Asked by: Owen Thompson (Scottish National Party - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to extend the £20 weekly increase to universal credit to legacy benefits during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income Support were increased by 1.7% in April 2020following the Government’s announcement to end the benefit freeze. .
It has always been the case that claimants on legacy benefits can make a claim for UC if they believe that they will be better off. There are special arrangements for those in receipt of the Severe Disability Premium, who will be able to make a new claim to Universal Credit from January 2021.
Claimants should check their eligibility before applying to Universal Credit as legacy benefits will end when they submit their claim and they will not be able to return to them in the future. For this reason, prospective claimants are signposted to independent benefits calculators on GOV.UK. Neither DWP nor HMRC can advise individual claimants whether they would be better off moving to UC or remaining on legacy benefits.
From 22 July 2020, a two-week run on of Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance (IR) and Jobseeker’s Allowance (IB) will be available for all claimants whose claim to UC ends entitlement to these benefits to provide additional support for claimants moving to UC.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the rate of employment support allowance in line with universal credit.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income Support were increased by 1.7% in April 2020following the Government’s announcement to end the benefit freeze. .
It has always been the case that claimants on legacy benefits can make a claim for UC if they believe that they will be better off. There are special arrangements for those in receipt of the Severe Disability Premium, who will be able to make a new claim to Universal Credit from January 2021.
Claimants should check their eligibility before applying to Universal Credit as legacy benefits will end when they submit their claim and they will not be able to return to them in the future. For this reason, prospective claimants are signposted to independent benefits calculators on GOV.UK. Neither DWP nor HMRC can advise individual claimants whether they would be better off moving to UC or remaining on legacy benefits.
From 22 July 2020, a two-week run on of Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance (IR) and Jobseeker’s Allowance (IB) will be available for all claimants whose claim to UC ends entitlement to these benefits to provide additional support for claimants moving to UC.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of universal credit claimants previously in receipt of employment and support allowance that have (a) been identified as being eligible to receive severe disability premium transitional payments and (b) received those transitional payments in the latest period for which figures are available; and what her timescale is for payment of all severe disability premium payments to eligible claimants.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
A gateway was introduced from 16 January 2019 to prevent those claimants entitled to the Severe Disability Premium (SDP) as part of their legacy benefit from claiming Universal Credit. Additionally, a commitment was made for monthly transitional payments to be made to eligible former SDP claimants who have already moved to Universal Credit due to a change in circumstances and to provide a lump sum arrears payment, where appropriate.
As of 17 January 2020, 15,397 claims have been paid an SDP transitional payment. To date, over £51.5m has been disbursed to support former SDP claimants, including the recurring payments that have now commenced.
Positive progress has been made and caseload growth has now slowed, however, in the event a new case is discovered payments will be in place quickly. It is not possible to estimate when we will have paid everyone who is entitled as some people become entitled to these payments retrospectively, and therefore the caseload is not a fixed number.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many single parents with dependent children are in receipt of severe disability premium in their income-related employment and support allowance.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In November 2018 there were 506,000 live cases of income-related Employment and Support Allowance where the claimant was in receipt of Severe Disability Premium (SDP). Of these, 59,000 were in receipt of SDP and identified to be a lone parent.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claimants have lost the severe disability premium following a change of circumstances since the inception of universal credit in (a) Wales and (b) each parliamentary constituency in Wales.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It is not possible to confirm exactly how many people in (a) Wales and (b) each parliamentary constituency in Wales became ineligible for the Severe Disability Premium (SDP) following their move to Universal Credit (UC) due to a change in circumstance. This is because each case must be individually assessed to determine whether SDP eligibility would have continued following the end of their claim to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Jobseekers’ Allowance (JSA) or Income Support (IS).
Information on claimants of JSA and IS in receipt of SDP who have moved to Universal Credit would incur disproportionate cost in response to a Parliamentary Question.
Regulations announced by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 22 July 2019 provide support for claimants who were entitled to the SDP, and who have already moved to UC. From 24 July 2019, these claimants will be considered for backdated payments covering the time since they moved to UC. We estimate that by 2024/25, approximately 45,000 of the most vulnerable claimants will benefit from this package of support, worth an estimated £600million over the next six years.
Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employment and support allowance joint claimant cases there are where both claimants have an underlying entitlement to severe disability premium.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
A person would have to satisfy the Severe Disability Premium (SDP) qualifying conditions to be entitled to it.
There are no ‘joint claims’ in income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA(IR)). Where a couple wishes to claim ESA(IR), they will need to decide which of them will be the ‘lead’ claimant, and claim on their partner’s behalf.
Only the lead claimant has entitlement to a SDP. In couple cases, the SDP is not payable if the lead claimant does not meet the qualifying conditions, even if their partner does.
The SDP is payable at the single rate where only the lead claimant meets the qualifying conditions. The couple rate is payable where both members of the couple meet the qualifying conditions – but only the lead claimant is entitled to it.
In November 2018 there were 9,500 live couple cases of ESA(IR) where the lead claimant was in receipt of a SDP at the couple rate.
Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, since January 2019 how many universal credit claimants who had an underlying entitlement to severe disability premium (SDP) have not been able to claim employment and support allowance (ESA) following the death of a partner who was the lead claimant in a previous joint ESA claim and who also had entitlement to SDP.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Since the introduction of The Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) (SDP Gateway) Amendment Regulations 2019, which came into force on 16th January 2019, claimants who are entitled, or have been within the last month, to an award of an existing benefit that includes Severe Disability Premium (SDP) have not been able to claim Universal Credit; even if they have experienced a relevant change in their circumstances, such as a partner’s death. These claimants continue to be able to maintain, or make, a claim to legacy benefits.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people became ineligable for severe disability premium as a result of moving onto universal credit in Wales.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It is not possible to confirm exactly how many people in Wales became ineligible for the Severe Disability Premium (SDP) following their move to Universal Credit due to a change in circumstance. This is because each case must be individually assessed to determine whether SDP eligibility would have continued following the end of their claim to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Jobseekers’ Allowance (JSA) or Income Support (IS).
Information on claimants of JSA and IS in receipt of SDP who have moved to Universal Credit would incur disproportionate cost in response to a Parliamentary Question.
Since 16 January 2019 claimants who are in receipt of SDP or who have been entitled to an award of an existing benefit that included SDP in the previous month, and who have continued to meet the SDP eligibility conditions, have been prevented from moving onto Universal Credit if they experience a change in circumstances. Instead, these claimants will continue to claim legacy benefits until DWP move them onto Universal Credit where transitional protection will be available, thereby safeguarding their existing benefit entitlement.
The Department is considering the detail of the recent court judgment regarding SDP, and will make a decision on their response in due course.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will create a new disability element within the universal credit system to replace the disability premiums available within employment support allowance.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) (SDP Gateway) Amendment Regulations 2019 prevents legacy claimants who are in receipt of the Severe Disability Premium from moving to Universal Credit if they experience a change in circumstances, until they are moved by the Department. This ensures that these claimants will not be moved onto Universal Credit until transitional protections are available, thereby safeguarding their existing benefit entitlement.
The Severe Disability Premium claimant group has very specific characteristics including substantial care needs, with most having severe disabilities that would limit their ability to work quite significantly.
The draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019, which are currently before the House, provide for transitional protections for claimants who are moved onto Universal Credit by the Department, without experiencing a change in circumstances, ensuring no-one loses out at the point of transition.
Universal Credit does not replicate the Severe Disability Premium and other disability premiums, which has allowed us to target additional support to a wider group and create a more streamlined system.
The right levels of support to eligible Universal Credit claimants can be provided through two rates of payments, reflecting the current ESA components. The Universal Credit rate for the most severely disabled people, the limited capability for work and work related activity (LCWRA) addition is £328.32 per month, much higher than the equivalent rate for the Employment and Support Allowance support group which is £163.15 per month, and will result in many more people being better off on Universal Credit.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will extend protections to ensure no disabled person receiving a disability premium within employment support allowance has to transition to universal credit via natural migration.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) (SDP Gateway) Amendment Regulations 2019 prevents legacy claimants who are in receipt of the Severe Disability Premium from moving to Universal Credit if they experience a change in circumstances, until they are moved by the Department. This ensures that these claimants will not be moved onto Universal Credit until transitional protections are available, thereby safeguarding their existing benefit entitlement.
The Severe Disability Premium claimant group has very specific characteristics including substantial care needs, with most having severe disabilities that would limit their ability to work quite significantly.
The draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019, which are currently before the House, provide for transitional protections for claimants who are moved onto Universal Credit by the Department, without experiencing a change in circumstances, ensuring no-one loses out at the point of transition.
Universal Credit does not replicate the Severe Disability Premium and other disability premiums, which has allowed us to target additional support to a wider group and create a more streamlined system.
The right levels of support to eligible Universal Credit claimants can be provided through two rates of payments, reflecting the current ESA components. The Universal Credit rate for the most severely disabled people, the limited capability for work and work related activity (LCWRA) addition is £328.32 per month, much higher than the equivalent rate for the Employment and Support Allowance support group which is £163.15 per month, and will result in many more people being better off on Universal Credit.