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1083635

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the process is for her Department when it considers an application for an advance payment for universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	229666
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>If a claimant meets the conditions for an advance we aim to make the payment within 72 hours. However, an advance can be paid on the same day the claimant applies if they or their household would suffer genuine hardship if they had to wait 72 hours for the payment.</p><p>Applications for a Universal Credit advance payment can be made in person, by telephone or online depending on the claimant’s circumstances. Depending on the type of advance payment application, we will consider whether the claimant satisfies the eligibility conditions for receiving the advance. If the claimant is eligible we will agree the amount of the advance and the period over which the advance will be recovered from their future Universal Credit payments. The outcome of the application is explained to the claimant and their online journal updated.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 22/05/2019 13:37:44 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1125630

registered interest
date	09/05/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Wales
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people became ineligable for severe disability premium as a result of moving onto universal credit in Wales.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	252504
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2019 answer text <p>It is not possible to confirm exactly how many people in Wales became ineligible for the Severe Disability Premium (SDP) following their move to Universal Credit due to a change in circumstance. This is because each case must be individually assessed to determine whether SDP eligibility would have continued following the end of their claim to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Jobseekers’ Allowance (JSA) or Income Support (IS).</p><p> </p><p>Information on claimants of JSA and IS in receipt of SDP who have moved to Universal Credit would incur disproportionate cost in response to a Parliamentary Question.</p><p> </p><p>Since 16 January 2019 claimants who are in receipt of SDP or who have been entitled to an award of an existing benefit that included SDP in the previous month, and who have continued to meet the SDP eligibility conditions, have been prevented from moving onto Universal Credit if they experience a change in circumstances. Instead, these claimants will continue to claim legacy benefits until DWP move them onto Universal Credit where transitional protection will be available, thereby safeguarding their existing benefit entitlement.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is considering the detail of the recent court judgment regarding SDP, and will make a decision on their response in due course.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 17/05/2019 12:39:59 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1125632

registered interest
date	09/05/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Wales
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Wales received additional payments as a result of moving from Severe Disability Premium to universal credit without transitional arrangements.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	252505
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2019 answer text <p>The draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019, which are currently before Parliament, make provision for Severe Disability Premium transitional payments for those eligible claimants who have already moved to UC.</p><p> </p><p>Following the High Court judgment on 3 May, in relation to Universal Credit and these regulations, we are considering our options.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 17/05/2019 13:39:07 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1132228

registered interest
date	14/06/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: 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 criteria her Department uses to categorise universal credit applicants as gainfully self-employed.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	264731
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>The Department provides tailored support to our claimants who are in self-employment through our work coaches to help them to increase their productivity and earnings. Work coaches can refer low-earning claimants to mentoring support from New Enterprise Allowance providers and sign-post claimants to the other extensive business support which is already funded by the Government.</p><p> </p><p>All claimants with earnings from self-employment, whether gainfully self-employed or not, are required to self-report these each month to ensure that any Universal Credit (UC) payments take into account all household earnings. Monthly reporting allows UC to be adjusted monthly. Claimants are required to report the total of actual payments into and out of their business in each month, minus any Income Tax, National Insurance, permitted business expenses and relievable pension contributions actually paid. This gives a net profit figure, which is treated as the self-employed earnings total in the UC calculation. Any drawings from business to personal accounts or, where a claimant has incorporated their business, payment of salary from their company to their personal account, is disregarded in this calculation to avoid double counting.</p><p> </p><p>When a claim is made to Universal Credit the Department will, on the basis of the information provided by the claimant, assess whether the claimant may reasonably be expected to work. If a claimant is in a group expected to work, the number of hours they may be expected to work is a maximum of 35 but may be lower, for example to take account of caring responsibilities or a health condition.</p><p> </p><p>If a claimant is self-employed and in a group expected to work, the Department then considers a number of factors to establish whether someone is gainfully self-employed. A claimant is considered to be in gainful self-employment where all of the following apply:</p><p> </p><ul><li>the claimant is carrying on a trade, profession or vocation as their main employment</li><li>their earnings from that trade, profession or vocation are self-employed earnings</li><li>the trade, profession or vocation is organised, developed, regular and carried out in expectation of profit</li></ul><p> </p><p>If all of the above are satisfied, then the claimant is considered gainfully self-employed. A Minimum Income Floor (MIF) is calculated by multiplying the number of hours the gainfully self-employed claimant is expected to work by the relevant National Minimum Wage for their age, minus notional deductions for Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions. Gainfully self-employed claimants with a MIF applied to their claim are free from requirements to seek other work and are free to undertake those activities that they consider will maximise their profit including decisions about when and how to work most effectively.</p><p> </p><p>As we announced in the Autumn Budget 2018, we are extending the 12-month start-up period where claimants are exempt from the Minimum Income Floor to all gainfully self-employed claimants who are new to Universal Credit. This start-up period will provide time for self-employed claimants to establish and grow their business, or to adjust to Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>On average earnings from self-employment are lower than from employment and the self-employed make up a significant proportion of those in in-work poverty. The Government believes the MIF, by incentivising claimants to earn more from self-employment, or alternatively enter employment, offers the most effective way of tackling in-work poverty for the self-employed.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 264733 264734 question first answered 24/06/2019 15:58:34 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1132229

registered interest
date	14/06/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Self-employed
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claimants are categorised as self-employed in (a) Arfon, (b) Wales and (c) the UK.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	264732
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>The Department plans to publish statistics on Universal Credit and self-employment, including claimant numbers, in the future. The Government’s commitment remains to helping self-employed claimants with viable businesses to thrive, while protecting public funds.</p><p>We provide tailored support to our claimants who are in self-employment through our work coaches to help them to increase their productivity and earnings. Work coaches can also sign-post claimants to the extensive business support which is already funded by the Government.</p><p>As we announced in the Autumn Budget 2018, we will be extending the 12-month start-up period where claimants are exempt from the Minimum Income Floor to all gainfully self-employed claimants who are new to Universal Credit. This start-up period will provide time for self-employed claimants to establish and grow their business, or to adjust to Universal Credit.</p><p>The Department has also extended mentoring support from New Enterprise Allowance mentors to Universal Credit claimants with earnings below their Minimum Income Floor, to help them to develop a plan to grow their earnings.</p><p /> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 24/06/2019 13:38:46 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1132231

registered interest
date	14/06/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: 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 criteria her Department use to assess whether a self-employed universal credit applicant is working 35 hours per week or more in paid employment.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	264733
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>The Department provides tailored support to our claimants who are in self-employment through our work coaches to help them to increase their productivity and earnings. Work coaches can refer low-earning claimants to mentoring support from New Enterprise Allowance providers and sign-post claimants to the other extensive business support which is already funded by the Government.</p><p> </p><p>All claimants with earnings from self-employment, whether gainfully self-employed or not, are required to self-report these each month to ensure that any Universal Credit (UC) payments take into account all household earnings. Monthly reporting allows UC to be adjusted monthly. Claimants are required to report the total of actual payments into and out of their business in each month, minus any Income Tax, National Insurance, permitted business expenses and relievable pension contributions actually paid. This gives a net profit figure, which is treated as the self-employed earnings total in the UC calculation. Any drawings from business to personal accounts or, where a claimant has incorporated their business, payment of salary from their company to their personal account, is disregarded in this calculation to avoid double counting.</p><p> </p><p>When a claim is made to Universal Credit the Department will, on the basis of the information provided by the claimant, assess whether the claimant may reasonably be expected to work. If a claimant is in a group expected to work, the number of hours they may be expected to work is a maximum of 35 but may be lower, for example to take account of caring responsibilities or a health condition.</p><p> </p><p>If a claimant is self-employed and in a group expected to work, the Department then considers a number of factors to establish whether someone is gainfully self-employed. A claimant is considered to be in gainful self-employment where all of the following apply:</p><p> </p><ul><li>the claimant is carrying on a trade, profession or vocation as their main employment</li><li>their earnings from that trade, profession or vocation are self-employed earnings</li><li>the trade, profession or vocation is organised, developed, regular and carried out in expectation of profit</li></ul><p> </p><p>If all of the above are satisfied, then the claimant is considered gainfully self-employed. A Minimum Income Floor (MIF) is calculated by multiplying the number of hours the gainfully self-employed claimant is expected to work by the relevant National Minimum Wage for their age, minus notional deductions for Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions. Gainfully self-employed claimants with a MIF applied to their claim are free from requirements to seek other work and are free to undertake those activities that they consider will maximise their profit including decisions about when and how to work most effectively.</p><p> </p><p>As we announced in the Autumn Budget 2018, we are extending the 12-month start-up period where claimants are exempt from the Minimum Income Floor to all gainfully self-employed claimants who are new to Universal Credit. This start-up period will provide time for self-employed claimants to establish and grow their business, or to adjust to Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>On average earnings from self-employment are lower than from employment and the self-employed make up a significant proportion of those in in-work poverty. The Government believes the MIF, by incentivising claimants to earn more from self-employment, or alternatively enter employment, offers the most effective way of tackling in-work poverty for the self-employed.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 264731 264734 question first answered 24/06/2019 15:58:35 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1132233

registered interest
date	14/06/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Self-employed
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department differentiates between annual turnover and salary when assessing the incomes of self-employed applicants of universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	264734
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>The Department provides tailored support to our claimants who are in self-employment through our work coaches to help them to increase their productivity and earnings. Work coaches can refer low-earning claimants to mentoring support from New Enterprise Allowance providers and sign-post claimants to the other extensive business support which is already funded by the Government.</p><p> </p><p>All claimants with earnings from self-employment, whether gainfully self-employed or not, are required to self-report these each month to ensure that any Universal Credit (UC) payments take into account all household earnings. Monthly reporting allows UC to be adjusted monthly. Claimants are required to report the total of actual payments into and out of their business in each month, minus any Income Tax, National Insurance, permitted business expenses and relievable pension contributions actually paid. This gives a net profit figure, which is treated as the self-employed earnings total in the UC calculation. Any drawings from business to personal accounts or, where a claimant has incorporated their business, payment of salary from their company to their personal account, is disregarded in this calculation to avoid double counting.</p><p> </p><p>When a claim is made to Universal Credit the Department will, on the basis of the information provided by the claimant, assess whether the claimant may reasonably be expected to work. If a claimant is in a group expected to work, the number of hours they may be expected to work is a maximum of 35 but may be lower, for example to take account of caring responsibilities or a health condition.</p><p> </p><p>If a claimant is self-employed and in a group expected to work, the Department then considers a number of factors to establish whether someone is gainfully self-employed. A claimant is considered to be in gainful self-employment where all of the following apply:</p><p> </p><ul><li>the claimant is carrying on a trade, profession or vocation as their main employment</li><li>their earnings from that trade, profession or vocation are self-employed earnings</li><li>the trade, profession or vocation is organised, developed, regular and carried out in expectation of profit</li></ul><p> </p><p>If all of the above are satisfied, then the claimant is considered gainfully self-employed. A Minimum Income Floor (MIF) is calculated by multiplying the number of hours the gainfully self-employed claimant is expected to work by the relevant National Minimum Wage for their age, minus notional deductions for Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions. Gainfully self-employed claimants with a MIF applied to their claim are free from requirements to seek other work and are free to undertake those activities that they consider will maximise their profit including decisions about when and how to work most effectively.</p><p> </p><p>As we announced in the Autumn Budget 2018, we are extending the 12-month start-up period where claimants are exempt from the Minimum Income Floor to all gainfully self-employed claimants who are new to Universal Credit. This start-up period will provide time for self-employed claimants to establish and grow their business, or to adjust to Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>On average earnings from self-employment are lower than from employment and the self-employed make up a significant proportion of those in in-work poverty. The Government believes the MIF, by incentivising claimants to earn more from self-employment, or alternatively enter employment, offers the most effective way of tackling in-work poverty for the self-employed.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 264731 264733 question first answered 24/06/2019 15:58:35 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1133352

registered interest
date	19/06/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Television Licences: Older People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of providing free television licences to people over the age of 75 for qualifying residents in (a) Arfon constituency and (b) Gwynedd local authority area and (c) Wales in (i) 2017-18 and (ii) 2018-19.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	266832
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2019 answer text <p>In the 2015 funding settlement, the Government agreed with the BBC that responsibility for the concession will transfer to the BBC in June 2020.</p><p>The government and the BBC agreed this is a fair deal for the BBC - in return we closed the iPlayer loophole and committed to increase the licence fee in line with inflation. And to help with financial planning, we agreed to provide phased transitional funding over 2 years to gradually introduce the cost to the BBC.</p><p>This reform was subject to public discussion and debated extensively during the passage of the Digital Economy Act 2017 through Parliament.</p><p>On 10 June 2019, the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/reports/consultation/age-related-tv-licence-policy" target="_blank">announced</a> that the current scheme will end. From 1 June 2020, a free TV licence will only be available to a household with someone aged over 75 who receives Pension Credit.</p><p>The table below provides estimates of the costs for 2017/18 of providing free TV licences to people aged 75 and over in the geographical areas requested, in nominal prices. The figures for 2018/19 will be available in September.</p><p /><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Expenditure (£m) (Nominal)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017-18</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(a) Arfon constituency</strong></p></td><td><p>£0.56</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(b) Gwynedd local authority area</strong></p></td><td><p>£1.41</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(c) Wales</strong></p></td><td><p>£34.11</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 26/06/2019 16:14:54 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1142828

registered interest
date	02/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have had their (a) driving licence and (b) passport removed as a result of Child Maintenance Service enforcement measures.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	284276
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>This information is not reported. However we do hold clerical data and can advise 15 driving licenses have been removed or suspended and 3 passports have been suspended.</p><p> </p><p>The information regarding committal orders, or sanctions as they are called in the Child Maintenance Service, are reported in our published statistics and can be on found table 11 of the tables document on the attached link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-august-2013-to-march-2019-experimental" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-august-2013-to-march-2019-experimental</a></p><p> </p><p>We reported enforcement activities in our CSA statistics until September 2017 when we reduced the number of tables published because most CSA cases had been closed or had begun the Case Closure process. The last publication including the enforcement activities can be found on table 22 of the attached link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-of-statistics-june-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-of-statistics-june-2017</a></p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/09/2019 12:45:51 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1172919

registered interest
date	23/01/2020
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	Poverty: Children
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 effect of the two-child limit on child poverty in (a) each Welsh local authority and (b) each Welsh parliamentary constituency.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	7120
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2020 answer text <p>National Statistics on the percentage of children in low income households are published annually in the “Households Below Average Income” publication and the latest year for which information is available is 2017/18. As the two-child limit policy was introduced in April 2017 there is insufficient data to assess any impacts of the policy on low income. Also estimates for the percentage of children in low income households are not available at local authority or parliamentary constituency level in this publication because the survey sample sizes are too small to support the production of robust estimates at this geography. For these two reasons it is not possible to evaluate the impacts of specific policies on poverty for these areas.</p><p> </p><p>Data relating to the operation of the policy in Wales can be found in the latest annual statistics release which was published on 31 July 2019 and covers the period up to 2 April 2019. This data can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-tax-credit-and-universal-credit-claimants-statistics-related-to-the-policy-to-provide-support-for-a-maximum-of-2-children-april-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-tax-credit-and-universal-credit-claimants-statistics-related-to-the-policy-to-provide-support-for-a-maximum-of-2-children-april-2019</a></p><p> </p><p>We have committed to further annual releases.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 28/01/2020 17:37:15 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1172920

registered interest
date	23/01/2020
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	Social Security Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effect of the two-child limit on BAME communities.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	7121
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2020 answer text <p>The Government’s view is that providing support for a maximum of two children or qualifying young persons in Universal Credit and Child Tax Credits, ensures fairness between claimants on the one hand and, on the other, those taxpayers who support themselves solely through work.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that some claimants are not able to make the same choices about the number of children in their family, which is why exceptions have been put in place to protect certain groups. On migration to Universal Credit, families’ existing entitlement will be protected.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has published an Impact Assessment which noted ethnic minority households may be more affected by the policy. This is because on average, they are more likely to have larger families and be in receipt of Child Tax Credits and Universal Credit. However, the Department does not collect sufficiently robust data on our claimants’ ethnic or religious backgrounds to facilitate a more detailed assessment of the policy’s impact on specific ethnic or religious groups.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government has assessed the impact of the policy from an equality and human rights perspective, meeting our obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty, and ensuring compliance with the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 and the UN Convention on the rights of children.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 7122 question first answered 28/01/2020 17:37:37 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1172921

registered interest
date	23/01/2020
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	Social Security Benefits: Wales
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to undertake an impact assessment of the two-child limit on faith groups in Wales.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	7122
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2020 answer text <p>The Government’s view is that providing support for a maximum of two children or qualifying young persons in Universal Credit and Child Tax Credits, ensures fairness between claimants on the one hand and, on the other, those taxpayers who support themselves solely through work.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that some claimants are not able to make the same choices about the number of children in their family, which is why exceptions have been put in place to protect certain groups. On migration to Universal Credit, families’ existing entitlement will be protected.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has published an Impact Assessment which noted ethnic minority households may be more affected by the policy. This is because on average, they are more likely to have larger families and be in receipt of Child Tax Credits and Universal Credit. However, the Department does not collect sufficiently robust data on our claimants’ ethnic or religious backgrounds to facilitate a more detailed assessment of the policy’s impact on specific ethnic or religious groups.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government has assessed the impact of the policy from an equality and human rights perspective, meeting our obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty, and ensuring compliance with the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 and the UN Convention on the rights of children.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 7121 question first answered 28/01/2020 17:37:37 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1173982

registered interest
date	28/01/2020
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	Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) services provided by and (b) number of Capita PIP assessment centres in (i) each local authority in Wales and (ii) each parliamentary constituency in Wales.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	8971
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2020 answer text <p>We set our assessment providers challenging targets, we monitor performance closely and manage contracts robustly. As part of the specification for the PIP assessment service assessment providers must provide sufficient suitable accommodation for face-to-face consultations. The department has set clear requirements in terms of geography/travel, security and claimant experience in relation to the sites used for PIP consultations. No claimant will be asked to travel more than 90 minutes to an assessment centre. Claimants can also make a request for a home assessment.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 03/02/2020 17:33:58 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1174834

registered interest
date	30/01/2020
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	Department for Work and Pensions: Welsh Language
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her Department's policy is on receiving letters in the Welsh language; and what her Department's deadline is for replying to letters written in the (a) Welsh and (b) English language.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	10317
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>DWP welcomes letters in Welsh. When someone writes to us in Welsh, we will issue a reply in Welsh (if a reply is appropriate).</p><p> </p><p>The target time for replying to letters written in Welsh is the same as the target for letters written in English.</p><p> </p><p>Complaints – 15 working days</p><p>MPs writing to Ministers – 20 working days</p><p>Correspondence relating to policies – within 4 weeks</p><p> </p><p>Where it is not possible to issue a substantial reply in this time, a written acknowledgement and explanation will be sent in whichever language the correspondence has been received (Welsh or English).</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 04/02/2020 17:36:24 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1174907

registered interest
date	30/01/2020
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 and Welfare Tax Credits
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 has taken to make prospective parents aware of the two child limit on tax credits and universal credit in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	10318
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>Information about this policy is available on GOV.UK and Jobcentre staff are able to advise on how the policy operates. The Government continues to look to identify effective ways of making prospective parents aware of the policy.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants were alerted to this policy when it was announced by the Government as part of the Summer Budget 2015. HMRC, who currently have the majority of claims from those with more than two children, also provide information about this change in leaflets which are sent to all claimants renewing their Child Tax Credit claim.</p><p> </p><p>DWP and HMRC also produce annual joint reports with statistics relating to the implementation of the policy. The most recent of these was published 31 July 2019 and can be found online at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-tax-credit-and-universal-credit-claimants-statistics-related-to-the-policy-to-provide-support-for-a-maximum-of-2-children-april-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-tax-credit-and-universal-credit-claimants-statistics-related-to-the-policy-to-provide-support-for-a-maximum-of-2-children-april-2019 </a></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 04/02/2020 17:30:29 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1174909

registered interest
date	30/01/2020
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	Social Security Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answers of 18 January to Questions 7121 and 7122, what steps the Government is taking to tackle the gaps in the data relating to the two-child limit policy.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	10319
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>The Department has published an Impact Assessment of the two-child policy based on survey data which was of suitable quality to assess the impact of the policy from an equality and human rights perspective, meeting our obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty, and ensuring compliance with the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 and the UN Convention on the rights of children.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 04/02/2020 17:15:37 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1182804

registered interest
date	04/03/2020
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: Children
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 has taken to ensure that new universal credit claimants with children are made aware of the two child limit.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	25029
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2020 answer text <p>The Department publishes information for claimants on Universal Credit’s support for a maximum of two children on GOV.UK and this can be viewed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-and-families-with-more-than-2-children-information-for-claimants" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-and-families-with-more-than-2-children-information-for-claimants</a></p><p>Further advice can be provided to claimants through the freephone Universal Credit helpline and Jobcentres.</p><p>Providing support for a maximum of two children, or qualifying young persons in Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit, ensures fairness between claimants and those taxpayers who support themselves solely through work.</p><p>We recognise that some claimants are not able to make the same choices about the number of children in their family, which is why exceptions have been put in place to protect certain groups. On migration to Universal Credit, families’ existing entitlement will be protected.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 09/03/2020 17:10:40 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1183053

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
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	Industrial Diseases: Compensation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many awards of compensation under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers Compensation) Act 1979 were paid to workers employed in (a) slate quarrying and (b) slate mining in the last year for which figures are available; and how many of those cases related to diffuse mesothelioma.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	25626
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 25627 25628 25629 question first answered 10/03/2020 10:27:27 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1183054

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
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	Industrial Diseases: Compensation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many awards of compensation under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers Compensation) Act 1979 were paid to workers employed in coal mining in the last year for which figures are available; and how many of those cases related to diffuse mesothelioma.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	25627
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 25626 25628 25629 question first answered 10/03/2020 10:27:28 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1183055

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
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	Industrial Diseases: Compensation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many awards of compensation under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers Compensation) Act 1979 were paid to workers employed in the textile industries in the last year for which figures are available; and how many of those cases related to diffuse mesothelioma.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	25628
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 25626 25627 25629 question first answered 10/03/2020 10:27:28 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1183056

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
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	Industrial Diseases: Compensation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many awards of compensation under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers Compensation) Act 1979 were paid to workers employed in the pottery industries in the last year for which figures are available; and how many of those cases related to diffuse mesothelioma.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	25629
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 25626 25627 25628 question first answered 10/03/2020 10:27:29 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1184639

registered interest
date	12/03/2020
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Disqualification
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many sanctions were made against claimants of employment and support allowance in Wales in each of the last 12 months; how many of those people sanctioned asked for a mandatory reconsideration; and how many decisions on those sanctions for which such a reconsideration was requested were upheld.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	28570
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2020 answer text <p>The statistics are published in the Employment and Support Allowance Sanctions (Number of Decisions) dataset which can be found at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance for users is available at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p><p /> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 17/03/2020 15:02:38 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1184647

registered interest
date	12/03/2020
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average cost to her Department is to process (a) paper and (b) oral hearings for mandatory reconsiderations for employment and support allowance.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	28571
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2020 answer text <p>The average cost to the Department to process a mandatory reconsideration for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) in the last full financial year was £70. This is a combined figure for Work Capability Assessment (WCA) and Non-Work Capability Assessment cases.</p><p> </p><p>All mandatory reconsiderations are ‘paper based’, although we may speak to the customer to get more information.</p><p> </p><p>The costs provided are taken from the DWP’s Activity Based Models<sup>1</sup> at an Operating Costs level which includes direct costs relating to staff undertaking the activities (staff, and local non-staff costs only). They do not include higher level support costs such as management and corporate overheads relating to administration activities.</p><p> </p><p><sup>1</sup>Please note that data supplied from the Departmental Activity Based Models is derived from unpublished management information which was collected for internal Departmental use only, and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standards. It should therefore be treated with caution and as an indication and not as a definitive cost. The Departmental Activity Based models are a snapshot of how many people were identified as undertaking specified activities as assigned by line managers. The data is frequently revised and changes to the definitions affect comparisons over time.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 17/03/2020 14:40:56 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1190290

registered interest
date	24/04/2020
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	Carer's Allowance: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has plans to increase carer's allowance to reflect the (a) additional care that carers may be providing and (b) financial difficulties they may face as a result of loss of income during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	39479
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2020 answer text <p>DWP has now introduced two important temporary measures to help unpaid carers through the current emergency:</p><ul><li>unpaid carers will be able to continue to claim Carer’s Allowance if they have a temporary break in caring, because they or the person they care for gets coronavirus or if either have to isolate because of it. (Under normal rules there are restrictions on breaks in care, but these have been lifted.); and</li><li>providing “emotional support” (rather than just more traditional forms of care) to a disabled person will also now count towards the Carer’s Allowance threshold of 35 hours of care a week.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The rate of Carer’s Allowance was also increased in early April as part of the annual uprating process. Since 2010, the rate of Carer’s Allowance has increased from £53.90 to £67.25 a week, meaning nearly an additional £700 a year for carers. The standard allowance in Universal Credit has been temporarily increased for the 20/21 tax year by £86.67 per month (equivalent to £20 per week) on top of the planned annual uprating. This additional increase means claimants will be up to £1040 better off. Carers receiving Universal Credit will benefit from this.</p><p> </p><p>Income replacement benefits help people and households on lower incomes, and can include a carer premium, currently £37.50 a week. An equivalent additional amount applies in Pension Credit. Universal Credit also includes a carer element at the rate of £162.92 per monthly assessment period. These amounts recognise the additional contribution and responsibilities associated with caring and mean that lower-income carers can receive more money than others who receive these benefits.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 29/04/2020 12:33:36 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1191595

registered interest
date	29/04/2020
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: Wales
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many EU citizens holding (a) settled status and (b) pre-settled status in Wales have had their applications for universal credit refused in each month in 2020.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	41392
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 04/05/2020 15:47:06 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1193663

registered interest
date	06/05/2020
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: Telephone Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason the opening times of the universal credit helpline have changed; and if she will ensure that the (a) UK Government and (b) universal credit websites are updated with the new information.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	43840
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2020 answer text <p>Since the start of the pandemic, we have received unprecedented levels of claims for Universal Credit. This was accompanied by a significant increase in call volumes which was impacting our ability to support customers, particularly those making new claims.</p><p>To enable our people to pay customers their benefit, we implemented a temporary pause to the handling of general queries through the telephony service at the beginning and end of the day. The purpose of this change was to allow case managers to focus on progressing claims during these times.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>New claim appointments and new claims by phone remained open as usual.</p><p> </p><p>At the moment, people making new claims for Universal Credit do not in fact need to call the Department as part of the process and we have communicated that widely. Once they have completed their online application we will call them if we need to check any of the information they have given us.</p><p>The Universal Credit helpline returned to our normal operating hours from 11 May (8am-6pm, Monday to Friday).</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 15/05/2020 10:37:59 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 20796 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1195133

registered interest
date	12/05/2020
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: Appeals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who requested a mandatory reconsideration of their universal credit claim before the covid-19 outbreak are awaiting the outcome; what the average wait is for universal credit mandatory reconsiderations; and what steps she is taking to ensure that people are supported while waiting for the outcome of those reconsiderations.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	45963
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/05/2020 answer text <p>5% of the Mandatory Reconsiderations recorded prior to the CV19 outbreak are awaiting a decision.</p><p> </p><p>Where a decision has been made, the average time to reach a decision is 26 calendar days.</p><p> </p><p>Benefit claimants may also be eligible for assistance from their local Council through Local Welfare Support schemes. Councils will be able to use funding from the new £500 million Hardship Fund to provide further discretionary support to vulnerable people through other support arrangements such as Local Welfare Schemes.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 29/05/2020 14:48:39 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 22280 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1195135

registered interest
date	12/05/2020
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 merits of amending the eligibility criteria for backdating universal credit payments to include people affected by the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	45964
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/05/2020 answer text <p>As Universal Credit claims can be made online or, where needed, by calling the Universal Credit helpline, most claims will not require backdating. However, backdating, up to a maximum of one month, is available where the circumstances are such that someone could not reasonably have been expected to claim earlier including due to illness, disability or an official computer system failure.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 19/05/2020 13:42:31 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 22281 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1195136

registered interest
date	12/05/2020
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: EU Nationals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) EU nationals and (b) EU nationals with proof of Settled Status have had their claims for universal credit refused since March 2019; and what steps she is taking to ensure Settled Status is accepted as proof of residence by her staff.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	45965
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2020 answer text <p>Eligibility for Universal Credit depends on a person’s immigration status in the UK. DWP operates a Habitual Residence Test in order to assess whether individuals have a legal right to reside for the purpose of accessing benefits and are factually habitually resident.</p><p> </p><p>Since 1<sup>st</sup> March 2019 to January 2020 there have been 27,600 UC Full Service claims closed due to failing the HRT from EEA nationals. Nearly 200,000 EEA nationals were successful in gaining access to Universal Credit during this period, showing the vast majority were accepted. It is normal on UC for some claims to be closed prior to first payment, this can be due to a number of reasons including claimants withdrawing their claim and some claims not being eligible.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Home Office’s EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) allows EEA citizens to apply for settled status (typically on the basis of five years’ residence in the UK) and confirm their right to reside in the UK. The Habitual Residence Test recognises leave granted under the EU Settlement Scheme. EEA citizens with settled status who demonstrate habitual residence in the UK will pass the Habitual Residence Test (HRT) and be eligible to access tax-payer funded benefits, such as Universal Credit (UC).</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not hold information on the number of EU nationals with settled status who have been refused UC.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 18/05/2020 17:08:58 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1198838

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	Means-tested Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants for (a) universal credit, (b) pension credit, (c) income-based jobseeker's allowance, (d) income-related employment and support allowance, (e) housing benefit and (f) income support have had their payments reduced due to reaching the savings threshold since March 2020.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	51622
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2020 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.    <strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 04/06/2020 15:36:22 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1198841

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	Means-tested Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the appropriateness of the savings thresholds for (a) universal credit, (b) pension credit, (c) income-based jobseekers allowance, (d) income-related employment and support allowance, (e) housing benefit and (f) income support.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	51623
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2020 answer text <p>The capital limits are kept under continual review. However, they can be increased only when priorities and resources allow. The Government does not intend to increase the threshold at this time.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 23/06/2020 16:45:10 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 25862 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1216968

registered interest
date	23/06/2020
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	Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing her Department's spare room subsidy policy as part of the Government's response to the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	63233
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2020 answer text <p>There are no current plans to amend the removal of the spare room subsidy policy in response to covid-19. The policy already allows for the provision of an additional bedroom in certain circumstances, such as to support the needs of disabled people as well as exempting households in receipt of pension age Housing Benefit.</p><p> </p><p>If a claimant’s ability to mitigate any shortfall between their housing support and rent has changed, Discretionary Housing Payments can be considered by their local authority. We announced last year an additional £40 million for Discretionary Housing Payments for 2020/21 in England and Wales.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 29/06/2020 16:16:39 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1247951

registered interest
date	02/11/2020
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, for what reason she did not extend the £20 uplift in universal credit to legacy benefits; and whether she plans to extend that uplift to those legacy benefits.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	110064
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2020 answer text <p>The Government introduced measures earlier this year that could be quickly and effectively put in place to benefit those facing the most financial disruption during the pandemic, including the £20 weekly increase to the Universal Credit Standard Allowance rates as a temporary measure for the 20/21 tax year. There are no plans to extend this to legacy benefits.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 05/11/2020 14:25:56 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1249704

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
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: 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 retain the minimum income floor for self-employed universal credit claimants while covid-19 related public health measures are in place in Wales.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	113003
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2020 answer text <p>The suspension of the Minimum Income Floor for Universal Credit that was due to expire on the 12<sup>th</sup> November 2020 will be extended to the end of April 2021.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 113004 question first answered 12/11/2020 13:22:30 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1249705

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
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: 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 assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the temporary suspension of the minimum income floor for self-employed universal credit claimants; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of permanently removing that floor.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	113004
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2020 answer text <p>The suspension of the Minimum Income Floor for Universal Credit that was due to expire on the 12<sup>th</sup> November 2020 will be extended to the end of April 2021.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 113003 question first answered 12/11/2020 13:22:30 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1256593

registered interest
date	30/11/2020
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	Employment: EU Nationals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of EU citizens in the UK who have been unable to begin work due to employers refusing to employ workers without a national insurance number.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	122579
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2020 answer text <p>The department does not hold information on the number of EU nationals being turned down for work as a result of not having a National Insurance Number (NINo).</p><p> </p><p>An individual can apply for a job or take up employment without a NINo. EU Nationals can evidence their Right to Work in the UK by providing their National Passport or Identity Card to any prospective employer.</p><p> </p><p>All employers are required to conduct mandatory Right to Work checks on all prospective employees, however these checks do not include the provision of a NINo.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 03/12/2020 13:25:48 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1256595

registered interest
date	30/11/2020
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	National Insurance: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress has been made on introducing a digital solution to the process of issuing national insurance numbers which will provide (a) alternative identity verification solutions and (b) reduce the need for a face-to-face identity checks.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	122580
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2020 answer text <p>The department aims to reduce the reliance on a single Identity Verification Service by Quarter 2 in 2021. Part of this work is to introduce a new flexible reusable online service which will meet the needs of a wider range of customers that is not possible using a single solution. DWP will conduct the work to identify an online solution for those customers who have not been processed through the Home Office visa application process, to apply for National Insurance Numbers in the next Financial Year.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently testing alternative identity verification solutions for some customer groups. This process will expand our ability to service a greater number of applicants whose identity has already been verified by another UK Government Department, primarily the Home Office, enabling us to offer an alternative to the need for face to face document examination. This will reduce the number of applicants that will be required to attend a face to face appointment following their digital application through the Apply for a NINO service.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 03/12/2020 13:23:19 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1256596

registered interest
date	30/11/2020
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	National Insurance: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the timescale of rolling out digital provision for issuing national insurance numbers to (a) Wales and (b) the rest of the UK.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	122581
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2020 answer text <p>The digital system ‘Apply for a NINo’ is for citizens to make an on-line application for a National Insurance number. The limited trial started in mid-October 2020 and is scheduled to run until January 2021. Once we receive confirmation that the service meets Government Digital Standards, we will then be able to extend the service to all applicants. The timescales for extending this service in Wales and UK is the same.</p><p> </p><p>When applying for a National Insurance number, all applicants are required to have their identity verified. This verification is completed through attendance at a face to face interview with DWP unless we are able to confirm another Government Department has already done this.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 03/12/2020 13:21:01 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1256597

registered interest
date	30/11/2020
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	National Insurance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to inform employers that national insurance numbers are not used as (a) proof of identity and (b) right to work in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	122582
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2020 answer text <p>The National Insurance Number (NINo) is an administrative reference number used by employers to record National Insurance contributions for their employees. Employees are advised when they receive their NINo that it is not proof of identity but that they must share it with their employer.</p><p> </p><p>Possession of a National Insurance number does not demonstrate that an individual has a right to work in the UK, this is determined by Home Office legislation. A list of acceptable documents that enables an individual to demonstrate they have the right work is set out in the Employers Guide to Right to Work Checks.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work</a></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 03/12/2020 14:36:20 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1274720

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Wales
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimates her Department has made of the number of people who have had welfare payments stopped due to being in receipt of the Welsh Government’s special payment scheme for social care staff.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	134368
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/01/2021 answer text <p>For DWP purposes the payments made under the Welsh Government’s special payments scheme for social care staff are treated as earnings and are included in welfare benefit calculations. The impact on an individual claimant will depend on their household circumstances and the amount and type of welfare payments they are receiving. For income related benefits their award is calculated on the basis of the set benefit rate against money coming in to ensure fairness of treatment for all claimants against the money they have available. This means that as earnings increase the welfare payment reduces or stops. This is a long-standing principle of means-tested benefits.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 13/01/2021 14:34:58 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1274721

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Wales
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) discussions and (b) coordination have taken place between her Department and the Welsh Government to ensure that those in receipt of the special payment for social care staff in Wales are made aware that it is classified as income and included in welfare benefit calculations.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	134369
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/01/2021 answer text <p>There is a well-established working relationship between The Department and Welsh Government at official level, ensuring that DWP policy and guidance is considered. Any further assurances would be a matter for Welsh Government.</p><p> </p><p>Discussions with ourselves and HMRC took place following the Welsh Governments’ decision on 1<sup>st</sup> May 2020 to provide these one off payments to those in the Social Care workforce in recognition of the essential care they provide to our most vulnerable citizens during the Covid-19 pandemic. The discussions confirmed how these payments would be treated under current tax rules and therefore their treatment within the calculation of any means tested benefits those care workers in receipt of the payment were also claiming.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 13/01/2021 14:41:01 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1279757

registered interest
date	25/01/2021
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What assessment she has made of the adequacy of benefit rates for disabled people on legacy benefits.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	911294
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2021 answer text <p>We will spend over £55 billion this year (2020/21) on benefits to support people with health conditions and disabilities. This will increase by £1.6 billion to £57 billion in 2021/22.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 25/01/2021 16:45:43 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1281820

registered interest
date	28/01/2021
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Work Capability Assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many eligible claimants since March 2020 have had their (a) employment and support allowance or (b) limited capability for work-related activity component of universal credit payments delayed due to being required to attend face-to-face assessments to process their claim.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	144943
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2021 answer text <p>Claimants do not have to wait for a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) before they can be awarded Employment Support Allowance (ESA) or awarded Universal Credit (UC) on the grounds of having a health condition or disability, as they receive an assessment rate for ESA or Standard Allowance of UC while their claim is being assessed. Depending on the outcome of the WCA, some claimants may then be entitled to an additional amount.</p><p> </p><p>For both ESA and UC, claimants will remain on their current award until we gather the evidence needed to make a recommendation or are able to conduct a face to face assessment (or until their benefit is due to end in contributory ESA). Any additional amounts the claimant may qualify for after their assessment will be backdated to ensure no long-term loss.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 02/02/2021 14:46:25 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1281832

registered interest
date	28/01/2021
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Work Capability Assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether eligible claimants of (a) employment and support allowance and (b) the Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity component of universal credit are potentially being required to attend face-to-face assessments to process a claim despite the suspension of such assessments for sickness and disability benefits since March 2020.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	144944
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2021 answer text <p>The department’s key priorities are the health and safety of our claimants and our staff and that claimants receive the support they are entitled to as soon as possible. As a result, all face to face assessments for health and disability benefits have remained suspended since March 2020. During the pandemic we have continued to assess claimants based on paper evidence where we can, using this route as often as we are able to. We have introduced telephone assessments and are working hard to increase the number of these assessments so that we can make the right decision for as many claimants as possible, while keeping them safe. We are currently in the early stages of testing Work Capability Assessment (WCA) video assessments.</p><p> </p><p>Telephone assessments will not be appropriate for all claimants. We are aware that some claimants, particularly those with certain health conditions or disabilities, will have difficulty being assessed over the telephone. We are currently developing ways in which we can safely assess these claimants. For both Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit (UC), claimants will remain on their current award until we gather the evidence needed to make a recommendation or are able to conduct a face to face assessment, (or until their benefit is due to end in contributory ESA). Any additional amounts the claimant may qualify for after their assessment will be backdated to ensure no long-term loss.</p><p> </p><p>The suspension of face to face assessments is regularly reviewed in line with the latest public health guidance and will recommence as soon as it is safe to do so. The department remains committed to increasing the number of claimants able to participate in a non-face to face assessment by moving towards a wider range of channels. We are closely monitoring all new assessment processes and are working with our supplier to ensure claimants are assessed as quickly as possible.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 144945 question first answered 02/02/2021 14:56:04 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1281836

registered interest
date	28/01/2021
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Work Capability Assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the use of only non face-to-face forms of assessments for (a) employment and support allowance and (b) the Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity component of universal credit are viable methods for all eligible claimants to have their claims processed given the suspension of face-to-face assessments for sickness and disability benefits since March 2020.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	144945
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2021 answer text <p>The department’s key priorities are the health and safety of our claimants and our staff and that claimants receive the support they are entitled to as soon as possible. As a result, all face to face assessments for health and disability benefits have remained suspended since March 2020. During the pandemic we have continued to assess claimants based on paper evidence where we can, using this route as often as we are able to. We have introduced telephone assessments and are working hard to increase the number of these assessments so that we can make the right decision for as many claimants as possible, while keeping them safe. We are currently in the early stages of testing Work Capability Assessment (WCA) video assessments.</p><p> </p><p>Telephone assessments will not be appropriate for all claimants. We are aware that some claimants, particularly those with certain health conditions or disabilities, will have difficulty being assessed over the telephone. We are currently developing ways in which we can safely assess these claimants. For both Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit (UC), claimants will remain on their current award until we gather the evidence needed to make a recommendation or are able to conduct a face to face assessment, (or until their benefit is due to end in contributory ESA). Any additional amounts the claimant may qualify for after their assessment will be backdated to ensure no long-term loss.</p><p> </p><p>The suspension of face to face assessments is regularly reviewed in line with the latest public health guidance and will recommence as soon as it is safe to do so. The department remains committed to increasing the number of claimants able to participate in a non-face to face assessment by moving towards a wider range of channels. We are closely monitoring all new assessment processes and are working with our supplier to ensure claimants are assessed as quickly as possible.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 144944 question first answered 02/02/2021 14:56:04 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1281837

registered interest
date	28/01/2021
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to publish her Department's review of the benefits system for terminally ill people.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	144946
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2021 answer text <p>The Department is committed to delivering an improved system for claimants that are nearing the end of their lives and is working across Government to bring forward proposals following the evaluation. I remain committed to implementing the key areas identified in the evaluation; the desire to change the six-month rule; improving ​consistency with other services used by people nearing the end of their lives; and raising awareness of the support that is available.</p><p /> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 02/02/2021 14:59:42 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1281838

registered interest
date	28/01/2021
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of terminally ill people who have experienced delays in receiving benefit payments when claiming under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness in (a) Wales and (b) the UK over the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	144947
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2021 answer text <p>No estimate has been made for the number of people who have experienced a delay in receiving benefit payment. The only available information on clearance times is for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) as there are published statistics, but the information is not readily available for other benefits and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>The Special Rules for Terminal Illness (SRTI) provide those with a limited life expectancy, simple and fast access to benefits. The SRTI allow claimants who are unlikely to live longer than 6-months to claim under a fast-tracked process without the requirement for waiting periods or a face-to-face assessment.</p><p>In October 2020, the end to end PIP median clearance time for SRTI claims was 5 working days. Data on median PIP clearance times for SRTI claims in Great Britain is published and covers each stage of the customer journey for the period covering April 2013 – October 2020 (the latest available data). This can be found in table 2B in the following published statistical tables:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/944014/tables-pip-statistics-to-october-2020.xlsx" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/944014/tables-pip-statistics-to-october-2020.xlsx</a></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 02/02/2021 16:16:13 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1283206

registered interest
date	02/02/2021
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	State Retirement Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that all those entitled to a UK state pension receive the full rate of that pension regardless of their country of residence.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	147754
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2021 answer text <p>The UK State Pension is payable worldwide to those who meet the qualifying conditions. Entitlement to the UK State Pension is based on a person’s National Insurance record without regard to nationality. The annual index-linked increases are paid to UK State Pension recipients where there is a legal requirement to do so. For example, where UK State Pension recipients are living in countries where there is a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/02/2021 16:49:40 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1284185

registered interest
date	04/02/2021
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have had their payment of (a) employment and support allowance and (b) limited capability for work-related activity component of universal credit delayed since March 2020.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	149168
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2021 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants do not have to wait for a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) before they can be paid Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit (UC). They receive an assessment rate of ESA or a Standard Allowance of UC while their claim is being assessed.</p><p> </p><p>For both ESA and UC, claimants will remain on the assessment rate or Standard Allowance award until the evidence needed to make a recommendation has been gathered (or until their benefit is due to end in contributory ESA). Any additional amounts the claimant may qualify for after their assessment will be backdated to ensure no long-term loss.</p><p> </p><p>Statistics on WCAs for ESA by month of claim start to March 2020 for initial assessment outcomes, including those still in progress, assessment outcome by month of decision to June 2020, and clearance times for initial claims by month of clearance to June 2020, are published here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/esa-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessments-including-mandatory-reconsiderations-and-appeals-january-2021" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/esa-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessments-including-mandatory-reconsiderations-and-appeals-january-2021</a></p><p> </p><p>Statistics on WCAs for UC are currently under development for future publication and have not previously been published as official statistics. We will issue them in due course as an official statistics release in accordance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Whilst the initial statistics will not have median clearance times, these will be developed for publication in due course.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 149169 question first answered 09/02/2021 13:37:39 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1284187

registered interest
date	04/02/2021
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of a delay for payment of (a) employment and support allowance and (b) limited capability for work-related activity component of universal credit has been since March 2020.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	149169
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2021 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants do not have to wait for a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) before they can be paid Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit (UC). They receive an assessment rate of ESA or a Standard Allowance of UC while their claim is being assessed.</p><p> </p><p>For both ESA and UC, claimants will remain on the assessment rate or Standard Allowance award until the evidence needed to make a recommendation has been gathered (or until their benefit is due to end in contributory ESA). Any additional amounts the claimant may qualify for after their assessment will be backdated to ensure no long-term loss.</p><p> </p><p>Statistics on WCAs for ESA by month of claim start to March 2020 for initial assessment outcomes, including those still in progress, assessment outcome by month of decision to June 2020, and clearance times for initial claims by month of clearance to June 2020, are published here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/esa-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessments-including-mandatory-reconsiderations-and-appeals-january-2021" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/esa-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessments-including-mandatory-reconsiderations-and-appeals-january-2021</a></p><p> </p><p>Statistics on WCAs for UC are currently under development for future publication and have not previously been published as official statistics. We will issue them in due course as an official statistics release in accordance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Whilst the initial statistics will not have median clearance times, these will be developed for publication in due course.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 149168 question first answered 09/02/2021 13:37:39 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams