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1727739

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2024
	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	Pension Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the time taken for all eligible pensioners to apply for Pension Credit.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	4375
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2024 answer text <p>The responsibility to make a claim to Pension Credit is with individuals, and we can only encourage them to apply. We encourage all pensioners who may be eligible for Pension Credit to use the Pension Credit Calculator to check eligibility and to use our online Pension Credit claims process, via telephone or paper claims.</p><p>The Government is determined to ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need. As part of Pension Credit Week of Action, we joined forces with national charities, broadcasters and local authorities to encourage pensioners to check their eligibility and make a claim.</p><p>From 16 September, we will be running a national marketing campaign on a range of channels. The campaign will target potential pension-age customers, as well as friends and family who can encourage and support them to apply.</p><p>Our future campaign messaging will also focus on encouraging pensioners to apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December 2024, which is the last date for making a successful backdated claim for Pension Credit in order to receive a Winter Fuel Payment.</p><p>We will work with external partners, local authorities and the Devolved Governments to boost the take-up of Pension Credit.</p><p>The latest available take-up estimates Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) cover the financial year 2021/2022 and suggest an overall Pension Credit take-up rate of 63%. The next take-up estimates covering the financial year 2022/2023 are due to be published in October.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds grouped question UIN 3731 question first answered 12/09/2024 10:57:42 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1727745

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2024
	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	Pension Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of asking local authorities to contact every pensioner on Housing Benefit to encourage them to take up Pension Credit; and if she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of whether local authorities have sufficient resources to undertake that task.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	4376
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2024 answer text <p>The Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions wrote to all local authorities on 20<sup>th</sup> August. The letter acknowledged the vital role local authorities play in supporting their communities. The Government recognises that many local authorities already do a huge amount of work to promote benefit take-up. We are asking that local authorities support our national Pension Credit campaign and help us reach those eligible pensioners who have not claimed Pension Credit, so they continue to receive an annual Winter Fuel Payment.</p><p> </p><p>Building on last year’s ‘Invitation to Claim’ trial, the Department will be directly contacting approximately 120,000 pensioner households who are in receipt of Housing Benefit and who may also be eligible for, but not currently claiming, Pension Credit.</p><p> </p><p>We will be inviting these households to apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December backdating deadline, in order to ensure that if they are eligible they will also qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 12/09/2024 10:51:18 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1727747

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2024
	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	Pension Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his deadline is for writing to Housing Benefit claimants on taking up Pension Credit; and what further steps he plans to take in respect of increasing uptake.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	4377
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2024 answer text <p>Building on last year’s ‘Invitation to Claim’ trial, we will be directly contacting approximately 120,000 pensioner households who are in receipt of Housing Benefit and who may also be eligible for, but not currently claiming, Pension Credit.</p><p> </p><p>We will be inviting these households to apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December backdating deadline, in order to ensure that if they are eligible they will also qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 12/09/2024 10:47:53 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1727748

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2024
	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	Pension Credit and Winter Fuel Payment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to take steps to enable people who are unable to claim Pension Credit to receive the Winter Fuel Payment.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	4378
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2024 answer text <p>Only pensioner households entitled to Pension Credit, or the other qualifying benefits, Universal Credit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit will get a Winter Fuel Payment from winter 2024/25. This approach retains support for pensioners on low incomes.<strong><em> </em></strong></p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 12/09/2024 10:42:12 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1727756

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2024
	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	Pension Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support people eligible for Pension Credit to claim it.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	4385
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2024 answer text <p>The Department has introduced the ability to make an online claim. This is in addition to telephone and paper claims. DWP Agents and third-party organisations are available to support customers with the application process. The Department is implementing a Pension Credit uptake campaign to encourage an estimate of up to 880,000 citizens who may be entitled to apply.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 12/09/2024 11:57:10 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1727037

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Pensioners: Poverty
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will establish a taskforce to help tackle pensioner poverty.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	3990
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2024 answer text <p>This government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. Our continued commitment to the triple lock means the full new state pension is forecast to increase by a further £1,700 over the course of the parliament.</p><p>We are also providing support through our Warm Homes Plan which pensioners will benefit from. This will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.</p><p>We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them.</p><p>The government will work with external partners and local authorities to boost the uptake of Pension Credit and to target additional support to the poorest pensioners. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.</p><p> </p><p>Our other steps include cutting waiting times in the NHS which will help many pensioners currently waiting in pain and discomfort for treatment, and delivering the economic stability which is so crucial for pensioners.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 09/09/2024 15:43:58 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1727038

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2024
	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	Long Term Unemployed People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she is taking steps to support community businesses that (a) employ, (b) train and (c) support people who have been unemployed for long periods.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	3991
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2024 answer text <p>DWP will give local places the responsibility and resources to design a joined-up work, health and skills offer that’s right for local people – as a key part of their Local Growth Plans. There will be a fundamental shift in the balance of power and resources to local areas so that our mayors, local councils, the NHS, businesses, colleges and the voluntary sector can work together to deliver real employment opportunities for local people. DWP will support local areas to make a success of this new approach, including through devolving employment support funding to catalyse local action and change. A White Paper to Get Britain working will be produced soon, providing more information on the proposals, plans and the route for people to engage with this critically important work, which we encourage community businesses to input into.</p> answering member constituency Birkenhead answering member printed Alison McGovern question first answered 09/09/2024 10:53:51 answering member 4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1727039

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2024
	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	Fuel Poverty
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care of the potential merits of establishing a fuel poverty prescription that can be given by GPs.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	3992
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2024 answer text <p>This Government takes fuel poverty extremely seriously. The Government will invest an extra £6.6 billion over this Parliament in clean heat and energy efficiency through the Warm Homes Plan, upgrading five million homes through solutions like low carbon heating and improved insulation to reduce emissions and cut bills.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Household Support Fund is being extended for a further 6 months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025.  An additional £500 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF, including funding for the Devolved Administrations through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 10/09/2024 14:27:24 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds previous answer version 4856 answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1726666

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2024
	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	Occupational Health: Unemployment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to use occupational health to help reduce levels of economic inactivity.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	3718
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2024 answer text <p>Expert-led impartial advice, including occupational health, can help employers provide appropriate and timely work-based support to manage their employees’ health conditions, and also support business productivity.</p><p> </p><p>Occupational health supports employers to maintain and promote health and wellbeing through assessments of fitness for work and advice about reasonable adjustments, work ability or return to work plans, as well as by signposting to treatment for specific conditions. Employers also have a choice about the type and level of Occupational Health service to provide for their employees.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s Occupational Health programme includes £1m of funding for Phase 1 and £1.5m for Phase 2 of an Innovation Fund which has focussed on increasing small medium enterprises (SME) access to and capacity in the occupational health sector, due for completion in March 2025. The fund has encouraged the development of new models of occupational health tailored to the self-employed and SMEs with a focus on better use of technology.</p><p> </p><p>Further, the Occupational Health Workforce Expansion Funding Scheme (launched in July 2023), has funded registered doctors and nurses to undertake occupational health training courses and qualifications. To date over 200 doctors and nurses have undertaken training with exams taking place in May 2024.</p> answering member constituency Birkenhead answering member printed Alison McGovern question first answered 05/09/2024 16:05:17 answering member 4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1726667

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2024
	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	Business: Occupational Health
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a requirement for large businesses to offer their employees access to occupational health services.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	3719
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2024 answer text <p>Expert-led impartial advice and interventions such as occupational health can help employers provide appropriate and timely work-based support to manage their employees’ health conditions, and also support business productivity.</p><p> </p><p>Occupational Health can play an important role in supporting employers to maintain and promote health and wellbeing through assessments of fitness for work and advice about reasonable adjustments, work ability or return to work plans, as well as by signposting to treatment for specific conditions.</p><p> </p><p>Employers also have a choice about the type and level of Occupational Health service to provide for their employees, with 89% of large employers already providing Occupational Health for their employees. We are keen to work closely with employers of all sizes to maintain and promote health and wellbeing in the workplace.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Birkenhead answering member printed Alison McGovern question first answered 09/09/2024 10:48:03 answering member 4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell