To ask the Minister for Communities whether there are any plans to fully mitigate the five-week wait in Universal Credit for care experienced young people who are leaving care.

There are currently no plans to fully mitigate the five-week wait for Universal Credit for young people who are leaving care.

Care leavers can prepare their claim to Universal Credit up to 28 days before and including their 18th birthday, although the claim details must not be submitted until their 18th birthday. This helps to ensure that support is in place as early as possible.

There is a range of support available for those people facing financial difficulty while waiting for their first full Universal Credit payment, including the Universal Credit Contingency Fund, a non-repayable grant that is only available in Northern Ireland.

New claims advances of up to 100% of potential Universal Credit entitlement are also available if a person needs support. The repayment period for new claim advances is 24 months.