Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Universal Credit: Food Bank Use

Monday 19 June 2023 · 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 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department for Work and Pensions reduced the standard deduction cap from 40% to 25% of the standard allowance in 2019.
  • Across the north-east, 120,000 children are impacted by universal credit deductions, with some facing deduction of their entire personal allowance.
  • The Treasury is responsible for determining exemptions for food banks and other community services stepping up to fill gaps in state provision.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Rupa Huq Lab Ealing Central and Acton
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question arises from concerns over the impact of universal credit deductions on food bank use.

Question

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of universal credit deductions on levels of food bank use?

Answer from Guy Opperman

The Department for Work and Pensions has reduced the standard deduction cap from 40% to 25% of the standard allowance since 2019. Where a person feels they cannot afford benefit overpayment recoveries, they are encouraged to contact the Department.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The impact on levels of food bank use was not directly addressed with specific statistics or commitments.

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Q2 Chi Onwurah Lab Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question highlights the impact of universal credit deductions on specific constituents, particularly those with children.

Question

Across the north-east, 120,000 children are impacted by universal credit deductions. Take my constituent Amanda: she has two small children, yet her entire personal allowance of £300 a month was deducted, and on top of that she was sanctioned because of tech issues with her work journal. I have worked to support her, as has Citizens Advice Newcastle, but of course she had to go to a food bank. Does the Minister think that is a working system?

Answer from Guy Opperman

In recent years, the standard cap has been reduced, as I said, from 40% to 25%. Reducing the threshold further would risk key social obligations such as child maintenance not being met. We aim to continue to strike the right balance between ensuring that protections are in place and allowing claimants to retain as much of their award as possible.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not address whether the current system works given its impact on families and constituents.

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Q3 Rupa Huq Lab Ealing Central and Acton
Housing Religion & Faith
Context

The question addresses the role of churches in providing state services, including food banks, and seeks an exemption from VAT on building repairs.

Question

The role of accommodating food bank Britain has fallen to churches and places of worship, which have also housed playgroups, vaccination centres and warm spaces of late. Given that they are stepping up to fill gaps in state provision—state failure—would Ministers be able to exempt their often crumbling and creaking buildings, whether or not they are listed, from VAT on building repairs, as generosity and him upstairs alone will not pay the bills?

Answer from Guy Opperman

That is a matter for the Treasury, as I am sure the hon. Lady knows.

Not addressed: The question about exempting church buildings from VAT was completely avoided.

How: Shifting Responsibility To Another Department

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