Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 115
115
An example of the process is provided on the Gov.uk website: • You make a...
Conclusion
An example of the process is provided on the Gov.uk website: • You make a new Universal Credit claim on 1 September. 287 Department for Work and Pensions (WPS0021) 288 Department for Work and Pensions (WPS0021) 289 Citizens Advice Scotland (WPS0014) 290 Department for Work and Pensions, Universal Credit: How you’re paid, accessed 14 April 2021 44 Welfare policy in Scotland • Your first assessment period runs for one month to 30 September, with a new assessment period beginning on 1 October. • You get paid on 7 October and on the 7th of each month after that.291
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
New Claim Advances are the claimant’s benefit paid early, allowing claimants to access up to 100% of their estimated Universal Credit payment upfront. With a Universal Credit Advance, claimants receive an additional Universal Credit payment, which now can result in 25 payments over 2 years, rather than 24. This extension to spreading payments over 2 years was for New Claim Advances or Benefit Transfer Advances issued from 12 April 2021. Advances issued before 12 April 2021, do not have their maximum repayment period extended as claimants agreed to having their 13 UC payments spread across up to 12 months. The introduction of non-repayable advances would increase fraud risk in the benefit system, as well as imposing the administrative burden of extra verification checks. Additionally, people with sufficient earnings or income with little or no entitlement to Universal Credit, could inappropriately gain, by speculatively claiming in order to obtain a non-repayable sum upfront. Furthermore, DWP estimates the costs of non- repayable grants to be between £2.2 and £2.8 billion.