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1547052

registered interest
date	30/11/2022
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	Carer's Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the eligibility rules for Carer's Allowance on the ability of unpaid carers to work more hours and increase their earnings.
tabling member constituency	Leicester South
tabling member printed	Jonathan Ashworth
uin	99858
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2022 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>Many carers who are receiving Carer’s Allowance are also in households receiving Universal Credit, whose structure of tapers and work allowances (where applicable) effectively takes precedence over the earnings rules in Carer’s Allowance for these carers. This helps ensure that, if they wish to work, carers on the lowest incomes are better off doing so. There is, however, no requirement for those caring for 35 hours or more a week to undertake work search whilst receiving Universal Credit. In work or out of work, these carers may also receive the Universal Credit Carer Element, worth around an additional £2,000 a year.</p><p> </p><p>Some carers may not be able to receive Universal Credit, for example due to their levels of household capital or income. These carers may only be receiving Carer’s Allowance. This is not means-tested and not based on National Insurance contributions. It has an earnings limit which permits carers to undertake some part-time work if they are able to do so. This recognises the benefits of staying in touch with the workplace, including greater financial independence and social interaction.</p><p> </p><p>We know that some carers who are above Universal Credit thresholds are keen to maintain contact with the labour market, so we want to encourage carers in this position to combine some paid work with their caring duties wherever possible. That is why we regularly increase the earnings limit when it is warranted and affordable. The Carer’s Allowance earnings limit is currently £132 a week. Subject to parliamentary approval, this will increase to £139 a week from April 2023. This will mean that the earnings limit will have increased by over one third since 2010.</p><p> </p><p>There is no “hours rule” in Carer’s Allowance as far as earnings are concerned.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 99912 question first answered 05/12/2022 16:11:06 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4244 label Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth

1546931

registered interest
date	30/11/2022
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	Carer's Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an estimate of the cost of raising the earnings threshold for Carer’s Allowance to work for up to 21 hours a week at National Living Wages rates for financial year 2023-24.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham, Deptford
tabling member printed	Vicky Foxcroft
uin	99912
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2022 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>Many carers who are receiving Carer’s Allowance are also in households receiving Universal Credit, whose structure of tapers and work allowances (where applicable) effectively takes precedence over the earnings rules in Carer’s Allowance for these carers. This helps ensure that, if they wish to work, carers on the lowest incomes are better off doing so. There is, however, no requirement for those caring for 35 hours or more a week to undertake work search whilst receiving Universal Credit. In work or out of work, these carers may also receive the Universal Credit Carer Element, worth around an additional £2,000 a year.</p><p> </p><p>Some carers may not be able to receive Universal Credit, for example due to their levels of household capital or income. These carers may only be receiving Carer’s Allowance. This is not means-tested and not based on National Insurance contributions. It has an earnings limit which permits carers to undertake some part-time work if they are able to do so. This recognises the benefits of staying in touch with the workplace, including greater financial independence and social interaction.</p><p> </p><p>We know that some carers who are above Universal Credit thresholds are keen to maintain contact with the labour market, so we want to encourage carers in this position to combine some paid work with their caring duties wherever possible. That is why we regularly increase the earnings limit when it is warranted and affordable. The Carer’s Allowance earnings limit is currently £132 a week. Subject to parliamentary approval, this will increase to £139 a week from April 2023. This will mean that the earnings limit will have increased by over one third since 2010.</p><p> </p><p>There is no “hours rule” in Carer’s Allowance as far as earnings are concerned.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 99858 question first answered 05/12/2022 16:11:06 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4491 label Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft

1546435

registered interest
date	29/11/2022
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	Skilled Workers: Low Incomes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) jobseekers and (b) people on low incomes develop the skills required for local net zero delivery.
tabling member constituency	Rother Valley
tabling member printed	Alexander Stafford
uin	98914
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/12/2022 answer text <p>DWP works across government and with industry to identify green job opportunities and ensure the right skills and employment support are in place to help people into them. This includes work coach interventions and targeted provision including Sector-based Work Academy Programmes, DfE Skills Bootcamps and other provision. This means jobseekers and people on low incomes can develop skills to match the needs of the labour market.</p><p> </p><p>DWP sits on the BEIS-chaired Green Jobs Delivery Group with other representatives from across government and industry. This is supporting government’s plans for green jobs and skills and helping to deliver a net zero economy.  The latest meeting was on the 06/12/2022 led by the Minister of State, Graham Stuart MP.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 99845 question first answered 06/12/2022 17:18:47 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4866 label Biography information for Alexander Stafford

1400331

registered interest
date	06/01/2022
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	Sick Pay: Self-employed
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 extend full statutory sick pay to self-employed people who are required to self-isolate as a result of covid-19.
tabling member constituency	Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
tabling member printed	Neale Hanvey
uin	99076
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/01/2022 answer text <p>No. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid for by employers and there is no mechanism to include the self-employed in SSP.</p><p> </p><p>The Government does have a wider safety net to ensure self-employed people are supported through the welfare system.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith grouped question UIN 99077 question first answered 17/01/2022 12:09:51 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4782 label Biography information for Neale Hanvey

1400332

registered interest
date	06/01/2022
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	Sick Pay: Self-employed
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the public health benefits of extending full statutory sick pay to self-employed people who have to self-isolate as a result of covid-19.
tabling member constituency	Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
tabling member printed	Neale Hanvey
uin	99077
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/01/2022 answer text <p>No. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid for by employers and there is no mechanism to include the self-employed in SSP.</p><p> </p><p>The Government does have a wider safety net to ensure self-employed people are supported through the welfare system.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith grouped question UIN 99076 question first answered 17/01/2022 12:09:51 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4782 label Biography information for Neale Hanvey

1400475

registered interest
date	06/01/2022
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	Members: Correspondence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she will respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Manchester Gorton of 11 November 2021 regarding Dr Peter Harrison.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	99043
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2022 answer text <p>The DWP National Complaints Team have progressed both cases and a full response will be issued week commencing 10 January 2022.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 99044 question first answered 11/01/2022 16:05:15 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1400476

registered interest
date	06/01/2022
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	Members: Correspondence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she will respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Manchester Gorton of 25 November 2021 regarding Chantelle Zerafa.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	99044
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2022 answer text <p>The DWP National Complaints Team have progressed both cases and a full response will be issued week commencing 10 January 2022.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 99043 question first answered 11/01/2022 16:05:15 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1400497

registered interest
date	06/01/2022
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: York
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate she has made of the number of people living in (a) poverty and (b) relative poverty in (i) York and (ii) York Central constituency.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	98987
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/01/2022 answer text <p>The latest information on the number and proportion of children who are in low income families in York and York Central constituency, covering the six years, 2014/15 to 2019/20, can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-in-low-income-families-local-area-statistics-2014-to-2020" target="_blank">Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p> </p><p>National Statistics on the number of people in low income are published annually in the “Households Below Average Income” publication. Data for York and York Central constituency is unavailable due to insufficient sample size.</p><p> </p><p>Latest statistics for the number of people who are in low income in Yorkshire and the Humber and England, covering 2019/20, can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-for-financial-years-ending-1995-to-2020" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-for-financial-years-ending-1995-to-2020</a> in population-hbai-timeseries-1994-95-2019-20-tables data table 3.20ts (absolute low income, before and after housing costs) and 3.18ts (relative low income, before and after housing costs).</p><p> </p><p>This Government is wholly committed to supporting those on low incomes, and continues to do so through many measures, including by spending over £110 billion on welfare support for people of working age in 2021/22 and by increasing the National Living Wage by 6.6% to £9.50 from April 2022.</p><p> </p><p>As our recovery gathers pace and with record vacancies, our focus now is on continuing to support parents into and to progress in work. This is because we know that work, particularly where it is full-time, substantially reduces the risks of child poverty and improves long-term outcomes for families and children. Our multi-billion-pound Plan for Jobs, which has recently been expanded by £500 million, will help people across the UK to find work and to boost their wages and prospects.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit recipients in work can now benefit from a reduction in the Universal Credit taper rate from 63% to 55%, and an increase in the work allowance by £500 per year meaning that working households will be able to keep substantially more of what they earn. These measures effectively represent a tax cut, worth around £2.2bn a year in 2022-23, for the lowest paid in society and will benefit almost two million of the lowest paid workers by £1000 a year on average.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that some people may require extra support over the winter, which is why vulnerable households across the country are now able to access a new £500 million support fund to help them with essentials. The Household Support Fund provides £421 million to help vulnerable people in England with the cost of food, utilities and wider essentials. The Barnett Formula applies in the usual way, with the devolved administrations receiving almost £80 million (£41m for the Scottish Government, £25m for the Welsh Government and £14m for the NI Executive), for a total of £500 million. City of York Council are receiving £1,037,906.47of this funding.</p><p> </p><p>To support low-income families further we have also increased the value of Healthy Start Food Vouchers from £3.10 to £4.25, helping eligible low income households buy basic foods like milk, fruit and vitamins, and we are investing over £200m a year to continue our Holiday Activities and Food programme, which is already providing enriching activities and healthy meals to children in all Local Authorities in England.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 98989 question first answered 13/01/2022 17:23:26 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1400499

registered interest
date	06/01/2022
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: York
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children in (a) York and (b) York Central constituency are living in (i) poverty and (ii) relative poverty.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	98989
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/01/2022 answer text <p>The latest information on the number and proportion of children who are in low income families in York and York Central constituency, covering the six years, 2014/15 to 2019/20, can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-in-low-income-families-local-area-statistics-2014-to-2020" target="_blank">Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p> </p><p>National Statistics on the number of people in low income are published annually in the “Households Below Average Income” publication. Data for York and York Central constituency is unavailable due to insufficient sample size.</p><p> </p><p>Latest statistics for the number of people who are in low income in Yorkshire and the Humber and England, covering 2019/20, can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-for-financial-years-ending-1995-to-2020" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-for-financial-years-ending-1995-to-2020</a> in population-hbai-timeseries-1994-95-2019-20-tables data table 3.20ts (absolute low income, before and after housing costs) and 3.18ts (relative low income, before and after housing costs).</p><p> </p><p>This Government is wholly committed to supporting those on low incomes, and continues to do so through many measures, including by spending over £110 billion on welfare support for people of working age in 2021/22 and by increasing the National Living Wage by 6.6% to £9.50 from April 2022.</p><p> </p><p>As our recovery gathers pace and with record vacancies, our focus now is on continuing to support parents into and to progress in work. This is because we know that work, particularly where it is full-time, substantially reduces the risks of child poverty and improves long-term outcomes for families and children. Our multi-billion-pound Plan for Jobs, which has recently been expanded by £500 million, will help people across the UK to find work and to boost their wages and prospects.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit recipients in work can now benefit from a reduction in the Universal Credit taper rate from 63% to 55%, and an increase in the work allowance by £500 per year meaning that working households will be able to keep substantially more of what they earn. These measures effectively represent a tax cut, worth around £2.2bn a year in 2022-23, for the lowest paid in society and will benefit almost two million of the lowest paid workers by £1000 a year on average.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that some people may require extra support over the winter, which is why vulnerable households across the country are now able to access a new £500 million support fund to help them with essentials. The Household Support Fund provides £421 million to help vulnerable people in England with the cost of food, utilities and wider essentials. The Barnett Formula applies in the usual way, with the devolved administrations receiving almost £80 million (£41m for the Scottish Government, £25m for the Welsh Government and £14m for the NI Executive), for a total of £500 million. City of York Council are receiving £1,037,906.47of this funding.</p><p> </p><p>To support low-income families further we have also increased the value of Healthy Start Food Vouchers from £3.10 to £4.25, helping eligible low income households buy basic foods like milk, fruit and vitamins, and we are investing over £200m a year to continue our Holiday Activities and Food programme, which is already providing enriching activities and healthy meals to children in all Local Authorities in England.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 98987 question first answered 13/01/2022 17:23:26 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1240394

registered interest
date	05/10/2020
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: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on levels of (a) absolute and (b) relative poverty of removing the temporary uplift to universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	98977
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2020 answer text <p>Estimating the potential impact of individual policies on future levels of poverty is not possible as it would require making judgements about what will happen to every person’s income in the future and then also isolating potential changes in income due to the effect of specific policies on certain individuals. It is not possible to do this accurately as there is so much uncertainty involved in projecting incomes.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 98978 question first answered 08/10/2020 16:51:49 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray