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PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Universal Credit (13 January 2020)

Question Asked

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to reduce the five-week wait for universal credit.

Asked by:
Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat)

Answer

No one has to wait five weeks for their first payment. New claim advances are available to support those in financial need until their first payment is made.

Claimants can access up to 100% of the total expected monthly award, which they can pay back over a period of up to 12 months. We have announced that from October 2021, the repayment period for these advances will be extended further, to 16 months.

Our Work Coaches gauge claimants’ financial needs from their first interview. As part of this, every claimant is offered an advance payment on application. Proposed repayments of the advance are explained, and all claimants are advised to request a level of advance which is manageable both now and when considering the repayments required.

Work Coaches can also refer claimants to more specialist support for personal budgeting and money guidance if required.

The Department has delivered a number of improvements to support claimants during their first assessment period, such as removing waiting days and paying those claimants moving from Housing Benefit onto Universal Credit a two week ‘transitional housing payment’. We are also introducing a two-week run on for eligible claimants of Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance from July 2020.


Answered by:
Will Quince (Conservative)
16 January 2020

Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.