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1472476

	registered interest
	date	22/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Support for Mortgage Interest
	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 potential merits of changing the Support for Mortgage Interest loan system to a means-tested benefit system.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
	uin	23409
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2022 answer text <p>No assessment has been made of changing Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans to a means-tested benefit system.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 23410 question first answered 29/06/2022 09:59:04 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1472489

	registered interest
	date	22/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Support for Mortgage Interest
	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 restoring Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) to a means-tested benefits system in place of the current loan system.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
	uin	23410
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2022 answer text <p>No assessment has been made of changing Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans to a means-tested benefit system.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 23409 question first answered 29/06/2022 09:59:04 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1471707

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Long Covid
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she will make a decision on the potential classification of long covid as an occupational disease.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
	uin	21271
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2022 answer text <p>When deciding whether to prescribe new diseases or making any changes to the appropriate prescriptions under the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Scheme, Ministers are guided by the recommendations of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (“IIAC”), which is independent of Government. IIAC is investigating whether long-COVID can be prescribed as an occupational disease for the purposes of IIDB.</p><p> </p><p>We will carefully consider any recommendations that IIAC may make with regards to COVID19 and the list of prescribed diseases.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 27/06/2022 15:36:41 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
	tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1465755

	registered interest
	date	25/05/2022
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Energy: Merseyside
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the impact on levels of absolute poverty in (a) Birkenhead and (b) the Liverpool City Region of the anticipated increase in the energy price cap to £2,800 in the autumn of 2022.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
	uin	9160
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2022 answer text <p>No such assessment has been made.</p><p> </p><p>We have announced a new £15 billion support package targeted at those most in need bringing the total cost of living support to £37 billion this year.</p><p> </p><p>This package will benefit over 8 million households in receipt of means-tested benefits with the most vulnerable households getting one-off support worth £1,200 this year, including a new £650 cost of living payment.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 09/06/2022 15:07:55 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1461198

	registered interest
	date	10/05/2022
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Employment: Long Covid
	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 is taking to facilitate a phased return to work for claimants with long covid, beyond the usual four week phased return period.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
	uin	455
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2022 answer text <p>The department is not involved in discussions regarding phased returns to work. This is a matter for the individual and their employer.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 17/05/2022 10:52:22 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
	tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1422954

	registered interest
	date	18/02/2022
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Mental Illness and Special Educational Needs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of requiring jobseekers to accept any job within one month of making a claim for support on people with special educational needs and mental ill-health.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
	uin	125502
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/02/2022 answer text <p>The Way to Work campaign is a move to help job-ready claimants into work more quickly, utilising strong relationships with employers to help fill the hundreds of thousands of vacancies in the economy. As has previously been the case, Work Coaches have discretion to allow those claimants who have previously carried out work of a particular nature, or at a particular level of remuneration to search for roles within that same area of work. The period within which they can limit their search in this way is known as the ‘permitted period’. The changes we have made will mean that claimants now have a reduced “permitted period” in which to search for a job in their preferred sector, from 3 months to a maximum of 4 weeks. Claimants will be expected to broaden their job search activity to include any suitable job that they are capable of that can support them whilst they consider their longer-term career options. We have easements in place to protect people with health conditions and disabilities from being asked to consider work in sectors which do not fit their capabilities. This means that the hours of the job a claimant is expected to look for, and the location and type of job should be appropriate and reflect the claimant’s capabilities and impacts of any mental health condition. Claimants who are supplying a fit note in advance of their work capability assessment are not required to start work.</p><p>The expectations of a claimant are agreed with them and clearly set out in their Claimant Commitment at the beginning of their UC claim. This includes both mandatory and voluntary actions the claimant has agreed to undertake. Any work-related requirements are set in discussion with the claimant and will always be tailored to an individual claimant’s capability and circumstances, making them realistic and achievable. Claimants with health-related support requirements will undertake a Work Capability Assessment and, where specific needs are identified, will receive support through the Work and Health Programme.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 24/02/2022 15:36:24 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1386549

	registered interest
	date	09/12/2021
	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	Children: Maintenance
	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 assessed the potential merits of increasing child maintenance payments for recipients who have lost between 20 and 25 percent of their gross annual income.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
	uin	90502
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2021 answer text <p>Child maintenance is calculated as a percentage of a paying parent’s gross weekly income. The liability is designed to be affordable for paying parents, whilst ensuring that they still contribute a significant proportion of their income to support children they no longer live with.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 15/12/2021 12:00:11 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1386227

	registered interest
	date	08/12/2021
	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	Fuel Poverty
	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 implications for her policies of Age UK's recommendation that in order to tackle fuel poverty, especially amongst older people (a) the Household Support Fund should be doubled and (b) persons eligible for the Cold Weather Payment should be provided with a £50 one-off payment in winter 2021-22.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
	uin	89676
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2021 answer text <p>The Government has committed to keeping the Winter Fuel Payment, which helps older people with the cost of heating their homes in the winter. The payment gives reassurance to pensioners that Government assistance is available and that they can keep warm during the colder months. Over 11 million pensioners benefit from Winter Fuel Payments at an annual cost of £2bn which is a significant contribution to winter fuel bills. We will continue to pay £200 for households with somebody who has reached State Pension age and is under age 80; or £300 for households with somebody aged 80 and over.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has provided £500 million to help vulnerable households across the country with essentials this winter. The Household Support Fund will provide £421 million to help vulnerable people in England with the cost of food, utilities and wider essentials. The Barnett Formula will apply in the usual way, with the devolved administrations receiving almost £80 million (£41m for the Scottish Government, £25m for the Welsh Government and £14m for the NI Executive), for a total of £500 million.</p><p> </p><p>Local Authorities in England have discretion to design their own bespoke local schemes, within the overall parameters of the Household Support Fund, with help primarily focused on food and utility bills. Up to 50% of the fund is available for councils to use on households without children. Local Authorities will use their resources to identify vulnerable households who are in most need in their area and can apply their own discretion to eligibility and the size of the award. This funding covers the period 06 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 inclusive.</p><p> </p><p>The Cold Weather Payment scheme helps vulnerable people in receipt of certain income-related benefits to meet the additional costs of heating for every week of severe cold weather, between 01 November and 31 March each year. A payment of £25 is made when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0 degrees C or below over seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to an eligible person’s postcode. It is paid automatically within 14 working days of a trigger to ensure claimants receive payments at the time of need. Between 01 November 2020 and 31 March 2021 the Government made £98.8 million in payments to those in need.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 13/12/2021 16:43:16 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1361214

	registered interest
	date	19/10/2021
	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	Universal Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a review into the extent to which universal credit payments could take into account rent costs with the objective of preventing private renting tenants from falling into rent arrears.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
	uin	59058
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2021 answer text <p>Rent costs are already taken into account within the housing element of Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>The Local Housing Allowance determines the maximum financial support available for Universal Credit claimants who rent in the private sector.  Local Housing Allowance rates provide a reasonable amount of support with housing costs but are not intended to meet all rents in all areas.</p><p> </p><p>To support claimants, there are measures in place which can help to protect tenancies. These include managed payments to landlords, more frequent payments and deductions to repay rent arrears. In response to Covid-19 we increased LHA rates to the 30th percentile of local rents in April 2020. This significant investment of nearly £1billion has provided 1.5 million claimants with an average £600 more housing support last year than they would otherwise have received. We have also maintained Local Housing Allowance rates at the same cash level for 2021/2022.</p><p> </p><p>For those who require additional support with housing costs, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available. Since 2011 we have provided over £1 billion in DHP funding. We have allocated a further £140 million for DHPs for 2021/22 in England and Wales.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 27/10/2021 16:45:59 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1361221

	registered interest
	date	19/10/2021
	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	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 recent assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of rental arrears on the ability of universal credit claimants to gain employment.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
	uin	59059
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2021 answer text <p>No such assessments have been made of the potential effect of rent arrears on the ability of claimants to gain employment.</p><p> </p><p>For 2020/21 we are projected to have spent almost £30 billion to support renters with their housing costs. This included a boost of almost £1 billion to the Local Housing Allowance in response to Covid-19, which provided 1.5 million households in the private rented sector with around £600 more in housing support over the year. We have maintained Local Housing Allowance rates at the same cash level for 2021/22.</p><p> </p><p>For those claimants struggling with their single monthly rent payment, and as a result are at risk of financial harm, there are alternative payment arrangements, which in certain circumstances, can allow a claimant to receive more frequent Universal Credit payments.</p><p> </p><p>For those who require additional support with housing costs Discretionary Housing Payments are available and since 2011 we have provided over £1 billion in Discretionary Housing Payments funding. We have allocated a further £140 million for Discretionary Housing Payments for 2021/22 in England and Wales.</p><p> </p><p>We also recognise that some private renters have rent arrears built up as a result of the pandemic and vulnerable households may need additional support. We are therefore providing an additional £65 million, through a one-off top up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant, for local authorities to help vulnerable households with rent arrears to reduce the risk of them being evicted and becoming homeless.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 27/10/2021 16:38:07 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley