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1058635

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	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	Social Security Benefits: Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	Whether her Department has plans to redesign the reassessment process for benefit recipients with severe mental or physical disabilities.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	909127
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>We are committed to assessing people with health conditions and disabilities fairly and accurately, and helping people to access the right support. We made a clear commitment in <em>Improving Lives</em>: <em>The Future of Work, Health and Disability</em> to reform the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) and recognise the importance of getting this right. We are therefore testing new approaches to build the evidence base for what works, and working with external stakeholders to inform future changes to the WCA.</p><p> </p><p>Over the last year we have introduced new guidance into Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit (UC), as well as updated guidance for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to improve the service we provide for those with the most severe/lifelong conditions. For ESA/UC since September 2017 we have switched off routine reassessments for those who meet the Severe Conditions criteria, and since August 2018, those receiving the highest level of support in PIP, whose needs are unlikely to change or may get worse, will now receive an ongoing award with a light touch review at the ten year point.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 11/02/2019 17:02:14 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1058637

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	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	Pensioners: Poverty
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	What recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of pensioner poverty; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	909129
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>This Government has seen the absolute poverty rate for pensioners fall to record lows, with over 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty before housing costs. Rates of material deprivation for pensioners are also at record lows.</p><p>We have reduced pensioner poverty close to historically low levels, lifting the incomes of millions of older people. Since 2009/10, material deprivation for pensioners has fallen from 10 per cent to 7 per cent in 2016/17 and since 2010 there are 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty, a record low.</p><p>The Government is committed to action that helps to alleviate levels of pensioner poverty. In 2018/19 we will spend £121.5 billion on benefits for pensioners, including £97 billion on the State Pension for this year.</p><p>The Government has also committed to up-rating the basic State Pension by the highest of the growth in earnings, prices or 2.5 per cent - the 'triple lock' guarantee. This will mean that the full basic State Pension will be around £1450 per year higher in 2018/19 than in 2010. The Government has committed to the triple lock for the remainder of this Parliament.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/02/2019 17:58:24 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1058636

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	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	Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	What recent assessment her Department has made of the (a) accuracy and (b) efficiency of contracted-out health assessments for (i) employment and support allowance and (ii) personal independence payment.
	tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
	tabling member printed	Justin Madders
	uin	909128
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>We are committed to ensuring claimants receive high quality assessments. Providers are closely monitored against a range of measures including through independent audit to improve accuracy and decision making. We are seeing continuous improvement in PIP assessment quality and recent data shows both PIP providers meeting quality expectations. We continually look to improve the efficiency of the assessment process by working closely with health assessment providers and the disabled people the Department supports.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 11/02/2019 16:37:48 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

1054628

	registered interest
	date	04/02/2019
	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	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, which medical bodies and clinicians the Chief Medical Officer liaised with to develop the guidance in the benefit system on terminal illness.
	tabling member constituency	Bridgend
	tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
	uin	216174
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>The rules for people who are terminally ill were introduced into Attendance Allowance in 1990 following a recommendation from the Social Security Advisory Committee. The rules have been carried forward into a number of benefits unchanged and now apply across Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment and Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has recently met with a range of stakeholders, including leading clinicians, to discuss the current wording used in the benefit system around terminal illness, with the aim of improving guidance on terminal illness cases and understanding of the rules. This is part of our continuous improvement work to improve people’s experience of claiming benefits.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 11/02/2019 15:31:50 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

1029311

	registered interest
	date	20/12/2018
	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	Universal Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether trade unions and the Trade Union Congress have been consulted on the managed migration of universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	204628
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>The Trade Union Congress and some individual trade unions responded to the Social Security Advisory Committee report on the draft Universal Credit Managed Migration Regulations 2018 and we actively consult with trade unions and the Trade Union Congress.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Department is working with a diverse group of around 80 stakeholder organisations, including Trade Union representation, to ensure the widest possible range of insights are played into the design of Universal Credit Managed Migration. This group will evolve over time as we work with different stakeholders at different stages in the process.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 11/02/2019 17:38:50 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma previous answer version 94118 answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1051334

	registered interest
	date	30/01/2019
	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	Jobcentre Plus: Standards
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Jobcentre Plus performance measures are based upon (a) a reduction in the number of people claiming a benefit or (b) an increase in the number of people entering a sustained period of employment.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	214492
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>DWP collects labour market performance data based on the number of people entering employment. This provides information on the number of people in employment after 3 months claiming Universal Credit, the number of sustained jobs and the number who do not have any spell of employment.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 11/02/2019 18:00:28 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1056030

	registered interest
	date	06/02/2019
	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	Employment: Epilepsy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of people with epilepsy entering employment.
	tabling member constituency	Dewsbury
	tabling member printed	Paula Sherriff
	uin	217687
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>We are taking steps to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including those with epilepsy, to enter employment through initiatives like the Work and Health Programme, Personal Support Package and the recently-announced Intensive Personalised Employment Support Programme (IPES), which will see more than £40m invested in a new highly personalised package of support to disabled people who are at least a year away from moving into work. We also offer extensive, personalised support to new and existing disabled workers through Access to Work.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, we engage with employers through Disability Confident. The scheme, developed by disabled people, employers and disability organisations, encourages employers to think differently about disability and to take action to improve how they attract, recruit and retain disabled employees. Over 10,500 businesses have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme since it was launched in November 2016.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 11/02/2019 15:40:45 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	4426 label Biography information for Paula Sherriff

1054786

	registered interest
	date	04/02/2019
	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	Pensions: EU Countries
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to provide support to UK citizens in receipt of EU pensions in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	216200
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>The UK State Pension will continue to be paid worldwide when the UK leaves the EU.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Withdrawal Agreement guarantees that those UK citizens who are within its scope can continue to receive state pensions paid by other EU Member States. In the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the Government has guaranteed that EU citizens resident in the UK by 29 March 2019 will be able to work, study, and access benefits and services on broadly the same terms as now. The Government continues to urge the EU and all its Member States to make the same commitment to protect the rights of UK nationals.</p><p> </p><p>In a Communication COM(2018) 890 on 19 December 2018, the European Commission calls on Member States to protect social security entitlements acquired by citizens who exercised their right to free movement prior to 30 March 2019. This includes exporting State Pensions to UK nationals who acquired these pension entitlements from Member States prior to that date.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 216201 question first answered 11/02/2019 12:35:38 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1054789

	registered interest
	date	04/02/2019
	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	Pensions: EU Countries
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what contingency plans her Department has to support UK citizens receiving pensions from EU Member States who cannot access those pensions in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	216201
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>The UK State Pension will continue to be paid worldwide when the UK leaves the EU.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Withdrawal Agreement guarantees that those UK citizens who are within its scope can continue to receive state pensions paid by other EU Member States. In the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the Government has guaranteed that EU citizens resident in the UK by 29 March 2019 will be able to work, study, and access benefits and services on broadly the same terms as now. The Government continues to urge the EU and all its Member States to make the same commitment to protect the rights of UK nationals.</p><p> </p><p>In a Communication COM(2018) 890 on 19 December 2018, the European Commission calls on Member States to protect social security entitlements acquired by citizens who exercised their right to free movement prior to 30 March 2019. This includes exporting State Pensions to UK nationals who acquired these pension entitlements from Member States prior to that date.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 216200 question first answered 11/02/2019 12:35:38 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1052463

	registered interest
	date	01/02/2019
	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	Post Office Card Account: Rural Areas
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on elderly people in rural areas of the planned discontinuation of the Post Office card system.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	215600
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government’s contract for the Post Office card account comes to an end on 30 November 2021. For those claimants and pensioners who are unable to open a mainstream account ahead of this date, the DWP will implement an alternative payment service that allows users to obtain cash payments in their local area (including suburban and rural locations) before the end of the contract. When commissioning this alternative payment service, it will be our priority to ensure that elderly vulnerable people are protected and catered for.</p><p> </p><p>Our communications with Post Office card account users will highlight that 99% of a banks’ personal customers, are able to withdraw cash, deposit cash and cheques, and make balance enquiries at a Post Office counter via its network of 11,600 branches. Therefore, those receiving benefit and pension payments into a bank account can continue to collect their money from the Post Office so there should be minimal effect on elderly people in rural areas. We have already introduced a phased conversion process ahead of 2021 and we will be writing to all Post Office card account users to ensure they are provided with an alternative payment service.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/02/2019 13:01:55 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr