Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he will make an assessment of the potential merits of linking Unique Property Reference Numbers to Universal Credit claims to help tackle fraud.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department is considering external data sources, including Unique Property Reference Numbers, that could be used to help address fraud and error that occurs in Universal Credit.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data his Department holds on the number of people who have newly claimed Universal Credit in each of the last 5 years, broken down by (a) health-related reasons for claiming and (b) the searching-for-work conditionality group.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
However, monthly statistics for the number of People on Universal Credit in Great Britain are published regularly on Stat-Xplore. This data is available by conditionality regime and claim duration.
Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract information and can refer to the Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of Universal Credit starts in each of the last 5 years were (a) new benefit claimants and (b) claimants transitioning from legacy benefits through managed migration.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This information is not readily available however, as detailed in the DWP Statistical Work Programme and the Universal Credit statistics release strategy, the Department is developing a method to denote UC claimants given a migration notice from the Move to Universal Credit programme, and updates on this will be shared in the DWP Statistical Work Programme.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether Universal Credit should be increased for those aged under 25 who are living independently, in line with payments to those aged over 25.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are no plans to change the under 25 standard allowance rate.
This government is committed to rebuild opportunities for young people, so that every young person can fulfil their potential, and we are taking significant steps to support people to do so including through our Get Britain Working reforms. The under 25 standard allowance rate maintains the incentive for young people to find, and progress in work and the Department for Work and Pensions provides a range of support to help people into employment.
For those who live independently or have additional living costs, Universal Credit includes separate elements to support all eligible customers with these, including elements for housing, children, childcare costs, disabled people, and carers.
We continue to work in close partnership with other government departments to ensure that care leavers can access the right skills, opportunities and wider support, to move towards sustained employment and career progression. The Department provides a range of targeted additional support for care leavers including access to the higher one-bedroom Local Housing Allowance rate up to the age of 25, as well as tailored support through Jobcentre Plus. We review this regularly.
Asked by: Sarah Hall (Labour (Co-op) - Warrington South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to improve the migration process for claimants transitioning from income-related Employment and Support Allowance to Universal Credit; and what measures are in place to ensure that vulnerable individuals are adequately supported during this transition.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reviews and amends its approach for migration to Universal Credit based on lessons learned from earlier migrations (Tax Credits, Income Support) and continues to refine support strategies for customers.
We recognise that many claimants making this transition have complex health conditions and additional needs, which can make the process particularly challenging. DWP is committed to ensuring that these individuals receive the support they need.
We have dedicated support mechanisms in place for customers with vulnerabilities. This includes clear communication, accessible guidance and personalised assistance where needed.
The Migration Notice itself signposts to our helpline, gov.uk website and ‘Help to Claim’, a service provided by Citizens Advice Bureau. Contact via these routes allows further support to be provided, based on individual need from the outset.
All Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) customers who have not made their claim to Universal Credit within two weeks of the deadline of their migration notice will automatically enter the Enhanced Support journey. This journey provides tailored and flexible assistance, including phone calls and home visits, to support the migration process.
We recognise that the digital nature of Universal Credit can pose significant challenges for claimants with learning disabilities, dyslexia, or limited digital literacy. To address this, we offer alternative access routes, including telephone support and face-to-face appointments, which can be arranged upon request. Additionally, Universal Credit statements and letters are written and formatted in plain English and undergo rigorous content design testing to ensure clarity and accessibility. DWP is regularly reviewing its correspondence templates to ensure that responses are concise, clear and free from unnecessary technical language while maintaining transparency and accuracy.
Furthermore, Jobcentre staff are trained to discuss complex needs and vulnerabilities. There is a facility in the Universal Credit account to record these, along with any agreed reasonable adjustments. Customers can request email communications, home visits, or support from an authorised representative (family member, friend, or adviser).
In addition to this, we also offer:
DWP continues to review and iterate our services to optimise our services and any further feedback is welcomed.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent progress his Department has made on working with expert stakeholders to review the impact of four-weekly employer pay cycles on Universal Credit payments.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are committed to reviewing Universal Credit, to make sure it is doing the job we want it to, to make work pay and tackle poverty. As part of the review we have considered the impact that fluctuating incomes including those paid on a four-weekly cycle has on households including engaging with expert stakeholders and those with direct experience. The Department is considering this insight and will provide updates on the review in due course.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to end child hunger in Devon.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child hunger. That is why the department is introducing a new eligibility threshold for free school meals (FSM). This ensures that all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit will be eligible from September 2026. This will provide over half a million children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds with a free, nutritious lunchtime meal every school day. Department for Work and Pensions data shows that 36,230 children in Devon will be eligible for FSM from September 2026.
The government remains committed to deliver on its pledge to provide a free breakfast club in every state-funded school with primary-aged children. This will ensure every child, regardless of circumstance, has a supportive start to the school day. Over 750 early adopter schools are already being funded to deliver free breakfast club places for their primary pupils, including 27 in Devon. An additional 2,000 schools will join the scheme between April 2026 and March 2027, benefitting around half a million more children.
Additionally, the holiday activities and food programme provides heathy meals, enriching activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families, benefiting their heath, wellbeing and learning.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2024 to Question 88403 on Social Security Benefits: Foreign Nationals and with reference to the Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 12 June 2025, published on 15 July 2025, what progress his Department has made on producing Immigration and Nationality statistics for (a) Universal Credit and b) other benefits.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Since first publishing the Universal Credit statistics by immigration status and nationality group on 15 July 2025, the Department has published regular updates, with the latest, published on 11 November 2025, covering statistics to October 2025.
The Department checks immigration status when assessing eligibility for benefits, but this information is not collated centrally across all benefit lines and hence is not readily available.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of reducing the Housing Benefit taper rate to 55 per cent for people living in supported accommodation in work.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department recognises the challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for residents in supported and temporary accommodation.
A wide range of customers currently receive rent support through Housing Benefit, including pensioners, residents in supported or temporary accommodation, and those who have not yet migrated to Universal Credit. Any amendment to the Housing Benefit taper would therefore apply across these groups.
The Housing Benefit income taper ensures that people in work are better off than those wholly reliant on benefits, and it only applies to those with earnings. However, the treatment of earnings in Housing Benefit is less generous than under Universal Credit. Consequently, while customers in supported accommodation are better off working than not working, some may face disincentives to increase their hours to maintain Universal Credit entitlement.
The Department is considering options to improve work incentives for residents of supported and temporary accommodation, taking account of stakeholder views. Any future decisions on housing support will be made in the round, prioritising measures that best meet Government objectives within the current fiscal environment.
It remains our priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter and sustain employment.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department has issued on whether people on Universal Credit are entitled to raise funds for the purpose of standing for election.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Funding received and managed by local and national political parties would not be taken into account in assessing an individual’s entitlement for Universal Credit (UC). Money received personally by an individual, including for their political purposes, is generally treated as capital in UC, and can affect eligibility and payment amounts if a customer’s total capital exceeds £6,000. There are no plans to review these rules.