Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Universal Credit Transition: Severe Disability Premium

Monday 13 December 2021 · 2 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

  • Sarah Green asked about steps to ensure new universal credit recipients do not face a reduction in payments if they were previously entitled to severe disability premium.
  • The Department introduced severe disability premium-related transitional payments for those moving to universal credit due to a change in circumstances.
  • The Minister offered to meet Sarah Green to discuss her constituent's case further, acknowledging her efforts in casework.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sarah Green Lib Dem Chesham and Amersham
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question arises from cases where individuals receiving severe disability premium under employment support allowance face a reduction in benefits when transitioning to universal credit. One constituent experienced a £70 monthly decrease.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that new universal credit recipients, who were previously entitled to severe disability premium, do not experience a reduction in benefit payments when they transition to universal credit?

Answer from Chloe Smith

To support claimants previously entitled to the severe disability premium who moved to universal credit following a change of circumstances, we have introduced severe disability premium-related transitional payments. Those eligible, depending on their specific circumstances, will receive a transitional element of up to £405 a month.

Answered
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Q2 Sarah Green Lib Dem Chesham and Amersham
Benefits & Welfare
Context

A constituent who was receiving employment support allowance with a severe disability premium is now £70 worse off after transitioning to universal credit in Chesham and Amersham. This has a significant cost-of-living impact.

Question

One of my constituents was previously in receipt of ESA and housing benefit with a severe disability premium. Earlier this year, she relocated to my constituency to be closer to her daughter for support. That triggered a transition to universal credit and, even with transitional protection payments, she is more than £70 a month worse off, which, in the face of the current cost of living squeeze, is having a significant impact. Will the Minister meet me about this case? What additional steps will the Government take to support people such as my constituent who are being unfairly financially penalised by the move to universal credit?

Answer from Chloe Smith

I am happy to meet the hon. Lady, who, as a relatively new member of the House, I can see is getting stuck into casework. I welcome her hard work in doing so. The design of universal credit has concentrated support on the most severely disabled. That can be taken in alignment with other points that I have made, including on the support available through the national disability strategy and the ideas put forward in our health and disability Green Paper, as well as the many other things that the Department is doing.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask for a meeting and additional steps to address financial penalties was not directly addressed.

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