Universal Credit In Work Progression Trial

The request was refused by Department for Work and Pensions.

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

The government has recently extended the Universal Credit In Work Pilot Scheme for a further 12 months, beginning with 19th February 2021. This is the fourth such extension.

The actual trial (which began in 2015) ended in March 2018, and the government have not (to my knowledge) announced any further such trial.

Although the Welfare Reform Act 2012, s.41(5)(a) provides for such extensions, a "pilot scheme" is explicitly described as being for the purposes of "testing" various matters - see subs. (2) of that section.

It would therefore appear to be a rather tenuous use of the regulation-making powers provided for by s.41, as nothing is currently being "tested", nor been tested for quite some time.

Please can you therefore provide the following information:

1. Any documents/information held by the Department discussing the need for the extensions.

2. Any documents/information held by the Department regarding possible future uses of the pilot scheme.

Yours faithfully,

Charles Ellinson

DWP freedom-of-information-requests, Department for Work and Pensions

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DWP Central FOI Team,

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Dear Charles Ellinson,

I am writing in response to your request for information, received 18th
February.

Yours sincerely,

DWP Central FoI Team

Charles Ellinson

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Department for Work and Pensions's handling of my FOI request 'Universal Credit In Work Progression Trial'.

My request was turned down, with s.35(1)(a) of the FOI Act cited as the reason.

Although I accept there may be some documents included in my request which engage that exemption, I find it difficult to believe that nothing at all could be released, at the least in redacted form.

For example, documents and information from 2-3 years ago are included in my request (which requested information relating to the "extensions", not simply the latest extension). I find it difficult to believe such information engages the cited exemption.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/u...

Yours faithfully,

Charles Ellinson

DWP freedom-of-information-requests, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been accepted by the DWP FOI mailbox.
 
If your email is a Freedom of Information request you can normally expect
a response within 20 working days.
 
However please be advised that due to the current situation with COVID-19
we cannot guarantee a response within this timescale.
 
Every effort is being made to respond to FOIs as we would usually but the
current situation means that available Departmental resources will be
needed on other high priority areas.
 
We kindly ask for your understanding during this unprecedented situation
and we will aim to deal with your FOI request as soon as is practically
possible.
 
Email FOI responses will be issued from [1][email address]
We recommend that you add this address to your email contacts otherwise
the response may be treated as Spam or Junk mail.  
 
Should you have any further queries in connection with this request do
please contact us.
 
[2]http://www.gov.uk/dwp
 
 

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DWP Central FOI Team,

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Dear Charles Ellinson,

I am writing in response to your request for information, received 8th
March.

Yours sincerely,

DWP Central FoI Team