Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on (a) extending the £20 uplift to universal credit and working tax credit beyond April 2021 and (b) extending that uplift to people on legacy benefits.

The Government introduced a package of temporary welfare measures worth around £9.3 billion this year to help with the financial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. This included the £20 weekly increase to the Universal Credit Standard Allowance rates as a temporary measure for the 20/21 tax year.

Future decisions on spending will be made at the next appropriate fiscal event, and Parliament will be updated accordingly.