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1718000

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	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 and what proportion of cases in which domestic abuse was disclosed were referred by the Child Maintenance Service to an Advanced Customer Support Senior Leader in (a) 2021, (b) 2022 and (c) 2023.
	tabling member constituency	Glenrothes
	tabling member printed	Peter Grant
	uin	26178
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) takes the issue of domestic abuse extremely seriously and recognises that domestic abuse often continues and can worsen after separation, which can have detrimental impacts on the welfare of children. CMS therefore continues to evolve and make positive changes to the way we deliver our service and to support our case workers.</p><p>We have measures in place to ensure victims and survivors of domestic abuse can access and use our services safely.</p><p>Of 29,000 new applications to the CMS in the quarter ending December 2023, 56% of applications were exempt from the application fee, largely on the grounds of domestic abuse.</p><p>The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the CMS. Latest statistics are available up to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-statistics-data-to-december-2023" target="_blank">December 2023</a>. Table 2 of the of the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6601806ff1d3a0666832ac65/national-tables-child-maintenance-service-to-december-2023.ods" target="_blank">National tables</a> provides the volume of applications and volume of those with an exemption due to domestic abuse for the period 2021-2023.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>Quarter of Application</strong></p></td><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>Application Fee Exemptions due to Domestic Abuse</strong></p></td><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>Total Application Fee Exemptions</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Percentage of Applications with an Exemption</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>[note 1]</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan to Mar 2021</p></td><td><p>10,500</p></td><td><p>10,600</p></td><td><p>58%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr to Jun 2021</p></td><td><p>11,800</p></td><td><p>11,900</p></td><td><p>60%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul to Sep 2021</p></td><td><p>12,400</p></td><td><p>12,500</p></td><td><p>59%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct to Dec 2021</p></td><td><p>11,600</p></td><td><p>11,600</p></td><td><p>60%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan to Mar 2022</p></td><td><p>15,100</p></td><td><p>15,200</p></td><td><p>57%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr to Jun 2022</p></td><td><p>17,300</p></td><td><p>17,500</p></td><td><p>55%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul to Sep 2022</p></td><td><p>17,600</p></td><td><p>17,900</p></td><td><p>53%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct to Dec 2022</p></td><td><p>14,700</p></td><td><p>14,900</p></td><td><p>55%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan to Mar 2023</p></td><td><p>17,600</p></td><td><p>17,800</p></td><td><p>55%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr to Jun 2023</p></td><td><p>17,800</p></td><td><p>18,100</p></td><td><p>56%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul to Sep 2023</p></td><td><p>18,500</p></td><td><p>18,800</p></td><td><p>54%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Furthermore, in October 2023 the CMS introduced regulations to completely remove the application fee for all families, this came into force on the 26 February 2024.</p><p>We are also trialling the use of a single, named case worker team to help ensure victims of domestic abuse are appropriately supported. Evaluation of the trial will inform the future service we offer to survivors of domestic abuse.</p><p>CMS have procedures to prevent unwanted contact between parents and provide advice on bank accounts with a centralised sort code so their location cannot be traced. Additionally, CMS can act as an intermediary in Direct Pay cases to facilitate the exchange of bank details, which helps to ensure no personal information is shared between parents.</p><p>Further changes, The Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 28 June 2023. On 8 May 2024, the Department published a public consultation<em>, Improving the Collection and Transfer of Payments</em>, which follows the Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Act 2023. The consultation proposes to remove the Direct Pay service completely, which will go further than the measures set out in the Act and provide the same level of protection for all parents. The consultation closes 31<sup>st</sup> July 2024. The Government will then carefully consider the feedback and a response will be published. To find out more information go to: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/child-maintenance-improving-the-collection-and-transfer-of-payments" target="_blank">Child Maintenance: Improving the collection and transfer of payments - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).</a></p><p>We support our case workers to deliver our service by ensuring they receive appropriate training and have access to signposting and support that could be utilised to assist survivors of domestic abuse.</p><p>Through extensive Stakeholder engagement CMS reviewed their domestic abuse training in 2021. Training was delivered to all case workers to ensure they are equipped to recognise coercive and controlling behaviour and appropriately signpost parents in vulnerable situations. All caseworkers have access to the District Provision Toolkit which contains the most up to date information for signposting to help and support for domestic abuse across England, Scotland, and Wales.</p><p>A Domestic Abuse Plan was developed which outlines key steps for caseworkers to follow to ensure victims of domestic abuse are supported. This includes advice on contacting the police if the parent is in immediate danger or calling the police on behalf of the parent if requested to do so. Additionally, the plan directs case workers to consider a referral to an Advanced Customer Support Senior Leader if a customer requires further support.</p><p> </p><p>The number of ACSSL cases that have been referred by CMS colleagues, where the referral has been categorised as ‘domestic abuse’ are as follows:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2021</p></td><td><p>2022</p></td><td><p>2023*</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>ACSSL Referrals from CMS colleagues categorised as domestic abuse</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>It should be noted that disclosure of domestic abuse does not automatically require an Advanced Customer Support Senior Leader (ACSSL) to become involved in supporting a case. Additionally domestic abuse may be reported at any stage of case, we do not gather data on all cases therefore the information requested on the proportion of referrals is not held, however given ACSSL referrals are very low this is also likely to be very low.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 17/05/2024 12:27:22 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4466 label Biography information for Peter Grant

1716995

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Carer's Allowance: Overpayments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to prevent the accumulation of debt among carers due to (a) delayed investigation and (b) non-investigation of overpayment alerts.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	uin	25540
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>The DWP is progressing an enhanced notification strategy for Carers’ Allowance, to help claimants understand when they may have received an earnings-related overpayment, and to meet their obligation to inform the Department of changes in their income and other relevant circumstances. This will be designed to help prevent Carer’s Allowance claimants accumulating debt.</p><p> </p><p>As part of that, DWP is considering the most effective and efficient way of contacting customers when alerted to a potential change in the customer’s income, building on existing communications. This could include targeted text messaging, email, phone calls or letters.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 17/05/2024 12:23:07 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1716994

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Carer's Allowance: Overpayments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many carer’s allowance overpayment cases that have not been investigated by his Department; and how many such cases there were in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	uin	25539
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p><strong></strong></p><p>We are unable to provide a response as it is unclear from your question as to the information you seek.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 17/05/2024 12:20:39 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1717915

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Pension Credit and 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, how many pensioners in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England (i) receive the basic state pension, (ii) receive pension credit and (iii) are eligible for pension credit but do not claim it; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all pensioners receive their full entitlement to pension credit.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry North East
	tabling member printed	Colleen Fletcher
	uin	26175
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>Caseload statistics are routinely published and made publicly available via <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/dataCatalogueExplorer.xhtml" target="_blank">DWP Stat-xplore</a>. The figures below show the Pension Credit and Basic State Pension caseloads in each area:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Pension Credit</p></td><td><p>Basic State Pension</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Coventry North East Constituency</p></td><td><p>2,873</p></td><td><p>10,083</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Coventry</p></td><td><p>7,168</p></td><td><p>33,981</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>131,692</p></td><td><p>773,219</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>England</p></td><td><p>1,160,826</p></td><td><p>7,190,718</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The latest available Pension Credit take-up statistics cover the financial year 2021 to 2022 and are available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-ending-2022" target="_blank">Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>. These statistics are only available at Great Britain level and cannot be broken down to smaller geographical areas.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to promote Pension Credit through our national awareness campaign, which has been ongoing since April 2022 and has included advertising on national TV, newspapers, broadcast radio, on social media and via internet search engines as well as on screens in Post Offices and GP surgeries.</p><p> </p><p>At the start of 2024 - as in previous years - the DWP wrote to over 11 million pensioners as part of the annual State Pension up-rating exercise. The accompanying leaflet included prominent messaging promoting Pension Credit using the 'call to action' messaging from the communication campaign, including how Pension Credit opens the door to other financial help such as housing costs, Council Tax and heating bills.</p><p> </p><p>There is a strong indication that the campaign has had a positive impact. The latest available figures covering the 3 months to November 2023 show that there were over 28 thousand more households in receipt the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit than in May 2022.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 17/05/2024 12:17:34 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4378 label Biography information for Colleen Fletcher

1717997

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Department for Work and Pensions: Email
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the use of e-mail to communicate with his Department's customers.
	tabling member constituency	Arfon
	tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
	uin	26076
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>DWP utilises technology which allows encryption with most providers of personal email services, such as Gmail or Outlook, helping this stay secure. As such, email communication with customers is currently permitted in certain circumstances, for example, where the customer has a reasonable adjustment in place.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is keen to utilise the benefits provided by email communication, as part of its work in modernising customer contact channels to deliver modernised services. The department is currently exploring a number of specific possibilities to expand its use of outbound email to communicate with customers, recently testing sending of notifications via email to overseas customers in areas where the postal system is unreliable.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 17/05/2024 12:09:44 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1716844

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Universal Credit: Proof of Identity
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he is taking steps to help tackle issues with using (a) Irish passports and (b) Northern Ireland driving licences for online verification for Universal Credit.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast South
	tabling member printed	Claire Hanna
	uin	25596
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>The new National Digital Identity GOV.UK One Login will enable citizens to use Northern Ireland Driving Licenses and Republic of Ireland Passport when proving their identity online, where this is appropriate. DWP are working towards a convergence plan for GOV.UK One Login. However there are no confirmed dates yet for when this will be implemented for Universal Credit.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 17/05/2024 12:07:05 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4827 label Biography information for Claire Hanna

1716673

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Department for Work and Pensions: Welsh Language
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have closed the Welsh language provision of the Department for Work and Pensions bereavement service; and, if so, when and why.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Smith of Llanfaes
	uin	HL4484
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>The Welsh language provision of DWP’s Bereavement Service has not been closed down.</p><p>The Bereavement Service includes:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Making an application for a Bereavement Support Payment</li><li>Reporting a death</li><li>Applying for Funeral Expenses</li></ul><p> </p><p>Bereavement teams within Regional Pension Centres (RPCs) provide this service. A Welsh team in Swansea Pension Centre supports the Welsh language service. This can be accessed by calling 0800 731 0453.</p><p> </p><p>Those reporting a death, who have a Tell Us Once Reference Number, provided by the Registrar, can report a death on-line through the Tell Us Once service, which is also available in Welsh [<a href="https://www.gov.uk/ar-ol-marwolaeth/dywedwch-wrthym-unwaith" target="_blank">Beth i'w wneud ar ôl i rywun farw: Dywedwch Wrthym Unwaith -GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>] or by calling 0800 085 7308 and selecting option 1 to speak to someone in Welsh. For those without a Tell Us Once Reference Number, the death can be reported by calling the Welsh Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 731 0453.</p><p> </p><p>The Bereavement Support Payment can also be claimed online in Welsh [<a href="https://www.gov.uk/taliad-cymorth-profedigaeth/sut-i-wneud-cais" target="_blank">Taliad Cymorth Profedigaeth: Sut i wneud cais - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>].</p><p> </p><p>Information relating to Bereavement can be found on GOV.UK in both Welsh and English.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 17/05/2024 11:39:29 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	5023 label Biography information for Baroness Smith of Llanfaes

1716408

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Mental Illness
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of benefit claimants receiving over-payments on their mental health; and what steps his Department is taking to support claimants that need to re-pay over-payments.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	25219
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>Where overpayments occur, we have a duty to recover taxpayers’ money as quickly and efficiently as possible, without causing hardship to those making repayments. DWP remains committed to working with anyone who is struggling with repayments terms and encourage anyone who is experiencing such difficulty to contact DWP Debt Management to discuss their circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants who do contact Debt Management, are routinely referred to the Money Advisor Network, who work in partnership with DWP to offer free independent and impartial money and debt advice. We also remain committed to His Majesty’s Treasury’s Beathing Space policy, which provides those with problem debt the right to legal protections from creditor action for a period of 60 days to enable them to receive debt advice and enter into an appropriate debt solution.</p><p>In exceptional circumstances, where there are specific and compelling grounds to do so, a waiver can be considered. Full details on this can be found at Chapter 8 of the Department’s Benefit Overpayment Recovery Guide: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-overpayment-recovery-staff-guide/benefit-overpayment-recovery-guide" target="_blank">Benefit overpayment recovery guide - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).</a></p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 17/05/2024 11:14:23 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1717914

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Sports Competitors: Neurology
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council started to investigate neurodegenerative diseases in professional sportspeople.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	26117
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council began its investigation into neurodegenerative diseases in professional sportspeople on 20 May 2021.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 17/05/2024 10:00:08 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1717490

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Carer's Allowance: Overpayments
	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) men and (b) women are in debt to his Department through overpayments of Carers Allowance.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Sir Stephen Timms
	uin	25730
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2024 answer text <p>As of 14<sup>th</sup> May 2024, the volume of people who have an outstanding Carers Allowance debt is 134,800 with a total value of £251m. This figure represents the total stock and as such the total monetary amount may have been accrued over multiple years. Those who have an outstanding Carers Allowance debt may no longer be in receipt of the benefit.</p><p>Women make up the majority of Carer’s Allowance claims, and this is reflected in the proportion of those with an outstanding Carer’s Allowance debt. As of 14<sup>th</sup> May 2024, there were 42,800 (32%) males, 91,900 (68%) females and 100 (less than 1%) not identified, with an outstanding Carers Allowance debt.</p><p>As of November 2023, there were over 991,000 people in receipt of Carers Allowance. That figure is made up of over 271,000 (27%) males and 720,000 (73%) females.</p><p>The data contained in our response has been sourced from internal DWP management information, which is intended only to help the Department to manage its business. It is not intended for publication and has not been subject to the same quality assurance checks applied to our published official statistics. It should therefore be treated with caution.</p><p>All figures provided have been rounded<em>.</em></p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard grouped question UIN 25729 question first answered 16/05/2024 16:35:08 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms