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795376

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2017
	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: Personal Savings
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	whether savings held in the name of children are taken into account in applications for universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	115797
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2017 answer text <p>Savings and other capital held in the name of children are not taken into account in the assessment of Universal Credit entitlement. As with other means tested benefits, however, there are rules to prevent claimants depriving themselves of capital in order to claim Universal Credit or increase their entitlement to Universal Credit. If claimants deprive themselves of capital by gifting the capital to their children or placing it in a child’s account, notional capital of the amount deprived may still be taken into account when assessing entitlement to Universal Credit.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 05/12/2017 15:25:13 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

792664

	registered interest
	date	20/11/2017
	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 the Department of Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2017 to Question 70208, if he will provide information on how the estimated savings from the minimum income floor for universal credit were calculated for (a) 2017-18; (b) 2018-19; (c) 2019-20; (d) 2020-21, and (e) 2021-22.
	tabling member constituency	Batley and Spen
	tabling member printed	Tracy Brabin
	uin	114591
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2017 answer text <p>The Minimum Income Floor is expected to encourage those reporting very low self-employed income to increase their earnings. Some people will respond to this by increasing their earnings from self-employment, others will look for other employment to increase their income and it is applied equally across all sectors of self-employment.</p><p> </p><p>The Minimum Income Floor is modelled using the Policy Simulation Model and Integrated Microsimulation Model (INFORM) where we apply it to the Universal Credit award calculation for the projected population of Universal Credit self-employed claimants.</p><p>The Minimum Income Floor is calculated, as per policy, based on claimants characteristics i.e. National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage (which is a function of age), tax bracket and maximum work search requirement for a given claimant type.</p><p>A more detailed modelling methodology of Universal Credit forecasts is likely to be published by Office for Budget Responsibility in 2018 as a part of their Welfare Trends Report series.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 23/11/2017 16:30:14 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4588 label Biography information for Tracy Brabin

792665

	registered interest
	date	20/11/2017
	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: Self-employed
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2017 to Question 9283, what the evidential basis is for the statement that flaws in the current system allow some self-employed claimants to receive full State support while declaring low or zero earnings.
	tabling member constituency	Batley and Spen
	tabling member printed	Tracy Brabin
	uin	114592
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2017 answer text <p>Tax Credits for the self-employed lack a strong incentive for claimants to grow their earnings and reduce their dependency on welfare. The rules for eligibility for Working Tax Credit (WTC) are set out in the Tax Credits Act 2002 and the associated regulations, in particular the Working Tax Credit (Entitlement and Maximum Rate) Regulations 2002. These do not include a requirement for those claiming WTC to increase their earnings, or to earn more than a specified amount.</p><p> </p><p>The Government introduced the strengthened self-employment test into Working Tax Credit in 2015 to address the risk of individuals continuing to claim WTC, despite not working on a commercial and with a view to a profit basis. HMRC advice on this is in the link below:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/revenue-and-customs-brief-7-2015-new-rules-for-the-self-employed-claiming-working-tax-credit/revenue-and-customs-brief-7-2015-new-rules-for-the-self-employed-claiming-working-tax-credit" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/revenue-and-customs-brief-7-2015-new-rules-for-the-self-employed-claiming-working-tax-credit/revenue-and-customs-brief-7-2015-new-rules-for-the-self-employed-claiming-working-tax-credit</a></p><p> </p><p>Historically, a high proportion of self-employed Tax Credit claimants saw little progression in their earnings over several years, including many of the lowest earners.</p><p> </p><p>Recently, HMRC and DWP have published data from a survey of self-employed tax credit claimants. These data confirm that many such claimants have low earnings and demonstrate the need to support and incentivise claimants to grow their earnings:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/self-employment-working-tax-credits-claimant-survey-and-follow-up-research" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/self-employment-working-tax-credits-claimant-survey-and-follow-up-research</a></p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 23/11/2017 16:26:25 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4588 label Biography information for Tracy Brabin

795363

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2017
	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: East Renfrewshire
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions how many residents in East Renfrewshire constituency are in receipt of universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	East Renfrewshire
	tabling member printed	Paul Masterton
	uin	115784
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2017 answer text <p>The available information on people and households on Universal Credit, by parliamentary constituency, is published and can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a>.</p><p>Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 05/12/2017 15:21:08 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4625 label Biography information for Paul Masterton

792666

	registered interest
	date	20/11/2017
	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: Self-employed
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of self-employed claimants of universal credit are (a) gainfully self-employed (b) not gainfully self-employed and (c) have not been subjected to the gainful self-employment test; and how many of those claimants have identified as (i) employed under PAYE and (ii) neither employed or self-employed.
	tabling member constituency	Batley and Spen
	tabling member printed	Tracy Brabin
	uin	114593
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2017 answer text <p>The requested information is not currently available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 23/11/2017 16:22:44 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4588 label Biography information for Tracy Brabin

620062

	registered interest
	date	24/10/2016
	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 Tax Credits
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with which organisations and on which dates his Department has discussed plans to protect survivors of rape and sexual abuse whose third child was born as a result of rape and would wish to claim tax credits in the last year.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow Central
	tabling member printed	Alison Thewliss
	uin	50010
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2016 answer text <p>The government is aware that the exceptions to the policy to limit the child element in Universal Credit and the individual element in Child Tax Credit to a maximum of two children are sensitive. We contacted a number of organisations in August 2015 and met with several of those organisations in early 2016 to discuss the exceptions. Officials have also discussed this issue between government departments and at wider DWP and HMRC stakeholder meetings.</p><p>The government launched a consultation on 21 October 2016 to seek evidence and invite views from stakeholders to inform the design of the exceptions and their implementation. All Ministers with an interest are consulted as part of the clearance process for any Government consultation. The consultation document is published online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/universal-credit-and-child-tax-credit-exceptions-to-the-2-child-limit</p><p>The consultation closes on 27 November 2016.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 50087 question first answered 01/11/2016 12:02:30 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4430 label Biography information for Alison Thewliss

754239

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2017
	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, with which housing associations his Department is working to investigate rent arrears in universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Central Ayrshire
	tabling member printed	Dr Philippa Whitford
	uin	6233
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2017 answer text <p>DWP are currently undertaking work, in conjunction with Curo Group, a housing association based in the South West, to investigate and understand the true level of rent arrears for their tenants, what is causing them and any impacts Universal Credit may be having. We will consider how nationally representative the analyses are and whether and how it should be expanded.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 6232 6234 question first answered 05/09/2017 11:05:20 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4385 label Biography information for Dr Philippa Whitford

599636

	registered interest
	date	11/10/2016
	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: Care Leavers
	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 report by the Children's Society, The cost of being care free, published in June 2016, if he will take steps to provide additional protection for care leavers to reduce the number of benefits sanctions being applied to such people.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	48112
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2016 answer text <p>Our primary goal is to help care leavers get into work wherever possible and our interventions are tailored to achieve this. Care leavers aged between 18 and 21 have the opportunity to join the Work Programme from day one of their benefit claim, so that they receive tailored, locally-appropriate employment support at the earliest opportunity. We also provide additional support, over and above the standard Jobcentre Plus offer, to young claimants, including care leavers, aged 18-24. Work Coaches tailor interventions to the needs of the individual to address a variety of barriers to work, including improving job search skills, referral to skills and other work-related training such as Traineeships, Apprenticeships and work experience.</p><p>We have safeguards in place for care leavers along with other claimants who may be considered vulnerable. Work Coaches support all claimants with complex needs, or who require additional support, to ensure that they fully understand what they have been asked to do to enable them to access DWP benefits and use our services.</p><p>Care leavers, like all claimants, take ownership of planning how they will meet their requirements and ultimately secure employment. They will be supported by their Work Coach who will assist them in meeting their requirements through providing encouragement and direction, using a range of communication methods.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 19/10/2016 16:28:47 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

573935

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2016
	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: Disqualification
	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 recommendations made by the UK Statistics Agency in August 2015, what plans his Department has to extend the range of benefit sanction data available by addressing gaps in information on repeat sanctions and hardship payments alongside the development of sanction data from the universal credit system.
	tabling member constituency	Banff and Buchan
	tabling member printed	Dr Eilidh Whiteford
	uin	44474
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2016 answer text <p>The sanctions publication strategy which details the approach being taken by DWP statisticians to improve the sanctions statistics being developed, which include the addition of Universal Credit sanction statistics, can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-sanction-statistics-publication-strategy" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-sanction-statistics-publication-strategy</a></p><p> </p><p>The latest release of sanction statistics within the Quarterly Statistical Summary: August 2016 includes an experimental monthly rate of claimants sanctioned and can be found (on page12) at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dwp-statistical-summaries-2016" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dwp-statistical-summaries-2016</a></p><p> </p><p>The related background information to support this can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/monthly-rate-of-claimants-sanctioned-background-information-and-methodology" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/monthly-rate-of-claimants-sanctioned-background-information-and-methodology</a></p><p> </p><p>Management Information data on the number of applications and awards for hardship payments were published on 18th November 2015 and can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/jsa-and-esa-hardship-applications-and-awards-apr-2012-to-jun-2015" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/jsa-and-esa-hardship-applications-and-awards-apr-2012-to-jun-2015</a></p><p> </p><p>We will consider the regularity of future publications of hardship statistics alongside our routine prioritisation of our statistical work programme.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 12/09/2016 16:36:03 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	3911 label Biography information for Dr Eilidh Whiteford

731405

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2017
	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: Children
	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 provisions relating to applications for Support for a child conceived without your consent, what his Department's policy is on the implications for third party professionals who verify that a claimant qualifies for that support in the event that the claimant's case is subsequently assessed as weak.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow Central
	tabling member printed	Alison Thewliss
	uin	29
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2017 answer text <p>The list of third party professionals for the non-consensual conception exception is published on gov.uk and the legislation enables these professionals in Scotland to provide evidence.</p><p>Approved third party professionals are those who in the course of their duties already deal with people in difficult circumstances, and are people with whom we believe it would be beneficial for the claimant to engage in order to obtain further guidance and support.</p><p>No new legal duties are placed on the third party professionals. They will not be asked to form a judgement as to whether or not the conception was non-consensual. The third party professionals are confirming only that the claimant’s circumstances are consistent with those of a person who has conceived a child in such a way. Under the legislation, this confirmation alone suffices as evidence of entitlement to the exception.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 13 18 23 24 25 question first answered 29/06/2017 11:22:52 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4430 label Biography information for Alison Thewliss