Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will extend protections to ensure no disabled person receiving a disability premium within employment support allowance has to transition to universal credit via natural migration.

The Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) (SDP Gateway) Amendment Regulations 2019 prevents legacy claimants who are in receipt of the Severe Disability Premium from moving to Universal Credit if they experience a change in circumstances, until they are moved by the Department. This ensures that these claimants will not be moved onto Universal Credit until transitional protections are available, thereby safeguarding their existing benefit entitlement.

The Severe Disability Premium claimant group has very specific characteristics including substantial care needs, with most having severe disabilities that would limit their ability to work quite significantly.

The draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019, which are currently before the House, provide for transitional protections for claimants who are moved onto Universal Credit by the Department, without experiencing a change in circumstances, ensuring no-one loses out at the point of transition.

Universal Credit does not replicate the Severe Disability Premium and other disability premiums, which has allowed us to target additional support to a wider group and create a more streamlined system.

The right levels of support to eligible Universal Credit claimants can be provided through two rates of payments, reflecting the current ESA components. The Universal Credit rate for the most severely disabled people, the limited capability for work and work related activity (LCWRA) addition is £328.32 per month, much higher than the equivalent rate for the Employment and Support Allowance support group which is £163.15 per month, and will result in many more people being better off on Universal Credit.