WESTMINSTER RADAR
Search
My MPs
Menu

Question follow-through · 115787

Universal Credit

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what analysis his Department has undertaken on the reasons for increases in the numbers of successful applications for Universal Credit in the last three years.

answeredDepartment for Work and Pensions

About this written question

A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.

Answering body
Department for Work and Pensions
Tabled
25 Feb 2026
Target answer date
2 Mar 2026
Answer
9 Mar 2026 · 12 calendar days after tabling

Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.

More questions by this MP on Social security and pensions

Shared topic keywords suggest a connection; they do not establish a follow-up.

Recorded timeline

  1. 25 Feb 2026

    Question tabled

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what analysis his Department has undertaken on the reasons for increases in the numbers of successful applications for Universal Credit in the last three years.

  2. 2 Mar 2026

    Target answer date

    Date supplied by the official written-questions record.

  3. 9 Mar 2026

    Answer published

    People moving from old legacy benefits onto Universal Credit – almost four in every five – account for the vast majority of the increase over the past year. This is a transition we inherited from the previous government, alongside a system that writes peo...

Open official record

Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.

Later records

Possible follow-up questions

Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Youth Guarantee: Northern Ireland

3 Mar 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to WPQ 112574 dated 11 February 2026 on the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers scheme, when does he expect to be able to reply.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

State Retirement Pensions: Northern Ireland

4 Mar 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were entitled to (a) old style and (b) new style State Pensions in Northern Ireland as of December 2025; and what was the average annual payment paid to each recipient.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Motability: Rural Areas

13 May 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Motability Scheme on the potential impact of the proposed change in the annual mileage limit for new leases on rural users.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Pensions: Government Assistance

19 May 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the findings of the Pensions Commission interim report on retirement savings, published on 19 May 2026, what plans he has to assist those of working age to have sufficient retirement i

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Personal Pensions

1 Jun 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects to receive the report on personal pension savings from the Pensions Commission.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Pensions

4 Jun 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of recent reports of inadequate future personal pension provision; and what further steps he is taking to help increase personal pension

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Apprentices

9 Jun 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of changes in the numbers of people in apprenticeships in (a) 2026 and (b) 2029.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Social Security Benefits: Polygamy

16 Jun 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households of one family unit where there is one husband and more than one wife as a result of ceremonies performed outside the UK have been in receipt of benefits in (a) 2023, (b) 2024, and (c

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Access to Work Programme

29 Jun 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to announce any changes to Access to Work by the end of 2026.

Strong linkSame MP, department and exact heading

Universal Credit

3 Jul 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost of Universal Credit payments were in 2024/25 and 2025/26.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Home Responsibilities Protection

1 Sept 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of parents entitled to an enhanced State Pension as a result of Home Responsibilities Protection but yet to apply.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Unemployment: Young People

2 Sept 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will hold discussions with his counterpart in the Netherlands regarding the experience there in dealing with the number of younger people who are not in education, employment of training and any r