Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Universal Credit 2024-12-16 (2)

Monday 16 December 2024 · 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 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Benefit rates for Universal Credit are reviewed annually.
  • Last April, benefit rates increased by 6.7%.
  • The Minister is not considering phasing out the age differential in Universal Credit at this time.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Bobby Dean Lib Dem Carshalton and Wallington
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The adequacy of Universal Credit rates is under scrutiny, particularly for those under 25 who receive a different rate.

Question

What assessment has been made of the adequacy of the rates of universal credit? Benefit rates are reviewed annually but concern exists over age-based differential payments.

Answer from Stephen Timms

No specific assessment has been made on the adequacy of Universal Credit rates as requested. Benefit rates are reviewed annually, increasing by 6.7% last April and by 1.7% from next April in line with inflation.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not address whether an assessment was made on the adequacy of Universal Credit rates, particularly regarding age-based differentials.

How: No Assessment Along The Lines That The Hon. Gentleman Asks About Has Been Made.

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Q2 Bobby Dean Lib Dem Carshalton and Wallington
Benefits & Welfare
Context

There is a concern over the age-based differential in Universal Credit rates, which affects young care leavers. The Government has announced efforts to abolish the age differential for the National Living Wage.

Question

Will the Minister look at potentially phasing out the age differential in universal credit? This could be beneficial for young care leavers who currently receive a lower rate of Universal Credit compared to older individuals.

Answer from Stephen Timms

While an interesting suggestion, the Minister is not currently considering phasing out the age differential in Universal Credit. However, Universal Credit will be reviewed over the course of the next year, and recent changes to carer's allowance have been announced.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response does not commit to reviewing or phasing out the age-based differential in Universal Credit rates specifically.

How: That Is Not Something I Am Considering At The Moment, We Will Be Reviewing Universal Credit Over The Course Of The Next Year Or So

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