AQW 18091/17-22
Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford
Tabled Date: 28/04/2021
Answered On Date: 10/05/2021
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities what assurances she can give that anyone being transferred from legacy benefits onto Universal Credit will have transitional protection.
Answer:
People in receipt of existing legacy benefits1 who experience a relevant change of circumstances that triggers a new benefit claim will naturally move onto Universal Credit at that time. Where there is a change of circumstances, different amounts of benefit may be payable, therefore transitional protection is not applicable for these people. Under the next phase of Universal Credit roll out - Move to UC, people in receipt of legacy benefits will move onto Universal Credit. I can confirm that every person who makes a claim to Universal Credit during the Move to UC phase will receive Transitional Protection, meaning they will not receive less in Universal Credit at the outset than they would have in the previous legacy benefits - assuming their circumstances remain the same. 1Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance (Income Based), Employment Support Allowance (Income Related), Housing Benefit (Rental), Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit In addition, following the removal of the Severe Disability Premium (SDP) Gateway on 27 January, anyone with an entitlement to a SDP in their legacy benefit, when they move to Universal Credit, will receive a transitional payment broadly equivalent to the rate of SDP payable with the legacy benefit. Some people will be financially better off on Universal Credit and anyone considering moving from their existing legacy benefit to Universal Credit should seek independent advice and check their entitlement using a benefits calculator. The Independent Welfare Changes helpline is available for anyone needing help or advice about any changes to the welfare system, and can be contacted on 0800 915 4604. A benefits calculator is available on the nidirect website https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/benefits-calculator Annex A Answer I am committed to protecting the vulnerable in our society and so officials in my Department engage regularly and closely with their counterparts in DWP on all aspects of Universal Credit as it continues to embed here and in GB. On the move to Universal Credit, a DWP pilot started in July 2019, with the aim of testing a number of possible approaches, including the calculation of transitional protection to support people through the next phase, known as Move to UC. I am aware that due to the Coronavirus outbreak and the need to meet the priority of responding to unprecedented demand and getting payment to those who need it as quickly as possible, the Move to UC pilot in GB has been temporarily suspended for the time being. While my Department had work ongoing in planning for a future Move to UC exercise, including monitoring closely the pilot in GB, people here were not included in the DWP pilot. However, as a result of the pandemic my Department has also faced an unprecedented increase in demand for services with reduced staff capacity. All available resources are being directed to delivering essential frontline services to those who need them, in particular the most vulnerable in our communities. Resumption of non - essential activity including work on planning for the Move to UC phase here, will take place at an appropriate time. The UK Government has made a commitment that those people who make a claim to UC during the Move to UC phase will not receive less in Universal Credit at the outset than they would have in the previous legacy benefits - assuming their circumstances remain the same. However, it is not appropriate to compare those who may move onto UC through Move to UC (with no change of circumstances) and those who move onto UC because of an event that triggers a new benefit claim. Where there is a change of circumstances, different amounts of benefit may be payable. Therefore, there is no ‘correct’ amount that can be calculated for transitional payments in comparison to what might be payable by way of transitional protection under Move to UC. There are however additional payments of two weeks of Housing Benefit, known as a “run-on” which are already available to people moving to UC. Remaining people moving to UC under the Move to UC process will be eligible to receive a two-week Transitional Payment, in line with those who migrate to UC because of a change of circumstances. There will also be a two-week “run on” for people in receipt of income-based Jobseekers Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Income Support from 22 July 2020. The amount of these “run-ons” will be fixed according to the amount of the award payable immediately before claiming UC. My Department is also currently making transitional payments to those who lost the Severe Disability Premium after moving from legacy benefits to UC.
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