This inquiry looked at how coronavirus is affecting people who rely on the benefits system. It examined the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) response to the Covid-19 pandemic and whether the Universal Credit system meets the needs of those claiming benefits during this time. It focused on: The experiences of people claiming benefits for … Show more
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fourth Report: The temporary increase in Universal Credit a… | HC 1193 | 9 Feb 2021 | 4 | — |
| First Report: DWP's response to the coronavirus outbreak | HC 178 | 22 Jun 2020 | 0 | Responded |
When the Chancellor announced the temporary increase in March 2020, few of us imagined that we would still be in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic nearly a year later. Since March, the number of people claiming Universal Credit has risen from 3 million to around 6 million. The numbers … Read more
We share the Secretary of State’s view, echoed by evidence from front line support organisations, that a steady income is the best way to support people. Like her, we are concerned that one-off payments could increase the risk of fraud. We are also concerned about the risks that one-off payments … Read more
We were encouraged to hear from the Secretary of State that one-off payments are not DWP’s preferred approach, but they nevertheless seem to be an option that the Government is actively considering. We urge the Government to abandon any plans for a one-off payment to claimants of Universal Credit and … Read more
We stand by our recommendation—made in October 2020—that the increase in Universal Credit should be maintained, with annual inflation-based increases. But we recognise that, in the short term, the Chancellor faces some very difficult decisions about the public finances amid a great deal of uncertainty about the future. We have … Read more
| Date | Witnesses | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Sep 2021 | Mims Davies MP · Department for Work and Pensions, Neil Couling · Department for Work and Pensions, Will Quince · Department for Work & Pensions | View ↗ |
| 8 Sep 2021 | Amina Nagawa, Anthony Lynam, Caroline Rice · Changing Realities, Gemma Widdowfield, Vikki Waterman | View ↗ |
| 3 Feb 2021 | Peter Schofield · Department for Work and Pensions, Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | View ↗ |
| 2 Feb 2021 | Iain Porter · Joseph Rowntree Foundation, James Heywood · Centre for Policy Studies, Laura Peters · Rethink Mental Illness, Minesh Patel · Mind, Peter Tutton · StepChange, Professor Donald Hirsch · Loughborough University | View ↗ |
| 16 Dec 2020 | Elizabeth Taylor · Employment Related Services Association, Martin McTague · Federation of Small Businesses, Mat Ainsworth · Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Mat Ilic · Catch22, Professor Dan Finn · University of Portsmouth, Stephen Evans · Learning and Work Institute, Tony Wilson · Institute for Employment Studies | View ↗ |
| 9 Dec 2020 | Anne Longfield OBE · Office of the Children's Commissioner for England, Ben Levinson · Kensington Primary School, Dr Kathryn Hobbs · David Nieper Academy, Joanne Ormond · Maryport Church of England Primary School, Matt Dunkley CBE · Kent County Council, Nancy Meehan · Torbay Council, Paul Marshall · Manchester City Council | View ↗ |
| 18 Nov 2020 | Andrew Forsey · Feeding Britain, Baroness Philippa Stroud · Legatum Institute, Jason Strelitz · Newham Council, Mr Gary Vaux · Hertfordshire County Council, Paul Johnson · Institute for Fiscal Studies, Sam Carter · StepChange, Stella West-Harling · Dartmoor Community Kitchen Hub, Torsten Bell · Resolution Foundation, Zoe Charlesworth · Policy in Practice | View ↗ |
| 30 Sep 2020 | John Paul Marks · Department for Work and Pensions, Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey · Department for Work and Pensions | View ↗ |
| 20 May 2020 | Chris Luck · Shaw Trust, Jonathan Townsend · The Prince's Trust, Kate Bell · Trade Union Congress, Mat Ainsworth · Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Matthew Percival · Confederation of British Industry, Rebecca Keating · Salvation Army, Sam Windett · Impetus, Tony Wilson · Institute for Employment Studies | View ↗ |
| 6 May 2020 | Anna Stevenson · Turn2us, Azmina Siddique · The Children's Society, Dan Norris · Child Poverty Action Group, Emma Revie · Trussell Trust, Eve Byrne · Macmillan, Geoff Fimister · Inclusion Barnet, Jessie Seal · NACCOM, Minesh Patel · Mind, Stephanie Kleynhans · Shelter | View ↗ |
| 23 Apr 2020 | John Paul Marks · Department for Work and Pensions, Justin Tomlinson · Department for Work and Pensions, Mims Davies MP · Department for Work and Pensions, Neil Couling · Department for Work and Pensions, Will Quince MP · Department for Education | View ↗ |
| 25 Mar 2020 | Peter Schofield · Department for Work and Pensions, Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey · Department for Work and Pensions | View ↗ |
| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| John Paul Marks · Director General for Work and Health Services | Department for Work and Pensions | 2 |
| Mat Ainsworth · Assistant Director of Employment | Greater Manchester Combined Authority | 2 |
| Mims Davies MP · Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister … | Department for Work and Pensions | 2 |
| Minesh Patel · Associate Director of Policy and Influencing | Mind | 2 |
| Neil Couling · Director General Change and Resilience, and Unive… | Department for Work and Pensions | 2 |
| Peter Schofield · Permanent Secretary | Department for Work and Pensions | 2 |
| Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey · Secretary of State | Department for Work and Pensions | 2 |
| Tony Wilson · Director | Institute for Employment Studies | 2 |
| Amina Nagawa | — | 1 |
| Andrew Forsey · National Director | Feeding Britain | 1 |
| Anna Stevenson · Welfare and Benefit Specialist | Turn2us | 1 |
| Anne Longfield OBE · Children's Commissioner for England | Office of the Children's Commissioner for England | 1 |
| Anthony Lynam | — | 1 |
| Azmina Siddique · Policy and Research Manager | The Children's Society | 1 |
| Baroness Philippa Stroud · Chief Executive Officer | Legatum Institute | 1 |
| Ben Levinson · Headteacher | Kensington Primary School | 1 |
| Caroline Rice | Changing Realities | 1 |
| Chris Luck · Chief Executive Officer | Shaw Trust | 1 |
| Dan Norris · Head of advice and rights | Child Poverty Action Group | 1 |
| Dr Kathryn Hobbs · Headteacher | David Nieper Academy | 1 |
| Elizabeth Taylor · Chief Executive | Employment Related Services Association | 1 |
| Emma Revie · Chief Executive | Trussell Trust | 1 |
| Eve Byrne · Head of Campaigns and Public Affairs | Macmillan | 1 |
| Gemma Widdowfield | — | 1 |
| Geoff Fimister · Head of Policy, and a spokesperson for the Campai… | Inclusion Barnet | 1 |
| Iain Porter · Senior Policy Adviser | Joseph Rowntree Foundation | 1 |
| James Heywood · Head of Welfare and Opportunity | Centre for Policy Studies | 1 |
| Jason Strelitz · Director of Public Health | Newham Council | 1 |
| Jessie Seal · Campaigns and Policy Co-ordinator | NACCOM | 1 |
| Joanne Ormond · Headteacher | Maryport Church of England Primary School | 1 |
| Jonathan Townsend · UK Chief Executive | The Prince's Trust | 1 |
| Justin Tomlinson · Minister of State (Minister for Disabled People, … | Department for Work and Pensions | 1 |
| Kate Bell · Head of Rights, International, Social and Economi… | Trade Union Congress | 1 |
| Laura Peters · Head of Advice and Information Services | Rethink Mental Illness | 1 |
| Martin McTague · National Vice Chair | Federation of Small Businesses | 1 |
| Mat Ilic · Chief Development Office | Catch22 | 1 |
| Matt Dunkley CBE · Corporate Director for Children, Young People and… | Kent County Council | 1 |
| Matthew Percival · Director for People and Skills | Confederation of British Industry | 1 |
| Mr Gary Vaux · representing National Association of Welfare Righ… | Hertfordshire County Council | 1 |
| Nancy Meehan · Director of Children's Services | Torbay Council | 1 |
| Date | Direction | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Nov 2021 | — | Correspondence on forecasting income poverty with the Joseph Rowntree Foundatio… |
| 16 Jul 2021 | To cttee | Letter from Minister for Welfare Delivery (Covid Local Support Grant – Extendin… |
| 16 Dec 2020 | — | Correspondence with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions about the bene… |
| 13 Oct 2020 | — | Correspondence with Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the Government'… |
| 4 Aug 2020 | — | Correspondence from The Pensions Regulator on the committee's report into the C… |
| 17 Jun 2020 | — | Correspondence from Minsters at DWP about DWP's response to coronavirus, 15 May… |
| 17 Jun 2020 | — | Correspondence with Secretary of State for Work and Pensions about DWP's busine… |
| 24 Apr 2020 | — | Coronavirus survey response |
| 24 Apr 2020 | To cttee | Letter from Permanent Secretary to Chair |
| 8 Apr 2020 | To cttee | Letter from Peter Schofield, Permanent Secretary at DWP, about its response to … |
| 26 Mar 2020 | — | Correspondence with the Secretary of State about the DWP’s response to coronavi… |
| 26 Mar 2020 | To cttee | Letter from the Secretary of State about the DWP’s policy on benefits sanctions… |