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 implications for her policies of the recommendations of the Stepchange report Coronavirus and personal debt: a financial recovery strategy for households, published June 2020, on ending the five week wait for universal credit.

The Universal Credit assessment period and payment structure are fundamental parts of the design and the current advance system works, and works quickly. It is not possible to award a Universal Credit payment as soon as a claim is made, as the assessment period must run its course before the award of Universal Credit can be calculated.

Advances are in place to ensure financial support is available to those in need as soon as possible, with most claimants able to request an advance of up to 100% of the monthly amount they are due to receive.