The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2015-02-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) number, (b) value and (c) proportion is of incorrect payments made to claimants of universal credit since the scheme was introduced.
Steve Webb
This information is not readily available for publication and to quality assure this management information to Office for National Statistics quality standards, would incur disproportionate costs.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2014, Official Report, column 174W, on universal credit, whether he has approved the Department for Work and Pensions’ business case for the implementation of universal credit.
Esther McVey
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has approved the UC Strategic Outline Business Case plans for the remainder of this Parliament (2014-15) as per the Ministerial announcement (5th December 2013, Official Report, column 65WS) —link to WMS:
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the IT system developed by his Department for universal credit will be fully operating; and when this system will start to be decommissioned to make way for the digital solution developed by the Cabinet Office.
Esther McVey
As part of the wider transformation in the development of digital services, the Department will further develop the work completed jointly with the Government Digital Service to test and implement an enhanced digital service. This enhanced digital service will integrate work and benefits activity allowing us to deliver the full scope of Universal Credit for all claimant types.
Our single target operating model sets out how we will transform our approach and ways of working to ultimately make the Universal Credit service fully available online. Where it is both practical and operationally sensible to do so, we will integrate together the enhanced digital service with the existing Universal Credit service.
We expect an early version of the digital service to be introduced to a limited number of claimants and staff by the end of 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the IT system being developed by his Department for universal credit will be fully operating.
Esther McVey
As part of the wider transformation in the development of digital services, the Department will further develop the work completed jointly with the Government Digital Service to test and implement an enhanced digital service. This enhanced digital service will integrate work and benefits activity allowing us to deliver the full scope of Universal Credit for all claimant types.
Our single target operating model sets out how we will transform our approach and ways of working to ultimately make the Universal Credit service fully available online. Where it is both practical and operationally sensible to do so, we will integrate together the enhanced digital service with the existing Universal Credit service.
We expect an early version of the digital service to be introduced to a limited number of claimants and staff by the end of 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2014-03-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the effect on the time taken to receive universal credit of a claimant (a) moving to live in an area where universal credit is not being piloted, (b) forming a new relationship and being re-classified as part of a couple and (c) having a child.
Esther McVey
No estimate of this has been made. Providing the claimant reports all details of the change promptly, payment of Universal Credit would continue without any delay.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2014-03-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Universal Credit system will accept new claims for employment and support allowance by the end of 2016.
Esther McVey
While the majority of the legacy caseload will move to Universal Credit during 2016 and 2017, claimants in receipt of Income based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) will retain their current arrangements during this period unless there is a relevant change in their circumstances. Final decisions on the implementation of the programme will be informed by the development of the enhanced digital solution.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2014-03-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether claimants who begin claiming employment and support allowance prior to new claims being accepted by the Universal Credit system will be transferred to the universal credit system by the start of 2017 or end of 2017.
Esther McVey
While the majority of the legacy caseload will move to Universal Credit during 2016 and 2017, claimants in receipt of Income based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) will retain their current arrangements during this period unless there is a relevant change in their circumstances. Final decisions on the implementation of the programme will be informed by the development of the enhanced digital solution.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2014-03-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the universal credit system will accept (a) any and (b) all new claims for employment and support allowance at the start of 2017 or end of 2017.
Esther McVey
While the majority of the legacy caseload will move to Universal Credit during 2016 and 2017, claimants in receipt of Income based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) will retain their current arrangements during this period unless there is a relevant change in their circumstances. Final decisions on the implementation of the programme will be informed by the development of the enhanced digital solution.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2014-03-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost of processing a change in a claimant’s circumstances when he or she (a) moves to live in an area where universal credit is not being piloted, (b) forms a new relationship and are re-classified as part of a couple and (c) has a child.
Esther McVey
No estimate of this has been made (In the examples quoted the changes would be processed in the same way as any other reported change of circumstances).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2014-03-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the IT systems supporting universal credit are able to process a change in a claimant’s circumstances when he or she (a) moves to live in an area where universal credit is not being piloted, (b) forms a new relationship and is re-classified as part of a couple and (c) has a child.
Esther McVey
Where a Universal Credit claimants circumstances change in the way set out IT systems support the processing of those changes.