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1147772

registered interest
date	02/10/2019
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 estimate she has made of the number of (a) delays and (b) errors in universal credit awards as a result of (ii) inaccurate in Real Time Information and (iii) differences in the operating systems used by (A) her Department and (B) HMRC; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	293422
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2019 answer text <p>The Department has been working closely with HMRC since Universal Credit went live in 2013 to support and inform employers who report earnings to emphasise the importance of timely reporting via the Real Time Information (RTI) system.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC have updated their guidance to reiterate to employers the importance of reporting accurate dates and the impact on payment cycles; the Financial Secretary to the Treasury is also working closely with HMRC and employers to do this.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 08/10/2019 10:05:09 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1147776

registered interest
date	02/10/2019
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	Pensioners: EU Countries
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many UK Pensioners residing in the EU would not receive an up-rated pension after 2022-23 in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	293412
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>The Government has been clear that leaving the EU with a deal is its preferred option.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has put in place contingency plans for a range of exit scenarios. These contingencies ensure that DWP can continue to provide our vital services and that individuals will continue to be able to access DWP benefits and services on the same basis as they do now.</p><p> </p><p>In the event that the UK exits the EU without a deal we will continue to pay annual increases for UK State Pension recipients living in the EEA for a further three years, until 2022-23. We plan to negotiate an agreement with the EU to continue to pay increases in the longer term.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 07/10/2019 16:26:52 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1147781

registered interest
date	02/10/2019
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, pursuant to the Answer of 30 September to Question 290673 on Universal Credit, whether a reduction in the monthly repayments of a court fine from 40 per cent to a lower amount will return to the 40 per cent rate in the following month if a person has no other deductions attached to a universal credit claim.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	293470
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2019 answer text <p>Our deductions policy strikes a fair balance between a claimant’s need to meet their obligations and a claimant’s ability to ensure they can meet their day-to-day needs. From October 2019, deductions will be capped at 30% of a claimant’s standard allowance down from 40% to better achieve this balance.</p><p> </p><p>In the scenario outlined, if a person has no other deductions, the most that would be deducted for a court fine in the following assessment period is £108.35. This is because the maximum deduction for court fines is based on a fixed figure in regulations rather than a percentage. If the £108.35 figure were more than 30% of the claimant’s standard allowance, the deduction would be reduced to 5% of the standard allowance, ensuring the 30% cap was not exceeded. The policy was designed to deduct either the minimum or maximum set out in regulations and avoid inconsistencies that may arise if discretion was to be exercised for each claimant’s deduction.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 08/10/2019 09:55:53 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1147800

registered interest
date	02/10/2019
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: 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 assessment she has made of the potential merits of coordinating assessments for claimants applying for universal credit and personal independence payments.
tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
tabling member printed	Martyn Day
uin	293652
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2019 answer text <p>In responses to the 2016 Improving Lives: Work, Health and Disability Green Paper consultation and through several other forums, stakeholders have raised concerns about the feeling of duplication across the current assessment processes. We have therefore been exploring options to reduce this, and make improvements to the customer experience. By testing the feasibility of a single assessment for Employment and Support Allowance/Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment we can seek to understand if it will improve the assessment process for our customers, and ensure that it delivers high quality and accurate outcomes. The study is being informed by existing evidence and we have been gathering views and insight from key stakeholders to understand the issues around implementing this.</p><p> </p><p>I do consider there are merits and we announced in March 2019 that we have launched the Health Transformation Programme to deliver a new integrated assessment service across all health and disability benefits. This will make the assessment process simpler, quicker, more user-friendly and more joined-up whichever benefit people are claiming. This integrated service will still be taking applications to individual benefits on a separate basis.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 08/10/2019 10:42:38 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1147801

registered interest
date	02/10/2019
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	Personal Independence Payment: Appeals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost was to her Department of personal independence payment appeals which over-turned the decision of her Department over the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
tabling member printed	Martyn Day
uin	293653
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 08/10/2019 10:55:18 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1147802

registered interest
date	02/10/2019
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: Appeals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost was to her Department of universal credit appeals which over-turned the decision of her Department over the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
tabling member printed	Martyn Day
uin	293654
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 07/10/2019 11:57:17 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1147807

registered interest
date	02/10/2019
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	Welfare Assistance Schemes: Families and Young People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department provides to local authorities to ensure the provision of (a) local welfare assistance and (b) other services to (i) families and (ii) young people in crisis.
tabling member constituency	North Cornwall
tabling member printed	Scott Mann
uin	293657
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2019 answer text <p>The Welfare Reform Act 2012 abolished Social Fund Crisis Loans and Community Grants from April 2013. The funding was passed over to local authorities in England and devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales on a non-ringfenced basis, and with no statutory duties attached.</p><p> </p><p>DWP provides a network of around 300 specialised work coaches for the cross government Troubled Families Programme. These Troubled Families Employment Advisers (TFEAs) support families across all local authority areas in England, providing tailored, one to one employment and welfare support. TFEAs also upskill local authorities and partners on employment matters.</p><p> </p><p>DWP is working with all top tier local authorities in England to help them to address parental conflict, which can harm children’s outcomes. 98% of local authorities have taken up our offer of training for frontline practitioners and support for strategic leaders, to increase local capability in addressing parental conflict.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 08/10/2019 13:24:41 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4496 label Biography information for Scott Mann

1147829

registered interest
date	02/10/2019
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: Scotland
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 she has made of the effect of the time taken for universal credit payments to be made to claimants on trends in the level of food bank use in Scotland.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
uin	293692
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2019 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><p> </p><p>Furthermore, in Scotland, the Department delivers Universal Credit Scottish choices on behalf of the Scottish Government, providing the option of Universal Credit being paid twice a month rather than monthly, and having Universal Credit housing element being paid directly to landlords.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 08/10/2019 10:07:32 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1147847

registered interest
date	02/10/2019
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that information relating to Pension Credit eligibility is accessible to people who are classed as being digitally excluded.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
uin	293694
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2019 answer text <p>There are over 1.6 million people already claiming £5.4 billion in Pension Credit but the Government wants to ensure that all pensioners eligible can claim the Pension Credit to which they are rightly entitled.</p><p> </p><p>The DWP uses a wide range of channels, in addition to <a href="http://www.gov.uk" target="_blank">www.gov.uk</a>, to communicate information about benefits to potential claimants. We target activity on engaging with people who may be eligible to benefits at pivotal stages, such as when they claim State Pension, Attendance Allowance or when they report a change in their circumstances which could result in them becoming eligible for Pension Credit. Staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres as well as DWP visiting officers are able to provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits including Pension Credit either to individuals or community groups. Staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit also provide information about Pension Credit</p><p><br> For general enquiries about Pension Credit, potential customers can telephone the freephone Pension Service helpline on 08007310469 and the easiest way to make a claim is via the freephone claim line 0800991234. Anyone wishing to make a claim by post can request a paper application form.</p><p>The Government wants to make sure that all older people receive the support they are entitled to and we therefore also welcome and encourage initiatives to promote take up of Pension Credit by national and local organisations who may often be the first place people turn to for information and help.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/10/2019 11:26:34 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1147855

registered interest
date	02/10/2019
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: Females
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate she has made of the number of women and girls living below the poverty line.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	293446
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; (HBAI) publication.</p><p> </p><p>In the latest low income statistics, the number of women (including those of pension age) and female children below the poverty line decreased in three out of four measures compared to 2009/10. In 2017/18 there were 3.8 million women in absolute poverty before housings costs, down from 3.9 million in 2009/10. In 2017/18 there were 1.2 million female children in poverty in absolute poverty before housing costs, down from 1.3 million in 2009/10.</p><p> </p><p>The above information has been sourced from the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) statistics using Stat-Xplore. Stat-Xplore can be accessed using: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html</a>.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/10/2019 12:58:16 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham