Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when her Department's Complaints Resolution Team plans to start accepting constituent cases from hon. Members.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
In response to the Coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic, the Department for Work and Pensions have seen a significant increase in the number of people applying to our safety net welfare system. Our resources are currently focused on making payments and progressing these new claims.
All complaints and correspondence from Honourable Members are still being accepted by the Complaints Resolution Team (CRT) and are being processed and dealt with as soon as we are able. At this time the attention of the CRT is focused on cases that concern vulnerable citizens and unlocking benefit payments. Honourable Members are encouraged to contact the Department if we have not identified a case as a priority.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much funding is being allocated to extend the Help to Claim universal credit scheme for a further financial year in Scotland.
Answered by Will Quince
Help to Claim assists people to make a Universal Credit claim and receive their first full payment on time through tailored practical support from Citizen’s Advice Scotland advisers.
To maintain this support, the Department has agreed to fund Citizens Advice Scotland up to a further £4.1m for a second year of Help to Claim.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of removing the five-week wait for claimants to receive their first universal credit payment during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Will Quince
New Claims Advances are available to support those in immediate financial need until their first Universal Credit payment is made and the Department is committed to delivering advances as soon as possible to people who have requested them.
The Universal Credit assessment period and payment structure are fundamental parts of the design and the current advance system works, and works quickly.
It is not possible to award a Universal Credit payment as soon as a claim is made, as the assessment period must run its course before the award of Universal Credit can be calculated. In order to allow the Universal Credit system to cope with the unprecedented demand, we must limit the changes made to its framework.