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Written Question
Universal Credit
Friday 5th July 2019

Asked by: Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of giving universal credit claimants the option of monthly payments or four weekly payments.

Answered by Lord Sharma

The amount of Universal Credit paid to claimants reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period.

Monthly assessment periods align to the way the majority of employees are paid and how utility companies and other service providers collect payments. It also allows Universal Credit to be adjusted each month, this means that if a claimant’s income falls, they will not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit.

We have recently reviewed and updated guidance to help ensure claimants, staff and representatives are aware of the importance of employers reporting accurate dates and the impact on payment cycles.

We know that some people find managing their money challenging and Alternative Payment Arrangements (APA) can be provided to help them manage that change. These include: managed payment of the Universal Credit housing cost to landlords; making payments more frequently; and splitting the payment between partners within the household.

APAs can be requested by a claimant at any point during their claim and are considered on a case by case basis and assessed by Universal Credit staff. Staff work closely with claimants and are trained to gauge a claimant’s financial needs at their initial interview, and throughout their claim, based on their personal circumstances.

We continuously review Universal Credit using feedback from claimants and stakeholders. We are currently trialling new ways of working around more frequent payments, monitoring the outcomes to further inform improvements to the service.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 01 Jul 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"T6. I established a universal credit action group in my constituency to track local progress and add performance indicators to see how the roll-out is going in Clackmannanshire. What measures are in place to track local success and progress? Are Ministers willing to meet me to discuss the progress of …..."
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 22 May 2019
Pension Funds: Financial and Ethical Investments

"The hon. Gentleman is making a very good point about transparency. A large reform is going on in the audit industry at the moment. Does he agree that there is an opportunity for us to look at the whole of financial services and financial infrastructure and look at how we …..."
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Written Question
Social Security Benefits: Scotland
Monday 20th May 2019

Asked by: Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much Government funding has been allocated to (a) Citizens Advice Bureau and (b) other organisations to support universal credit and other benefit claimants in Scotland.

Answered by Lord Sharma

As of May 2019, the Department has funded Citizens Advice Scotland with £2,343,378 to provide the Help to Claim service for Universal Credit claimants in Scotland.

DWP staff also have discretion to signpost benefit claimants to local support services where appropriate.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 18 Mar 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"23. What comparative assessment her Department has made of the levels of financial support available through (a) universal credit and (b) the legacy system. ..."
Luke Graham - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 18 Mar 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"What support is being given, through not only universal credit but schemes such as Access to Work, to those who experience mental ill health?..."
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Written Question
Universal Credit: Disability
Friday 28th December 2018

Asked by: Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department has spent on funding for universal credit roll-out and disability welfare in (a) Clackmannanshire and (b) Perth and Kinross in the constituency of Ochil and South Perthshire.

Answered by Lord Sharma

The financial model and reporting for Universal Credit roll-out and disability welfare is undertaken at a national level and we do not break these cost categories into lower level geographies, such as constituencies. We therefore do not hold the information requested.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 19 Dec 2018
Disability Support

"On the point about it being too expensive, does the hon. Lady recognise the support to work schemes that the Government have introduced and which now can reach up to £57,000 per employee, which can help to negate some of those costs and support disabled people in work?..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 19 Dec 2018
Disability Support

"It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Stephen Lloyd), who is clearly well informed on these issues and who shares my love of statistics.

I congratulate the hon. Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth (Debbie Abrahams) on securing this debate. Opposition Members have talked about the …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 19 Dec 2018
Disability Support

"I could not agree more. I find it interesting that we have had an increase of around 800,000 people aged 16 to 64 who are now being classified as disabled. I understand that they had previous classifications within the welfare system and were receiving different benefits, so a simple change …..."
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