Universal Credit

(asked on 18th August 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the five week wait for new universal credit claimants to receive their first payment.


Answered by
Will Quince Portrait
Will Quince
This question was answered on 10th September 2021

No assessment has been made.

Projecting the impact of an individual policy on poverty levels is complex and inherently speculative.

It is very difficult to isolate the specific impact of one policy and determine its effect on how many people fall below the poverty threshold, which itself changes over time.

Nobody in need has to wait five weeks for their first payment of Universal Credit. New Claims Advances are available urgently if a claimant needs support during their first assessment period and budgeting support is available for anyone who needs extra help. Advances are a claimant’s benefit entitlement paid early, allowing claimants in need to access up to 100% of their estimated Universal Credit monthly payment upfront. This means that claimants will receive the same two-year entitlement spread across 25 payments, rather than 24.

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