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1137502

registered interest
date	08/07/2019
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	Disability: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what specific qualifications are required to operate as a disability assessor for her Department.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff West
tabling member printed	Kevin Brennan
uin	274452
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2019 answer text <p>Health Professionals that carry out Work Capability and Personal Independence Payment assessments on behalf of the department must have the following qualifications and experience:</p><p> </p><ul><li>are an occupational therapist, nurse, physiotherapist, doctor (or paramedic - PIP only)</li><li>fully registered with the relevant licensing body (doctors must have a licence to practise)</li><li>the licensing body has not placed any sanctions on the health professional's registration</li><li>at least 2 years post full registration experience or less than 2 years post full registration experience by specific agreement with the department.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Health Professionals are subject to a rigorous recruitment process followed by a comprehensive training programme in disability assessment for both physical and mental health conditions and have to be approved by the department. Health Professionals are then required to complete a programme of continuing professional development.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 11/07/2019 14:37:59 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1400 label Biography information for Kevin Brennan

1137614

registered interest
date	08/07/2019
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	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the proportion of single room properties that were affordable for local housing allowance claimants in each region of England in (a) 2010 and (b) the most recent period for which data is available.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	274447
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>In 2010, Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates were set at the 50th percentile of local rents, so half of non-housing benefit properties in the private rented sector were available within the LHA rate.</p><p> </p><p>The proportion of non-housing benefit single room accommodation available within the LHA rate by region in England for 2018/19 are as follows:</p><p><strong> </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>East Midlands</p></td><td><p>15%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Eastern</p></td><td><p>13%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London</p></td><td><p>8%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North East</p></td><td><p>14%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>15%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South East</p></td><td><p>14%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South West</p></td><td><p>15%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>West Midlands</p></td><td><p>16%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire &amp; The Humber</p></td><td><p>21%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Note: figures are exclusive of housing benefit properties as the lettings data used to calculate the LHA is exclusive of tenancies where the claimant is in receipt of housing benefit.</p><p> </p><p>There are no current plans to extend or maintain the LHA Freeze after March 2020. Specific decisions on how to uprate the Local Housing Allowance rates from April 2020 will form part of the discussions in support of fiscal events later this year.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 11/07/2019 13:53:48 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

1137617

registered interest
date	08/07/2019
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 estimate she has made of the proportion of claimants who received advance payments (a) below the value of, (b) the same value as and (c) above the value of their first universal credit payment in the most recent month for which data is available.
tabling member constituency	Wirral West
tabling member printed	Margaret Greenwood
uin	274559
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2019 answer text <p>Claimants can access up to 100% of the total expected monthly award, for which they can pay back over a period of up to 12 months. From October 2021, this maximum repayment period will be extended from 12 to 16 months.</p><p> </p><p>The Department ensures claimants are made aware of their maximum advance entitlement and informed that their Universal Credit award will be adjusted over the relevant recovery period to take into account the advance of benefit they received.</p><p> </p><p>The available data shows that in the 12-month period up to the end of April 2019.</p><p> </p><p>(a) Around 20% of claimants take an advance which is less than 50% of their actual award value</p><p>(b) Around 75% of claimants take an advance which is between 50-100% of their actual award value</p><p>(c) Around 5% of claimants take an advance which is over 100% of their actual award value.</p><p> </p><p><em>To note on C): in a small number of cases the information provided by the claimant at the point of their new claim initially indicates a higher award than is actually applicable when the first assessment period has been completed.</em></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 11/07/2019 15:28:35 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4400 label Biography information for Margaret Greenwood

1137622

registered interest
date	08/07/2019
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, whether her Department has made an assessment of the number of applications for social security payments that are discontinued due to the death of the applicant.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
uin	274568
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 11/07/2019 14:02:03 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens

1135427

registered interest
date	27/06/2019
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	Pension Credit and Television Licences
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that those who are entitled to claim (1) pension credit, and (2) a TV licence from June 2020, but currently do not, take up those benefits.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jolly
uin	HL16748
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2019 answer text <p>In the 2015 funding settlement, the Government agreed with the BBC that responsibility for the concession would transfer to the BBC. The implementation of the licence fee and the concession from June 2020 is a matter for the BBC and TV Licensing, which are independent of Government.</p><p> </p><p>However, we expect the BBC to put in place robust plans to support those who might be affected. The BBC has said it will write to all over 75 TV licence holders advising them of how the new policy will work and when they need to act.</p><p> </p><p>Irrespective of this, the Government is committed to ensuring that older people receive the support they are entitled to and the DWP targets activity on engaging with people who may be eligible to benefits at pivotal stages, such as when they claim State Pension or report a change in their circumstances. The DWP uses a wide range of channels to communicate information about benefits to potential claimants; including information on gov.uk, in leaflets and by telephone. DWP staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit.</p><p> </p><p>Potential claimants can use the Pension Credit calculator to check if they are likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive. People wishing to claim Pension Credit can do so by calling 0800 99 1234.</p><p> </p><p>One of the best ways to reach eligible claimants is through trusted stakeholder working in the community and we have developed the Pension Credit toolkit, as an on-line tool for agencies and welfare rights organisations to use in order to encourage Pension Credit take-up.</p><p> </p><p>The toolkit contains resources for anyone working with pensioners and includes guides to Pension Credit. It also contains publicity material and guidance designed to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit and help organisations support someone applying for Pension Credit as well as ideas for encouraging take-up. The toolkit also provides links to information about disability and carers benefits.</p><p> </p><p>Most recently we have provided to relevant stakeholders a fact sheet about Pension Credit and the changes introduced on 15 May for mixed age couples to ensure that accurate information is available in the places where people are most likely to seek information.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 11/07/2019 15:00:49 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	4203 label Biography information for Baroness Jolly