Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Covid-19: Support with Essential Living Costs

Monday 17 May 2021 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government are delivering an unprecedented package of support, injecting billions into the welfare system, including a 20 uplift to universal credit and a one-off payment of 500 to working tax credit recipients.
  • The Minister agrees that local authorities are often best placed to decide how to allocate local funding to meet local needs, supporting innovative schemes during the pandemic.
  • The right hon. Member is restricted by legislation in what can be done for those with no recourse to public funds regarding the benefits system.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Michael Fabricant Con
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP is concerned about the measures taken by the government to support individuals with essential living costs amidst the pandemic.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to support people with essential living costs during the covid-19 outbreak?

Answer from Will Quince

The Government are delivering an unprecedented package of support, injecting billions into the welfare system. This includes a £20 uplift to universal credit and a one-off payment of £500 to working tax credit recipients, as well as rolling out our covid local support grant scheme, worth over £260 million to local authorities.

Answered
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Q2 Michael Fabricant Con
Scotland Wales Local Government
Context

The MP advocates for devolving decision-making power regarding emergency aid distribution to local authorities, asserting their superior capacity in addressing localized needs.

Question

As a good Conservative, I believe in devolution, and I think local government is far better placed than national Government to provide emergency support. Does my hon. Friend the Minister agree with me, and if not, why not?

Answer from Will Quince

I thank my hon. Friend for his question, and I do agree with him that the Government do not always know best. Actually, very often local authorities are best placed to decide how to allocate local funding to meet local need. That is why we moved quickly to implement innovative schemes during the pandemic, including the covid winter grant scheme and the local welfare assistance scheme.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The minister did not address whether the central government agrees with devolving decision-making power but acknowledged the effectiveness of local authorities in allocating funds.

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Q3 Stephen Timms Lab East Ham
Immigration Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP highlights a concern regarding families on temporary immigration status facing limited support under the no recourse to public funds condition, despite benefiting from the job retention scheme.

Question

Hard-working, law-abiding families without indefinite leave to remain have not had as much support as others during the covid-19 outbreak because of the effect of the no recourse to public funds condition. Some of those families have been able to benefit from the job retention scheme, so how will they be supported after that scheme closes in September?

Answer from Will Quince

The right hon. Member knows that we are restricted, as per legislation, in what we can do in relation to the benefits system and those with no recourse to public funds. I know this is an issue that he cares very passionately about and has raised numerous times. I would certainly be very happy to raise this issue with the Immigration Minister—the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Torbay (Kevin Foster)—and if we have a meeting, I will certainly invite the right hon. Member along.

Not addressed: The minister did not provide specific measures or commitments to support families without indefinite leave to remain after the job retention scheme ends but offered to raise the issue with another Minister.

How: Offered To Raise The Issue

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