Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1128257

	registered interest
	date	24/05/2019
	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	Winter Fuel Payment: Maladministration
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on how many occasions the winter fuel payment has been incorrectly paid; and what steps he has taken to recover those payments in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Moray
	tabling member printed	Douglas Ross
	uin	257526
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The DWP makes around 12 million Winter Fuel payments each year.</p><p>The DWP is working hard to prevent overpayments from occurring in the first place. However, these do sometimes occur due to a claimant failing to inform DWP of a change of household composition, or that they have moved abroad. Winter Fuel staff annually undertake an extensive Data Matching exercise to identify if any overpayments have occurred, and reduce the possibility of incorrect payments.</p><p>The table below shows the volume of Winter Fuel payments that were overpaid in the last 3 financial years rounded to the nearest 100. This represents less than 0.05% of the total Winter Fuel payments made.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Volume Of Winter Fuel Payments Overpaid</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016-17</p></td><td><p>3,600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017-18</p></td><td><p>5,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018-19</p></td><td><p>5,200</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><em>*The data in this response has been sourced from internal management information. It should therefore not be compared to any other similar data subsequently released by the Department.</em></p><p /><p>The DWP has an obligation to ensure that public money is administered responsibly. Therefore, where permitted under Social Security legislation, the DWP seeks to recover any overpaid benefit. Where possible, the DWP will recover through on-going deductions from a claimant’s benefit.</p><p>The DWP ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect claimants who have deductions from their benefit to repay overpayments. There are maximum rates of deduction that are set out in legislation, and if a claimant is struggling they can contact the DWP’s Debt Management Team to discuss lowering their repayment rate.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 10/06/2019 15:06:10 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4627 label Biography information for Douglas Ross

1129263

	registered interest
	date	03/06/2019
	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	Plumbing: Pensions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the timetable is for the publication of the white paper on the plumbers’ pension scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Oxford West and Abingdon
	tabling member printed	Layla Moran
	uin	259424
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/06/2019 answer text <p>The Government published a detailed White Paper on Defined Benefit pensions on 23 March 2018. This included a discussion on issues facing multi-employer schemes like the plumbers’ pension scheme. Chapter 4 of this White Paper: ‘Protecting defined benefit pensions’ sets out the government’s position on employer debt and is available on the government website at the following link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protecting-defined-benefit-pension-schemes" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protecting-defined-benefit-pension-schemes</a></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 06/06/2019 13:09:41 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4656 label Biography information for Layla Moran

1129612

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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: Pensioners
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what transitional protection is available to pensioner couples who no longer receive pension credit because one of them is below state pension age, are no longer entitled to housing benefit as a result and have applied for universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	259830
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The mixed age couples change will not apply to couples already claiming Pension Credit and/or Housing Benefit for pensioners on 14 May for as long as they remain entitled to either benefit. DWP wrote earlier this year to mixed age couples already receiving Pension Credit and/or Housing Benefit for pensioners to ensure they know about the change and how they could be affected if their circumstances change on or after 15 May.</p><p>Couples who would be eligible for the pension age benefits under the previous rules but have not claimed before 15 May will have up to 13 August to make a backdated claim to 14 May and we encourage them to do so</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 10/06/2019 15:27:37 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1129656

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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	Pension Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications by mixed-age couples for Pension Credit have been rejected since 15 May 2019.
	tabling member constituency	Alyn and Deeside
	tabling member printed	Mark Tami
	uin	259897
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2019 answer text <p>From 15 May 2019 both members of a couple need to have reached State Pension age in order to be eligible for Pension Credit. However, mixed age couples who would be eligible for Pension Credit under the previous rules have up to 13 August to make a backdated claim. Couples not eligible for Pension Credit are advised that they may be eligible for Universal Credit and signposted accordingly.</p><p> </p><p>The specific Information regarding the number of unsuccessful claims to Pension Credit by mixed age couples since 15 May is not available.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 17/06/2019 15:48:14 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	1383 label Biography information for Mark Tami

1129657

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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	Pension Credit
	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 are part of a mixed-age couple have been advised by CAPITA call centre staff not to make a claim for Pension Credit.
	tabling member constituency	Alyn and Deeside
	tabling member printed	Mark Tami
	uin	259898
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2019 answer text <p>G4S now provide the initial call service facility for Pension Credit. The contract with CAPITA ended in September 2018.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Mixed age couples not eligible for Pension Credit are advised by call centre staff that they may be eligible for Universal Credit and signposted accordingly.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 17/06/2019 15:59:53 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	1383 label Biography information for Mark Tami

1129658

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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	Pension Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training her Department has provided to (a) her Department's and (b) CAPITA call centre staff on the rules for backdating pension credit claims for mixed-age couples.
	tabling member constituency	Alyn and Deeside
	tabling member printed	Mark Tami
	uin	259899
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2019 answer text <p>G4S now provide the initial call service facility for Pension Credit. The contract with CAPITA ended in September 2018.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Department has provided a comprehensive package of training material regarding the mixed age couple policy change to Pension Credit claim processing agents and call centre staff, who provide the initial Pension Credit ‘triage’ function. The training material specifically includes guidance on handling backdated claims to Pension Credit for mixed age couples, including highlighting the deadline of 13 August to potential claimants for making a backdated claim.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 17/06/2019 16:07:28 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	1383 label Biography information for Mark Tami

1129712

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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	Workplace Pensions: Fees and Charges
	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 effect of auto-enrolment on charging levels in the pensions sector.
	tabling member constituency	Wallasey
	tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
	uin	259885
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>DWP’s latest pension charges survey, published in October 2017, found that most schemes charge between 0.38 and 0.54% depending on the type of pension. This is well within the 0.75% charge cap which applies to the default fund of pension schemes used for automatic enrolment.</p><p>The October 2017 charges survey can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/652086/pension-charges-survey-2016-charges-in-defined-contribution-pension-schemes.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/652086/pension-charges-survey-2016-charges-in-defined-contribution-pension-schemes.pdf</a></p><p>This matter is always kept under review.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/06/2019 16:46:18 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1129713

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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	Pensions: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she has had with the pensions sector on increasing transparency in respect of charge cap levels.
	tabling member constituency	Wallasey
	tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
	uin	259886
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2019 answer text <p>When the charge cap was introduced in 2015, DWP produced guidance for trustees on how to comply. Since this time DWP officials have met regularly with pension schemes and their service providers. As a result of this engagement DWP consulted earlier this year on an update to the charge cap guidance to provide more clarity for trustees on how to calculate charges.</p><p>The consultation can be found in chapter 5 in the link below:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/defined-contribution-pensions-investments-and-consolidation" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/defined-contribution-pensions-investments-and-consolidation</a></p><p>We are currently considering the feedback.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 12/06/2019 13:52:28 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1129714

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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	Pensions: Fees and Charges
	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 consumer understanding of pension product charge cap levels.
	tabling member constituency	Wallasey
	tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
	uin	259887
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2019 answer text <p>In February 2018 the DWP laid regulations to require trustees of occupational defined contribution schemes to publish their charges and costs annually online, and to tell members via their annual benefit statement where this information is available. There is no specific consumer survey but the charge cap holds charges down.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 12/06/2019 15:15:58 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1129768

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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	Post Office Card Account
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Post Office card accounts were active in each of the last five years; and how much his Department paid into those accounts.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	260046
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The figures for the number of active accounts at year end for the last five years are as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>At Year End</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total Number of Accounts</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2015</p></td><td><p>2409075</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2016</p></td><td><p>2179279</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2017</p></td><td><p>1790546</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2018</p></td><td><p>1383266</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2019</p></td><td><p>1103328</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The figures for the amount paid into Post Office card accounts for the last five financial years are as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Monies Paid in by DWP</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-2015</p></td><td><p>£17,333,287,535.11</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015-2016</p></td><td><p>£16,228,823,143.88</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016-2017</p></td><td><p>£14,141,533,797.78</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017-2018</p></td><td><p>£12,047,638,556.85</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018-2019</p></td><td><p>£9,515,393,806.89</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 10/06/2019 16:02:06 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows