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1550128

registered interest
date	08/12/2022
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	Statutory Sick Pay
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many people are currently receiving statutory sick pay; how many people are eligible to receive only statutory sick pay when unwell; and how many people earn less than the lower earnings threshold, making them ineligible for statutory sick pay.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of London
uin	HL4157
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2022 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>Statutory Sick Pay is administered and paid by employers, so this information is not held by the Government. Therefore, we are not able to make a robust assessment on the number of people who are currently receiving SSP.</p><p> </p><p>There is information on the type of sick pay usually paid from surveys of employers and employees. The most recent of these are a survey of employers conducted in 2018 (most recent publication in 2021) and a survey of employees conducted in 2014 (published in 2015). Links to both surveys can be found below:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sickness-absence-and-health-in-the-workplace-understanding-employer-behaviour-and-practice" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sickness-absence-and-health-in-the-workplace-understanding-employer-behaviour-and-practice</a></li></ul><p> </p><ul><li><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/447127/rr901-health-and-wellbeing-at-work.pdf" target="_blank">Health and wellbeing at work: a survey of employees, 2014 (publishing.service.gov.uk) </a></li></ul><p><strong> </strong></p><p>As set out in the 2019 “Health is Everyone’s Business” consultation, it was estimated that there were around 2 million employees who earned below the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) and were therefore ineligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 14/12/2022 12:30:03 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4696 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of London

1549165

registered interest
date	06/12/2022
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	Regional Planning and Development
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the the report by the North East Child Poverty Commission report Getting the building blocks wrong: Early childhood poverty in the North East, published on 12 October, what assessment they have made of the merits of undertaking levelling up impact assessments of all major government policy and spending decisions, including those taken by the Department for Work and Pensions.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Durham
uin	HL4052
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2022 answer text <p>No assessment has been made.</p><p> </p><p>However, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has set 12 ambitious levelling up ‘missions’ to anchor ambition and provide clarity over the objectives of public policy for the next decade. These include missions on skills and living standards.</p><p> </p><p>Missions will deliver real change to peoples’ lives by improving living standards by spreading opportunities and enhancing economic growth, restoring local pride, spreading opportunity and empowering local leaders across the country.</p><p> </p><p>Missions will also serve as an anchor for the private sector and civil society. This policy stability and consistency will unleash innovation, investment and collaboration.</p><p> </p><p>To ensure transparency and accountability, the missions are specific and measurable, and are supported by a set of metrics.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will report on progress towards delivering the missions through an annual report laid before Parliament. The obligation to publish the annual report will be established in statute, creating a regular point for Parliament and the public to debate and scrutinise progress towards levelling up.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 19/12/2022 15:17:59 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4312 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Durham

1547518

registered interest
date	01/12/2022
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 Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment: Cost of Living Payments
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of people in receipt of (1) Disability Living Allowance (DLA), or (2) Personal Independence Payment (PIP), who are not eligible for the Cost of Living Payment; and what plans they have to provide assistance to those affected.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL3931
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2022 answer text <p>Of those claimants in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in England and Wales in May 2022 (the most recent data available), 220 were not eligible for a Disability Cost of Living Payment (DCoLP), as they had claimed the benefit after the 25<sup>th</sup> May 2022 deadline. A further 3,020 may not have been eligible as they had their DLA suspended in May. Some of these claimants may have been partially suspended and so would be eligible for a payment.</p><p> </p><p>Of those claimants in receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in England and Wales in July 2022 (the most recent data available), 2,260 were not eligible for a DCoLP, as they had claimed the benefit after the 25<sup>th</sup> May 2022 deadline. A further 43,290 claimants may not have been eligible as they had their PIP suspended on the 25<sup>th</sup> May 2022. This figure includes claimants who were only partially suspended and so would be eligible for a payment.</p><p> </p><p>There is a range of support available to claimants.</p><p> </p><p>DLA and PIP claimants are paid at up to £159.60 per week and we are forecast to spend £24bn on PIP and DLA this year.</p><p> </p><p>The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living, which is why, in addition to the £37 billion of support we have provided for cost of living pressures in 2022-23, we are acting now to ensure support continues throughout 2023/24.</p><p> </p><p>To ensure stability and certainty for households, in the Autumn Statement, the Government has announced £26bn in cost of living support for 2023/24. From April 2023 we are uprating benefits for working age households and disabled people, including DLA and PIP, as well as the basic and new State Pensions, by 10.1%. In order to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions, the benefit cap will also be increased by 10.1%. Alongside further Cost of Living Payments for the most vulnerable, the amended Energy Price Guarantee which will also save the average UK household £500 in 2023-24.</p><p> </p><p>For those who require extra support, the Government is providing an additional £1 billion of funding, including Barnett impact, to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund in England in the next financial year. This is on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing total funding to £2.5 billion. In England, this will be delivered through an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £842 million, running from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, which local authorities will use to help households with the cost of essentials. It will be for the devolved administrations to decide how to allocate their additional Barnett funding.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Notes:</strong></p><p><strong>Source:</strong> PIP Atomic Data Store (ADS), National Statistics Frozen Dataset</p><ul><li>This is unpublished data. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.</li><li>The PIP data provided reflects the position on suspensions as recorded on the PIP analytical data system as at 5<sup>th</sup> December 2022. This is subject to revision as the Department receives more information about a claimant’s situation.</li><li>The DLA data provided reflects the position on suspensions as recorded on the DLA analytical data system as at 31<sup>st</sup> May 2022. This is subject to revision as the Department receives more information about a claimant’s situation.</li><li>Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.</li><li>Figures include England and Wales only.</li></ul><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 14/12/2022 12:29:31 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1547539

registered interest
date	01/12/2022
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	Cold Weather Payments
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 16 November (HL3212), why they have kept the £25 Cold Weather Payment amount the same; and what plans they have to increase it in light of the increasing cost of energy bills.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL3952
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2022 answer text <p>There are currently no plans to increase payment of the Cold Weather Payment scheme. The current Cold Weather Payment scheme represents a contribution towards additional heating costs, paid at the time of need.</p><p> </p><p>Pensioner households are in the process of receiving an extra £300 on top of their winter fuel payment to help them cover the rising cost of energy this winter. For those in receipt of Pension Credit the second Cost of Living Payment of £324 was issued in November. Pensioners in receipt of eligible disability benefits will have also received the disability cost of living payment of £150 issued in September.</p><p> </p><p>The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and that pensioners are disproportionately impacted by higher energy costs, and many low-income pensioner households do not claim the means tested benefits they are entitled to. That is why, in addition to the £37 billion of support we have provided for cost of living pressures in 2022/23, we are acting now to ensure support continues throughout 2023/24.</p><p> </p><p>To ensure stability and certainty for households, in the Autumn Statement the Government has announced £26 billion in cost of living support for 2023/24. In 2023/24, households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to a further £900 in Cost of Living Payments. A £300 payment will be made to pensioner households and individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits will receive a £150 payment. Also included is the amended Energy Price Guarantee which will save the average UK household £500 in 2023/24 and raising the benefit cap by 10.1% in line with inflation.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 14/12/2022 12:28:26 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1547546

registered interest
date	01/12/2022
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	Office for Budget Responsibility: Vacancies
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to forecasts by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) regarding vacancies in the labour market, what assessment they have made of the level of vacancies in relation to unemployment.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL3959
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2022 answer text <p>Unemployment is falling and the number of people on payroll is at record levels.</p><p> </p><p>The DWP uses ONS data, which shows unemployment to vacancy ratio for Jul-Sep 2022 is 1, meaning that there is approximately one unemployed person for every vacancy in the UK. This ratio is unchanged on the quarter, and down 0.3 on the year- a result of falling unemployment and rising vacancies over the last year. This ratio is at a near record low level, and we will continue to monitor these figures going forward. The Department for Work and Pensions aims to help people move into work across the country, to help employers fill vacant posts to fulfil people’s potential and ensure employers can access the skills and talent they need for the future.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 15/12/2022 16:04:32 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1547143

registered interest
date	30/11/2022
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	Migrants: Cost of Living
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 8 November (HL2809), what support is available to individuals subject to No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) conditions as part of their total cost of living package of £37 billion this year, but excluding the Energy Bills Support Scheme.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Durham
uin	HL3888
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2022 answer text <p>In addition to the Government supporting those in receipt of public fund benefits with cost-of-living payments, the package also includes a range of measures that those with no recourse to public funds could also benefit from, if they meet the eligibility criteria.</p><p> </p><p>This would include an increase to the National Living Wage (NLW) by 9.7% to £10.42 an hour for workers aged 23 and over, from 1 April 2023 for those individuals who have a right to work. In addition, the Government’s commitment to the triple lock will see an increase from April 2023 of 10.1% to their State Pension.</p><p> </p><p>For those who require extra support, the government is providing an additional £1bn to help with the cost of household essentials, for the 2023-24 financial year, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing total funding for this support to £2.5 billion.</p><p> </p><p>In England this includes an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £842m, running from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. Guidance and individual Local Authority indicative allocations for this further extension will be announced in due course. Devolved administrations will receive £158 million through the Barnett formula.</p><p> </p><p>Local Authorities can provide a basic safety net support to an individual, regardless of their immigration status, if there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution, for example if:</p><p> </p><ul><li>there are community care needs</li><li>they have serious health problems</li><li>there is a risk to a child’s wellbeing</li></ul><p> </p><p>Local Authorities must use their judgement to decide what legal powers and funding can be used to support individuals who are ineligible for public funds or statutory housing assistance.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 14/12/2022 11:58:04 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4312 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Durham

1547182

registered interest
date	30/11/2022
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 22 November (HL3269), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what are the (1) average, and (2) longest, delays being experienced by pensioners applying for pension credit for applications made (a) in late April, and (b) subsequently.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL3880
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2022 answer text <p>DWP does not maintain data for the longest time taken to process Pension Credit applications. This information is only available at disproportionate cost to the Department for Work &amp; Pensions as the Department does not have a business requirement for this information to be retained.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>We are processing claims as quickly as possible and streamlining our processes, as well as increasing our staffing resources, which has resulted in the outstanding claims reducing considerably. We expect the clearance of claims to reduce as outstanding claims are cleared.</p><p> </p><p>All successful claims and arrears are paid accordingly to ensure no one misses out.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 13/12/2022 15:23:02 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1546221

registered interest
date	28/11/2022
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: Deductions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 27 October (HL2434), on what basis a 70 per cent completion rate has been determined as a necessary criterion for publication of  data; and whether they will deposit a copy of the guidance or document specifying a requirement for a 70 per cent completion rate threshold to be met before data are published in the Library of the House.
tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
uin	HL3809
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2022 answer text <p>Details of the plan for the publication of ethnicity data for Universal Credit claimants can be found under the heading of ‘Ethnicity for Universal Credit claimants’ in the background information section of the ‘Universal Credit Statistics Background Information &amp; Methodology’ document on the GOV.UK website which can be accessed in the Library of the House.</p><p> </p><p>For reporting on and interpreting non-mandatory self-declared diversity fields, the minimum threshold set by the Department for Work and Pensions is a completion rate of 70%. The level of non-completion represents both the level of uncertainty around the figures and also means the likelihood of responder bias is more prominent. The effect of responder bias could be quite substantial, yet unquantifiable. Therefore, any attempt to infer meaning from these figures until they reach a minimum level of completion would likely be misleading.</p><p> </p><p>The minimum level of 70% has been determined by analysis of the completion rates for those on Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Ethnicity breakdowns have been published for JSA since August 2007, with a completion rate at the time of 90%, and for ESA since November 2008, with a completion rate of 74%. Due to this the threshold of 70% was chosen as the minimum level required before publication can be considered. Once the minimum threshold is achieved analysis will be performed to check the data is of sufficient quality to publish.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, work is on-going to improve the completion rate. The approach to capturing ethnicity information is being addressed to ensure that claimants are supported in providing the information. Claimants can be reassured that ethnicity information is used solely for statistical purposes in an aggregate fashion, non-attributable to individuals</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 12/12/2022 16:22:53 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1545535

registered interest
date	24/11/2022
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the roll-out of changes to social security benefits.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL3779
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2022 answer text <p>Movement of legacy benefit recipients to Universal Credit (UC) started in May 2022, with the first 500 notices taking place in Bolton and Medway. Since then, the Discovery Phase of Move to UC issued over 1500 Migration Notices across 5 geographical areas including Truro &amp; Falmouth, Harrow, Northumberland, and Cornwall.</p><p> </p><p>By the end of 2024 we estimate nearly 90% of households claiming working age means tested benefits will be on UC.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 08/12/2022 14:44:00 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1545545

registered interest
date	24/11/2022
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	Pensions: Insolvency
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take in response to representations made to them by the Pensioners Action Group on behalf of persons now of pensionable age whose sponsoring companies closed in the 1990s through insolvency and who consequently suffered substantial pension losses.
tabling member printed	Lord Wigley
uin	HL3789
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2022 answer text <p>The taxpayer funded Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) has been operational since 2005. It was set up to award financial assistance to members of eligible defined benefit pension schemes which started to wind up underfunded between 1 January 1997 and 5 April 2005. Since it was established, the FAS has been extended and improved several times, making the financial help more generous and encompassing more schemes and members. Therefore, the Government does not intend to take any steps in response to the Pensions Action Group.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 08/12/2022 14:44:16 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	547 label Biography information for Lord Wigley