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1138406

	registered interest
	date	11/07/2019
	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: Disqualification
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants over the age of 60 in receipt of universal credit have been sanctioned in the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Ipswich
	tabling member printed	Sandy Martin
	uin	276287
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2019 answer text <p>Statistics on Universal Credit sanctions by age are published and can be found at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance for users is available at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 16/07/2019 14:52:09 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4678 label Biography information for Sandy Martin

1038329

	registered interest
	date	09/01/2019
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on benefit recipients of missed Child Maintenance Service payments where the level of benefit has been reduced due those payments being awarded.
	tabling member constituency	Ipswich
	tabling member printed	Sandy Martin
	uin	206834
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2019 answer text <p>Child Maintenance payments are fully disregarded when assessing entitlement to benefits, as such there is no effect on a person’s benefit payments when Child Maintenance payments are not made.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 11/01/2019 10:27:59 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4678 label Biography information for Sandy Martin

1038331

	registered interest
	date	09/01/2019
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of fairness of the decision by the Independent Case Examiner to close individual cases related to the state pension age for women on the basis that there is a judicial review of the way in which her Department handled those changes.
	tabling member constituency	Ipswich
	tabling member printed	Sandy Martin
	uin	206835
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2019 answer text <p>When a department and independent bodies face a legal case, they have to review whether they continue to assess claims or await determination of the legal case. This has been the policy under all governments, Labour, Coalition, and Conservative, for decades.</p><p> </p><p>The Independent Case Examiner (ICE) closed all live cases which concerned complaints about the state pension age for women (WASPI) when they became subject to legal proceedings, as is required under its governance contract. In the event the legal proceedings fall away or there is no determination on the matters which form the basis of the WASPI complaints, the ICE could consider reopening the cases at the request of the Department.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 15/01/2019 15:58:14 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4678 label Biography information for Sandy Martin

1027336

	registered interest
	date	17/12/2018
	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: Females
	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 to the public purse has been of work done so far by the Independent Case Examiner on individual cases brought on the grounds of unjust treatment of women approaching pension age which have now been closed in response to the current Judicial Review of her Department's handling of the changes to women's pension age.
	tabling member constituency	Ipswich
	tabling member printed	Sandy Martin
	uin	202846
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2018 answer text <p>Individual government departments have long established complaints procedures. That approach has not changed under Labour governments 1997-2010 or successive governments. The DWP has a two tier complaints process which considers formal complaints about our service<strong>. </strong>Once a complainant has exhausted the DWP complaint process they are signposted to the Independent Case Examiner’s Office if they are dissatisfied with the final response to their complaint. The Independent Case Examiner is independent.</p><p> </p><p>The Independent Case Examiner’s Office cost per case, which is currently £2,374, covers the whole process from receipt to investigation conclusion. The information requested relating to the total cost of work done is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 19/12/2018 16:38:55 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4678 label Biography information for Sandy Martin

1024719

	registered interest
	date	13/12/2018
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the £20 referral fee and four per cent collect and pay charge levied on people using the collect and pay service for Child Maintenance Service payments.
	tabling member constituency	Ipswich
	tabling member printed	Sandy Martin
	uin	202154
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>Fees and charges are intended to encourage separated parents to collaborate where possible to achieve the best outcome for their children. The application fee is a one-off payment of £20 and is waived for clients aged 18 or under, or those who have reported domestic abuse. The Direct Pay service does not incur any on-going collection charges. Collection charges only apply when a case is being managed in the Collect and Pay service. The four per cent charge for receiving parents is deducted only when maintenance is paid.</p><p> </p><p>On 03 August 2017, we published the outcome of a review of the impact of fees and charges. The evidence available did not indicate that charges were preventing parents from making an application, and the majority of parents found the fee affordable. Roughly half of parents stated that charges influenced their decision to try a direct pay arrangement first.</p><p> </p><p>We have no plans to abolish the application fee or charges, both of which remain central to our aim of encouraging collaboration and incentivising use of the Direct Pay service.</p><p /> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 202155 202156 202158 question first answered 17/12/2018 15:39:19 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4678 label Biography information for Sandy Martin

1024720

	registered interest
	date	13/12/2018
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the frequency with which receiving parents are required to pay the £20 referral fee or the four per cent collect and pay charge when Child Maintenance Payments have not been made.
	tabling member constituency	Ipswich
	tabling member printed	Sandy Martin
	uin	202155
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>Fees and charges are intended to encourage separated parents to collaborate where possible to achieve the best outcome for their children. The application fee is a one-off payment of £20 and is waived for clients aged 18 or under, or those who have reported domestic abuse. The Direct Pay service does not incur any on-going collection charges. Collection charges only apply when a case is being managed in the Collect and Pay service. The four per cent charge for receiving parents is deducted only when maintenance is paid.</p><p> </p><p>On 03 August 2017, we published the outcome of a review of the impact of fees and charges. The evidence available did not indicate that charges were preventing parents from making an application, and the majority of parents found the fee affordable. Roughly half of parents stated that charges influenced their decision to try a direct pay arrangement first.</p><p> </p><p>We have no plans to abolish the application fee or charges, both of which remain central to our aim of encouraging collaboration and incentivising use of the Direct Pay service.</p><p /> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 202154 202156 202158 question first answered 17/12/2018 15:39:19 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4678 label Biography information for Sandy Martin

1024722

	registered interest
	date	13/12/2018
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to abolish the (a) £20 referral fee and (b) 4 per cent collect and pay charge for Child Maintenance Service payments.
	tabling member constituency	Ipswich
	tabling member printed	Sandy Martin
	uin	202156
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>Fees and charges are intended to encourage separated parents to collaborate where possible to achieve the best outcome for their children. The application fee is a one-off payment of £20 and is waived for clients aged 18 or under, or those who have reported domestic abuse. The Direct Pay service does not incur any on-going collection charges. Collection charges only apply when a case is being managed in the Collect and Pay service. The four per cent charge for receiving parents is deducted only when maintenance is paid.</p><p> </p><p>On 03 August 2017, we published the outcome of a review of the impact of fees and charges. The evidence available did not indicate that charges were preventing parents from making an application, and the majority of parents found the fee affordable. Roughly half of parents stated that charges influenced their decision to try a direct pay arrangement first.</p><p> </p><p>We have no plans to abolish the application fee or charges, both of which remain central to our aim of encouraging collaboration and incentivising use of the Direct Pay service.</p><p /> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 202154 202155 202158 question first answered 17/12/2018 15:39:19 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4678 label Biography information for Sandy Martin

1024724

	registered interest
	date	13/12/2018
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to abolish (a) the £20 referral fee and (b) the 4 per cent collection fee charged to receiving parents who use the Child Maintenance Scheme collect and pay service.
	tabling member constituency	Ipswich
	tabling member printed	Sandy Martin
	uin	202158
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>Fees and charges are intended to encourage separated parents to collaborate where possible to achieve the best outcome for their children. The application fee is a one-off payment of £20 and is waived for clients aged 18 or under, or those who have reported domestic abuse. The Direct Pay service does not incur any on-going collection charges. Collection charges only apply when a case is being managed in the Collect and Pay service. The four per cent charge for receiving parents is deducted only when maintenance is paid.</p><p> </p><p>On 03 August 2017, we published the outcome of a review of the impact of fees and charges. The evidence available did not indicate that charges were preventing parents from making an application, and the majority of parents found the fee affordable. Roughly half of parents stated that charges influenced their decision to try a direct pay arrangement first.</p><p> </p><p>We have no plans to abolish the application fee or charges, both of which remain central to our aim of encouraging collaboration and incentivising use of the Direct Pay service.</p><p /> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 202154 202155 202156 question first answered 17/12/2018 15:39:20 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4678 label Biography information for Sandy Martin

1002625

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2018
	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: Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has taken steps to ensure that benefits claimants in financial hardship can obtain letters which are required to progress their claims from their GP without having to pay for such letters; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Ipswich
	tabling member printed	Sandy Martin
	uin	188914
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2018 answer text <p>We advise claimants not to seek additional evidence in support of their claim which they may be charged for, such as from GPs. Where an assessment provider determines that additional medical evidence from a GP could prove helpful they will request that evidence from the GP directly.</p><p> </p><p>GPs are obliged through their contract with NHS England to provide the assessment provider with medical evidence for Employment and Support Allowance free-of-charge. For Personal Independence Payment, we pay GPs a standard fee (currently £33.50) for completing a General Practitioner Factual Report.</p><p> </p><p>In the Government’s response to the Work and Pensions Select Committee report on Personal Independence Payment and Employment and Support Allowance Assessments we set out our commitment to continue improving the customer experience for both, including opportunities for better data sharing.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 15/11/2018 17:41:14 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	4678 label Biography information for Sandy Martin

1002628

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2018
	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: Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance is provided to Job Centre staff on the Equality Act 2010 duty to make reasonable adjustments to enable disabled people to progress their claims.
	tabling member constituency	Ipswich
	tabling member printed	Sandy Martin
	uin	188915
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2018 answer text <p>Comprehensive guidance for Jobcentre staff about the Equality Act 2010 is included on the Department’s intranet site ‘Equality and You – a guide for employees’. This includes advice for staff on understanding what reasonable adjustments are and why the Department has a duty to provide them for claimants who are disabled.</p><p>Where our customers advise us that they need assistance to access our services and information, we make reasonable adjustments to meet their individual needs. This means the Department communicates with customers in a variety of different formats such as Braille, audio, large print, through third party interpreters or by arranging for a member of staff to visit the customer in their home.</p><p>Service delivery teams within Jobcentres provide a professional and supportive environment for our customers, providing digital coaching, helping claimants set up their claims and also maintaining them.</p><p>Claimants who require additional support to complete a claim form have the option to book a one to one appointment with a member of the Service Delivery team to receive assistance. In addition telephony support is in place for those vulnerable claimants who cannot ‘self-serve’ online and where a claimant is unable to manage their own affairs, an appointee can act on their behalf, taking responsibility for making and maintaining any benefit claim.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 15/11/2018 17:33:55 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	4678 label Biography information for Sandy Martin