Contributions
959 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDUniversal Credit: Food BanksI thank the hon. Lady for her question. We continue to provide a strong safety net through the welfare system for those who need extra support and, as I have said, people use food…01 Jul 2019HANSARDUniversal Credit: Food BanksI am sorry to hear the hon. Gentleman’s example. If I get a chance to visit his local food bank, I will certainly do so, but I have to stress that no claimant needs to wait more…01 Jul 2019HANSARDUniversal Credit: Food BanksI respect the hon. Lady’s knowledge in this area on the Select Committee, but I would say that advances are not loans from a separate fund; they are the claimant’s benefit paid…01 Jul 2019HANSARDLocal Housing AllowanceWelfare reforms were designed to ensure a fair balance between public spending and supporting vulnerable people to meet their housing costs. LHA rates are not intended to meet all…01 Jul 2019HANSARDLocal Housing AllowanceI thank the hon. Lady for her question. As I said, LHA rates are not intended to meet all rents in all areas. Housing benefit claimants have to make the same decisions about where…01 Jul 2019HANSARDLocal Housing AllowanceThat is, of course, a question for the Treasury. Any rise or potential rise in LHA rates has to go hand in hand with addressing supply. I urge my hon. Friend to address that issue…01 Jul 2019HANSARDLocal Housing AllowanceI thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. He is right that the broad market rental areas have some anomalies. I have officials looking into this. It is a huge and complex piece…01 Jul 2019HANSARDUniversal Credit: Vulnerable ClaimantsUniversal credit ensures that support goes to those who need it most by simplifying the previously complicated legacy system, allowing 700,000 more people to receive approximately…01 Jul 2019HANSARDUniversal Credit: Vulnerable ClaimantsThose moving to universal credit will get more than 25% of their award through two weeks of additional housing benefit and, as of next year, jobseeker’s allowance, employment and…01 Jul 2019HANSARDUniversal Credit: Vulnerable ClaimantsUniversal credit claimants may be able to claim a refund for the cost of travelling to a hospital for treatment through the NHS healthcare travel costs scheme. To claim travel…01 Jul 2019HANSARDUniversal Credit: Vulnerable ClaimantsThe hon. Gentleman raises a very good point—it concerns me too. We have agreed to work collaboratively with the Social Security Advisory Committee to consider how current…01 Jul 2019HANSARDUniversal Credit: Vulnerable ClaimantsI thank the hon. Lady for raising that individual issue. I would like her to raise Claudette’s case with me. My door is always open, as I know are those of other Ministers in the…01 Jul 2019HANSARDUniversal Credit: Vulnerable ClaimantsThe Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work has been very clear on this. We are still considering it and will come back to the House in due course.01 Jul 2019HANSARDUniversal Credit: Vulnerable ClaimantsLet me gently point out to the hon. Lady that we are spending more than £6 billion a year on the main disability benefits.01 Jul 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsI thank my hon. Friend for that question. The Government remain committed to tackling poverty so that we can make a lasting difference to long-term outcomes. I am pleased to say…01 Jul 2019HANSARDChild PovertyThe policy to provide support for a maximum of two children helps to ensure fairness by asking parents receiving benefits to face the same financial choices as those in work.…01 Jul 2019HANSARDChild PovertyTackling poverty will always be a priority for this Government, and I take these numbers extremely seriously. In the latest low income statistics, child poverty increased in three…01 Jul 2019HANSARDChild PovertyAs I have said, the latest statistics show that full-time work substantially reduces the chance of poverty. The absolute poverty rate of a child where both parents work full-time…01 Jul 2019HANSARDChild PovertyWithout knowing the exact figure, it is too many. My role within the Department, and the role of the Department itself, is to address that. My hon. Friend will know too well that…01 Jul 2019HANSARD Local Housing Allowance: NottinghamThe hon. Gentleman is a dog owner, and I am as well. I would not be without our Charlie, and I think that my two daughters would rather throw me out than the dog. In answer to his…17 Jun 2019