Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of full service universal credit claimants who have had their claims stopped re-apply the following month, in the latest period for which figures are available.

The table below shows the number Universal Credit reclaims in the month following a claim closure. It includes claims that are closed at any stage of the claim and includes those that fall within the re-claim process. This is where claimants who meet certain conditions and return to Universal Credit within 6 months of their previous award ending, can make a claim under an easier reclaim process.

The majority of the reclaims in August 2018, had their initial claim closed because of a split in a couple claim (28%); the claimant making an additional claim linked by National Insurance Number resulting in the original claim being closed (26%); and because the Claimant did not accept their Claimant Commitment (22%).

• Figures have been rounded to nearest 100 and 1%.