptionally Severe Disablement Allowance

0

Family Credit

50

Housing Benefit

86,120

Income Support

42,330

IS Short Term Advance

30

Incapacity Benefit

1,250

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

0

Integration Loans Scheme

2,310

Invalidity Benefit

10

Jobseeker's Allowance: Contribution Based

410

JSAC Short Term Advance

110

Jobseeker's Allowance: Income Based

9,870

JSAIB Short Term Advance

540

Jobseeker's Allowance: New Style

1,280

Maternity Allowance

140

Pension Credit

190

Personal Independence Payment

1,640

Reduced Earnings Allowance

0

Retirement Pension: Contributory

10

Non-Contributory Retirement Pension Short Term Advance

0

Sickness Benefit

0

Severe Disablement Allowance

50

Social Fund Budgeting Loan

112,690

Social Fund Crisis Loan

40,110

Social Fund: Budgeting Loan Overpayment

180

Social Fund: Community Care Grant Overpayment

20

Social Fund: Crisis Loan Overpayment

50

Social Fund Cold Weather Overpayment

40

Social Fund: Funeral Payment Overpayment

10

Social Fund: SS Maternity Grant Overpayment

10

Supplementary Benefit

50

Tax Credit Overpayment

515,120

Non-UC Tax Credit Overpayment

7,860

Unemployment Benefit

10

Widow's Benefit

10

Widowed Mother's Allowance

40

Widows Pension

10

Widowed Parent's Allowance

460

Please note that the numbers provided have been rounded to the nearest 10.


Written Question
Jobseeker's Allowance: National Insurance Credits
Wednesday 19th October 2022

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people on Jobseeker's Allowance were not receiving Class 1 National Insurance credits in the latest period for which data is available.

Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General

All claimants in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance are entitled to receive Class 1 National Insurance credits and these are awarded automatically on an annual basis. Claimants cannot receive Class 1 National Insurance Credits in any week where their award is reduced by a sanction.

DWP does not hold data on each individual’s National Insurance credits.

Any UC claimant not receiving these credits should contact HMRC.


Written Question
Jobseeker's Allowance: Health
Thursday 15th September 2022

Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has held recent discussions with the Welsh Government on requirements to attend the Jobcentre for people with health problems.

Answered by Julie Marson

Although there have been no recent discussions with the Welsh Government concerning Jobcentre attendance for people with health conditions, there is a well-established working relationship between the Department and the Welsh Government, ensuring that we work together on devolved and reserved areas effectively.

Our Work Coaches personalise the support provided for each individual claimant and vary the frequency and method of contact in line with the claimant’s needs, circumstances, and capability, including the use of digital and telephone channels where appropriate.


Written Question
Jobseeker's Allowance and Universal Credit: Employment
Monday 5th September 2022

Asked by: Karen Buck (Labour - Westminster North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of unemployed (a) Universal Credit and (b) Job Seekers Allowance claimants who would have moved into work between 31 January and 26 June 2022 without the Way to Work campaign.

Answered by Julie Marson

No estimate has been made of the number of unemployed Universal Credit and Job Seeker Allowance claimants would have moved into work between January and June 2022 in the absence of the Way to Work campaign.


Written Question
Jobseeker's Allowance and Universal Credit: Care Leavers
Monday 5th September 2022

Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to pay care leavers the higher rate of (a) Jobseekers Allowance and (b) Universal Credit from their 18th birthday.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Universal Credit provides those who are under 25 with lower rates than those age 25 and over. This reflects the fact that these claimants are more likely to live in someone else’s household and have lower living costs.

However, it is acknowledged that some claimants under 25 do live independently, which is why Universal Credit includes separate elements to provide support to claimants for these additional costs. These additional amounts are provided in a similar way to all claimants.

There are no plans to change this policy.


Written Question
Universal Credit and Jobseeker's Allowance (Work Search and Work Availability Requirements - Limitations) (Amendment) Regulations 2022
Tuesday 26th July 2022

Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to the Chair of the Social Security Advisory Committee on 3 February, when they intend to complete their evaluation of the Universal Credit and Jobseeker’s Allowance (Work Search and Work Availability Requirements – limitations)  (Amendment) Regulations 2022; and whether the evaluation will take account of the Social Security Advisory Committee’s letter to the Secretary of State on 23 June.

Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott

We have achieved our Way to Work target of moving 500,000 claimants into work by the end of June. The Department is looking at how it might be able to evaluate different aspects of the campaign. The analysis is in ongoing development and the advice from SSAC will be considered.


Written Question
Unemployment Benefits
Tuesday 26th July 2022

Asked by: Karen Buck (Labour - Westminster North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) total number of claimants of out-of-work benefits and (b) gross off-flow of claimants from out-of-work benefits into employment was for each month from January 2013 for data is available.

Answered by Julie Marson

The total out-of-work benefit caseload is published on a quarterly basis from February 2013 to November 2021 in the Benefit Combinations statistics on the Stat-Xplore website:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk

Guidance for users of Stat-Xplore is available at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

Monthly out-of-work benefit destinations are only available for Jobseeker's Allowance claimants and are published by Office for National Statistics. The statistics for January 2013 to June 2022 can be found on the NOMIS website:

https://www.nomisweb.co.uk

Guidance for users can be found at:

https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp


Written Question
Carers' Benefits
Monday 4th July 2022

Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of carers received both the (a) Carer’s Allowance and (b) Carer Premium in (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland in the most recent period for which data is available.

Answered by Chloe Smith

The following table shows the latest available statistics in Great Britain at November 2021, of the number of Carer’s Allowance recipients who are also in receipt of the:

  • Carer premium via Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support and Housing Benefit;
  • Carer addition via Pension Credit;
  • Carer element via Universal Credit.

These figures are broken down further for England, Wales and Scotland.

Great Britain

England

Wales

Scotland

Carer’s Allowance recipients

921,320

783,800

56,450

80,380

Carer’s Allowance recipients also in receipt of:

Universal Credit (receiving carer element)

248,570

212,180

14,040

22,330

Universal Credit (not receiving carer element)

34,770

29,900

1,930

2,940

Jobseeker's Allowance carer premium

700

600

0

100

Income Support carer premium

155,680

131,200

9,540

14,940

Pension Credit carer addition

3,280

3,000

120

170

Housing Benefit carer premium

92,530

79,720

5,950

6,860

Source: DWP Quarterly Statistical Enquiry 5% data, 100% DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) and DWP Single Housing Benefit Extract (November 2021)

Notes

  1. Figures for Universal Credit (UC), Income Support (IS), Pension Credit (PC) and Housing Benefit (HB) are rounded to the nearest 10 and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) is rounded to the nearest 100. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
  2. JSA figures have been uprated using 5% proportions against 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) totals.
  3. The figures shown will be a subset of the total numbers in receipt of each carer premium / addition / element, as it’s possible for carers to receive these without also being in receipt of Carer’s Allowance.
  4. We do not hold information on the number of carers not in receipt of a carer’s benefit.

The information requested is not readily available for Employment and Support Allowance claimants, or Carer’s Allowance claimants who are partners of those receiving Income Support or Pension Credit. To provide this additional information would incur disproportionate cost.


Written Question
Social Security Benefits: Carers
Monday 4th July 2022

Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of carers received both Universal Credit and Carer's Allowance but not the carer element of Universal Credit in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in the most recent period for which data is available.

Answered by Chloe Smith

The following table shows the latest available statistics in Great Britain at November 2021, of the number of Carer’s Allowance recipients who are also in receipt of the:

  • Carer premium via Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support and Housing Benefit;
  • Carer addition via Pension Credit;
  • Carer element via Universal Credit.

These figures are broken down further for England, Wales and Scotland.

Great Britain

England

Wales

Scotland

Carer’s Allowance recipients

921,320

783,800

56,450

80,380

Carer’s Allowance recipients also in receipt of:

Universal Credit (receiving carer element)

248,570

212,180

14,040

22,330

Universal Credit (not receiving carer element)

34,770

29,900

1,930

2,940

Jobseeker's Allowance carer premium

700

600

0

100

Income Support carer premium

155,680

131,200

9,540

14,940

Pension Credit carer addition

3,280

3,000

120

170

Housing Benefit carer premium

92,530

79,720

5,950

6,860

Source: DWP Quarterly Statistical Enquiry 5% data, 100% DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) and DWP Single Housing Benefit Extract (November 2021)

Notes

  1. Figures for Universal Credit (UC), Income Support (IS), Pension Credit (PC) and Housing Benefit (HB) are rounded to the nearest 10 and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) is rounded to the nearest 100. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
  2. JSA figures have been uprated using 5% proportions against 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) totals.
  3. The figures shown will be a subset of the total numbers in receipt of each carer premium / addition / element, as it’s possible for carers to receive these without also being in receipt of Carer’s Allowance.
  4. We do not hold information on the number of carers not in receipt of a carer’s benefit.

The information requested is not readily available for Employment and Support Allowance claimants, or Carer’s Allowance claimants who are partners of those receiving Income Support or Pension Credit. To provide this additional information would incur disproportionate cost.


Written Question
Pension Credit: Carers
Monday 4th July 2022

Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of carers received both (a) Pension Credit and (b) Carer Addition in (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland in the most recent period for which data is available.

Answered by Chloe Smith

The following table shows the latest available statistics in Great Britain at November 2021, of the number of Carer’s Allowance recipients who are also in receipt of the:

  • Carer premium via Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support and Housing Benefit;
  • Carer addition via Pension Credit;
  • Carer element via Universal Credit.

These figures are broken down further for England, Wales and Scotland.

Great Britain

England

Wales

Scotland

Carer’s Allowance recipients

921,320

783,800

56,450

80,380

Carer’s Allowance recipients also in receipt of:

Universal Credit (receiving carer element)

248,570

212,180

14,040

22,330

Universal Credit (not receiving carer element)

34,770

29,900

1,930

2,940

Jobseeker's Allowance carer premium

700

600

0

100

Income Support carer premium

155,680

131,200

9,540

14,940

Pension Credit carer addition

3,280

3,000

120

170

Housing Benefit carer premium

92,530

79,720

5,950

6,860

Source: DWP Quarterly Statistical Enquiry 5% data, 100% DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) and DWP Single Housing Benefit Extract (November 2021)

Notes

  1. Figures for Universal Credit (UC), Income Support (IS), Pension Credit (PC) and Housing Benefit (HB) are rounded to the nearest 10 and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) is rounded to the nearest 100. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
  2. JSA figures have been uprated using 5% proportions against 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) totals.
  3. The figures shown will be a subset of the total numbers in receipt of each carer premium / addition / element, as it’s possible for carers to receive these without also being in receipt of Carer’s Allowance.
  4. We do not hold information on the number of carers not in receipt of a carer’s benefit.

The information requested is not readily available for Employment and Support Allowance claimants, or Carer’s Allowance claimants who are partners of those receiving Income Support or Pension Credit. To provide this additional information would incur disproportionate cost.