Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to assist prison leavers to make applications to universal credit.

Universal Credit provides vital financial support to prisoners and we are committed to ensuring they progress onto Universal Credit quickly, using it to seek and secure work and so reduce reoffending.

The government has already made changes to improve access to Universal Credit for prison leavers, including the introduction of a national Universal Credit telephone claim line to provide quick access on the day of release, and also delivered on our manifesto commitment to have a Prison Work Coach in every prison. Prison leavers can also receive an advance payment of Universal Credit entitlement on their day of release.

Our Prisons Strategy White Paper set out that the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Work and Pensions will work together to test different approaches for prisoners preparing to make their Universal Credit claim. Our aim is to enable prisoners to prepare a Universal Credit claim and claimant commitment while still in custody. We also want to ensure on release the prisoner has ID and a bank account and explore providing an email address so, where needed, they can immediately apply for and be paid a Universal Credit advance.