As Shadow Minister for Disabled People, I asked the Department for Work and Pensions questions on legacy benefits. You can watch and read my question and the answer from Justin Tomlinson, the DWP Minister.

Full text

Question:

Disabled people are facing increased costs for food, medicine delivery and PPE for their carers.

Yet there has been no uplift to legacy benefits to match the £20 increase to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits.

What steps is her Department taking to rectify this? I am aware that issues with the system have made this difficult to deliver at speed, but can the Minister inform us what she is doing to ensure that some of the most vulnerable members of our society are not left out of pocket during this crisis.

Response:

Justin Tomlinson, DWP Minister

Thank you, Mr Speaker, and on behalf of all our mistrial team, I’d like to welcome the new shadow ministerial team. I look forward to working constructively with them in the future.

In addition to the over £1000 increase in universal credit standard rate, we have seen the annual benefit uprating of 1.7 per cent across all of our benefits.

And with mine, the disability benefits, in particular, we have continued to make sure the gateway remains open, claimants who wish to have their assessments reviewed and serious rules terminal illness is also being fast-tracked so we are doing all we can to get support to the most vulnerable as quickly as possible.