Universal Credit Removal of Uplift 2021-09-13
2021-09-13
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The £20 temporary uplift to the universal credit will end within a month.
If she will reverse her Department's planned removal of the £20 uplift to the standard allowance of universal credit. The circumstances in Bristol South are different, with people and businesses unhappy about the cut, which would pull £11 million from the local economy.
The hon. Lady may be aware that more than £400 billion of support has been given to the UK economy and people during this difficult time, with over £7 billion invested in welfare system supports. As employment grows, we aim to encourage work progression through our doubled number of work coaches.
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Assessment & feedback
Reversed plans for removal of the £20 uplift was not addressed
Redirecting To General Support Measures
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The universal credit uplift is set to end, affecting local economies and families.
Time and again the Government have promised investment in areas like east Hull but now a £35 million cut will pull funding from the local economy. Is it time for the Government to match their rhetoric with actions by cancelling this cut?
The hon. Gentleman may not be aware that we extended the uplift beyond the pandemic's lockdown elements, and during Labour's late noughties crisis no changes were made to benefits.
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Assessment & feedback
Cancellation of cut was not addressed
Reference To Historical Actions
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Residents and businesses in Bristol South are unhappy about the removal of the £20 uplift.
People in Bristol South are not happy about the cut and businesses will lose £11 million from the local economy. The Secretary of State should be unhappy too. Will she change her mind?
The hon. Lady may know that more than £400 billion of support has been given to the UK economy and people during this difficult time, with over £7 billion invested in welfare system supports.
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Assessment & feedback
Reversing decision was not addressed
Redirecting To Overall Economic Support
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Rising rental costs and high house prices in areas outside London have made the private rental sector difficult for people on low incomes.
Will the Secretary of State look at how the universal credit housing element operates in areas affected by property and rental prices, such as constituencies just outside London?
I am conscious of my right hon. Friend's concerns. When we made the uplifts over a year ago, we put an extra £900 million a year into support for housing costs through changes to the local housing allowance rate.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific review was not addressed
Mentioning Existing Measures
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
There is a potential mismatch between the energy cap for those with general electricity bills and that for prepayment meter users.
Will the Secretary of State look at whether universal credit goes as far as it can in meeting rising pressures on living costs, especially regarding the interaction between the energy cap for general electricity bills and that for prepayment meters?
My hon. Friend is right to raise that issue. The warm home discount is administered through BEIS in conjunction with energy companies, although the DWP facilitates automatic claiming for benefit claimants.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific review was not addressed
Mentioning Existing Measures
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
Unemployment is down, with record high job vacancies in areas like Stoke-on-Trent North.
Does the Secretary of State agree that our economy is showing signs of recovery? In Stoke-on-Trent North, Steelite International has a jobs fair for over 100 vacancies. Is this the way to help people on universal credit into work?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Today, the Government have announced a £650 billion infrastructure programme over 10 years to generate 425,000 jobs in the next four years with well-paid wages.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific support for approach was not addressed
Mentioning Overall Economic Measures
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation reports that nearly four out of every five families with children are receiving Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit, rising to 45% in the north-east, Yorkshire and Humber, and west midlands. These families face a £1,000 annual income reduction due to an upcoming cut.
The research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation indicates that nearly four out of every five families with children are receiving Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit, rising to 45% in certain regions. Can the Secretary of State share her Department's assessment of how these families will manage losing £1,000 a year due to the upcoming cut?
It may surprise the hon. Lady to know that more than half of recipients of Universal Credit are households without children. We have injected several hundred million pounds specifically to help people with children with financial challenges over the past year, but now that the jobs market is well and truly open, we will be doing whatever we can to help people get into work and better-paid work.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific assessment of how families will manage losing £1000 per year was not provided
Response accuracy
Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
The Resolution Foundation indicates that a quarter of all households in the north-east will lose £1,000 annually due to an impending cut. This will strip millions of pounds from the economies of some of the poorest communities.
It is not clear if the Secretary of State's Department has undertaken any form of assessment on the income shock; however, it is also about the wider economic consequences. Has her Department assessed the economic impact of the cut coming into effect in a few weeks?
My understanding is that, as we always knew the uplift was going to be temporary, an impact assessment was not undertaken because it would have been limited in time.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific economic impact of the cut was not assessed
Response accuracy
Q9
Partial Answer
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Context
People have already struggled due to £37 billion of Tory cuts to social security between 2010 and 2019. Now facing a significant cut, can the Secretary of State confirm if she is lobbying the Treasury to stop these cuts?
Given that the Secretary of State is her Department's voice around the Cabinet table, can she confirm with a simple yes or no whether she has been lobbying the Treasury to stop these cuts?
As the Chancellor set out in the Budget, when we had the discussion about extending support beyond lockdown time, it was not necessary to lobby the Treasury. We have increased work coaches in jobcentres in Scotland.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not confirm lobbying efforts or deny them directly
Changed Subject
Response accuracy
Q10
Partial Answer
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Context
The question is about the financial cost of extending the temporary uplift for Universal Credit and potential measures to cover this expense.
Can the Secretary of State outline how much it would cost to extend the temporary uplift for Universal Credit? Can she also think of any measures to pay for it?
The estimated annual cost for a year of extending Universal Credit is about £5 billion. The Chancellor has set out plans including the lifetime skills guarantee, sector-based work academy programme, to invest in people to help them get into better-paid jobs.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific measures to fund the extension directly
Response accuracy
Q11
Partial Answer
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Context
Single parents in work face a £87 monthly income reduction due to an upcoming cut. Witnesses from the Work and Pensions Committee have shared struggles such as skipping meals.
Single parents who are employed reported difficulty sustaining the £87 monthly income drop this cut will cause, even resorting to skipping meals to ensure their children do not go hungry. Surely social security must provide better support than that?
I hope the right hon. Gentleman will direct that individual to have a chat with their work coach. We encourage people to talk to their work coaches to help them get on in life and be more prosperous.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address the need for better social security support directly
Changed Subject
Response accuracy