{"id":97255,"date":"2018-11-05T17:23:00","date_gmt":"2018-11-05T17:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=276c89717a986f802a1cb883dd850eb3"},"modified":"2018-11-05T17:23:00","modified_gmt":"2018-11-05T17:23:00","slug":"statement-to-parliament-the-secretary-of-state-for-work-and-pensions-has-made-a-statement-to-the-house-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=97255","title":{"rendered":"Statement to Parliament: Statement on the changes announced to Universal Credit in the Budget last week and on the Managed Migration regulations"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mr Speaker, I\u2019d like to make a statement on the changes announced to Universal Credit in the Budget last week and on the Managed Migration regulations, which we are laying in the house today.<\/p>\n

The Chancellor announced a substantial package at the Budget to ensure that millions keep more of what they earn, and vulnerable claimants are supported when they move to Universal Credit.<\/p>\n

In total, Mr Speaker, this package will be worth an extra \u00a34.5 billion across the next 5 years.<\/p>\n

I want to pay a special thank you to all the colleagues, charities, third-sector organisations, Jobcentre Plus staff and claimants who fed back to me to build this package of support to ensure Universal Credit is a fair system \u2013 supporting thousands who can\u2019t work as well as thousands who can.<\/p>\n

And I\u2019d like to also thank my Right Honourable Friend the Prime Minister and my Right Honourable Friend the Chancellor for their support to deliver these measures.<\/p>\n

Because make no mistake, Mr Speaker: this is a department that listens. And a department that will continue to listen, adapt, change and deliver.<\/p>\n

We will put an extra \u00a31.7 billion a year into work allowances, increasing the amount that hardworking families can earn by \u00a31,000 before Universal Credit is tapered away \u2013 providing extra support for 2.4million working families.<\/p>\n

Which is why it was welcomed not only in this House, but amongst charities.<\/p>\n

Like the Child Poverty Action Group, which said: \u201cThe work allowance increase is unequivocally good news for families receiving Universal Credit\u201d.<\/p>\n

And the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which said this extra investment \u201cwill help make Universal Credit a tool for tackling poverty\u201d.<\/p>\n

And, we have gone further \u2013 recognising the genuine concerns raised about the support we were offering people, especially to the most vulnerable, when they move to Universal Credit.<\/p>\n

So we have made a further \u00a31billion package of changes, providing 2 additional weeks of DWP legacy benefits for those moved onto Universal Credit \u2013 a one-off non-repayable sum that will provide claimants with extra money during the period before they receive their first Universal Credit payment.<\/p>\n

And this is on top of the 2 additional weeks of Housing Benefit announced at Autumn Budget 2017, and put into place this year.<\/p>\n

And we will support the self-employed moving to Universal Credit.<\/p>\n

We will open up a 12-month grace period before the Minimum Income Floor is applied, supporting 130,000 self-employed claimants.<\/p>\n

Because we are the party of business, we are the party of aspiration.<\/p>\n

We will support those in debt by reducing the normal maximum rate at which debts are deducted from Universal Credit awards, from 40% to 30% of Standard Allowances.<\/p>\n

This will help over 600,000 families to manage their debts at any one point when roll out is complete \u2013 providing them with, on average, \u00a3295 extra a year as their debts are repaid over a longer period.<\/p>\n

Mr Speaker, this is targeted support to help work pay and support the vulnerable.<\/p>\n

Which is why today I lay regulations to deliver the next phase of Universal Credit \u2013 Managed Migration.<\/p>\n

Through which people will be moved onto Universal Credit.<\/p>\n

A move from a system that trapped people on benefits and creating cliff edges at 16, 24 and 30 hours with punitive effective tax rates of over 90 per cent for some.<\/p>\n

Between 1997 and 2010, benefit spend went up by 65%.<\/p>\n

In 1997, households were paying \u00a35,500 in taxes to fund the benefits system \u2013 and by 2010 it had risen to \u00a38,350.<\/p>\n

[Political content]<\/p>\n

Under this government 3.4 million more people are in work \u2013 the vast majority of which are full-time and permanent roles.<\/p>\n

Which means that we have created more new jobs in the UK since 2010, than France, Spain, Ireland, Netherlands, Austria and Norway combined.<\/p>\n

Alongside creating a welfare system that supports those who need it.<\/p>\n

Through Universal Credit, around 1 million disabled households will receive around an extra \u00a3100 on average per month through more generous support.<\/p>\n

The managed migration regulations will, in addition:<\/p>\n