AQW 3341/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 21/09/2022
Answered On Date: 29/09/2022
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities whether she has plans to make an automatic payment of £500 from the Discretionary Support fund, for the remainder of this financial year, to new claimants of Universal Credit during their initial five week assessment and until the move to the Universal Credit is completed.

Answer:

The introduction of a guaranteed automatic payment to new claimants of Universal Credit would require amendments to current legislation. Amending primary legislation is not possible due to the continued absence of a functioning Executive and agreed Executive budget.