Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Universal Credit: Support into Work

Monday 23 June 2025 · 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

  • Josh Simons held an emergency community meeting for workers about to lose their jobs due to a site closure.
  • Katrina Murray raised a case of a constituent relying on universal credit while living in temporary accommodation due to domestic violence.
  • The Department's rapid response service has worked with affected workers and is willing to do more.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Josh Simons Lab Makerfield
Employment Business & Trade
Context

An electric fibreglass site in Josh Simons' constituency is closing, resulting in the loss of jobs for around 250 workers. This closure affects multiple generations of workers who have contributed to energy, defence and housing sectors.

Question

Last week I held an emergency community meeting for 250 workers in my constituency about to lose their jobs following the closure of the electric fibreglass site in Hindley Green. It was heartbreaking. Some families have three generations of workers who have powered the blast furnace and produced materials for our energy, defence and housing sectors. After working with Government, me, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and the GMB union to prevent this closure, I am bitter about another foreign company closing a blast furnace in our country. What is the Minister doing to get workers like those back into work so they can contribute to a strong industrial future?

Answer from The Minister for Employment (Alison McGovern)

Specifically on the business that my hon. Friend mentioned, the Department’s rapid response service has worked with those affected and is keen to do more. I will personally ensure that he is put in touch with my colleagues in the Department so that he can help facilitate that too.

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Q2 Katrina Murray Lab Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch
Housing Benefits & Welfare
Context

A constituent named Tracy is living in local authority temporary accommodation due to fleeing domestic violence. She faces high housing costs and uncertainty about securing permanent housing, which discourages her from seeking full-time employment.

Question

My constituent Tracy is living in local authority temporary accommodation after fleeing domestic violence. She currently relies on universal credit because the cost of her accommodation exceeds what she could earn locally by a factor of 10. As a single young person, she faces years before being allocated a flat and worries that future employers will question her years of unemployment and underemployment. Despite wanting to work full-time, she has been advised against it. Does the Minister agree we need to address this cliff edge issue?

Answer from The Minister for Employment (Alison McGovern)

I thank my hon. Friend for bringing this important case to the House. Universal credit has no fixed hours requirement, but the link between housing costs and universal credit remains an issue. I am keen to look at the detail of her constituent’s case. Universal credit was meant to move people off benefits into work, but it clearly hasn't worked as needed, so considerable work is under way to address the inadequacies left by the Conservative Government.

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