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1111043

	registered interest
	date	10/04/2019
	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
	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 Impact Assessment for the extension of the Shared Accommodation Rate to 25-34 year-olds, how many claimants were affected; and what assessment she has made of the effect of that extension on the average weekly income since January 2012.
	tabling member constituency	Westminster North
	tabling member printed	Ms Karen Buck
	uin	243318
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2019 answer text <p>The number of households aged 25-34 who are entitled to the Shared Accommodation Rate is available on Stat-Xplore from January 2013 onwards.</p><p> </p><p>An independent evaluation of the 2011/12 Local Housing Allowance reforms including the changes to the Shared Accommodation Rate was published in 2014 - <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-monitoring-the-impact-of-changes" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-monitoring-the-impact-of-changes</a></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 23/04/2019 12:13:52 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	199 label Biography information for Ms Karen Buck

1111024

	registered interest
	date	10/04/2019
	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	Carbon Monoxide: Alarms
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to encourage festivals with glamping accommodation to ensure that carbon monoxide alarms are fitted to those facilities.
	tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
	tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
	uin	243347
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) leads on national occupational health and safety policy for the entertainments and leisure sector, whilst Local Authorities are responsible for enforcing the law at individual events, such as festivals, in their geographical area.</p><p> </p><p>Festival organisers have responsibilities under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA) to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety and health of members of the public affected by their business. These responsibilities extend to ensuring that equipment provided for use by those attending festivals is maintained and operated in a safe condition.</p><p> </p><p>Fatalities arising from exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) have occurred due to BBQs being taken into tents for cooking or as a source of heat. Where accommodation is provided, festival organisers are expected to take reasonably practicable measures to prevent these items being used in enclosed areas and raise awareness of the potential dangers.</p><p> </p><p>There is no legal requirement to provide CO alarms in temporary festival accommodation. However, where there is a risk of CO being produced, HSE strongly recommends the use of suitable alarms as a useful precaution.</p><p> </p><p>HSE has published event safety guidance to help event organisers comply with their legal duties (<a href="http://www.hse.gov.uk/event-safety/index.htm" target="_blank">http://www.hse.gov.uk/event-safety/index.htm</a>) and continues to work closely with industry stakeholders to remind them of the risks from CO and the precautions to be taken. The Events Industry Forum also produces a guide, known as the Purple Guide, for the live event industry.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/04/2019 16:12:17 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

1111126

	registered interest
	date	10/04/2019
	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: Day Care
	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 she has made of the financial effect on parents of upfront childcare costs under universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
	tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
	uin	243513
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit is more generous in terms of childcare costs with an increased level of support, from 70 per cent with legacy benefits to 85 per cent within Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that the upfront cost of childcare may cause some claimants financial difficulty. Consequently, the Secretary of State announced in her speech of 11 January 2019, that where the initial month’s childcare costs may prevent a claimant from starting work, Jobcentres have been instructed to use the Flexible Support Fund where possible, to enable a smoother transition.</p><p> </p><p>The Government now provides more support than ever before to help parents with the costs of childcare, including providing 15 hours a week of free childcare in England for all 3 and 4 year olds and disadvantaged 2 year olds, and doubling free childcare available for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds to 30 hours a week.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 23/04/2019 13:50:23 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1111027

	registered interest
	date	10/04/2019
	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	Local Housing Allowance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much funding was reinvested in the targeted affordability fund for local housing allowance rates in 2019-20.
	tabling member constituency	Westminster North
	tabling member printed	Ms Karen Buck
	uin	243313
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2019 answer text <p>In 2019/2020 we have invested £210m in the Targeted Affordability Fund, this is based on 50% of the [forecast] savings from the freeze to Local Housing Allowance rates.</p><p /><p>The funding is being used to increase LHA rates in areas where there are the greatest divergences between rates and local rents.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 23/04/2019 14:00:01 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	199 label Biography information for Ms Karen Buck

1121345

	registered interest
	date	11/04/2019
	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: Social Security Benefits
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that older people claim the benefits they are entitled to.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	244156
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring that older people receive the support they are entitled to and the DWP targets activity on engaging with people who may be eligible to benefits at pivotal stages, such as when they claim State Pension or report a change in their circumstances. The DWP uses a wide range of channels to communicate information about benefits to potential customers; including information on <a href="https://gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://gov.uk/</a>, in leaflets and by telephone. People wishing to claim Pension Credit can do so by calling 0800 99 1234. DWP staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit.</p><p> </p><p>One of the best ways to reach eligible customers is through trusted stakeholder working in the community and we have developed the Pension Credit toolkit, as an on-line tool for agencies and welfare rights organisations to use in order to encourage Pension Credit take-up. It can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit</a></p><p> </p><p>The toolkit contains resources for anyone working with pensioners and includes guides to Pension Credit. It also contains publicity material and guidance designed to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit and help organisations support someone applying for Pension Credit as well as ideas for encouraging take-up. The toolkit also provides links to information about disability and carers benefits.</p><p> </p><p>Most recently we have provided to relevant organisations a fact sheet about Pension Credit and forthcoming changes for couples to ensure that accurate information is available in the places where people are most likely to seek information.</p><p> </p><p>The majority of people of pension age in receipt of a State Pension or another social security benefit receive their annual winter fuel payment automatically without the need to make a claim.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 244000 question first answered 23/04/2019 16:29:34 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1121357

	registered interest
	date	11/04/2019
	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: Social Security Benefits
	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 ensure that older people in financial hardship are able to claim the benefits they are entitled to.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	244000
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring that older people receive the support they are entitled to and the DWP targets activity on engaging with people who may be eligible to benefits at pivotal stages, such as when they claim State Pension or report a change in their circumstances. The DWP uses a wide range of channels to communicate information about benefits to potential customers; including information on <a href="https://gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://gov.uk/</a>, in leaflets and by telephone. People wishing to claim Pension Credit can do so by calling 0800 99 1234. DWP staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit.</p><p> </p><p>One of the best ways to reach eligible customers is through trusted stakeholder working in the community and we have developed the Pension Credit toolkit, as an on-line tool for agencies and welfare rights organisations to use in order to encourage Pension Credit take-up. It can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit</a></p><p> </p><p>The toolkit contains resources for anyone working with pensioners and includes guides to Pension Credit. It also contains publicity material and guidance designed to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit and help organisations support someone applying for Pension Credit as well as ideas for encouraging take-up. The toolkit also provides links to information about disability and carers benefits.</p><p> </p><p>Most recently we have provided to relevant organisations a fact sheet about Pension Credit and forthcoming changes for couples to ensure that accurate information is available in the places where people are most likely to seek information.</p><p> </p><p>The majority of people of pension age in receipt of a State Pension or another social security benefit receive their annual winter fuel payment automatically without the need to make a claim.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 244156 question first answered 23/04/2019 16:29:34 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1121350

	registered interest
	date	11/04/2019
	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	Personal Independence Payment: Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of disabled people who have had to leave work as a result of receiving lower rates of support from personal independence payment in comparison to disability living allowance.
	tabling member constituency	South Cambridgeshire
	tabling member printed	Heidi Allen
	uin	244174
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2019 answer text <p>No such estimate has been made. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can be paid to disabled people irrespective of their employment status and, as such, no details of an individual’s employment status are gathered during the course of their claim or award.</p><p> </p><p>PIP is a more modern, dynamic and fairer benefit than its predecessor, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and focuses support on those experiencing the greatest barriers to living independently. 31% of people claiming PIP receive the highest level of support, compared to 15% of DLA’s working-age claimants and 39% of reassessment claimants are getting a higher award on PIP compared to when they were on DLA.</p><p>People with a health condition or disability, who require additional support getting to and from work, can apply for an Access to Work grant.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/04/2019 14:10:07 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4516 label Biography information for Heidi Allen

1111159

	registered interest
	date	10/04/2019
	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	Personal Independence Payment: Greater London
	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 made any adjustments to Disability Living Allowance and the Motability component of Personal Independence Payment to future proof claimants living in (a) Lewisham Deptford and (b) London who will be subject to charges resulting from the Ultra Low Emission Zone.
	tabling member constituency	Lewisham, Deptford
	tabling member printed	Vicky Foxcroft
	uin	243521
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2019 answer text <p>The rates for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP), including the mobility component for each, are set nationally and are uprated in line with inflation. The most recent increase took effect from 8 April.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Matters relating to the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London are the responsibility of the Mayor of London, including discounts and exemptions applying to affected residents and disabled people. Further information can be found here: <a href="https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone" target="_blank">https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone</a></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/04/2019 14:17:07 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4491 label Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft

1121349

	registered interest
	date	11/04/2019
	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	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, in reference to research published by the MS Society in March 2019, whether her Department has plans to undertake a review the effect of the introduction of the 20-metre rule for personal independence payment on costs to other Departments.
	tabling member constituency	South Cambridgeshire
	tabling member printed	Heidi Allen
	uin	244173
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2019 answer text <p>The enhanced rate of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Mobility component was always intended to be for those &quot;unable&quot; or &quot;virtually unable&quot; to walk.</p><p>We believe the current PIP assessment criteria, including the 20 metres distance, are the best way of identifying those whose physical mobility is most limited.</p><p>Senior Officials are in contact with the MS Society and will be meeting them in the coming weeks to discuss the latest research.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/04/2019 14:33:16 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4516 label Biography information for Heidi Allen

1111225

	registered interest
	date	10/04/2019
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 April to Question 240478 on Universal Credit, what steps her Department is taking to monitor the (a) levels of debt and b) finances of claimants of universal credit that have received an advance payment.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	243331
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2019 answer text <p>We continue to evaluate Universal Credit as it is delivered. Research and analysis is conducted to assist and inform the evaluation and expansion of Universal Credit, focusing specifically on the effects of Universal Credit on claimants’ behaviours and outcomes. The Universal Credit Full Service Omnibus Survey was published in February 2019, which can be accessed here <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-full-service-omnibus-survey" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-full-service-omnibus-survey</a></p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises the importance of safeguarding the welfare of claimants who have incurred debt. Universal Credit already has procedures and regulations in place to protect claimants from excessive deductions. The maximum rate of deductions cannot normally exceed 40% of the Universal Credit standard allowance. If a claimant is in financial difficulty as a result of the level of deductions being made they can contact the Department to request that a reduction in deductions be considered.</p><p> </p><p>At Autumn Budget 2018 we announced we will reduce the maximum rate at which deductions can be made from a Universal Credit award from 40% to 30% of the standard allowance, from October 2019. Additionally, from October 2021, the recovery period for advances will increase from 12 to 16 months. This will help over 600,000 families to manage their debts at any one point when roll-out is complete, providing them with, on average, £295 extra a year as their debts are repaid over a longer period.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 23/04/2019 15:15:16 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe