Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) shortest, (b) average and (c) longest periods were between submitting an online application for universal credit and attending a first appointment to begin a new claim in (i) Birkenhead constituency and (ii) England in the last month for which figures are available.
We aim to verify claimants’ identify and agree a claimant commitment with them within 10 days of the declaration of claim, approximately 3 weeks before the first payment will fall due.
However, the information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.