"uri","answering body","answer > is ministerial correction","answer > date of answer","answer > answer text","answer > answering member constituency","answer > answering member printed","answer > grouped question UIN","answer > question first answered","answer > uri","answer > answering member > label","answer > uri","answer > previous answer version > answering member constituency","answer > previous answer version > answering member printed","answer > previous answer version > uri","answer > previous answer version > answering member > label","answering dept id","answering dept short name","answering dept sort name","date","hansard heading","house id","legislature > pref label","question text","registered interest","tabling member > label","tabling member constituency","tabling member printed","uin" "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126494","Department for Work and Pensions","false","2019-05-22","
When closing or merging a Jobcentre, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) undertake an equality analysis as part of the detailed planning for service reconfiguration. This will include feedback from public consultation in those locations where this applied. Details of jobcentres that have closed and/or merged in the last two years can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/update-on-the-future-of-dwp-jobcentres
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government publishes local authority data on homelessness applications quarterly.
Reference should also be made to the response given on 9 February 2018 in the reply to PQ 126480.
","Reading West","Alok Sharma",,"2019-05-22T12:50:13.46Z","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126494/answer","Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126494/answer",,,,,"29","Work and Pensions","Work and Pensions","2019-05-14","Homelessness","1","House of Commons","To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effect of regional job centre closures on trends in the level of homelessness in those regions.","false","Biography information for Daniel Zeichner","Cambridge","Daniel Zeichner","254209" "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126506","Department for Work and Pensions","false","2019-05-20","The specific breakdown you have requested is not available. This is because the Department has no business need for a breakdown of this type and therefore our systems do not have this functionality.
The Department is working hard to prevent overpayments from occurring in the first place as they reduce available public funds and can put additional pressure on claimants who are already financially constrained. To that end, we have introduced the Verify Earnings and Pensions system which provides us with up to date earnings information and allows claims to be updated far more quickly.
The Government recognises and appreciates the vital contribution made by informal carers, who provide invaluable support for relatives, partners, friends and neighbours who are ill, frail or disabled.
","North Swindon","Justin Tomlinson",,"2019-05-20T10:52:26.417Z","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126506/answer","Biography information for Justin Tomlinson","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126506/answer",,,,,"29","Work and Pensions","Work and Pensions","2019-05-14","Carer's Allowance: Newport East","1","House of Commons","To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in the Newport East constituency have been required to repay Carer’s Allowance as a result of an overpayment in the last 12 months; and how many of those overpayments were as a result of fraudulent claims.","false","Biography information for Jessica Morden","Newport East","Jessica Morden","254166" "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126518","Department for Work and Pensions","false","2019-05-20","Individual-level benefit records available for analysis do not include information on claimants affected by domestic violence due to data sensitivity. Separately, the Department asks Local authorities to supply details of their use of Discretionary Housing Payments on a voluntary basis. This does not include the specific circumstances of the claimant (including whether they have been subject to domestic abuse). and there are no plans to ask for any additional information.
","Colchester","Will Quince",,"2019-05-20T11:33:16.533Z","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126518/answer","Biography information for Will Quince","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126518/answer",,,,,"29","Work and Pensions","Work and Pensions","2019-05-14","Discretionary Housing Payments: Domestic Abuse","1","House of Commons","To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 May 2019 to Question 252018 on Housing Benefit: Domestic Abuse, if she will make it her policy to collect data on the proportion of discretionary housing payment funding that is allocated to claimants affected by domestic abuse in each local authority area.","false","Biography information for Helen Hayes","Dulwich and West Norwood","Helen Hayes","254246" "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126537","Department for Work and Pensions","false","2019-06-03","It is not clear whether the questions relate to the Local Authority as the provider of housing or as the administrator of Housing Benefit and Council Tax. This answer therefore responds on both counts.
Local Authority as landlord:
The Local Authority use the ‘Landlord Portal’ to provide details of a claimant’s rent and tenancy details. When the information provided does not match what the claimant has given, the claimant will then be able to accept or reject the information uploaded by the Local Authority by logging into their Universal Credit account.
If the claimant accepts the information provided by the Local Authority no further action is required. If the Local Authority has provided information that is rejected by the claimant, the claimant is advised to make contact to resolve this. This could require a subsequent housing declaration to be provided. The ‘Landlord Portal’ has a summary screen that allows the Local Authority to confirm or change the information they are about to provide before it has been submitted.
This process applies whenever there is a rent change, including annual uprating of rent. The Landlord Portal is the streamlined communication tool which allows the Local Authority to disclose the rent thus highlighting errors in the claimants Universal Credit.
Local Authority as administrator of Housing Benefit and Council Tax:
Once a claim to Universal Credit has been made, the Local Authority will receive a notification if the claimant is in receipt of Housing Benefit. This will inform the Local Authority of the claim to Universal Credit so they can take the action to close the Housing Benefit claim where needed. The Local Authority will inform Universal Credit of the action they have taken and if there is any payment to be offset within the first assessment period.
Additionally, during the Universal Credit claim process, the claimant will be asked if their name is on the council tax bill. If the claimant answers ‘yes’, they are asked if they have applied for a reduction in their council tax. If the claimant answers that they have applied or will apply for a Council Tax Reduction, their details will be shared with the Local Authority. This is a one-way communication which allows for the Local Authority to take the appropriate action regarding an application for a Council Tax Reduction.
","Reading West","Alok Sharma","254088","2019-06-03T13:09:40.307Z","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126537/answer","Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126537/answer","Reading West","Alok Sharma","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126537/answer/previousversion/119078","Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma","29","Work and Pensions","Work and Pensions","2019-05-14","Universal Credit","1","House of Commons","To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what response her Department makes when notified by a local authority of an error in a resident’s universal credit calculation.","false","Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms","East Ham","Stephen Timms","254086" "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126538","Department for Work and Pensions","false","2019-05-20","We work with a wide range of stakeholders, many of whom we collaborate with directly and consider partners. The next phase of delivering Universal Credit (UC) involves moving legacy benefit claimants to Universal Credit. The Department plans to pilot this approach, to test our processes carefully to ensure that claimants on all legacy benefits with a range of characteristics can be successfully moved onto Universal Credit. The Department is working with a wide and diverse range of stakeholders to design the process and we are currently developing the detailed planning on how we will start the pilot process, including which groups or individuals we will begin to move to Universal Credit.
From 1 April 2019 Citizens Advice (England and Wales) and Citizens Advice Scotland are delivering the new ‘Help to Claim’ support to claimants making a new Universal Credit claim or moving from a legacy benefit to UC because of a change of circumstances. The Citizens Advice Help to Claim offers tailored, practical support to help people make a UC claim up to receiving their first full correct payment on time. It is be available online, through web-chat, through a Freephone number and face to face through local Citizens Advice services.
","Reading West","Alok Sharma",,"2019-05-20T12:43:12.2Z","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126538/answer","Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126538/answer",,,,,"29","Work and Pensions","Work and Pensions","2019-05-14","Universal Credit","1","House of Commons","To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which organisations her Department defines as partners in the delivery of universal credit.","false","Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms","East Ham","Stephen Timms","254087" "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126539","Department for Work and Pensions","false","2019-06-03","It is not clear whether the questions relate to the Local Authority as the provider of housing or as the administrator of Housing Benefit and Council Tax. This answer therefore responds on both counts.
Local Authority as landlord:
The Local Authority use the ‘Landlord Portal’ to provide details of a claimant’s rent and tenancy details. When the information provided does not match what the claimant has given, the claimant will then be able to accept or reject the information uploaded by the Local Authority by logging into their Universal Credit account.
If the claimant accepts the information provided by the Local Authority no further action is required. If the Local Authority has provided information that is rejected by the claimant, the claimant is advised to make contact to resolve this. This could require a subsequent housing declaration to be provided. The ‘Landlord Portal’ has a summary screen that allows the Local Authority to confirm or change the information they are about to provide before it has been submitted.
This process applies whenever there is a rent change, including annual uprating of rent. The Landlord Portal is the streamlined communication tool which allows the Local Authority to disclose the rent thus highlighting errors in the claimants Universal Credit.
Local Authority as administrator of Housing Benefit and Council Tax:
Once a claim to Universal Credit has been made, the Local Authority will receive a notification if the claimant is in receipt of Housing Benefit. This will inform the Local Authority of the claim to Universal Credit so they can take the action to close the Housing Benefit claim where needed. The Local Authority will inform Universal Credit of the action they have taken and if there is any payment to be offset within the first assessment period.
Additionally, during the Universal Credit claim process, the claimant will be asked if their name is on the council tax bill. If the claimant answers ‘yes’, they are asked if they have applied for a reduction in their council tax. If the claimant answers that they have applied or will apply for a Council Tax Reduction, their details will be shared with the Local Authority. This is a one-way communication which allows for the Local Authority to take the appropriate action regarding an application for a Council Tax Reduction.
","Reading West","Alok Sharma","254086","2019-06-03T13:09:40.383Z","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126539/answer","Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126539/answer","Reading West","Alok Sharma","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126539/answer/previousversion/119077","Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma","29","Work and Pensions","Work and Pensions","2019-05-14","Universal Credit","1","House of Commons","To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department provides to local authorities to help (a) identify and (b) remedy errors in universal credit calculations.","false","Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms","East Ham","Stephen Timms","254088" "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126541","Department for Work and Pensions","false","2019-05-20","The design of UC is expected to reduce considerably the losses that are currently incurred in DWP-administered benefits and in Tax Credits (TC) by around £1bn annually in steady state, meaning that overall levels of fraud and error across welfare (DWP benefits & TC) should fall.
The Department has a clear strategic approach to tackling fraud, error and debt, based on a clear understanding of where loss is incurred. This is informed by our own internal data and by the estimated levels of overpayments, published annually. The most recent edition (published 9 May 2019) can be accessed via the link below.
","Reading West","Alok Sharma","254090","2019-05-20T13:43:20.697Z","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126541/answer","Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126541/answer",,,,,"29","Work and Pensions","Work and Pensions","2019-05-14","Universal Credit: Overpayments","1","House of Commons","To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the reasons for the overpayment of universal credit.","false","Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms","East Ham","Stephen Timms","254089" "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126542","Department for Work and Pensions","false","2019-05-20","The design of UC is expected to reduce considerably the losses that are currently incurred in DWP-administered benefits and in Tax Credits (TC) by around £1bn annually in steady state, meaning that overall levels of fraud and error across welfare (DWP benefits & TC) should fall.
The Department has a clear strategic approach to tackling fraud, error and debt, based on a clear understanding of where loss is incurred. This is informed by our own internal data and by the estimated levels of overpayments, published annually. The most recent edition (published 9 May 2019) can be accessed via the link below.
","Reading West","Alok Sharma","254089","2019-05-20T13:43:20.74Z","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126542/answer","Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126542/answer",,,,,"29","Work and Pensions","Work and Pensions","2019-05-14","Universal Credit: Overpayments","1","House of Commons","To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the extent of the overpayment of universal credit.","false","Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms","East Ham","Stephen Timms","254090" "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126573","Department for Work and Pensions","false","2019-05-22","The Department recognises its legal duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of our employees; this includes identifying and reducing workplace stressors. Our approach is a holistic one that utilises the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Management Standards for work related stress and follows key principles to help identify and reduce work place stressors.
2,473 employees took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in the last 12 months which represents 3% of our paid staff. As a percentage, such absences equated to 10.7% of all Working Days Lost due to sickness absence. However, as the Department continues to pay salaries during sickness absence there is no direct financial cost.
Our approach to absence is fair but robust with the emphasis on health promotion and absence prevention. The Department has a range of support from mental health toolkits, stress reduction plans plus tailored support for people who do go off sick or need support through our Employee Assistance Programme which includes counselling.
The Department has 965 Mental Health First Aiders, who provide acute, short-term and structured support to individuals, provide reassurance and signpost colleagues to both DWP and external sources of support as appropriate. Mental Health First Aiders are also provided with continuous professional development and support for their own mental wellbeing.
","Colchester","Will Quince",,"2019-05-22T16:17:12.38Z","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126573/answer","Biography information for Will Quince","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126573/answer",,,,,"29","Work and Pensions","Work and Pensions","2019-05-14","Department for Work and Pensions: Sick Leave","1","House of Commons","To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of officials in her Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in the last 12 months; what proportion that leave was of total sick leave taken in her Department; and what the cost was to her Department of officials taking sick leave over that period.","false","Biography information for Tom Brake","Carshalton and Wallington","Tom Brake","254082" "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126593","Department for Work and Pensions","false","2019-05-22","This information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
","Colchester","Will Quince",,"2019-05-22T12:35:53.813Z","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126593/answer","Biography information for Will Quince","http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126593/answer",,,,,"29","Work and Pensions","Work and Pensions","2019-05-14","Universal Credit: Housing","1","House of Commons","To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15 April 2019 to Question 243315, how many universal credit claimants in the central London broad rental market area are in receipt of the shared accommodation rate of the housing element of that benefit.","false","Biography information for Ms Karen Buck","Westminster North","Ms Karen Buck","254093"