Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has assessed how many prisoners currently serving sentences are in receipt of universal credit.

Citizens serving a custodial sentence are generally ineligible for Universal Credit (UC) and their claim is usually closed. However, those with eligible housing costs prior to entering prison, may retain that element of UC only, if custody is expected to last no more than six months, helping prevent homelessness on release.

In addition, under regulations laid in parliament on 20 October 2026, serious offenders detained in hospital will no longer receive benefits.