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As it happenedended

PMQs as it happened - Theresa May faces Jeremy Corbyn as Brexit talks deadlock deepens

Follow all the latest updates from Prime Minister's Questions here

Lizzy Buchan
Political Correspondent
Wednesday 18 October 2017 09:01 EDT
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(AFP/Getty)

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Welcome to The Independent’s liveblog, which will follow all the latest developments from Prime Minister's Questions and the debate on the controversial rollout of Universal Credit.

Theresa May faced Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for the weekly exchange amid growing concerns the Brexit negotiations have stalled ahead of a crucial European summit.

Controversial reforms to Universal Credit dominated the agenda as Tory rebels and Labour heaped pressure on Ms May to pause the changes, which will eventually merge six existing benefits into one single monthly payment for all claimants in Britain.

In a victory for Labour, Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke said the Government UC helpline would be made free after it was revealed that vulnerable claimants were being charged up to 55p-per-minute for calls.

Labour hopes to capitalise on concern among Tory backbenchers in an opposition day debate that demands the rollout be paused to fix problems with the system.

Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke is giving evidence to MPs over the roll out of Universal Credit.

Lizzy Buchan18 October 2017 09:45
Lizzy Buchan18 October 2017 09:49

Lizzy Buchan18 October 2017 09:52

Mr Gauke announces the Government UC helpline will be made free for claimants after Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn raised the issue at Prime Minister's Questions last week. Read our piece on the exchange here.

Lizzy Buchan18 October 2017 09:56

Tory Heidi Allen, who sits on the committee, welcomes the concession by the Government to make the helpline free. It had been charging claimants up to 55p-per-minute.

Lizzy Buchan18 October 2017 10:01

Mr Gauke told the committee: "Given the recent attention and concern that this could place a burden on claimants, I have decided that this will change to a freephone number over the next month.

"It has been DWP's longstanding position to operate local line charges for benefit inquiry lines, but having reviewed this matter more widely I will be extending freephone numbers to all DWP phone lines by the end of the year."

Read more here.

Lizzy Buchan18 October 2017 10:06

Labour MP Neil Coyle asks about people who are at risk of eviction or going into rent arrears following the six-week wait for payments. The long waiting time for the first payment is one of the key criticisms of the policy. 

Mr Gauke dismisses the concern, adding that 96% of new UC claimants have been paid in full within 10 weeks.

Lizzy Buchan18 October 2017 10:14

Committee chairman Frank Field challenges the Work and Pensions Secretary over the DWP's collection of data on Universal Credit, an issue he has championed in recent days. He has previously accused the Government of failing to reveal the scale of the problems with the rollout.

Lizzy Buchan18 October 2017 10:22

Labour has reacted to the news the helpline will be made free as new government statistics show there are now 610,000 UC claimants.

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Debbie Abrahams said: “The increase in the number of people on Universal Credit is worrying given the Government's chaotic handling of its roll out.

“The Conservatives have finally listened to Labour and scrapped the premium phone helpline for claimants, now they need to listen to the calls of charities and councils and back Labour's motion today to immediately pause and fix the roll out of Universal Credit, before more people are pushed into rent arrears, poverty and homelessness.”

Lizzy Buchan18 October 2017 10:27
Lizzy Buchan18 October 2017 10:31

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