Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have made use of explicit consent when making a claim under universal credit.

Explicit consent is not required to make a new claim. If claimants cannot make or manage their claim on-line, they can receive face to face support through their local jobcentre, assistance through our Freephone telephone number or with support from a third party agency. Once the claim is made, claimants who require agencies to act on their behalf can provide explicit consent. As explicit consent can only be given after a claim has been made this data does not exist.