Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claimants who have been awarded the limited work capacity (LWC) element in addition to their basic element have waited (a) one month, (b) two months and (c) three months or more before the extra LWC was awarded for each year for which figures are available.

The information requested is not held by the Department.

The financial element of the limited capability for work award was removed in April 2017. Those who are found to have limited capability for work following a work capability assessment will not receive any additional payment of Universal Credit.

Universal Credit is more generous than the legacy system, with around one million disabled households gaining around £100 per month on average.