Chris Bryant – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Bryant on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of extending entitlement to a jobcentre plus discount travel card to all claimants of universal credit once universal credit has been fully rolled out.

Esther McVey

The Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card is a discretionary travel discount scheme operated in conjunction with the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC).

There is no evidence to suggest that ATOC have plans to change their approach of targeting support at specific benefit recipients based on specific eligibility criteria.

However, If ATOC were to allow access to all Universal Credit Claimants the cost to DWP would be in the region of £100,000, but the impact on ATOC members would be around £20 million (roughly estimated)

Currently the following UC claimants are entitled to the JCP Travel Discount Card:

· Universal Credit claimants in the All Work Related Requirements group from 13 weeks to point of Work Programme referral

· Universal Credit claimants not in the All Work Related Requirements group who are actively engaged with a Work Services Coach in returning to employment