Universal Credit Assessment 2024-11-11
2024-11-11
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The question arises from concerns about the effectiveness of the universal credit assessment process, particularly in cases involving individuals with significant health issues.
What assessment has she made of the effectiveness of the universal credit assessment system?
The Department has adopted an iterative approach, updating the universal credit system to reflect user needs as they develop. The new Government are committed to reviewing universal credit to make sure that it is doing the job we need it to.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific assessment of effectiveness not provided
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
A constituent experienced significant health issues following an operation and was deemed unfit for work by medical professionals but failed a universal credit health check.
Does the Minister think that it sounds right that my constituent who spent six hours awake during an operation and was deemed unfit for work by her GP and a clinical psychologist went through a half-hour telephone assessment which deemed her fit to work, so she does not get universal credit and it was not backdated?
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for drawing my attention to that. What he has described sounds very odd indeed, and I will be happy to look at the details if he will let me see them. We are absolutely committed to making sure that universal credit does the job that we need it to, including for people in the situation that his constituent has found herself in.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific commitment to review case not provided
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
A constituent, a veteran and carer, was awarded carer's allowance in 2017 but later faced demands to return more than £51,000 in universal credit overpayments taken from his state pension.
Will the Minister meet me to discuss this case so that I can help my constituent?
As my hon. Friend will know, there have been some very troubling cases of carer's allowance overpayment. I am not sure whether carer's allowance is part of the overpayment he describes, but I will be very happy to meet him to discuss what has gone wrong in this case.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific confirmation that carer's allowance is involved not provided
Response accuracy