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1296780

	registered interest
	date	02/03/2021
	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: Work Capability Assessment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	If she will make it her policy to allow virtual or telephone Work Capability Assessments for (a) universal credit and (b) employment support allowance claimants including those who (i) need an interpreter (including BSL), (ii) have hearing difficulties, (iii) have speech difficulties, (iv) have learning disabilities and (v) suicidal ideation or behaviour and a history of self harm to make the process equivalent to that for personal independence payments.
	tabling member constituency	Enfield, Southgate
	tabling member printed	Bambos Charalambous
	uin	161834
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2021 answer text <p>The assessment criteria for Personal Independence Payment are very different to those for the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), which assesses whether claimants to Employment and Support Allowance, and Universal Credit have limited capability for work.</p><p> </p><p>We are aware that there are some claimants who are unable to undertake a WCA telephone assessment because of their health condition and we are currently developing ways in which we can support these individuals. We are continuing to assess as many people as we are able to on paper evidence, using this route as often as possible. We are also undertaking some video assessments, where appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>Individuals invited for a telephone assessment are encouraged to inform their assessment provider of any additional requirements they may have, and the provider will endeavour to meet any reasonable requests. This is explained to the individual in the initial invitation letter for all telephone assessments. For example, companions are able to join a telephone assessment, as they could for a face to face assessment.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants who we are unable to assess by telephone or video because of their health condition will be prioritised when we are able to safely resume face-to-face assessments.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 160754 question first answered 09/03/2021 15:49:44 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4610 label Biography information for Bambos Charalambous

1303061

	registered interest
	date	16/03/2021
	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: Work Capability Assessment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many remote work capability assessment decisions have been made for people who had been on universal credit prior to the covid-19 outbreak and who had attended a work capability assessment previously since the start of the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Enfield, Southgate
	tabling member printed	Bambos Charalambous
	uin	169938
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2021 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 169939 question first answered 22/03/2021 13:16:33 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4610 label Biography information for Bambos Charalambous

1303062

	registered interest
	date	16/03/2021
	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: Work Capability Assessment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many remote work capability assessment decisions took place for first-time universal credit claimants in each month of 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Enfield, Southgate
	tabling member printed	Bambos Charalambous
	uin	169939
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2021 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 169938 question first answered 22/03/2021 13:16:33 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4610 label Biography information for Bambos Charalambous

1296779

	registered interest
	date	02/03/2021
	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 Capability Assessment
	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 (a) universal credit and (b) employment support allowance claimants who were not (i) offered and (ii) deemed suitable for a a virtual or telephone Work Capability Assessment during 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Enfield, Southgate
	tabling member printed	Bambos Charalambous
	uin	161833
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2021 answer text <p>The data you have requested is not available.</p><p> </p><p>Face to face assessments for health and disability benefits are currently suspended in line with public health advice. We continue to complete paper-based assessments and make recommendations based on the written evidence available, as often as we are able to.</p><p> </p><p>Where a case cannot be progressed by a paper-based assessment, a telephone assessment will be conducted, where appropriate to do so. Telephone assessments were introduced during the pandemic, as part of the Covid-19 response and we are working hard to increase the number of people able to participate in these assessments. We also undertake some video assessments, where appropriate.</p><p>The suspension of face to face assessments is regularly reviewed in line with the latest public health guidance and will recommence as soon as it is safe to do so. Claimants who cannot be assessed by telephone or video because of their health condition will be prioritised when we are able to safely resume face to face assessments.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 10/03/2021 13:30:17 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4610 label Biography information for Bambos Charalambous

1303063

	registered interest
	date	16/03/2021
	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	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department plans to take to identify universal credit and employment support allowance claimants who cannot be assessed by telephone or video as a result of their health condition; and what steps she is taking to determine the priority for face-to-face assessments when such assessments can safely resume in the event that her Department is unable to provide data on the number of (a) universal credit and (b) employment support allowance claimants who were not (i) offered and (ii) deemed suitable for a virtual or telephone work capability assessment during 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Enfield, Southgate
	tabling member printed	Bambos Charalambous
	uin	169940
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2021 answer text <p>We have continued to assess people on paper evidence, using this route whenever possible throughout the pandemic. In June 2020 we introduced telephone assessments in a phased approach with limited outcomes in the first instance. This allowed us to build our capability and improve processes. From the beginning of February 2021, all outcomes have been available in telephone assessments which enables us to ensure that claimants receive their correct benefit entitlement as quickly as possible and reduce the time claimants who may be entitled to a higher award have to wait for their assessment. We are also undertaking some video assessments where appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>Through our enhanced capability and improved processes for telephone assessments, we are now able to carry out a second telephone assessment for those claimants who have previously had a telephone assessment with no outcome.</p><p>Where a claimant is unable to undertake a telephone or video assessment because of their health condition, they remain on their current award until we are able to gather the evidence needed for a recommendation to be made or, in contributory ESA, until their benefit is due to end.</p><p>Claimants who we are unable to assess by telephone or video because of their health condition will be prioritised when we are able to safely resume face-to-face assessments.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 22/03/2021 13:27:06 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4610 label Biography information for Bambos Charalambous

1348145

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2021
	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: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support the Government is providing to clinically extremely vulnerable people who have (a) been unable to work from home and consequently have been unable to work as a result of the nature of their employment and (b) amassed debts in covering basic living costs.
	tabling member constituency	Enfield, Southgate
	tabling member printed	Bambos Charalambous
	uin	35844
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2021 answer text <p><strong></strong></p><p>The Government has put in place an unprecedented package of support to help people during the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting livelihoods with the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and a range of temporary welfare measures. The Government has also worked with mortgage lenders, credit providers and the Financial Conduct Authority to help people manage their finances with payment holidays, and has taken unprecedented action to support renters, ensuring that no-one has been forced from their home during lockdown.</p><p>Although Shielding advice was paused on 1 April 2021, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is still available until 30 September, and clinically extremely vulnerable people may be eligible throughout this period, providing their employer agrees. Clinically extremely vulnerable people may also be eligible for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if they are sick or incapable of work due to coronavirus or other health reasons, subject to meeting the eligibility conditions. Those who are not receiving any support through the furlough scheme or Employment and Support Allowance may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) where they meet the qualifying conditions.</p><p>The Government recognises that the full impact of COVID-19 on people’s personal finances is still unfolding, and that some are struggling at this challenging time. To help people in problem debt get their finances back on track, the Government has agreed to maintain record levels of funding for free-to-consumer debt advice in England for the Money and Pension Service in 2021/22.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to this, the Debt Respite Scheme (Breathing Space) has now been launched in England and Wales. A standard breathing space offers people in problem debt a pause of up to 60 days on most enforcement action, interest, fees and charges, and will encourage them to seek professional debt advice. A mental health crisis breathing space, with some stronger protections, is available to people receiving mental health crisis treatment. It lasts as long as the person's mental health crisis treatment, plus a further 30 days.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 22/07/2021 13:20:12 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4610 label Biography information for Bambos Charalambous

1293718

	registered interest
	date	01/03/2021
	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 Capability Assessment
	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 people on universal credit and employment and support allowance who have been told that they have to wait for face-to-face work capability assessments to resume before they can be assessed, what additional support is available to help claimants identified as not suitable for a telephone consultation, according to the specifications outlined in the CHDA COVID-19 Filework process document of 15 May 2020, to manage their health condition or disability while they are without additional support from their benefits income.
	tabling member constituency	Enfield, Southgate
	tabling member printed	Bambos Charalambous
	uin	160762
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2021 answer text <p>The health and safety of our claimants and staff is our key priority. We suspended all face-to-face assessments for sickness and disability benefits in March 2020. This temporary suspension, brought in to protect people from unnecessary risk of coronavirus at the outset of the pandemic, remains in place, and is being kept under review in line with the latest public health guidance.</p><p> </p><p>Throughout the pandemic we have continued to assess people on paper evidence, using this route whenever possible. We are aware there are some claimants who are unable to undertake a telephone assessment because of their health condition and we are currently developing ways in which we can support these individuals. We also continue to undertake some video assessments where appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>Individuals invited for a telephone assessment are encouraged to inform their assessment provider of any additional requirements they may have, and the provider will endeavour to meet any reasonable requests. This is explained to the individual in the initial invitation letter for all telephone assessments. For example, companions are able to join a telephone assessment, as they could for a face to face assessment.</p><p> </p><p>Where a claimant is unable to undertake a telephone assessment because of their health condition, they remain on their current award until we are able to gather the evidence needed for a recommendation to be made or, in contributory ESA, until their benefit is due to end.</p><p> </p><p>As ever, claimants should get in touch if their health condition has worsened or they are experiencing financial hardship.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 160755 question first answered 09/03/2021 13:55:40 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4610 label Biography information for Bambos Charalambous