Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what research her Department conducted to establish the link between foodbank use and the roll-out of universal credit.

We have always said that there are many reasons that people use foodbanks. However, we have listened to feedback on how we can best support our claimants and acted quickly, making improvements, such as extending advances, removing waiting days, and introducing housing benefit run-on, that serve to reduce the waiting time for the first payment. These changes are giving support to vulnerable people who need it most, whilst at the same time helping people get into work faster.