Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
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 switching to Support for Mortgage Interest rather than housing support for homeowners with a mortgage in receipt of universal credit.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No assessment has been made of the potential merits of switching to Support for Mortgage Interest rather than housing support for homeowners with a mortgage in receipt of universal credit.
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Citizens Basic Income Feasibility Study Steering Group report entitled Assessing the Feasibility of Citizens' Basic Income Pilots in Scotland, if she will meet with Scottish Government officials to discuss that report and its recommendations.
Answered by Will Quince
I do not intend to meet with the Scottish Government officials to discuss the report on the feasibility of piloting a Citizens Basic Income (CBI) in Scotland as I do not think a CBI is the right approach for the UK. A CBI does not take any account of people’s needs and circumstances, is not targeted at the poorest in society and would be hugely expensive.
This government believes Universal Credit is the right strategy for the UK because it simplifies the benefits system, promotes and incentivises work and provides targeted support to those in most need in a way that is affordable.
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Citizens Basic Income Feasibility Study Steering Group's report entitled Assessing the Feasibility of Citizens' Basic Income Pilots in Scotland, if she will hold discussions with (a) the Scottish Government and (b) HMRC on the potential merits of a universal basic Income pilot in Scotland.
Answered by Will Quince
I do not intend to meet with the Scottish Government officials to discuss the report on the feasibility of piloting a Citizens Basic Income (CBI) in Scotland as I do not think a CBI is the right approach for the UK. A CBI does not take any account of people’s needs and circumstances, is not targeted at the poorest in society and would be hugely expensive.
This government believes Universal Credit is the right strategy for the UK because it simplifies the benefits system, promotes and incentivises work and provides targeted support to those in most need in a way that is affordable.
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what work her Department has undertaken to determine the feasibility of implementing a model of universal basic income throughout the UK.
Answered by Will Quince
No work has been undertaken. Universal Basic Income is extremely expensive, reduces work incentives and does not target those most in need of support.
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information the Government considered when setting the value of Contributions Based Job Seekers Allowance entitlement at £73.10 for people over 25.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The rates for Jobseeker’s Allowance were originally based on the equivalent provisions for Income Support, which were in force in October 1996, when Jobseeker’s Allowance replaced the element of that benefit for those who are unemployed, on low or no income or other financial means and are available and looking for work. The rate has been reviewed since then in line with the relevant legislation for the uprating of benefits.
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has provided any guidance to employers who have employees in receipt of universal credit on how to accurately report earnings to such reports are correct for any given assessment period.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The Government is working with employers to ensure that they use the most appropriate payment practices and comply with Real Time Information guidelines in order to minimise the incidence of erroneous or late reporting by employers, and HMRC have recently updated guidance to reiterate to employers the importance of reporting accurate dates and the impact on payment cycles.
We have produced guidance to help ensure claimants, staff and representatives are aware of how different earnings patterns can affect their Universal Credit award. This can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-different-earning-patterns-and-your-payments/universal-credit-different-earning-patterns-and-your-payments-payment-cycles
Additionally, claimants can always discuss the implications of this with their case managers and work coaches and can be referred to Personal Budgeting Support to help them manage their budgeting.
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any other Givernment Departments are informed when EEA nationals are unable to pass the Habitual Residency Test to facilitate (a) changes in immigration status and (b) other consequences.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Comprehensive guidance outlining eligibility for Universal Credit for EEA Nationals and the habitual residency test is available to all staff across the Jobcentre network. Universal Credit guidance is published in the House of Commons Library and the Department is committed to refreshing this at regular intervals.
Eligibility for income-related (means-tested) social security benefits depends on a person’s immigration status in the UK. Claimants must be exercising a legal right to reside and be habitually resident before they are eligible to claim income related benefit. And this is assessed through the Habitual Residence Test (HRT). DWP does not automatically provide other Government departments with information regarding an individual’s benefit claim. The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 and immigration decisions are the responsibility of the Home Office.
The information requested about the proportion of EEA applicants refused Universal Credit, or asked to sit a habitual residency test is not readily available, and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of EEA National universal credit applicants have been asked to sit a habitual residency test in each year for which information is available.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Comprehensive guidance outlining eligibility for Universal Credit for EEA Nationals and the habitual residency test is available to all staff across the Jobcentre network. Universal Credit guidance is published in the House of Commons Library and the Department is committed to refreshing this at regular intervals.
Eligibility for income-related (means-tested) social security benefits depends on a person’s immigration status in the UK. Claimants must be exercising a legal right to reside and be habitually resident before they are eligible to claim income related benefit. And this is assessed through the Habitual Residence Test (HRT). DWP does not automatically provide other Government departments with information regarding an individual’s benefit claim. The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 and immigration decisions are the responsibility of the Home Office.
The information requested about the proportion of EEA applicants refused Universal Credit, or asked to sit a habitual residency test is not readily available, and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of EEA national applicants have been refused universal credit in each year for which information is available.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Comprehensive guidance outlining eligibility for Universal Credit for EEA Nationals and the habitual residency test is available to all staff across the Jobcentre network. Universal Credit guidance is published in the House of Commons Library and the Department is committed to refreshing this at regular intervals.
Eligibility for income-related (means-tested) social security benefits depends on a person’s immigration status in the UK. Claimants must be exercising a legal right to reside and be habitually resident before they are eligible to claim income related benefit. And this is assessed through the Habitual Residence Test (HRT). DWP does not automatically provide other Government departments with information regarding an individual’s benefit claim. The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 and immigration decisions are the responsibility of the Home Office.
The information requested about the proportion of EEA applicants refused Universal Credit, or asked to sit a habitual residency test is not readily available, and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance her Department has issued to Jobcentre staff on when it is appropriate to ask that an EEA national sit a habitual residency test when applying for universal credit.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Comprehensive guidance outlining eligibility for Universal Credit for EEA Nationals and the habitual residency test is available to all staff across the Jobcentre network. Universal Credit guidance is published in the House of Commons Library and the Department is committed to refreshing this at regular intervals.
Eligibility for income-related (means-tested) social security benefits depends on a person’s immigration status in the UK. Claimants must be exercising a legal right to reside and be habitually resident before they are eligible to claim income related benefit. And this is assessed through the Habitual Residence Test (HRT). DWP does not automatically provide other Government departments with information regarding an individual’s benefit claim. The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 and immigration decisions are the responsibility of the Home Office.
The information requested about the proportion of EEA applicants refused Universal Credit, or asked to sit a habitual residency test is not readily available, and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.