Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he would make an assessment of how long it would take to implement an uplift to (a) Universal Credit and (b) legacy benefits.

There are no plans to make an assessment of how long it would take to implement an uplift to Universal Credit and Legacy Benefits.

The government is providing over £15bn in further support, targeted particularly on those with the greatest need. This package is in addition to the over £22bn announced previously, with government support for the cost of living now totalling over £37bn this year. This means that millions of the most vulnerable households will get £1,200 of one-off support in total this year to help with the cost of living, with all domestic electricity customers receiving at least £400.

This additional support means that eight million households on means-tested benefits will get £650 paid directly into their bank accounts in two lump sums - one in July, the other this autumn. There will also be separate one-off payments of £300 to pensioner households and £150 to individuals receiving disability benefits.

To support people who need additional help later in the year, the Government is providing, from October, an extra £500 million of funding. In England, £421m will be used to extend the Household Support Fund. The Devolved Administrations will receive £79m. This is in addition to the £1bn already provided for this support.