Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of recent trends in the average levels of household debt of people in receipt of universal credit.

The Government has taken a number of steps to reduce the risk of problem debt, including capping payday lending costs and promoting savings.

Within Universal Credit, we have interest free advances and a system of priority deductions to help claimants who have got into arrears. This year we have also successfully implemented a further package of measures announced at the Autumn Budget 2017, such as making interest free advances of up to 100% of the indicative award available and increasing the repayment period to 12 months, removing the 7 waiting days from all claims, providing an additional payment of 2 weeks of Housing Benefit to support claimants when they transition to Universal Credit, and changing how claimants in temporary accommodation receive support for their housing costs.

Additionally, budgeting advice is offered to all Universal Credit claimants when they make a new claim, and is discussed throughout the customer journey where needed. Where problem debt is identified, claimants may be referred to appropriate external organisations for additional support.