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1146992

registered interest
date	30/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Workplace Pensions: Kilmarnock and Loudoun
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of people in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency who have (a) opted out after being auto-enrolled into a workplace pension and (b) saved more than the auto-enrolment minimum contribution.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	292297
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/10/2019 answer text <p>Automatic enrolment has achieved a quiet revolution through getting employees into the habit of pension saving, and reversing the decline in workplace pension participation in the decade prior to these reforms. Since automatic enrolment started in 2012 participation rates have been transformed with 87% of eligible employees saving into a workplace pension in 2018, up from 55% in 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not hold data for individual constituencies in relation to opt outs or the number of individuals who have saved above the automatic enrolment minimum contribution level. However, we do know that overall around 9% of automatically enrolled workers have chosen to opt out which is significantly below original estimates; and our latest evaluation report shows that, in April 2017, approximately 5.9 million eligible employees were already meeting the April 2019 minimum contribution rates[1].</p><p>I am providing the following information about the impact of automatic enrolment in your constituency, as of August 2019.</p><p>In the Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency, since 2012, approximately 6,000 eligible jobholders have been automatically enrolled and 1,290 employers have met their duties.</p><p> </p><p>[1]Automatic Enrolment Evaluation Report 2018, available via the following weblink:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/764964/Automatic_Enrolment_Evaluation_Report_2018.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/764964/Automatic_Enrolment_Evaluation_Report_2018.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 04/10/2019 12:57:04 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1147067

registered interest
date	30/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of backdating universal credit payments to reduce the five week wait for a first payment.
tabling member constituency	South Cambridgeshire
tabling member printed	Heidi Allen
uin	292316
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit new claim advances provide access to a payment for those in financial need, which can be accessed urgently, until their first regular Universal Credit payment is due. Claimants can access up to 100% of the total expected monthly award, which they can pay back over a period of up to 12 months. We have announced that from October 2021, the repayment period for these advances will be extended further, to 16 months.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has delivered a number of improvements to support claimants during their first assessment period, such as removing waiting days and paying those claimants moving from Housing Benefit onto Universal Credit a two week ‘transitional housing payment’. We are also introducing a two-week run on for eligible claimants of Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance from July 2020.</p><p> </p><p>Claims may be backdated, by up to one calendar month, in limited circumstances for vulnerable claimants who may be delayed in claiming Universal Credit through no fault of their own. Claims may also be backdated in specific circumstances when a couple separates to ensure that there is no gap in entitlement between the couple claim and the new claim made by a single claimant.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 13:48:25 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4516 label Biography information for Heidi Allen

1147068

registered interest
date	30/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of establishing an independent commission to review the value of benefits to ensure they consistently match the cost of living.
tabling member constituency	South Cambridgeshire
tabling member printed	Heidi Allen
uin	292317
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has a statutory duty to complete an annual review of benefit and pension rates to determine whether they have retained their value in relation to either prices or earnings.</p><p> </p><p>If there has been an increase in prices or earnings she must increase certain benefits by at least the increase in prices or earnings, using ONS data. For other benefits she may take into account the prevailing economic conditions and other relevant factors.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst organisations external to Government are free to make representations to the Secretary of State, the Department has made no assessment around the introduction of an independent commission to review the value of benefits.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 13:39:43 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4516 label Biography information for Heidi Allen

1147069

registered interest
date	30/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of universal credit payments were subject to a deduction for child maintenance arrears.
tabling member constituency	South Cambridgeshire
tabling member printed	Heidi Allen
uin	292318
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>For eligible Universal Credit claims with a payment due in May 2019 (the latest month of available data) 0.6% [11,000 claims] had a deduction for child maintenance arrears.</p><p> </p><p>Notes</p><p>- Number of claims rounded to nearest 1000.</p><p>- Percentage rounded to nearest 0.1%</p><p /> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 13:55:09 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4516 label Biography information for Heidi Allen

1147070

registered interest
date	30/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effect of the working age benefit freeze on the household incomes of people with (a) disabilities and (b) long term health conditions.
tabling member constituency	South Cambridgeshire
tabling member printed	Heidi Allen
uin	292319
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>An Impact Assessment of the benefit freeze was published in 2015, this is available in the link below.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.parliament.uk/documents/impact-assessments/IA15-006C.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/documents/impact-assessments/IA15-006C.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>This benefit freeze excluded Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, the Support Group component of Employment and Support Allowance (for those not expected to look for work), disability premia in working-age benefits and the disabled elements of tax credits. This provides protection for those facing the additional cost of disability and long term health conditions.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 07/10/2019 11:34:07 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4516 label Biography information for Heidi Allen

1147079

registered interest
date	30/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Access to Work Programme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training on the Access to Work scheme is provided to work coaches or advisors who support disabled young people receiving employment and support allowance.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	292168
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2019 answer text <p>Work Coaches are supported by Disability Employment Advisers (DEA’s) who provide coaching and mentoring to Work Coaches on disability issues. Technical learning for DEA’s includes a workshop on Provision and Support for claimants with a disability, this learning covers the Access to Work Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The topic of the Access to Work scheme is covered in a number of learning products for Access to Work advisors who support applicants, some of whom may be in receipt of ESA, through the Access to Work process. This learning includes an Access to Work Workshop. There is also an Access to Work Disability Awareness Workbook which details how Access to Work can help a disabled person.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, each member of staff in the DWP, including work coaches, has regular performance conversations with their line manager. These conversations include identifying any learning needs particular to their role, including Access to Work if appropriate.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 08/10/2019 10:50:21 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1147144

registered interest
date	30/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Department for Work and Pensions: Chief Scientific Advisers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many meetings she had with her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June to 31 August 2019.
tabling member constituency	North Norfolk
tabling member printed	Norman Lamb
uin	292142
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2019 answer text <p>There were no meetings between the Secretary of State and her Departments Chief Scientific Officer from 1 June to 31 August 2019.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 08/10/2019 09:12:43 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1439 label Biography information for Norman Lamb

1147171

registered interest
date	30/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of (a) sanctions and (b) conditionality on the (i) health and well-being of claimants and (ii) the ability of claimants to enter employment.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
uin	292336
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>Evidence from international studies indicates that benefit systems supported by conditionality are effective at moving people into work and that sanctions are a key part of conditionality. Transitions into work typically increase following a sanction.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has committed to doing an evaluation of the effectiveness of Universal Credit sanctions at supporting claimants to search for work in response to the Work and Pensions Select Committee’s report on benefit sanctions. The Department will look to publish this by the end of 2019.</p><p> </p><p>With regards to health and well-being, the Department has not made such assessment. We engage at a personal and individual level with all claimants; Legislation already enables work coaches to tailor conditionality, apply easements, set ‘voluntary’ work-related requirements (therefore, there is no risk of a sanction) or even switch off work-related requirements altogether where it is more appropriate for the individual, in light of their circumstances, including health conditions or disability.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 07/10/2019 12:46:06 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones

1147173

registered interest
date	30/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effect of the roll-out of universal credit on trends in the level of referrals to food banks.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
uin	292337
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>The Department does not keep official statistics on food bank use, so no such assessment has been completed. Some food aid providers produce statistics on the number of food parcels distributed, but the Government has no plans to require individual food banks to keep records as this would place a significant burden on charitable and voluntary organisations.</p><p> </p><p>We have listened to feedback on how we can improve Universal Credit to support our claimants and acted quickly, making improvements such as extending advances, removing waiting days, and introducing housing benefit run on. These changes are giving support to vulnerable people who need it most, whilst at the same time helping people get into work faster.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 13:29:48 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones

1147174

registered interest
date	30/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Poverty: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of child poverty.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
uin	292338
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>National statistics on the number of children in relative and absolute low income are set out in the annual &quot;Households Below Average Income&quot; publication available here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/789816/hbai-2017-2018-tables-ods-files.zip" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/789816/hbai-2017-2018-tables-ods-files.zip</a></p><p> </p><p>In the latest low income statistics, the number of children in low income increased in three of the four measures.</p><p> </p><p>Since 2009/2010 there has been a 1 percentage point reduction in child poverty on an absolute before housing cost (BHC) basis.</p><p> </p><p>The evidence shows that work is the best route out of poverty and there are 730,000 fewer children in workless households compared with 2010.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 13:09:50 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones