Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to support people facing financial disruption in (a) Stoke-on-Trent and (b) Staffordshire as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

To support those on low incomes through the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government have introduced a package of temporary welfare measures. Taken together, these measures provide over £6.5bn of additional support through the welfare system and include: increasing Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit by up to £1,040 this financial year, benefiting over 4 million households; and increasing Local Housing Allowance rates, putting an average of £600 into people’s pockets this year.

We have made changes so that Statutory Sick Pay and Employment and Support Allowance are payable to people who are self-isolating, including those who are shielding, and who satisfy the conditions of entitlement. We have removed the waiting days so these are paid from day one. Households may also be eligible for Universal Credit.

The Government has also announced a new £500 million Hardship Fund as part of the package of measures to support those affected by coronavirus so that local authorities can support economically vulnerable people and households.

An additional £63 million of funding was confirmed by the Government on 11 June 2020, to be distributed to local authorities in England to help those who are struggling to afford essentials due to COVID-19.