Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Rawmarsh and Conisbrough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 14 December 2022 to Question 104134 on Universal Credit: Armed Forces, how many Universal Credit claimants have been identified as (a) serving and (b) having served in the armed forces for the assessment periods ending on 1 March 2023.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) started collecting data on the Armed Forces status of Universal Credit (UC) claimants in Great Britain (GB) in April 2021. At first only new claimants were asked about their Armed Forces status. From June 2021 onwards, other UC claimants reporting changes in their work and earnings have also been able to report their status. From July 2021 onwards, UC agents have also been able to record claimants’ Armed Forces status if they are told about this via other means such as journal messages, face-to-face meetings or by telephone.
Data coverage continues to improve over time and by February 2023 data was held on the armed forces status of approximately 61% of the GB UC caseload (see table below). It should be noted that Armed forces status is self-reported by claimants and is not verified by the Ministry of Defence or Office for Veterans’ Affairs. A claimant’s status can be recorded as “currently serving”, “served in the past”, “not served” or “prefer not to say”. Data is not collected on the specific branch of the Armed Forces that claimants are serving in or have served in in the past.
Data is not held on the total number of UC claimants who are currently serving in the Armed Forces or who have served in the past, but data is held on those who have identified themselves so far.
The way the data is collected means the claimants for whom an Armed Forces status is recorded are not representative of the UC caseload as a whole. This means it is not yet possible to produce reliable estimates of the overall number or proportion of UC claimants who are currently serving in the Armed Forces or who have served in the past.
Increases in the numbers of claimants with a recorded status of “currently serving” or “served in the past” do not necessarily mean the overall numbers of claimants who are currently serving or have served in the past have increased and may reflect increases in the number of claimants for whom data is held as data coverage improves over time.
The table below shows how the proportion of the GB UC caseload with a recorded Armed Forces status has changed over time. It also shows how many claimants on the caseload had a recorded status of each type.
GB UC caseload by recorded Armed Forces status
UC caseload month | Proportion of caseload with a recorded status | Currently serving | Served in the past | Not served | Prefer not to say | No recorded status |
July 2022 | 51% | 3,000 | 38,600 | 2,804,200 | 21,000 | 2,753,300 |
August 2022 | 53% | 3,200 | 40,100 | 2,912,500 | 21,800 | 2,683,400 |
September 2022 | 54% | 3,200 | 41,400 | 3,002,500 | 22,400 | 2,614,700 |
October 2022 | 56% | 3,300 | 42,800 | 3,131,700 | 23,400 | 2,530,000 |
November 2022 | 57% | 3,300 | 44,000 | 3,218,300 | 24,000 | 2,467,100 |
December 2022 | 58% | 3,400 | 45,100 | 3,299,400 | 24,600 | 2,407,600 |
January 2023 | 59% | 3,500 | 46,200 | 3,375,000 | 25,400 | 2,349,700 |
February 2023 (provisional) | 61% | 3,600 | 48,300 | 3,508,300 | 26,500 | 2,306,900 |
Notes:
1. Data is not collected on the Armed Forces status of UC claimants in Northern Ireland. The figures provided only relate to Great Britain.
2. Percentages are rounded to the nearest percent and numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred.
3. Figures may be subject to retrospective changes as more up-to-date data becomes available or if methodological improvements are made. Figures relating to February 2023 are provisional and may be subject to revision.
4. Due to methodological improvements, these figures are based on the Official Statistics UC caseload definition. Some previous figures have used an alternative caseload definition based on assessment period end dates.
5. Further information on the caseload definition used for the UC official statistics can be found on Stat-Xplore: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Rawmarsh and Conisbrough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will respond to Question 104134 tabled on 6 December 2022 by the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Deane.
Answered by Guy Opperman
I refer the Right Honourable Gentleman to the answer given to his specific question given on the 14th December 2022.
For the avoidance of doubt please see the answer as follows:
Answered on 14 December 2022
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) started collecting data on the Armed Forces status of Universal Credit (UC) claimants in Great Britain (GB) in April 2021. At first only new claimants were asked about their Armed Forces status. From June 2021 onwards, other UC claimants reporting changes in their work and earnings have also been able to report their status. From July 2021 onwards, UC agents have also been able to record claimants’ Armed Forces status if they are told about this via other means such as journal messages, face-to-face meetings or by telephone.
Data coverage continues to improve over time and by September 2022 data was held on the armed forces status of approximately 54% of the GB UC caseload (see table below). It should be noted that Armed forces status is self-reported by claimants and is not verified by the Ministry of Defence or Office for Veterans’ Affairs. A claimant’s status can be recorded as “currently serving”, “served in the past”, “not served” or “prefer not to say”. Data is not collected on the specific branch of the Armed Forces that claimants are serving in or have served in in the past.
Data is not held on the total number of UC claimants who are currently serving in the Armed Forces or who have served in the past, but data is held on those who have identified themselves so far.
The way the data is collected means the claimants for whom an Armed Forces status is recorded are not representative of the UC caseload as a whole. This means it is not yet possible to produce reliable estimates of the overall number or proportion of UC claimants who are currently serving in the Armed Forces or who have served in the past.
Increases in the numbers of claimants with a recorded status of “currently serving” or “served in the past” do not necessarily mean the overall numbers of claimants who are currently serving or have served in the past have increased and may reflect increases in the number of claimants for whom data is held as data coverage improves over time.
The table below shows the proportion of the GB UC caseload with a recorded Armed Forces status. It also shows how many claimants on the caseload had a recorded status of each type.
GB UC caseload by recorded Armed Forces status
UC caseload month | Proportion of caseload with a recorded status | Currently serving | Served in the past | Not served | Prefer not to say |
September 2022 | 54% | 3,200 | 41,400 | 3,002,500 | 22,400 |
Notes:
1. Data is not collected on the Armed Forces status of UC claimants in Northern Ireland. The figures provided only relate to Great Britain.
2. Percentages are rounded to the nearest percent and numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred.
3. Figures may be subject to retrospective changes as more up-to-date data becomes available or if methodological improvements are made.
4. Due to methodological improvements, these figures are based on the Official Statistics UC caseload definition. Some previous figures have used an alternative caseload definition based on assessment period end dates.
5. Further information on the caseload definition used for the UC official statistics can be found on Stat-Xplore: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/’
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Rawmarsh and Conisbrough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2022 to Question 72201 on Universal Credit: Veterans, how many Universal Credit claimants have been identified as (a) serving and (b) having served in the Armed Forces for the assessment periods ending in September 2022.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) started collecting data on the Armed Forces status of Universal Credit (UC) claimants in Great Britain (GB) in April 2021. At first only new claimants were asked about their Armed Forces status. From June 2021 onwards, other UC claimants reporting changes in their work and earnings have also been able to report their status. From July 2021 onwards, UC agents have also been able to record claimants’ Armed Forces status if they are told about this via other means such as journal messages, face-to-face meetings or by telephone.
Data coverage continues to improve over time and by September 2022 data was held on the armed forces status of approximately 54% of the GB UC caseload (see table below). It should be noted that Armed forces status is self-reported by claimants and is not verified by the Ministry of Defence or Office for Veterans’ Affairs. A claimant’s status can be recorded as “currently serving”, “served in the past”, “not served” or “prefer not to say”. Data is not collected on the specific branch of the Armed Forces that claimants are serving in or have served in in the past.
Data is not held on the total number of UC claimants who are currently serving in the Armed Forces or who have served in the past, but data is held on those who have identified themselves so far.
The way the data is collected means the claimants for whom an Armed Forces status is recorded are not representative of the UC caseload as a whole. This means it is not yet possible to produce reliable estimates of the overall number or proportion of UC claimants who are currently serving in the Armed Forces or who have served in the past.
Increases in the numbers of claimants with a recorded status of “currently serving” or “served in the past” do not necessarily mean the overall numbers of claimants who are currently serving or have served in the past have increased and may reflect increases in the number of claimants for whom data is held as data coverage improves over time.
The table below shows the proportion of the GB UC caseload with a recorded Armed Forces status. It also shows how many claimants on the caseload had a recorded status of each type.
GB UC caseload by recorded Armed Forces status
UC caseload month | Proportion of caseload with a recorded status | Currently serving | Served in the past | Not served | Prefer not to say |
September 2022 | 54% | 3,200 | 41,400 | 3,002,500 | 22,400 |
Notes:
1. Data is not collected on the Armed Forces status of UC claimants in Northern Ireland. The figures provided only relate to Great Britain.
2. Percentages are rounded to the nearest percent and numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred.
3. Figures may be subject to retrospective changes as more up-to-date data becomes available or if methodological improvements are made.
4. Due to methodological improvements, these figures are based on the Official Statistics UC caseload definition. Some previous figures have used an alternative caseload definition based on assessment period end dates.
5. Further information on the caseload definition used for the UC official statistics can be found on Stat-Xplore: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Rawmarsh and Conisbrough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2022 to Question 72201 on Universal Credit: Veterans, how many Universal Credit claimants have been identified as (a) serving and (b) having previously served in the Armed Forces for the assessment periods ending in October 2022.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) started collecting data on the Armed Forces status of Universal Credit (UC) claimants in Great Britain (GB) in April 2021. Initially only new claimants were asked about their Armed Forces status. From June 2021 onwards, other UC claimants reporting changes in their work and earnings have also been able to report their status. From July 2021 onwards, UC agents have also been able to record claimants’ Armed Forces status if they are told about this via other means such as journal messages, face-to-face meetings or by telephone.
Data coverage continues to improve over time and by October 2022 data was held on the armed forces status of approximately 56% of the GB UC caseload (see table below).
It should be noted that Armed forces status is self-reported by claimants and is not verified by the Ministry of Defence or Office for Veterans’ Affairs. A claimant’s status can be recorded as “currently serving”, “served in the past”, “not served” or “prefer not to say”. Data is not collected on the specific branch of the Armed Forces that claimants are serving in or have served in in the past.
Data is not held on the total number of UC claimants who are currently serving in the Armed Forces or who have served in the past, but data is held on those who have identified themselves so far.
The way the data is collected means the claimants for whom an Armed Forces status is recorded are not representative of the UC caseload as a whole. This means it is not yet possible to produce reliable estimates of the overall number or proportion of UC claimants who are currently serving in the Armed Forces or who have served in the past.
Increases in the numbers of claimants, on UC, with a recorded status of “currently serving” or “served in the past” do not necessarily mean the overall numbers of claimants who are currently serving or have served in the past have increased and may reflect increases in the number of claimants for whom data is held as data coverage improves over time.
The table below shows the proportion of the GB UC caseload with a recorded Armed Forces status. It also shows how many claimants on the caseload had a recorded status of each type.
GB UC caseload by recorded Armed Forces status
UC caseload Month | Proportion of caseload with a recorded status | Currently serving | Served in the past | Not served | Prefer not to say” |
October 2022 | 56% | 3,400 | 43,500 | 3,173,000 | 23,800 |
Notes:
1. Data is not collected on the Armed Forces status of UC claimants in Northern Ireland. The figures provided only relate to Great Britain.
2. Percentages are rounded to the nearest percent and numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred.
3. Figures may be subject to retrospective changes as more up-to-date data becomes available or if methodological improvements are made.
4. Due to methodological improvements, these figures are based on the Official Statistics UC caseload definition. Some previous figures have used an alternative caseload definition based on assessment period end dates.
5. Further information on the caseload definition used for the UC official statistics can be found on Stat-Xplore: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Rawmarsh and Conisbrough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the average amount deducted from income-related benefits for ex-Armed Forces personnel due to their armed forces pension.
Answered by Guy Opperman
This information is not readily available.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Rawmarsh and Conisbrough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many veterans applying for income-based welfare support have had their claims reduced due to their military pension in each year since 2019.
Answered by Guy Opperman
This information is not readily available.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Rawmarsh and Conisbrough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many former armed forces personnel are claiming legacy benefits.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Rawmarsh and Conisbrough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether an Armed Forces pension is considered income when an individual applies for Universal Credit.
Answered by Guy Opperman
War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Payments are not taken into account in Universal Credit. Guaranteed Income Payments, Service Attributable Pensions and service-attributable, non-taxable Service Invalidity Pensions are also not taken into account.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Rawmarsh and Conisbrough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 14 September 2020 to Question HL7707, whether any elements of the (a) War Pension Scheme and (b) Armed Forces Compensation Scheme are taken into account as income when an ex-service member applies for a legacy benefit.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Government acknowledges the contribution ex-service personnel have made.
In Pension Credit and the legacy income-related benefits, the first £10 of War Disablement Pension or a Guaranteed Income Payment from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme is disregarded when calculating a person’s weekly income.
Furthermore, four additions to the War Disablement Pension are completely disregarded in the benefit assessment; these are Constant Attendance Allowance, Mobility Supplement, Severe Disablement Occupational Allowance and dependency increases for anyone other than the applicant or their partner.
For Pension Credit, War Pensions are also considered as qualifying income for the Savings Credit.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Rawmarsh and Conisbrough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the annual cost is of employing an armed forces champion in a job centre plus district.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The annual cost of employing an Armed Forced Champion in financial year 2021-22 was £40,719 based on Armed Forces Champions located nationally, including locally attributable non staff costs, but not support staff and infrastructure costs.