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1602049

	registered interest
	date	07/03/2023
	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: Multiple Sclerosis
	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 his Department has made of the adequacy of the process of applying for Personal Independence Payments for people with multiple sclerosis.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	160442
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2023 answer text <p>No such assessment has been made; however, the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) application process is kept under continual review to ensure all claimants can access the service.</p><p> </p><p>As a result, we have introduced a number of measures, which include: Relay UK, which provides a service if a claimant cannot hear or speak on the telephone, as well as dial-in for third parties on phone calls. We have also reworded the PIP2 questionnaire to improve clarity and introduced a digital PIP2 and evidence upload function, making it possible to claim for PIP without leaving the home. We have also expanded the assessment methods to include telephone and video, while introducing recording by request for telephone and face-to-face appointments.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants are also kept informed and updated at each stage of the process, through our improved text message service.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 13/03/2023 11:41:06 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1562991

	registered interest
	date	19/12/2022
	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	Social Security Benefits: Cancer
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to take steps to compensate people on benefits who have been diagnosed with cancer, in the context of the cost of living crisis.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	113448
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/01/2023 answer text <p>While there are no plans to compensate people on benefits who have been diagnosed with cancer specifically, the department is providing additional financial support to those who qualify for health and disability related benefits during the cost of living emergency.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and has taken further decisive action to support people with their energy bills. The Government’s Energy Price Guarantee, running from October 2022- March 2023, will save a typical British household around £900 this winter, based on what the energy price would have been under the current price cap – reducing bills by roughly a third. This is in addition to the over £37bn of cost of living support announced earlier this year, which includes the £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households provided through the Energy Bills Support Scheme.</p><p /><p>In 2023/24, the Government is protecting the most vulnerable in society, many of whom face the biggest challenge making their incomes stretch, by increasing benefits in line with inflation. This means that they will rise by September Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation – 10.1%. Uprating working age and disability benefits will cost £11bn next year. More than 10 million working age families will see their benefit payments rise from April 2023.</p><p> </p><p>To ensure stability and certainty for households, the Government is providing £26bn in cost of living support for 2023/24. This includes Cost of Living Payments for the most vulnerable. In 2023/24, households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to a further £900 in Cost of Living Payments. Individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits will also receive a £150 payment. Also included is the amended Energy Price Guarantee which will 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 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> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 09/01/2023 13:00:22 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1535935

	registered interest
	date	25/10/2022
	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	Carer's Allowance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing a top-up payment to unpaid carers who are in receipt of Carer's Allowance, reflecting the supplementary and one-off payments received by unpaid carers in Scotland and Wales.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	71062
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2022 answer text <p>Carer’s Allowance is a devolved benefit under the Scotland Act 2016. The Scottish Government pays a Supplement to all its recipients, regardless of their means.</p><p> </p><p>The payment made by the Welsh Government was part of the discretionary local welfare support offered under the Government of Wales Act 2006. It, similarly, was made regardless of means.</p><p> </p><p>The UK Government takes a different approach and directs more of its financial support across Great Britain towards unpaid carers on the lowest incomes. For example, unpaid carers in receipt of Universal Credit can receive an additional £2,000 a year through the Carer Element, helping ensure this support goes to those most in need. The UK Government has therefore made no assessment relating to a top up payment to all recipients of Carer’s Allowance regardless of their means.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 71063 question first answered 01/11/2022 15:17:29 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1535937

	registered interest
	date	25/10/2022
	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	Carers: Cost of Living
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the cost of providing a one-off top-up payment of £500 to unpaid carers, who are in receipt of Carer's Allowance, to support them through the cost-of-living crisis.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	71063
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2022 answer text <p>Carer’s Allowance is a devolved benefit under the Scotland Act 2016. The Scottish Government pays a Supplement to all its recipients, regardless of their means.</p><p> </p><p>The payment made by the Welsh Government was part of the discretionary local welfare support offered under the Government of Wales Act 2006. It, similarly, was made regardless of means.</p><p> </p><p>The UK Government takes a different approach and directs more of its financial support across Great Britain towards unpaid carers on the lowest incomes. For example, unpaid carers in receipt of Universal Credit can receive an additional £2,000 a year through the Carer Element, helping ensure this support goes to those most in need. The UK Government has therefore made no assessment relating to a top up payment to all recipients of Carer’s Allowance regardless of their means.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 71062 question first answered 01/11/2022 15:17:29 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1540860

	registered interest
	date	08/11/2022
	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: Terminal Illnesses
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	"To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the provisions of the Social Security (Special Rules for End of Life) Act 2022 enabling people who are thought to be in the final year of their life to receive fast-tracked access to disability benefits such as Personal Independent Payments will come into effect.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	82293
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2022 answer text <p>The Social Security (Special Rules for End of Life) Bill received Royal Assent on 25<sup>th</sup> October 2022 and the Government will implement it as soon as is practicable.</p><p>The Act will enable people who are thought to be in the final year of their life to get fast-tracked access to Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Attendance Allowance (AA). Similar changes were made to the definition of end of life used in Universal Credit and Employment Support Allowance in April 2022.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 14/11/2022 14:49:38 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1607860

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2023
	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	Cost of Living Payments: Visual Impairment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support (a) visually impaired children and (b) their families with the cost of living.
	tabling member constituency	Nottingham North
	tabling member printed	Alex Norris
	uin	174416
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/03/2023 answer text <p>The Government understands the pressures people, including families with a disabled child or children, are facing with the cost of living. Children with a visual impairment may be entitled to Disability Living Allowance (DLA), which is a contribution towards the extra costs associated with being disabled. Recipients are free to choose how they spend DLA, and there is no requirement for them to use it for any particular purpose. Entitlement to DLA depends on the effects that a disability or health condition has on a child’s life and not on a particular disability or diagnosis.</p><p> </p><p>DLA can passport families to a range of additional support including:</p><p>o Child disability additions paid within income related benefits;</p><p>o Carer’s Allowance for an informal carer;</p><p>o The Motability vehicle scheme; and</p><p>o The Blue Badge scheme.</p><p> </p><p>DLA also exempts the eligible household from the Benefit Cap.</p><p> </p><p>In April, we are uprating benefit rates and State Pensions by 10.1%. In order to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions, the benefit cap levels are also increasing by the same amount.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, for 2023/24, households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to £900 in Cost of Living Payments. This will be split into three payments across the 2023/24 financial year, with the first payment of £301 being made between 25 April and 17 May. A separate £150 payment will be made to individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits, including DLA, in the summer. Further to this, the Energy Price Guarantee will be extended from April 2023 until the end of March 2024, meaning a typical household bill will be around £3,000 per year in Great Britain.</p><p> </p><p>The Household Support Fund will continue until March 2024. This year long extension allows local authorities in England to continue to provide discretionary support to those most in need with the significantly rising cost of living. The guidance for local authorities for this next iteration has now been published and can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/household-support-fund-guidance-for-local-councils/1-april-2023-to-31-march-2024-household-support-fund-guidance-for-county-councils-and-unitary-authorities-in-england" target="_blank">1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024: Household Support Fund guidance for county councils and unitary authorities in England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>. The devolved administrations will receive consequential funding as usual to spend at their discretion.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 30/03/2023 11:33:18 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4641 label Biography information for Alex Norris

1627680

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2023
	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 History Month
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is taking steps to promote UK Disability History Month.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
	tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
	uin	185089
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2023 answer text <p>Disability History Month will run from November 16th - December 16th in 2023. The Disability Unit is currently developing plans to mark the month.</p><p>To mark the month in 2022, we used a range of social media posts to celebrate individuals and their contribution to the advancement of rights for disabled people. We anticipate that we will take a similar approach this year.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 23/05/2023 09:57:14 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1611638

	registered interest
	date	18/04/2023
	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: Autism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help people receive updated autism assessments for use in Personal Independence Payment applications; whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating a system for people to formally register an autism diagnosis for use in future Personal Independence Payment applications; and whether his Department is taking steps to provide financial support to people with autism who do not qualify for Personal Independence Payments.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
	tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
	uin	181182
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2023 answer text <p>Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is intended to act as a contribution towards the extra costs that arise from needs related to a long-term health condition or disability. Entitlement is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from the health condition or disability, rather than a diagnosis of the health condition or disability itself. Any information that a claimant wishes to submit in support of their claim can be considered where that would help establish the needs arising, including an autism assessment. We have no plans to change these arrangements.</p><p> </p><p>Someone with autism who does not qualify for PIP may be entitled to other forms of financial support such as Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 26/04/2023 11:21:08 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1656879

	registered interest
	date	01/09/2023
	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: Parkinson's Disease
	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 he has made of the adequacy of the training provided to Personal Independence Payment assessors on helping claimants with Parkinson's disease.
	tabling member constituency	Rother Valley
	tabling member printed	Alexander Stafford
	uin	197201
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2023 answer text <p>Health Professionals (HPs) receive comprehensive training in assessing functional capability relating to physical and mental health conditions, including Parkinson's disease. Condition specific information on Parkinson’s disease is also available to HPs, which has been quality assured by relevant external experts.</p><p>Assessment quality is a priority for both providers and the department. The department works extensively with providers to make improvements to guidance, training, and audit procedures, to ensure a high standard is always maintained. The independent audit function continually monitors performance and provides feedback to providers.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 07/09/2023 15:37:58 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4866 label Biography information for Alexander Stafford

1656878

	registered interest
	date	01/09/2023
	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: Parkinson's Disease
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an estimate of the underpayment rate of personal independence payments for people with Parkinson's disease.
	tabling member constituency	Rother Valley
	tabling member printed	Alexander Stafford
	uin	197200
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2023 answer text <p>No such estimate has been made. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is intended to act as a contribution towards the extra costs that arise from needs related to a long-term health condition or disability. Entitlement is assessed based on the needs arising from the health condition or disability, rather than a diagnosis of the health condition or disability itself. Any information that a claimant wishes to submit in support of their claim can be considered where that would help establish the needs arising.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 07/09/2023 15:39:37 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4866 label Biography information for Alexander Stafford