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100009

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2014
	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	Unemployed People: Travel
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial assistance is given to help young people on benefits with the travel costs associated with attending job interviews.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL2224
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>All Jobcentre Plus District Managers have access to the Flexible Support Fund, that they can use to supplement mainstream services and to tailor support to the needs of individuals and the local area. A proportion of this fund will be spent by their Work Services Teams on discretionary awards to individual claimants, which could include helping with travel costs to attend job interviews.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 23/10/2014 15:06:09 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

1002198

	registered interest
	date	05/11/2018
	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	Workplace Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 31 October (HL10751), what assessment they have made of the obligations on (1) employers, and (2) pension schemes to report failures to pay correct contributions, regardless of whether the errors are large or small; and whether there is a definition of what contributes a material error.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL11219
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>Government has put in place a robust, proportionate, compliance framework for automatic enrolment which ensures that the vast majority of employers are meeting their legal duties, including: declaring compliance, accurately paying contributions and passing contributions to their chosen pension scheme. This framework is backed by statutory powers which enable the Regulator to compel compliance with the law.</p><p>Employers, trustees, managers and providers must keep records including details of the pension contributions payable in each relevant pay reference period by an employer to the scheme, and the amount payable. This includes the contributions due on the employer’s behalf and deductions made from an individual’s earnings.</p><p>The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published codes of practice on its website setting out how trustees of defined contribution pension schemes and managers of personal pension schemes should monitor the payment of contributions, provide information to help members check their contributions and report material payment failures to TPR. The codes set out what is considered a material breach, specifically: paragraphs 173 and 174 of Code 3; paragraphs 46 and 47 of Code 5; paragraphs 48 and 49 of Code 6; and paragraphs 173 to 186 of Code 14.</p><p>In addition, TPR publishes regular assessments of its automatic enrolment compliance and enforcement activities as well as an annual commentary and analysis report, both of which are available on its website.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL11220 HL11221 HL11222 question first answered 12/11/2018 16:59:44 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1002199

	registered interest
	date	05/11/2018
	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	Workplace Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount of auto-enrolment pension contributions which are incorrect.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL11220
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>Government has put in place a robust, proportionate, compliance framework for automatic enrolment which ensures that the vast majority of employers are meeting their legal duties, including: declaring compliance, accurately paying contributions and passing contributions to their chosen pension scheme. This framework is backed by statutory powers which enable the Regulator to compel compliance with the law.</p><p>Employers, trustees, managers and providers must keep records including details of the pension contributions payable in each relevant pay reference period by an employer to the scheme, and the amount payable. This includes the contributions due on the employer’s behalf and deductions made from an individual’s earnings.</p><p>The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published codes of practice on its website setting out how trustees of defined contribution pension schemes and managers of personal pension schemes should monitor the payment of contributions, provide information to help members check their contributions and report material payment failures to TPR. The codes set out what is considered a material breach, specifically: paragraphs 173 and 174 of Code 3; paragraphs 46 and 47 of Code 5; paragraphs 48 and 49 of Code 6; and paragraphs 173 to 186 of Code 14.</p><p>In addition, TPR publishes regular assessments of its automatic enrolment compliance and enforcement activities as well as an annual commentary and analysis report, both of which are available on its website.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL11219 HL11221 HL11222 question first answered 12/11/2018 16:59:44 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1002200

	registered interest
	date	05/11/2018
	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	Workplace Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce reporting requirements to monitor accuracy of auto-enrolment pension contribution records on an annual basis; and if so, what those requirements will be.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL11221
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>Government has put in place a robust, proportionate, compliance framework for automatic enrolment which ensures that the vast majority of employers are meeting their legal duties, including: declaring compliance, accurately paying contributions and passing contributions to their chosen pension scheme. This framework is backed by statutory powers which enable the Regulator to compel compliance with the law.</p><p>Employers, trustees, managers and providers must keep records including details of the pension contributions payable in each relevant pay reference period by an employer to the scheme, and the amount payable. This includes the contributions due on the employer’s behalf and deductions made from an individual’s earnings.</p><p>The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published codes of practice on its website setting out how trustees of defined contribution pension schemes and managers of personal pension schemes should monitor the payment of contributions, provide information to help members check their contributions and report material payment failures to TPR. The codes set out what is considered a material breach, specifically: paragraphs 173 and 174 of Code 3; paragraphs 46 and 47 of Code 5; paragraphs 48 and 49 of Code 6; and paragraphs 173 to 186 of Code 14.</p><p>In addition, TPR publishes regular assessments of its automatic enrolment compliance and enforcement activities as well as an annual commentary and analysis report, both of which are available on its website.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL11219 HL11220 HL11222 question first answered 12/11/2018 16:59:44 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1002201

	registered interest
	date	05/11/2018
	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	Workplace Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to put procedures in place to (1) monitor error rates in auto-enrolment contribution records, and (2) assess the proportion of schemes which have taken steps to correct those errors.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL11222
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>Government has put in place a robust, proportionate, compliance framework for automatic enrolment which ensures that the vast majority of employers are meeting their legal duties, including: declaring compliance, accurately paying contributions and passing contributions to their chosen pension scheme. This framework is backed by statutory powers which enable the Regulator to compel compliance with the law.</p><p>Employers, trustees, managers and providers must keep records including details of the pension contributions payable in each relevant pay reference period by an employer to the scheme, and the amount payable. This includes the contributions due on the employer’s behalf and deductions made from an individual’s earnings.</p><p>The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published codes of practice on its website setting out how trustees of defined contribution pension schemes and managers of personal pension schemes should monitor the payment of contributions, provide information to help members check their contributions and report material payment failures to TPR. The codes set out what is considered a material breach, specifically: paragraphs 173 and 174 of Code 3; paragraphs 46 and 47 of Code 5; paragraphs 48 and 49 of Code 6; and paragraphs 173 to 186 of Code 14.</p><p>In addition, TPR publishes regular assessments of its automatic enrolment compliance and enforcement activities as well as an annual commentary and analysis report, both of which are available on its website.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL11219 HL11220 HL11221 question first answered 12/11/2018 16:59:44 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1002465

	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	Widowed Parent's Allowance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many families with children in full-time education, with a deceased parent, received Widowed Parents Allowance in the tax years (1) 2011–12, (2) 2012–13, (3) 2014–15, and (4) 2015–16.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL11306
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2018 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL11307 HL11308 question first answered 14/11/2018 17:26:29 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1002466

	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	Bereavement Benefits
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many families which children in full-time education, with a deceased parent, received bereavement benefit payments in the tax years (1) 2016–17, and (2) 2017–18.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL11307
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2018 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL11306 HL11308 question first answered 14/11/2018 17:26:29 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1002467

	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	Bereavement Benefits
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many families with children in full-time education, with a deceased parent, they estimate will receive bereavement benefit payments in the tax years (1) 2018–19, (2) 2019–20, (3) 2020–21, and (4) 2021–22.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL11308
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2018 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL11306 HL11307 question first answered 14/11/2018 17:26:29 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1002477

	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	Universal Credit: Children
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their decision to extend the policy to provide Universal Tax Credit to a maximum of two children to new Universal Credit claimants from February 2019, whether there will be an exception for families with three or more children who were born before 6 April 2017.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Durham
	uin	HL11318
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2018 answer text <p>Since 6 April 2017 families with third and subsequent children born on or after this date are able to claim additional support through Child Tax Credit or Universal Credit for their first two children only. This maximum support will also apply to entirely new claims to Universal Credit on or after 1 February 2019, regardless of the date of birth of their children.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants that are already receiving support for those born before 6 April 2017 will continue to do so. If they subsequently move to or reclaim Universal Credit (following a break in claim of less than 6 months) they will receive the child element for the same number of children they were previously. This will apply both if they naturally migrate following a significant change of circumstances or are moved as part of managed migration, so long as they remain responsible for the same children.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 20/11/2018 17:10:57 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4312 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Durham

1002483

	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: Families
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Buscombe on 5 November (HL Deb, col 1581), what evidence informed her statement that the UK “provides more benefits for families than any other advanced nation”; and what measure of “benefits for families” was used.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL11324
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2018 answer text <p>The latest data shows that the UK spends 3.8 per cent of GDP on expenditure classified by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as “family benefits”. This is more than any other country in the OECD.</p><p> </p><p>“Family benefits” include cash benefits, such as personal tax credits, Child Benefit; maternity benefits and child Disability Living Allowance; and benefits in kind covering child care and social services. They do not include other benefits that might be available to the claimant, such as Personal Independence Payment or Housing Benefit.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 20/11/2018 17:08:23 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1005586

	registered interest
	date	12/11/2018
	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	Universal Credit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of people who are yet to be moved to Universal Credit as part of the natural migration process; and what support will be available for vulnerable claimants, including those who have disabilities, during this process.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bird
	uin	HL11357
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/11/2018 answer text <p>We are unable to forecast the number of people who are yet to naturally migrate to Universal Credit. This is because Natural Migration claimants are those who have had a relevant change of circumstances that would cause a new claim to be made to a different legacy benefit, but they cannot make such a claim to legacy benefits because these have been replaced by UC.</p><p> </p><p>We take seriously the need to support vulnerable claimants moving to Universal Credit. Work Coaches provide continuous support for all claimants, including vulnerable claimants throughout their journey.</p><p>Additionally we have introduced a number of measures to assist claimants during the transition to Universal Credit including: the removal of waiting days; the UC Transitional Housing payment; Universal Support; 100 per cent advances and a longer repayment period.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 26/11/2018 15:21:39 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4564 label Biography information for Lord Bird

100567

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	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 Assistance Schemes
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their decision not to contest the judicial review of the decision to cease funding for Local Welfare Assistance, whether they will reinstate that funding for 2015–16.
	tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
	uin	HL2304
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>From April 2015 it was intended funding for local welfare provision would be funded from the general grant to Local Government. The general grant took this into account.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has agreed to look again at how funding is provided for in 2015/16. Any decisions will be taken after we have reviewed how the current funds have been used and the on-going consultation and equality analysis on 2015/16 funding being co-ordinated by the Department for Communities and Local Government.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 29/10/2014 15:16:01 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow

100645

	registered interest
	date	23/10/2014
	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	Housing Benefit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government why housing benefit overpayments increased to £1.4 billion in 2013–14 and how they are addressing the issue.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Manzoor
	uin	HL2376
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Housing Benefit is a complex benefit administered by 380 Local Authorities. It has a high proportion of in-work claimants and this caseload is more likely to undergo changes in circumstances than out-of-work claimants. If claimants fail to report changes in circumstances correctly and in a timely manner then overpayments will occur.</p><p>The rate of fraud in Housing Benefit has been stable for many years at 1.4% since 2008-09. Official error has also remained relatively stable over the last six years, currently standing at 0.6% which is the same level as in 2008-09. Claimant error has increased from 2.7% in 2008-09 to 3.8% in 2013-14.</p><p>The rise in HB claimant error is primarily earnings related and a consequence of failure to report these changes. DWP is taking action to deal with this issue through better data sharing with Local Authorities, such as the introduction of real time information (RTI) on earnings, so that local authorities are alerted to changes quickly and do not have to rely on the claimant informing them of changes.</p><p>Longer term, Housing Benefit for working age claimants will be replaced by the housing cost element of Universal Credit and will be paid as a single monthly payment with the other elements. This will reduce the opportunity for Fraud and Error and prevent overpayments from occurring.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 04/11/2014 15:11:36 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4289 label Biography information for Baroness Manzoor

1006665

	registered interest
	date	13/11/2018
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Allowances
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what allowance is paid to Department for Work and Pensions officials based in offices outside London when they are required to stay overnight in London in connection with their work.
	tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
	uin	HL11445
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2018 answer text <p>Allowances are not paid to DWP Officials based in offices outside London when they are required to stay overnight in London on official business. When staff are required to travel during the course of official business they must do so in accordance with DWP Business Travel Policies and using DWP travel providers with agreed rates for hotels. Officials can claim meal subsistence for reimbursement of actual costs incurred up to specific policy limits and in line with HMRC rules. Where officials have longer term arrangements for detached duty they can only claim lodging expenses in line with agreed rates as per policy.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 21/11/2018 12:40:49 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

100930

	registered interest
	date	24/10/2014
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the steps they are taking to reduce the cost of benefit fraud, what they propose to do, and how much they plan to spend, to reduce underpayments to claimants due to mistakes by officials or claimants.
	tabling member printed	Lord Beecham
	uin	HL2398
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Department takes both under and overpayments seriously and has in place a number of initiatives to address the errors that cause them. These activities address fraud as well as error, and both under and overpayments. It is therefore not possible to separate out the cost of activities focused exclusively on underpayments as a result of error.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit will make the welfare system simpler by replacing six benefits and credits with a single monthly payment. This simplification is expected to lead to a reduction in fraud and error due to the fact that information about claimants will be held in one place and updated more frequently and easily.</p><p> </p><p>For claimants that have income taxed under PAYE, Universal Credit will be linked to HMRC’s Real Time Information system, which will provide an automatic monthly update of their income thus reducing the potential for both error and fraud.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has invested in compliance activity, so that case correctness is maintained and fraud and error entering the system are detected and resolved quickly. Across all delivery arms there is a focus on accuracy and quality, including a continuous quality checking regime to review claims and check processing accuracy.</p><p> </p><p>We constantly review claims by checking them against data coming into our systems, in order to highlight potential anomalies. We do this by using business rules which focus on potential error to identify both under and overpayments.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is taking steps to encourage claimants to ensure that the information provided to us is accurate and up-to-date. This includes a fraud and error communications campaign about driving behaviour change and emphasising that claimants must report any change of circumstances.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 07/11/2014 13:39:35 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4181 label Biography information for Lord Beecham

100946

	registered interest
	date	24/10/2014
	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	Industrial Health and Safety: Agriculture
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the latest figures they have of the number of fatal and serious accidents occurring in the farming industry.
	tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
	uin	HL2414
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2014 answer text <p>These figures are published on the Health and Safety Executive’s website: <a href="http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/agriculture/index.htm" target="_blank">http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/agriculture/index.htm</a>. They can also be found in the published report attached, “Health and safety in agriculture in Great Britain, 2014” on pages 6 and 7.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 04/11/2014 15:42:22 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud attachment 1 file name HSE Agri Stats.pdf title Health and Safety in agriculture in Great Britain
	tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

100959

	registered interest
	date	27/10/2014
	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	Food Banks
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the percentage of people using food banks who also receive benefits; and whether they have any plans to discuss the matter with the organisers of food banks or to adapt benefits to take account of the situation.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Gould of Potternewton
	uin	HL2415
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>DWP does not monitor or estimate the percentage of people using food banks.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise the extremely valuable work of civil society in supporting local communities. Government officials and Ministers routinely meet with a range of civil society organisations, some of which may be connected to foodbanks.</p><p> </p><p>DWP reforms are already making the benefits system simpler and helping claimants to move into work.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 04/11/2014 14:50:14 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	3573 label Biography information for Baroness Gould of Potternewton

100980

	registered interest
	date	27/10/2014
	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	Jobseeker's Allowance Sanctions Independent Review
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the remarks by Lord Freud on 21 October that they were "taking forward all recommendations" of the Oakley Report on Jobseeker's Allowance sanctions (HL Deb, col 547), whether they will provide an implementation date for each of the recommendations.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL2436
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>We have already published our response to the Oakley Report and a copy can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/332137/jsa-sanctions-independent-review-government-response.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/332137/jsa-sanctions-independent-review-government-response.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>We are considering all recommendations made by the Oakley Report and we have already implemented a number of improvements. Our response sets out a number of target completion dates for recommendations made by the Oakley Report.</p><p> </p><p>We will look at the remaining recommendations and will keep the House informed on progress and implementation.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 04/11/2014 16:26:08 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1010098

	registered interest
	date	19/11/2018
	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	Poverty
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish a response to the Statement on the Visit to the UK by the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, published on 16 November.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
	uin	HL11545
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government will consider the Special Rapporteur’s findings carefully. Although it disagrees with the conclusion of this interim report, the Government has noted that the report welcomes the simplification of the benefits system brought in by Universal Credit and the recent Budget announcements to help tackle in-work poverty.</p><p>The 14 million people in poverty figure used by the Special Rapporteur was taken from the Social Metrics Commission report “A new measure of poverty for the UK”.</p><p> </p><p>We welcome the work that the Social Metrics Commission has done. Measuring poverty is complex, and this report offers further insight into that complexity. We are engaging with the Social Metrics Commission, who acknowledge that further work needs to be done (particularly around data availability and quality). We will carefully consider their recommendations and the detail behind the methodology they have employed when this has been made available.</p><p> </p><p>DWP publishes a range of measures that track various aspects of poverty. These include four measures for low income poverty:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td colspan="2"><p>Number of people in low income (millions)</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>Percentage of people in low income (%)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Low Income Measure</p></td><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>2016/17</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Relative Before Housing Costs</p></td><td><p>10.4</p></td><td><p>10.4</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>16</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Relative After Housing Cost</p></td><td><p>13.6</p></td><td><p>14.3</p></td><td><p>22</p></td><td><p>22</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Absolute Before Housing Costs</p></td><td><p>9.9</p></td><td><p>8.9</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Absolute After Housing Costs</p></td><td><p>13.1</p></td><td><p>12.4</p></td><td><p>21</p></td><td><p>19</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The finding relating to the number of people in destitution is a misinterpretation of the key finding from a report published by the Joseph Rowntree Trust on 7 June, 2018: “Destitution in the UK, 2018”. This report found that 1.5 million people in the UK had been destitute at some point during 2017 and also noted that this was a reduction of 25 per cent compared with 2015.</p><p> </p><p>Under this Government, income inequality has fallen and remains lower than in 2010; the number of children in workless households is at a record low; and there are 1 million fewer people in absolute poverty (before housing costs) compared with 2010, including 300,000 children.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL11546 HL11547 question first answered 28/11/2018 11:45:12 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

1010099

	registered interest
	date	19/11/2018
	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	Poverty
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the accuracy of the finding by the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights that 14 million people live in poverty in the UK.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
	uin	HL11546
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government will consider the Special Rapporteur’s findings carefully. Although it disagrees with the conclusion of this interim report, the Government has noted that the report welcomes the simplification of the benefits system brought in by Universal Credit and the recent Budget announcements to help tackle in-work poverty.</p><p>The 14 million people in poverty figure used by the Special Rapporteur was taken from the Social Metrics Commission report “A new measure of poverty for the UK”.</p><p> </p><p>We welcome the work that the Social Metrics Commission has done. Measuring poverty is complex, and this report offers further insight into that complexity. We are engaging with the Social Metrics Commission, who acknowledge that further work needs to be done (particularly around data availability and quality). We will carefully consider their recommendations and the detail behind the methodology they have employed when this has been made available.</p><p> </p><p>DWP publishes a range of measures that track various aspects of poverty. These include four measures for low income poverty:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td colspan="2"><p>Number of people in low income (millions)</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>Percentage of people in low income (%)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Low Income Measure</p></td><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>2016/17</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Relative Before Housing Costs</p></td><td><p>10.4</p></td><td><p>10.4</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>16</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Relative After Housing Cost</p></td><td><p>13.6</p></td><td><p>14.3</p></td><td><p>22</p></td><td><p>22</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Absolute Before Housing Costs</p></td><td><p>9.9</p></td><td><p>8.9</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Absolute After Housing Costs</p></td><td><p>13.1</p></td><td><p>12.4</p></td><td><p>21</p></td><td><p>19</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The finding relating to the number of people in destitution is a misinterpretation of the key finding from a report published by the Joseph Rowntree Trust on 7 June, 2018: “Destitution in the UK, 2018”. This report found that 1.5 million people in the UK had been destitute at some point during 2017 and also noted that this was a reduction of 25 per cent compared with 2015.</p><p> </p><p>Under this Government, income inequality has fallen and remains lower than in 2010; the number of children in workless households is at a record low; and there are 1 million fewer people in absolute poverty (before housing costs) compared with 2010, including 300,000 children.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL11545 HL11547 question first answered 28/11/2018 11:45:12 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

1010100

	registered interest
	date	19/11/2018
	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	Poverty
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the accuracy of the finding by the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights that 1.5 million people in the UK are destitute.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
	uin	HL11547
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government will consider the Special Rapporteur’s findings carefully. Although it disagrees with the conclusion of this interim report, the Government has noted that the report welcomes the simplification of the benefits system brought in by Universal Credit and the recent Budget announcements to help tackle in-work poverty.</p><p>The 14 million people in poverty figure used by the Special Rapporteur was taken from the Social Metrics Commission report “A new measure of poverty for the UK”.</p><p> </p><p>We welcome the work that the Social Metrics Commission has done. Measuring poverty is complex, and this report offers further insight into that complexity. We are engaging with the Social Metrics Commission, who acknowledge that further work needs to be done (particularly around data availability and quality). We will carefully consider their recommendations and the detail behind the methodology they have employed when this has been made available.</p><p> </p><p>DWP publishes a range of measures that track various aspects of poverty. These include four measures for low income poverty:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td colspan="2"><p>Number of people in low income (millions)</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>Percentage of people in low income (%)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Low Income Measure</p></td><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>2016/17</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Relative Before Housing Costs</p></td><td><p>10.4</p></td><td><p>10.4</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>16</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Relative After Housing Cost</p></td><td><p>13.6</p></td><td><p>14.3</p></td><td><p>22</p></td><td><p>22</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Absolute Before Housing Costs</p></td><td><p>9.9</p></td><td><p>8.9</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Absolute After Housing Costs</p></td><td><p>13.1</p></td><td><p>12.4</p></td><td><p>21</p></td><td><p>19</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The finding relating to the number of people in destitution is a misinterpretation of the key finding from a report published by the Joseph Rowntree Trust on 7 June, 2018: “Destitution in the UK, 2018”. This report found that 1.5 million people in the UK had been destitute at some point during 2017 and also noted that this was a reduction of 25 per cent compared with 2015.</p><p> </p><p>Under this Government, income inequality has fallen and remains lower than in 2010; the number of children in workless households is at a record low; and there are 1 million fewer people in absolute poverty (before housing costs) compared with 2010, including 300,000 children.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL11545 HL11546 question first answered 28/11/2018 11:45:12 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

1010130

	registered interest
	date	19/11/2018
	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	British Nationals Abroad: Italy
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they are making for UK citizens to be able to retire to Italy after the UK has left the European Union; and what advice, if any, they provide to those who wish to do so.
	tabling member printed	Lord Jones of Cheltenham
	uin	HL11577
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2018 answer text <p>The Agreement and Political declaration on future relations with the EU marks a significant step forward regarding the UK’s relationship with the EU after we exit the European Union. We have agreed in principle the terms of the UK’s smooth and orderly exit from the EU, as set out in the Withdrawal Agreement. We have also agreed the broad terms of our future relationship as set out in the outline Political Declaration which includes defined elements of social security coordination.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 03/12/2018 15:15:21 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	248 label Biography information for Lord Jones of Cheltenham

1011270

	registered interest
	date	20/11/2018
	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	Universal Credit: Children
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to postpone the extension of the policy to provide support to a maximum of two children to new Universal Credit claimants.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Portsmouth
	uin	HL11631
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2018 answer text <p>The policy aims to strike the appropriate balance between support for claimants with children and fairness to taxpayers and families with children who support themselves solely through work. A benefits structure that adjusts automatically to family size is ultimately not sustainable, and parents who support themselves solely through work would not generally expect to see their wages increase simply because of the addition of a new child to their family.</p><p> </p><p>There are exceptions in place to support those unable to make choices about the number of children in their household.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 04/12/2018 13:07:31 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4314 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Portsmouth

1012125

	registered interest
	date	21/11/2018
	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: Families
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 20 November (HL11324), in which period the UK spent 3.8 per cent of GDP on expenditure classified by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development as “family benefits”; and whether "family benefits" include (1) tax breaks, and (2) cash benefits and services.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL11652
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2018 answer text <p>The latest Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development data is for 2013. The “family benefits” category includes both cash benefits and services. It does not include tax breaks.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 05/12/2018 13:42:41 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1012129

	registered interest
	date	21/11/2018
	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	Poverty
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take further action to address relative poverty in the UK in response to the Statement on Visit to the United Kingdom, by Professor Philip Alston, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, published on 16 November.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL11656
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2018 answer text <p>The Government will carefully consider the findings set out in the Special Rapporteur’s interim report published on 16 November. Professor Alston’s final report will be presented to the June 2019 session of the of the Human Rights’ Council. Any formal comments made by the Government in response will be published alongside the final report on the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ website.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Under this Government, income inequality has fallen and remains lower than in 2010; the number of children in workless households is at a record low; and there are 1 million fewer people in absolute poverty (before housing costs) compared with 2010, including 300,000 children.</p><p> </p><p>The Autumn Budget announced a number of changes to Universal Credit ahead of further expansion including an increase of £1,000 in work allowances from April 2019 allowing 2.4 million households to keep an extra £630 of income each year.</p><p> </p><p>Work continues to offer people the best opportunity to move out of poverty. Children living in households where all adults are working are five times less likely to be in relative poverty after housing costs than those in workless families.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 05/12/2018 13:42:00 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1012145

	registered interest
	date	21/11/2018
	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	Poverty
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Statement on Visit to the United Kingdom, by Professor Philip Alston, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, published on 16 November; whether they intend to make a formal response to the Statement; and if not, why not.
	tabling member printed	Lord Ouseley
	uin	HL11672
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2018 answer text <p>The Government will carefully consider the findings set out in the Special Rapporteur’s interim report published on 16 November. Professor Alston’s final report will be presented to the June 2019 session of the of the Human Rights’ Council. Any formal comments made by the Government in response will be published alongside the final report on the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ website.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 03/12/2018 15:50:30 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	2170 label Biography information for Lord Ouseley

1012147

	registered interest
	date	21/11/2018
	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	Mental Health Services: Employment
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to making the provision of mental health first aid mandatory in the workplace.
	tabling member printed	Lord Ouseley
	uin	HL11674
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2018 answer text <p>The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 already allow for the consideration of mental health alongside physical health when undertaking a needs assessment. On the 21<sup>st</sup> November 2018 the Health and Safety Executive published guidance to clarify this point for employers.</p><p> </p><p>Key evidence reviews of the impact of mental health-type training in a workplace environment show that there are a number of knowledge gaps which mean it is not possible to say whether the training is effective in improving the management of mental health in workplaces, or whether it is the only effective mechanism for support. The research also identifies additional prevention and management actions that employers should put in place to create a comprehensive approach.</p><p> </p><p>In January 2017, the Prime Minister commissioned Lord Dennis Stevenson and Paul Farmer, the Chief Executive of Mind, to conduct an independent review into how employers can better support all employees, including those with mental ill health or wellbeing, to remain in and thrive at work. “<em>Thriving at Work: The Stevenson / Farmer review of mental health and employers</em> was published in October 2017.”</p><p> </p><p>In November 2017, the joint DWP/DHSC Work and Health Unit (WHU) published “<em>Improving Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability” </em>setting out plans for three key settings: welfare system, workplace and health system, and also set out the Government’s response to “<em>Thriving at Work”</em>. This response welcomed a key recommendation from the ‘Thriving at Work’ review for employers to adopt a set of core mental health standards that will provide a comprehensive approach to transforming mental health in the workplace. Government is committed to working with the authors of the review and key stakeholders across the public, private and voluntary sectors to ensure that employers of all sizes act to implement the core and enhanced standards and help them, and their employees, realise the benefits of healthy, inclusive workplaces.</p><p>Therefore, the Government’s view is that the best way to secure employer action is to engage with employers on a voluntary basis to implement the comprehensive mental health core standards approach rather than legislate on a single issue.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 05/12/2018 14:38:13 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	2170 label Biography information for Lord Ouseley

1012529

	registered interest
	date	22/11/2018
	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	Universal Credit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how the additional funding announced for claimants migrating to Universal Credit will be spent.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Meacher
	uin	HL11721
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2018 answer text <p>At Autumn Budget 2018 we announced a package worth £4.5 billion across the next five years, to support those on Universal Credit. These measures include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>A £1000 annual increase in the Work Allowance from April 2019,which will provide a £630 boost for households with children, and for people with disabilities.</li><li>Reducing, from October 2019, the maximum rate at which deductions can be made from a Universal Credit award from 40 per cent to 30 per cent of the standard allowance. 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.</li><li>Introducing, from July 2020 a two week transitional run on (similar to the Housing Benefit run-on introduced earlier this year) of income related legacy benefits (Income Support, income related Employment and Support Allowance and income based Jobseeker’s Allowance) for two weeks after a claim for Universal Credit has been made. This measure means that around 1.1 million households will see a one-off gain of approximately £200, between 2020/21 and 2023/24.</li><li>Commencing from July 2020, supporting the transition to Universal Credit for all self-employed people, by extending the 12-month grace period (the period before the Minimum Income Floor applies) to all gainfully self-employed people; giving claimants time to grow their businesses to a sustainable level. This will be implemented fully from September 2020.</li><li>An extension in the surplus earnings disregard exception for up to £2500 for another year from 2019 to 2020</li></ul> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 11/12/2018 14:37:11 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3810 label Biography information for Baroness Meacher

1012530

	registered interest
	date	22/11/2018
	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	Universal Credit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to identify individuals who will need support in making Universal Credit claims; and what support they will provide to all claimants.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Meacher
	uin	HL11722
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2018 answer text <p>All claimants, including those who are vulnerable or with mental health conditions, receive continuous tailored support through their personal work coaches, and all DWP staff working with claimants complete extensive training that prepares them for their role. Specific training is provided for working with different vulnerable groups, with guidance to signpost claimants to relevant support, and these circumstances will be recorded on a claimant’s online account.</p><p> </p><p>We take a number of steps to identify individuals who will need support in making a claim to Universal Credit. For example, we identify claimants either prior to or at the initial claim stage, to discuss what support mechanisms need to be in place to make a claim. This can be through discussions with their Work Coach, the Universal Credit helpline and/or through home visits.</p><p> </p><p>For those individuals identified as requiring support, Universal Support provides advice and assistance to help claimants manage their Universal Credit claim, with a focus on budgeting advice and digital support. Since 2017, Universal Support has been delivered by individual local authorities, funded by grants from DWP.</p><p> </p><p>From April 2019 Citizens Advice (England and Wales) and Citizens Advice Scotland will take on the responsibility for delivering a strengthened Universal Support service, a move which will ensure a consistent and streamlined service for claimants across the country. This new partnership will ensure vulnerable claimants get the support they need to make a claim and manage their money.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 05/12/2018 16:25:15 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3810 label Biography information for Baroness Meacher

1012531

	registered interest
	date	22/11/2018
	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	Universal Credit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether people moving from legacy benefits to Universal Credit will be subject to a hard stop to their benefit payments.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Meacher
	uin	HL11723
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/12/2018 answer text <p>The Universal Credit (Managed Migration) 2018 regulations which have been laid before Parliament for approval contain our proposed measures for the managed migration of claimants on legacy benefits to Universal Credit. These include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Notifying claimants that they need to move to Universal Credit, and giving them a minimum of three months to make their claim. They can submit their application at any point during this period and will receive reminders if they have not done so, as the end of this period approaches;</li><li>Having unlimited flexibility to extend the period of time a claimant has to make a Universal Credit claim if there is a good reason;</li><li>The automatic backdating of all claims made once the above period has ended, if a Universal Credit claim is made within one calendar month after this. Transitional protection will also be applied to the Universal Credit award.</li></ul><p>Our objective is to ensure that all legacy benefit claimants migrate safely across to Universal Credit and to that end we will also:</p><p> </p><ul><li>have a lengthy period of careful and robust testing before we move to scale;</li><li>work closely with a large and diverse group of stakeholders to design the process so that we can draw on their insight and experience;</li><li>be producing guidance for work coaches and case managers to identify and protect vulnerable claimants.</li></ul> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 06/12/2018 12:48:25 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3810 label Biography information for Baroness Meacher

1014696

	registered interest
	date	26/11/2018
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Draft Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, published on 22 November, which aspects of social security will be co-ordinated with the EU.
	tabling member printed	Lord Wigley
	uin	HL11825
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2018 answer text <p>The details of which aspects of social security will be coordinated with the EU under the future relationship are subject to further negotiation with the EU.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 10/12/2018 14:48:07 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	547 label Biography information for Lord Wigley

1015842

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2018
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Allowances
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 19 November (HL11445), what is the maximum level of lodging expenses per night Department for Work and Pensions officials can claim when they have longer term arrangements for detached duty.
	tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
	uin	HL11842
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2018 answer text <p>The maximum amount of lodging expenses is £53 per night in London and £37 per night elsewhere.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 04/12/2018 13:06:57 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

1017032

	registered interest
	date	28/11/2018
	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	Universal Credit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to undertake a comprehensive review of the impact of Universal Credit on vulnerable groups; and if so, what are their plans.
	tabling member printed	Lord Beecham
	uin	HL11877
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2018 answer text <p>We routinely publish reviews of Universal Credit. Testing of managed migration will commence in July 2019, before taking on larger volumes from 2020. In the first year of managed migration, we expect to only move 10,000 people. In our response the Social Security Advisory Committee on the 5th November we committed to conducting detailed Equality Assessments of migration plans. This is an iterative process and will be fully evaluated with equality impacts reassessed in accordance with the evaluation. We will publish an assessment of the impacts of managed migration prior to increasing the scale.</p><p> </p><p>These include the Universal Credit Impact Assessment (December 2012) and the Universal Credit Programme Full Business Case Summary (June 2018), which sets out the rationale for Universal Credit as well as the financial impacts it is expected to have.</p><p> </p><p>I will also take this opportunity to draw attention to a recent comparison between Universal Credit and the social welfare system in Finland. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report concludes that their universal credit approach for Finland would outperform their existing system and their proposed universal basic income, in terms of reducing poverty, providing a safety net, better targeting of finite resources and improved incentives to work. The OECD report is attached to this answer.</p><p> </p><p>We plan to publish a full evaluation of Universal Credit when it has been fully implemented.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL11879 HL11880 HL11881 question first answered 12/12/2018 14:44:50 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe attachment 1 file name OECD article 28 Feb 18.pdf title OECD Article 28.2.18
	tabling member	4181 label Biography information for Lord Beecham

1017033

	registered interest
	date	28/11/2018
	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	Universal Credit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Universal Credit claimants have additional support needs; and how are such claimants identified, monitored and supported.
	tabling member printed	Lord Beecham
	uin	HL11878
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2018 answer text <p>The information requested is not currently held in a consistent format by the Department.</p><p> </p><p>We are continuously reviewing and improving the service for vulnerable people who claim Universal Credit to ensure that it is accessible and responsive to their needs.</p><p> </p><p>To assist identification and claimant support, each Jobcentre Plus site has a complex needs toolkit in place. These are maintained and reviewed locally and contain a named single point of contact for areas such as Homelessness, Care leavers and Prison leavers.</p><p> </p><p>Work coaches receive training to help them identify and support vulnerable claimants, building a relationship to encourage claimants to openly discuss any concerns or problems as they emerge. We have introduced a function to ‘pin’ key profile notes so they are instantly visible to all staff helping a claimant.</p><p> </p><p>To help claimants who may struggle using online services or managing a monthly payment, Universal Support is available. This is advice, assistance or support to help Universal Credit claimants with managing their claim or award of Universal Credit administered by Citizen’s Advice following our brand new partnership.</p><p> </p><p>We have also increased the numbers of Disability Employment Advisers who now provide additional support to the work coaches so they can better personalise support as we continuously improve the offer available.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 12/12/2018 14:56:09 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4181 label Biography information for Lord Beecham

1017034

	registered interest
	date	28/11/2018
	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	Universal Credit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Equality Impact Assessment of Universal Credit will be updated to include lessons learned from the areas in which full service has been rolled out; and if so, when.
	tabling member printed	Lord Beecham
	uin	HL11879
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2018 answer text <p>We routinely publish reviews of Universal Credit. Testing of managed migration will commence in July 2019, before taking on larger volumes from 2020. In the first year of managed migration, we expect to only move 10,000 people. In our response the Social Security Advisory Committee on the 5th November we committed to conducting detailed Equality Assessments of migration plans. This is an iterative process and will be fully evaluated with equality impacts reassessed in accordance with the evaluation. We will publish an assessment of the impacts of managed migration prior to increasing the scale.</p><p> </p><p>These include the Universal Credit Impact Assessment (December 2012) and the Universal Credit Programme Full Business Case Summary (June 2018), which sets out the rationale for Universal Credit as well as the financial impacts it is expected to have.</p><p> </p><p>I will also take this opportunity to draw attention to a recent comparison between Universal Credit and the social welfare system in Finland. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report concludes that their universal credit approach for Finland would outperform their existing system and their proposed universal basic income, in terms of reducing poverty, providing a safety net, better targeting of finite resources and improved incentives to work. The OECD report is attached to this answer.</p><p> </p><p>We plan to publish a full evaluation of Universal Credit when it has been fully implemented.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL11877 HL11880 HL11881 question first answered 12/12/2018 14:44:50 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe attachment 1 file name OECD article 28 Feb 18.pdf title OECD Article 28.2.18
	tabling member	4181 label Biography information for Lord Beecham

1017035

	registered interest
	date	28/11/2018
	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	Universal Credit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to secure an independent full cost benefit analysis of Universal Credit; and if so, when.
	tabling member printed	Lord Beecham
	uin	HL11880
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2018 answer text <p>We routinely publish reviews of Universal Credit. Testing of managed migration will commence in July 2019, before taking on larger volumes from 2020. In the first year of managed migration, we expect to only move 10,000 people. In our response the Social Security Advisory Committee on the 5th November we committed to conducting detailed Equality Assessments of migration plans. This is an iterative process and will be fully evaluated with equality impacts reassessed in accordance with the evaluation. We will publish an assessment of the impacts of managed migration prior to increasing the scale.</p><p> </p><p>These include the Universal Credit Impact Assessment (December 2012) and the Universal Credit Programme Full Business Case Summary (June 2018), which sets out the rationale for Universal Credit as well as the financial impacts it is expected to have.</p><p> </p><p>I will also take this opportunity to draw attention to a recent comparison between Universal Credit and the social welfare system in Finland. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report concludes that their universal credit approach for Finland would outperform their existing system and their proposed universal basic income, in terms of reducing poverty, providing a safety net, better targeting of finite resources and improved incentives to work. The OECD report is attached to this answer.</p><p> </p><p>We plan to publish a full evaluation of Universal Credit when it has been fully implemented.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL11877 HL11879 HL11881 question first answered 12/12/2018 14:44:50 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe attachment 1 file name OECD article 28 Feb 18.pdf title OECD Article 28.2.18
	tabling member	4181 label Biography information for Lord Beecham

1017036

	registered interest
	date	28/11/2018
	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	Universal Credit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to monitor (1) the monetary, and (2) any other, impact of Universal Credit on (a) the wider health and social care systems, and (b) voluntary and community organisations.
	tabling member printed	Lord Beecham
	uin	HL11881
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2018 answer text <p>We routinely publish reviews of Universal Credit. Testing of managed migration will commence in July 2019, before taking on larger volumes from 2020. In the first year of managed migration, we expect to only move 10,000 people. In our response the Social Security Advisory Committee on the 5th November we committed to conducting detailed Equality Assessments of migration plans. This is an iterative process and will be fully evaluated with equality impacts reassessed in accordance with the evaluation. We will publish an assessment of the impacts of managed migration prior to increasing the scale.</p><p> </p><p>These include the Universal Credit Impact Assessment (December 2012) and the Universal Credit Programme Full Business Case Summary (June 2018), which sets out the rationale for Universal Credit as well as the financial impacts it is expected to have.</p><p> </p><p>I will also take this opportunity to draw attention to a recent comparison between Universal Credit and the social welfare system in Finland. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report concludes that their universal credit approach for Finland would outperform their existing system and their proposed universal basic income, in terms of reducing poverty, providing a safety net, better targeting of finite resources and improved incentives to work. The OECD report is attached to this answer.</p><p> </p><p>We plan to publish a full evaluation of Universal Credit when it has been fully implemented.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL11877 HL11879 HL11880 question first answered 12/12/2018 14:44:50 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe attachment 1 file name OECD article 28 Feb 18.pdf title OECD Article 28.2.18
	tabling member	4181 label Biography information for Lord Beecham

1017064

	registered interest
	date	28/11/2018
	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: Domestic Abuse
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Bill for Survivors, published by Women’s Aid, and its proposal that they should have a statutory duty to “assess all welfare reforms for their impact on survivors’ ability to escape abuse”.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL11909
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2018 answer text <p>The Government recognises that domestic abuse is a devastating crime that shatters the lives of victims and families. It is vital that the response to domestic abuse supports victims and survivors, pursues perpetrators and ensures agencies provide an effective service.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will be publishing a landmark draft Domestic Abuse Bill, which will help transform our response to the crime. We will have pledged to create a statutory Government definition of domestic abuse, introduce new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders and establish a Domestic Abuse Commissioner.</p><p> </p><p>DWP policies are subject to appraisal and impact assessment in line with HM Treasury Green Book guidance. The Department is required under the Public Sector Equality Duty to assess the impact of specific policies on ‘protected groups’ including by gender, age, race and disability, and where relevant this requirement is met by the conducting of equality impact assessments. We have no current plans separately to consider domestic abuse.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 10/12/2018 15:13:18 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1017065

	registered interest
	date	28/11/2018
	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	Universal Credit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to address hardship caused in Universal Credit pilot areas, and (2) to ensure that the same impacts on debt and health are not caused by the future roll-out of Universal Credit.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Newcastle
	uin	HL11910
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2018 answer text <p>Universal Credit Full Service has been introduced gradually in stages across the country since April 2017 with full roll-out completing this month. From 2019 onwards we will begin to manage migrate legacy benefit claimants to Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>DWP is working closely with stakeholders to design how we identify and support those claimants who will need extra help with the process of managed migration. This will begin with a lengthy period of careful introduction and will be at a small scale to ensure our processes are working effectively before we take on larger volumes from 2020 onwards. Once managed migration has been completed there will be an additional £2.1 billion spend per year on Universal Credit compared to the current legacy system.</p><p> </p><p>More severely disabled people will also receive higher payments under Universal Credit, with around 1 million disabled households gaining on average about £100 more per month and the managed migration regulations currently before Parliament, include transitional protections to ensure that no one loses out at the point of transition.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants may have pre-existing debts prior to claiming Universal Credit – for example rent arrears (which are usually temporary and are cleared over time). However, this year, following Autumn Budget 2017, we have implemented a comprehensive package of improvements. These include making advances of up to 100 per cent of the indicative award available (from the start of a claim), removing the 7 waiting days, providing an additional payment of 2 weeks of Housing Benefit to support claimants when they transition to Universal Credit, and changing how claimants in temporary accommodation receive support for their housing costs.</p><p> </p><p>We announced further support at Autumn Budget 2018. Work Allowances will increase by £1000 a year from next April. This will benefit working parents and people with disabilities – 2.4 million households will be up to £630 better off per year in a package worth £1.7bn by 2023/24. From July 2020, payment of the income related elements of Employment and Support Allowance, income based Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support will continue for two weeks after a claim for Universal Credit has been made.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, our new Universal Support partnership with Citizens Advice (CA) and Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) from April 2019 will deliver a high-quality and consistent service for our most vulnerable claimants, to assist them manage their Universal Credit claim, get paid on time and budget effectively.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 12/12/2018 14:58:19 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4568 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Newcastle

1020036

	registered interest
	date	04/12/2018
	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	Mesothelioma: Compensation
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to increase tariff payments from the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme in line with the Consumer Price Index; if so, when; and whether they intend to conduct a review of that Scheme.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL12012
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>When the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (DMPS) was introduced in 2014 the payment tariffs were based on 80 percent of the average damages awarded in the civil courts. This amount was increased to 100 percent in 2015</p><p>This increase is far greater than if increases had been made in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). For example, the highest DMPS payment for those aged 40 or under in 2014 was £216,896 and this was increased to £271,120 in 2015, and the lowest payment for those aged 90 or over increased from £69,649 to £87,061</p><p> </p><p>Information about the value of court awards or out of court settlements in Diffuse Mesothelioma cases in the past three years is not available. The <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/269880/research-report-858.pdf" target="_blank">'Study into average civil compensation in mesothelioma cases'</a>, published in 2014, estimated average (mean) civil compensation at £153,531 (in 2012 prices). The average payment under the DMPS for each of the last three years is £135,000, £141,000 and £145,000 respectively.</p><p> </p><p>In line with commitments made during the passage of the Mesothelioma Bill, the intention is to review the payment tariffs, in due course, to ensure payments made under the Scheme are maintained at the appropriate level.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL12013 question first answered 17/12/2018 15:36:49 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe attachment 1 file name Research Report - HL12012 & HL12013.pdf title Research Report 2014
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1020037

	registered interest
	date	04/12/2018
	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	Mesothelioma: Compensation
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the amount claimants to the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme receive compared to those with mesothelioma who successfully pursued civil claims; whether the difference in those amounts has increased in the past three years; and whether they will publish details of the average pay-out variations between the Scheme and civil claims.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL12013
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>When the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (DMPS) was introduced in 2014 the payment tariffs were based on 80 percent of the average damages awarded in the civil courts. This amount was increased to 100 percent in 2015</p><p>This increase is far greater than if increases had been made in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). For example, the highest DMPS payment for those aged 40 or under in 2014 was £216,896 and this was increased to £271,120 in 2015, and the lowest payment for those aged 90 or over increased from £69,649 to £87,061</p><p> </p><p>Information about the value of court awards or out of court settlements in Diffuse Mesothelioma cases in the past three years is not available. The <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/269880/research-report-858.pdf" target="_blank">'Study into average civil compensation in mesothelioma cases'</a>, published in 2014, estimated average (mean) civil compensation at £153,531 (in 2012 prices). The average payment under the DMPS for each of the last three years is £135,000, £141,000 and £145,000 respectively.</p><p> </p><p>In line with commitments made during the passage of the Mesothelioma Bill, the intention is to review the payment tariffs, in due course, to ensure payments made under the Scheme are maintained at the appropriate level.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL12012 question first answered 17/12/2018 15:36:49 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe attachment 1 file name Research Report - HL12012 & HL12013.pdf title Research Report 2014
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1020304

	registered interest
	date	05/12/2018
	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	Poverty
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding of the report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, UK Poverty 2018, published on 4 December, that 22 per cent of the population are in poverty; and what action they intend to take to remedy the situation.
	tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
	uin	HL12087
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2018 answer text <p>The figure quoted by the Joseph Rowntree Trust in this report is taken from official national statistics on the number and proportion of people in low income published by the Department for Work and Pensions in March 2018. These statistics show that there are one million fewer people living in absolute poverty since 2010, including 300,000 children.</p><p><br>This Government believes that the best way of tackling poverty is by building a strong economy and getting people into work. Adults in workless families are around 4 times more likely to be in poverty than those in working families. Children in workless households are around 5 times more likely to be in poverty after housing costs than those where all adults work. Nationally, there are now over 3.3 million more people in work, around 964,000 fewer workless households, and around 637,000 fewer children living in such households compared with 2010. This is why we will continue with our reforms to the welfare system so that it encourages work whilst supporting those who need help.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 12/12/2018 15:16:15 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

1022838

	registered interest
	date	10/12/2018
	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	Christmas Bonus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total annual cost to taxpayers of paying the annual £10 Christmas bonus to pensioners.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL12118
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2018 answer text <p>In 2017/18 a total of £126 million was paid to pensioners by the government and taxpayers for the pensioners Christmas bonus.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 20/12/2018 12:25:37 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1022840

	registered interest
	date	10/12/2018
	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	Christmas Bonus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the total cost of paying the Christmas bonus to all pensioners is spent on administration.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL12119
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2018 answer text <p>Both Pensioners and working age people in receipt of certain benefits receive the Christmas Bonus. Christmas Bonus payments are usually automatically generated based on receipt of a qualifying benefit. The cost of doing this is not separately identifiable from the administrative costs of the qualifying benefits.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 18/12/2018 15:22:35 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1022841

	registered interest
	date	10/12/2018
	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	Age Addition
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total annual cost to taxpayers of paying the Age Addition to state pensions for pensioners over age 80.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL12120
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2018 answer text <p>The estimated cost to the tax payer of government paying the age addition to the State Pension for people over 80 for the tax year 17/18 was £44.8 million.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 18/12/2018 16:48:06 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1022843

	registered interest
	date	10/12/2018
	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	Age Addition
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the total cost of paying the Age Addition to pensioners is spent on administration.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL12121
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2018 answer text <p>Pensioners receive an additional 25p per week following their 80<sup>th</sup> birthday, this is known as Age Addition, and is payable with State Pension. The cost of doing this is not separately identifiable from the administration costs of State Pension</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 18/12/2018 16:47:40 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1022844

	registered interest
	date	10/12/2018
	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	Pensions: Consumer Information
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that pension data is accurate and reliable before it is loaded onto a Pensions Dashboard.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL12122
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2018 answer text <p>The Pensions Dashboard feasibility study was published on the 3 of December and can be found attached. The consultation runs to January 2019 and all interested parties are invited to respond.</p><p> </p><p>All pension providers have a responsibility to maintain high quality member data. Any activity to maintain or improve data quality will need to be progressed by providers before their data can be used on dashboards. There is already a significant amount of on-going work among providers of different types of schemes, in many cases working with The Pensions Regulator, to improve data quality.</p><p> </p><p>The proposed industry delivery group will work with providers and schemes, including with the regulators where necessary, to set data standards and ensure that work takes place to meet these.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 18/12/2018 16:45:57 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe attachment 1 file name Pensions Dashboards_web_Accessible.pdf title Pensions Dashboard Feasibility study
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1022846

	registered interest
	date	10/12/2018
	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	Workplace Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to ask the Pensions Regulator to require regular reconciliation and reporting on accuracy of auto-enrolment pensions data.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL12123
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2018 answer text <p>Automatic enrolment has been a great success, with over 9.9 million employees enrolled and more than 1.3 million employers having met their duties to date. Government has put in place a robust, proportionate compliance framework. This is administered by The Pensions Regulator, and includes detailed regulatory guidance about how to comply with the law. An employer is required to select a qualifying pension scheme; enrol qualifying staff into that scheme, and deduct any contributions payable under automatic enrolment.</p><p> </p><p>Qualifying pension schemes for automatic enrolment are subject to the same regulatory framework as all trust-based workplace pension schemes, also overseen by The Pensions Regulator. The Regulator has published codes of practice on its website setting out how trustees of defined contribution pension schemes and managers of personal pension schemes should monitor the payment of contributions; provide information to help members check their contributions; and report material payment failures to the Regulator.</p><p> </p><p>The regulatory regime is designed so that errors can be identified and material failures can be reported, the Regulator can then require restitution; and, where necessary, make use of its enforcement powers. The Government keeps all aspects of automatic enrolment under regular review but has no plans to make changes to the compliance framework at this time.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 18/12/2018 16:48:51 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1022850

	registered interest
	date	10/12/2018
	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	Mesothelioma: Compensation
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) whether the number of civil compensation awards in mesothelioma cases have increased, and (2) whether such awards provide funds for diverse treatments that are not available on the NHS; and whether they intend to review the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme to ensure that it provides a similar level of awards and treatment options.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL12126
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2018 answer text <p>Information is collected on the number of personal injury claims made in the courts overall but it is not broken down between individual types of injury or disease. Statistics recording the number of civil compensation claims made in mesothelioma cases or of the awards or settlements resulting from them are not available.</p><p>In line with commitments made during the passage of the Mesothelioma Bill, the Department for Work and Pensions, which has responsibility for the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (DMPS), intends to review the DMPS payment tariffs in due course to ensure payments made under the Scheme are maintained at an appropriate level.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 19/12/2018 17:18:12 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1022892

	registered interest
	date	10/12/2018
	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	Jobseeker's Allowance: Domestic Abuse
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the domestic violence and abuse easement to Jobseeker's Allowance has been applied for each year since 2012, including 2018 to date, in (1) England, (2) Wales, and (3) Scotland.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL12153
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2018 answer text <p>The Department does not centrally record information on specific easements applied to individual claimants.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe grouped question UIN HL12154 HL12155 question first answered 18/12/2018 16:15:31 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett