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1713008

	registered interest
	date	23/04/2024
	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, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of adjusting the minimum income floor for Universal Credit for (a) farmers and (b) other people whose income and expenditure varies during the year.
	tabling member constituency	Dunfermline and West Fife
	tabling member printed	Douglas Chapman
	uin	23204
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2024 answer text <p>The Department does not intend to assess the potential merits of adjusting the Minimum Income Floor (MIF). Relaxing or removing the MIF risks trapping customers indefinitely in very low-earning self-employment and dependency on the welfare system - a situation that is unfair to the taxpayer, and unhelpful for customers and their families.</p><p> </p><p>We are working with the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) to ensure a smooth transition from the old legacy benefits to Universal Credit, as well as providing transitional protection when applicable.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 26/04/2024 11:29:27 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
	tabling member	4402 label Biography information for Douglas Chapman

1713030

	registered interest
	date	23/04/2024
	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: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the two-child limit in Universal Credit applies to households caring for an additional child under a special guardianship order.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	23201
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2024 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>Since 6 April 2017, families can claim support for up to two children, and there may be further entitlement for other children if they were born before April 2017 or if an exception applies. One of these exceptions is any child in a household who is living long-term with friends or family who would otherwise be at risk of entering the care system, which includes a child being cared for under a Special Guardianship Order.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 26/04/2024 11:32:19 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1713134

	registered interest
	date	23/04/2024
	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	Employment: Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to page 33 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23, how many people received support from the Employment Advisers in NHS Talking Therapies programme (a) nationally and (b) by region in the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Wallasey
	tabling member printed	Dame Angela Eagle
	uin	23124
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2024 answer text <p>NHS Talking Therapies data (including on employment support) is published monthly by NHSE. There is a slight lag in the publication, so the last 12 months for which data is available is March 2023-February 2024.</p><p> </p><p>For the period March 2023-February 2024:</p><p>(a) NHSE data shows that <strong>47,280</strong> individuals started employment support in NHS Talking Therapies (this service is in England only)</p><p>(b) The following table breaks this down by NHS regions:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>NHS Commissioning Region</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Employment support starts </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>EAST OF ENGLAND</p></td><td><p>4,745</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>LONDON</p></td><td><p>7,495</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>MIDLANDS</p></td><td><p>10,240</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>NORTH EAST AND YORKSHIRE</p></td><td><p>4,205</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>NORTH WEST</p></td><td><p>3,830</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>SOUTH EAST</p></td><td><p>12,505</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>SOUTH WEST</p></td><td><p>4,260</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: <a href="https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-talking-therapies-monthly-statistics-including-employment-advisors#latest-statistics" target="_blank">NHS Talking Therapies Monthly Statistics Including Employment Advisors - NHS England Digital</a></p><p> </p><p>Caveats:</p><ul><li>Numbers above are for clients who first started employment support in the reporting period (measured by month).</li><li>The total above is aggregated from the monthly data (across 12 months), using the EA040 variable (Count_FirstESApptInMonthRefs)</li><li>The Employment Advisers in NHS Talking Therapies programme is currently being rolled out across England. All NHS Talking Therapies providers in England are on track to have Employment Advisers in post during 2024/25. This may account for some of the regional differences noted above.</li></ul> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 26/04/2024 13:58:08 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1713135

	registered interest
	date	23/04/2024
	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	Employment: Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to page 33 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts, what proportion of Jobcentres provide access to the Employment Advisers in NHS Talking Therapies programme as of 23 April 2024.
	tabling member constituency	Wallasey
	tabling member printed	Dame Angela Eagle
	uin	23125
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2024 answer text <p>As well as providing employment support, Jobcentre Work Coaches can signpost to NHS Talking Therapies, which can be accessed via self-referral.</p><p> </p><p>Jobcentres do not provide direct access to Employment Advisers in NHS Talking Therapies.</p><p> </p><p>Employment Advisers and Work Coaches often work together to support NHS Talking Therapies clients - who are in contact with JCP - to find work, return to work from sick leave and remain in work.</p><p> </p><p>The Employment Advisers in NHS Talking Therapies programme is currently being rolled out across England. All NHS Talking Therapies providers in England are on track to have Employment Advisers in post during 2024/25.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 26/04/2024 11:34:50 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1713137

	registered interest
	date	23/04/2024
	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	Work and Health Programme: Disability
	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 held discussions with organisations representing disabled people on the disbanding of the Work and Health Programme.
	tabling member constituency	Wallasey
	tabling member printed	Dame Angela Eagle
	uin	23126
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2024 answer text <p>Stakeholder engagement has been a key part of the design processes for the range of new programmes to enhance employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions being funded through the Back to Work Plan announced at Spring Budget and Autumn Statement 2023 – including Universal Support.</p><p> </p><p>This has included a range of organisations representing the types of people who are eligible for the current Work and Health Programme. We will continue to engage with relevant organisations as the planning for and roll out of these new and expanded programmes progresses.</p><p> </p><p>Any further announcements regarding the Work and Health Programme will be made in due course.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 26/04/2024 13:58:12 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1713138

	registered interest
	date	23/04/2024
	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	Employment Schemes: Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff in his Department were working on programmes supporting disabled people into work as of 23 April (a) 2010 and (b) 2024.
	tabling member constituency	Wallasey
	tabling member printed	Dame Angela Eagle
	uin	23127
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2024 answer text <p>The Department does not hold this information centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.</p><p> </p><p>Improving the lives of disabled people is a priority for this Government. This includes supporting more disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work. In recognition of this, the Joint DWP and DHSC Work &amp; Health Directorate was set up in 2015 in recognition of the significant link between work and health and to reflect the shared agenda of boosting employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions. This not only benefits people’s health and wealth, but also the UK economy through increased productivity and reduced economic inactivity.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 26/04/2024 11:38:34 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1713140

	registered interest
	date	23/04/2024
	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	Unemployment: Chronic Illnesses
	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 a comparative estimate of the number of people who were economically inactive and waiting for NHS treatment by (a) nation and (b) region as of (i) 23 April 2010 and (ii) 23 April 2024.
	tabling member constituency	Wallasey
	tabling member printed	Dame Angela Eagle
	uin	23128
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2024 answer text <p>The information available on the number of people who were economically inactive and waiting for NHS treatment is given below.</p><p> </p><p>The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published waiting times for a hospital appointment, test or to start receiving treatment through the NHS for those who are economically inactive as part of the Opinions and Lifestyles Survey. This data is available for Great Britain and is not available at lower-level geographies and the earliest available data is for 22 November to 18 December 2022 therefore a comparison with 2010 at a national and regional level cannot be made.</p><p> </p><p>The latest Opinions and Lifestyle Survey data shows that the number of economically inactive adults aged 16 years and over in Great Britain is 6.9 million, excluding those who are retired (18 October 2023 to 1 January 2024). Economically inactive adults will, for example, include adults who are studying, have caring responsibilities or are long-term sick. Of this population, between 2.1 million (30%) and 2.6 million (38%) are currently waiting for a hospital appointment, test, or to start receiving medical treatment through the NHS.</p><p> </p><p>Data source: <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/datasets/theimpactofwinterpressuresondifferentpopulationgroupsingreatbritainnhswaitinglists" target="_blank">The impact of winter pressures on different population groups in Great Britain: NHS waiting lists (18 October 2023 to 1 January 2024)</a></p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 26/04/2024 13:54:58 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1712679

	registered interest
	date	22/04/2024
	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	Employment: Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department it taking to help ensure that disabled people have access to reasonable adjustments in the workplace.
	tabling member constituency	Battersea
	tabling member printed	Marsha De Cordova
	uin	23028
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>All employers have a duty under the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents" target="_blank">Equality Act 2010</a> to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ in the workplace where a disabled person would otherwise be put at a substantial disadvantage compared with their colleagues. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Equality Act and providing guidance on reasonable adjustments.</p><p> </p><p>For disabled people who require adjustments which are beyond reasonable adjustments, Access to Work (AtW) can provide a grant for the disability related extra costs of working a disabled employee may face. To support employers an AtW case manager will contact the customer’s employer ahead of making an AtW award to offer advice on reasonable adjustments an employer can provide and the support available under the AtW scheme.</p><p> </p><p>DWP has worked with stakeholders to develop a series of Adjustments Passports and Planners to support disabled people, and those with a health condition, with the transitions into employment and between jobs. The Adjustments Passport and Planners provide individuals with an up to date document of their adjustments and working requirements and empower the holder to have more structured conversations about their disability with their employer. They also raise awareness of Access to Work, and where an application is made, help to reduce the need for another assessment, enabling support to be put in place more quickly.</p><p>The Disability Confident scheme provides employers with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to attract, recruit, retain and develop disabled people in the workplace. When an employer signs-up to the Disability Confident scheme, they agree to commitments which include anticipating and providing reasonable adjustments as required. They also agree to support any existing employee who acquires a disability or long-term health condition, enabling them to stay in work. The scheme provides resources for members including the recently published <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disability-confident-and-cipd-guide-for-line-managers-on-employing-people-with-a-disability-or-health-condition" target="_blank">Disability Confident Manager’s Guide</a> which explains how managers can make and review reasonable adjustments, consider flexible working, and includes examples of other types of adjustments.</p><p>As part of the government's response to the Health is Everyone’s Business Consultation, DWP has developed a digital service for employers, offering tailored guidance on health and disability. The service is called <a href="https://www.support-with-employee-health-and-disability.dwp.gov.uk/support-with-employee-health-and-disability" target="_blank">Support with Employee Health and Disability</a> and is live across GB, testing very well with employers. Developed with small and medium enterprise (SME) employers, using user centred design principles, the service offers a simple, interactive and highly usable resource which helps employers to feel more confident having conversations about health and disability, as well as understanding and fulfilling their legal obligations on topics such as reasonable adjustments, and signposting to sources of expert support.</p><p>The fit note includes an option to allow a healthcare professional to indicate that a patient ‘may be fit for work subject to the following advice’ and provide general details of the functional effect of the individual’s condition and recommend common types of workplace adjustments. However, over 10 million fit notes each year are issued in England without any such advice, resulting in a missed opportunity to help people get the appropriate support they may need to remain in work.</p><p>That is why we announced funding in the 2023 Autumn Statement to test new ways of providing individuals receiving a fit note with tailored support, including referral to support through their local WorkWell service pilot. To support this, we launched a Call for Evidence to seek views on how the current fit note process works and the support required to facilitate meaningful work and health conversations and help people start, stay and succeed in work.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 25/04/2024 09:52:00 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4676 label Biography information for Marsha De Cordova

1712680

	registered interest
	date	22/04/2024
	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	Medical Certificates
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Prime Minister’s speech on welfare of 19 April 2024, who the specialist work and health professionals are that will be responsible for issuing fit notes.
	tabling member constituency	Battersea
	tabling member printed	Marsha De Cordova
	uin	23029
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>The trailblazers announced at Autumn Statement 2023 will be delivered in NHS Integrated Care Systems and fit notes will continue to be issued by the registered healthcare professionals working within the NHS who are specified in legislation – Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists.</p><p> </p><p>Our ambition is to co-develop a new fit note process delivered through multi-disciplinary teams, bringing together the issuing of fit notes with health and work advice to support people who are at risk of falling out of work or who have already fallen out of work due to ill health.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 25/04/2024 09:54:37 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4676 label Biography information for Marsha De Cordova

1712823

	registered interest
	date	22/04/2024
	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: Veterans
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many veterans have been identified as Universal Credit claimants since the introduction of the new DWP marker.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	22839
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2024 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) started collecting data on the Armed Forces status of Universal Credit (UC) claimants in Great Britain (GB) in April 2021. At first only new claimants were asked about their Armed Forces status. From June 2021 onwards, other UC claimants reporting changes in their work and earnings have also been able to report their status. From July 2021 onwards, UC agents have also been able to record claimants’ Armed Forces status if they are told about this via other means such as journal messages, face-to-face meetings or by telephone.</p><p> </p><p>It should be noted that Armed forces status is self-reported by claimants and is not verified by the Ministry of Defence or Office for Veterans’ Affairs. A claimant’s status can be recorded as “currently serving”, “served in the past”, “not served” or “prefer not to say”.</p><p> </p><p>By 14th March 2024, an armed forces status of “served in the past” had been recorded for approximately 110,000 claimants with UC claims for which a statement had been generated. This figure includes some people who are no longer on the UC caseload, some who had a nil payment claim and some who subsequently reported a different armed forces status, e.g. “currently serving”. It should be noted that the available data does not allow a comprehensive estimate of the total number of UC claimants who are, or have been, veterans.</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p>1. The figure provided is for Great Britain. Data is not collected on the Armed Forces status of UC claimants in Northern Ireland.</p><p>2. The figure provided has been rounded to the nearest ten thousand.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 26/04/2024 12:07:07 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe