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1242053

	registered interest
	date	09/10/2020
	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, how many pension credit claims there have been since the announcement on introducing means-testing for free TV licences for people aged over 75.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow North East
	tabling member printed	Anne McLaughlin
	uin	101291
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>The total number of Pension Credit Claims made since introduction of means testing for free TV licences for people aged over 75 from 1<sup>st</sup> August 2020 is 29,919.</p><p> </p><p><em>Extract taken from Weekly Pensions Performance Report on 28<sup>th</sup> September 2020</em></p><p><em>Source: Weekly Data from CAM (Customer Account Manager)</em></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 14/10/2020 16:45:59 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4437 label Biography information for Anne McLaughlin

1242054

	registered interest
	date	09/10/2020
	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 Department is taking to maximise uptake of pension credit.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow North East
	tabling member printed	Anne McLaughlin
	uin	101292
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>While over 1.5 million pensioners currently receive Pension Credit, the Government wants to make sure that all pensioners eligible can claim the Pension Credit to which they are rightly entitled. That is why in February this year we launched a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of Pension Credit and help dispel some of the misconceptions that people might have about Pension Credit eligibility.</p><p> </p><p>We are also continuing to work with our stakeholders all across the UK, to help spread the key messages from the campaign because we know that often the best ways to reach eligible pensioners is through trusted stakeholders working in the local community. Our online Pension Credit toolkit (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit</a>) has been updated with the recent awareness campaign materials to supplement the resources it already contains for those working with pensioners, such as guides to Pension Credit and information designed to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In May this year we also launched an online claim service for Pension Credit to supplement the existing telephone and postal claim services (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit</a>). The new online service enables pensioners to apply for Pension Credit at a time that suits them.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 14/10/2020 16:40:12 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4437 label Biography information for Anne McLaughlin

1175000

	registered interest
	date	30/01/2020
	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	State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government plans to uprate the state pension paid to people living in the EU each year in the next three years.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
	tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
	uin	10434
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2020 answer text <p>The three year State Pension up-rating guarantee was part of the Government’s no deal preparations. The Withdrawal Agreement has now been ratified.</p><p> </p><p>Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, UK state pensioners living in the EEA or Switzerland by 31 December 2020 will have their state pensions increased annually as long as they continue living there.</p><p> </p><p>Currently, the basic state pension and amounts of new state pension up to the full rate are increased in line with the “triple lock” mechanism, which ensures they will rise each year by the highest of either 2.5 per cent, the rate of price inflation or average earnings growth.</p><p> </p><p>People will get their state pensions up-rated in the EU even if they claim their pension on or after 1 January 2021, as long as they meet the UK state pension qualifying conditions and are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement.</p><p /><p>The position of those who do not fall within the scope of the Withdrawal Agreement will be covered by the future relationship with the EU, which is yet to be negotiated.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 05/02/2020 11:32:55 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1174854

	registered interest
	date	30/01/2020
	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, how many benefit claimants receive their benefits from a credit union in (a) Barnsley, (b) South Yorkshire, (c) Yorkshire and Humber and (d) England.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
	tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
	uin	10435
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 04/02/2020 17:17:45 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

1174855

	registered interest
	date	30/01/2020
	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, how much her Department has paid to credit unions to distribute to benefits claimants in (a) Barnsley, (b) South Yorkshire, (c) Yorkshire and Humber and (d) England in each year since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
	tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
	uin	10436
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>Whilst some claimants choose to have benefit payments paid into Credit Union accounts, the Department does not have a contract with Credit Unions to distribute this money. DWP does not, therefore, make any payments Credit Unions to distribute money to benefit claimants.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 04/02/2020 17:12:41 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

1175554

	registered interest
	date	03/02/2020
	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: Reciprocal Arrangements
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which nations the UK has reciprocal pensions agreements with; when those agreements were signed; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Edmonton
	tabling member printed	Kate Osamor
	uin	11556
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2020 answer text <p>The UK has reciprocal social security agreements covering pensions with the countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) listed in the table below. Social security and pension rights for people who have moved between the UK and the EEA countries and Switzerland are regulated by the EU social security coordination regulations. These regulations will remain in force until the end of the transition period, and will continue to apply after that period for individuals in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement.</p><p /><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Country</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Date of Signature</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Barbados</p></td><td><p>7 January 1992</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bermuda</p></td><td><p>13 October 1969 (London) 23 October 1969 (Hamilton)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Ireland<sup>1</sup></p></td><td><p>1 February 2019</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Israel</p></td><td><p>25 April 1957</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jamaica</p></td><td><p>12 November 1996</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mauritius</p></td><td><p>22 April 1981</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>New Zealand</p></td><td><p>1 November 1983</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>The Philippines</p></td><td><p>27 February 1985</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Turkey</p></td><td><p>9 September 1959</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>USA</p></td><td><p>13 February 1984</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Former Yugoslavia<sup>2</sup></p></td><td><p>24 May 1958</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><sup>1</sup> The agreement with Ireland maintains the social security and pensions rights associated with the Common Travel Area after the UK’s exit from the EU.</p><p><sup>2</sup> The agreement with Yugoslavia continues to be applied bilaterally, and with their consent, to the now separate republics – Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/02/2020 12:41:43 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4515 label Biography information for Kate Osamor

1175555

	registered interest
	date	03/02/2020
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Veterans
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions her Department has had with the Ministry of Defence on the effect on veterans of the freeze on pensions for UK citizens living overseas.
	tabling member constituency	Edmonton
	tabling member printed	Kate Osamor
	uin	11557
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2020 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence have not raised the issue of frozen pensions for UK citizens living overseas with the Department for Work and Pensions. Therefore, no discussions have taken place between the two departments on this issue.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/02/2020 17:17:02 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4515 label Biography information for Kate Osamor

1175556

	registered interest
	date	03/02/2020
	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: Reciprocal Arrangements
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when (a) she and (b) her officials last discussed reciprocal pensions agreements with their counterparts in (i) individual EU member states, (ii) Canada and (iii) Australia.
	tabling member constituency	Edmonton
	tabling member printed	Kate Osamor
	uin	11558
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2020 answer text <p>The Government has agreed reciprocal social security arrangements for those covered by the Withdrawal Agreement.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has made clear that it intends to discuss social security coordination in the upcoming negotiations with the EU.</p><p> </p><p>Discussions took place with Ireland in 2018 in the context of our commitment to maintain the rights associated with the Common Travel Area after the UK’s exit from the EU. This led to the signing of a reciprocal social security agreement on 1 February 2019, protecting the social security benefit and pension rights of UK and Irish nationals living and/or working in either state. The agreement will come into force on 1 January 2021.</p><p> </p><p>There have been no recent discussions with Canada and Australia on reciprocal pension agreements.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/02/2020 17:17:53 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4515 label Biography information for Kate Osamor

1176109

	registered interest
	date	04/02/2020
	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, if she will make an assessment of the potential incentive for mixed-aged couples to live alone as a result of the changes to pension credit entitlement which came into force in May 2019.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Ladywood
	tabling member printed	Shabana Mahmood
	uin	12300
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2020 answer text <p>Pension Credit is intended to provide long term support for people who have permanently retired from the labour market on grounds of age.</p><p> </p><p>The Government does not believe it is right that different labour market conditions should apply to people below State Pension age based on the age of their partner. The younger partner in a mixed age couple should have the same incentives to work and save for their own retirement as other people of the same age. Unlike Pension Credit, which in most cases allows couples to retain only £10 a week of earned income, Universal Credit provides clear incentives for people to find and progress in work. The younger partner in a mixed age couple claiming Universal Credit will get the personalised support provided by Work Coaches to help them find and progress in work where appropriate. If the younger partner is unable to work because of disability or caring requirements, additional amounts may be payable and conditionality requirements adjusted.</p><p> </p><p>No work-related requirements will be applied to the older partner and there is no effect on entitlement to, or ability to receive, a State Pension.</p><p> </p><p>This change does not apply to couples already claiming Pension Credit and/or Housing Benefit for pensioners on 14 May 2019 for as long as they remain entitled to either benefit.</p><p> </p><p>In means-tested benefits, couples in a household are treated and assessed as a single unit rather than on an individual basis. The rate for a couple is lower than the rates would be for two single people to take account of lower aggregate living expenses for a couple. There is no evidence from elsewhere in the tax-benefit system that this leads to couples separating. In developing the policy, it was judged that the strategic objective of maintaining contact with the labour market and incentives to save for retirement outweighed the risk of genuine separation, given this lack of evidence.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 12301 12302 question first answered 10/02/2020 17:47:13 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	3914 label Biography information for Shabana Mahmood

1176110

	registered interest
	date	04/02/2020
	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 additional financial support her Department provides to mixed-age couples as a result of the changes to pension credit entitlement which came into force in May 2019.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Ladywood
	tabling member printed	Shabana Mahmood
	uin	12301
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2020 answer text <p>Pension Credit is intended to provide long term support for people who have permanently retired from the labour market on grounds of age.</p><p> </p><p>The Government does not believe it is right that different labour market conditions should apply to people below State Pension age based on the age of their partner. The younger partner in a mixed age couple should have the same incentives to work and save for their own retirement as other people of the same age. Unlike Pension Credit, which in most cases allows couples to retain only £10 a week of earned income, Universal Credit provides clear incentives for people to find and progress in work. The younger partner in a mixed age couple claiming Universal Credit will get the personalised support provided by Work Coaches to help them find and progress in work where appropriate. If the younger partner is unable to work because of disability or caring requirements, additional amounts may be payable and conditionality requirements adjusted.</p><p> </p><p>No work-related requirements will be applied to the older partner and there is no effect on entitlement to, or ability to receive, a State Pension.</p><p> </p><p>This change does not apply to couples already claiming Pension Credit and/or Housing Benefit for pensioners on 14 May 2019 for as long as they remain entitled to either benefit.</p><p> </p><p>In means-tested benefits, couples in a household are treated and assessed as a single unit rather than on an individual basis. The rate for a couple is lower than the rates would be for two single people to take account of lower aggregate living expenses for a couple. There is no evidence from elsewhere in the tax-benefit system that this leads to couples separating. In developing the policy, it was judged that the strategic objective of maintaining contact with the labour market and incentives to save for retirement outweighed the risk of genuine separation, given this lack of evidence.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 12300 12302 question first answered 10/02/2020 17:47:13 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	3914 label Biography information for Shabana Mahmood