Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans the Government has to assess the management of the devolved elements of Universal Credit to the Scottish Government.

The Universal Credit Scottish Flexibilities, now also known as “Universal Credit Scottish choices”, were made available to all Universal Credit full service claimants living in Scotland from 31 January 2018. They allow for claimants to choose to be paid twice monthly, and to choose to have the relevant housing costs in their award paid to their landlord. The Universal Credit Scottish Flexibilities are a matter for the Scottish Government as part of the Scotland Act 2016 and is their policy.

Claimants retain the ability to have their payments made monthly, and to keep control of their finances by paying their landlord themselves. We believe this more effectively mirrors work and supports claimants back into work.

We are working closely with the Scottish Government and have concluded a working level agreement, which includes the provision of agreed management information. We also have a Joint Implementation Group which is a forum for the Scottish Government and DWP to work collaboratively on delivering Universal Credit flexibilities in Scotland.