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1728590

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2024
	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	Unemployment: Young People
	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 (a) identify and (b) reduce the barriers facing young people not in work or education.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool Wavertree
	tabling member printed	Paula Barker
	uin	5132
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2024 answer text <p>Our plan to get Britain Working includes a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or employment support. This will sit alongside; a new national jobs and careers service to help get more people into work, work health and skills plans for the economically inactive, and the launch of Skills England to open new opportunities for young people. We will set out further detail in the upcoming ‘Get Britain Working’ White Paper.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Currently through the Youth Offer, we provide labour market support to young people aged 16-24 claiming Universal Credit through a range of tailored interventions to help reduce the barriers young people may face, bringing them closer to work or education.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Jobcentre Plus School Advisers target support to young people that schools have identified as being at greatest risk of not being in work or education, or who may be disadvantaged in the labour market.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Birkenhead answering member printed Alison McGovern question first answered 18/09/2024 08:26:15 answering member 4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern
	tabling member	4828 label Biography information for Paula Barker

1728632

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2024
	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	Winter Fuel Payment: Harpenden and Berkhamsted
	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 impact of means-testing Winter Fuel Payments on pensioner poverty in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Harpenden and Berkhamsted
	tabling member printed	Victoria Collins
	uin	5174
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2024 answer text <p>No such assessment has been made, as statistics for the total number of people living in poverty are not available at a constituency level.</p><p> </p><p>This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement.</p><p> </p><p>Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80.</p><p>Immediate support for pensioners includes our commitment to the Triple Lock, with over 12 million pensioners set to benefit through the course of this parliament, with the full yearly rate of the new State Pensions forecast to increase by around £1700.</p><p>The Warm Home Discount scheme in England and Wales provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate on their electricity bill. This winter, we expect over three million households, including over one million pensioners, to benefit under the scheme.</p><p>We are also providing support for pensioners through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.</p><p>The Household Support Fund is also being extended for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025.   An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 18/09/2024 15:52:22 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	5201

1728645

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2024
	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: Equality
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many positions in her Department included (a) diversity, (b) inclusion, (c) equity and (d) equality in their job title in each of the last five years; and what the total cost of the salaries of each such job was in each of those years.
	tabling member constituency	Great Yarmouth
	tabling member printed	Rupert Lowe
	uin	5187
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2024 answer text <p>The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Stretford and Urmston answering member printed Andrew Western question first answered 17/09/2024 13:53:23 answering member 4979 label Biography information for Andrew Western
	tabling member	5158

1728659

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2024
	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	Winter Fuel Payment: Rural Areas
	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 impact of the changes to the eligibility criteria for Winter Fuel Payments on pensioners in rural communities.
	tabling member constituency	West Dorset
	tabling member printed	Edward Morello
	uin	5201
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/09/2024 answer text <p>Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged 80 and over.</p><p> </p><p>We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.</p><p> </p><p>Energy support, including customers off-grid, is provided by local authorities, the responsibility of Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the devolved governments.</p><p> </p><p>The Warm Home Discount is available to eligible low-income households, who pay their electricity bill directly to a participating domestic supplier. A specific scheme is available to support eligible park homes residents, under the industry initiatives element of the Warm Home Discount Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Upgrade Grant provides grants to low-income households to upgrade the energy performance of the worst quality, off gas grid homes in England by installing energy efficiency measures and low carbon heating.</p><p> </p><p>This will typically include insulation measures in combination with a heat pump to make the home heat efficient and suitable for the future as we build towards net zero.</p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds grouped question UIN 5080 question first answered 16/09/2024 16:48:42 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	5326

1728660

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2024
	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	Winter Fuel Payment: West Dorset
	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 West Dorset constituency are in receipt of the Winter Fuel Payment.
	tabling member constituency	West Dorset
	tabling member printed	Edward Morello
	uin	5202
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2024 answer text <p>According to Winter Fuel Payment Statistics, an estimated 30,232 people in West Dorset Constituency (2010 boundary) received Winter Fuel Payment in 2022-2023.The latest published Winter Fuel Payment Statistics are for the year 2022-2023 and they are published here: Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2022 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 18/09/2024 08:35:32 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	5326

1728674

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2024
	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	Winter Fuel Payment: Sutton and Cheam
	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 people that will be affected by the proposed changes to pensioners' eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment in Sutton and Cheam constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Sutton and Cheam
	tabling member printed	Luke Taylor
	uin	5216
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2024 answer text <p>The Pension Credit data that is used is based on the 2010 Westminster Parliamentary constituencies, not 2024, in order to be comparable with the Winter Fuel Payment statistics.</p><p> </p><p>It is estimated that around 14,000 pensioners in Sutton and Cheam constituency will be impacted by the decision to amend the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment. This is based on February 2024 Pension Credit statistics which are available via <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/dataCatalogueExplorer.xhtml" target="_blank">DWP Stat-xplore</a> and the Winter Fuel Payment statistics for Winter 2022 to 2023 which are available via <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/winter-fuel-payment-statistics-for-winter-2022-to-2023" target="_blank">GOV.UK</a>.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>This estimation is calculated by subtracting the number of people claiming Pension Credit in Sutton and Cheam consistency from the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients in Sutton and Cheam constituency. This is essentially the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients who are not claiming Pension Credit pre-policy change, as an estimate of those who will no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment.</p><p> </p><p>Please note that the above figures do not take into account any potential increase in Pension Credit take-up that we might see as a result of the Government’s Pension Credit Awareness Campaign. We do not have data on those additional Pension Credit claims by Parliamentary constituencies or Local Authorities.</p><p> </p><p>The published Pension Credit figures refer to households, so the number of individuals receiving Pension Credit will be higher (i.e., taking account of households where it is a couple claiming Pension Credit).</p><p> </p><p>In addition, while Pension Credit claimants constitute the majority of those that will be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, pensioners who claim other qualifying means-tested benefits will also be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment. It is not, however, possible to include those on other qualifying means-tested benefits in these figures.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 18/09/2024 15:49:01 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	5103

1728675

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2024
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Women
	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 plans to compensate women wrongly underpaid their state pension.
	tabling member constituency	Makerfield
	tabling member printed	Josh Simons
	uin	5217
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/09/2024 answer text <p>The Department is addressing two areas which have resulted in the underpayment of State Pension. We expect the majority of customers affected to be women.</p><p>On the State Pension Underpayment Legal Entitlements and Administrative Practices (LEAP) exercise and the Home Responsibilities Protection LEAP exercise we are identifying and correcting any errors, making arrears payments and amending ongoing State Pension awards.</p><p>The Department understands the importance of putting right any errors we find and adjusting State Pension payments without delay. Everyone should receive the State Pension payments to which they are entitled. Giving pensioners the security and dignity they deserve in retirement is a priority for this Government.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 16/09/2024 16:15:09 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	5060

1728692

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2024
	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	Pensioners: Poverty
	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 set up a Pensioner Task Force to (a) assess intersecting issues of income, housing, health and fuel costs and (b) make recommendations to tackle pensioner poverty.
	tabling member constituency	Poole
	tabling member printed	Neil Duncan-Jordan
	uin	5234
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2024 answer text <p>We are determined to support pensioners and give them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. The Government has committed to reviewing the pensions landscape. The first phase, focusing on investment outcomes, began in July and we will follow that later this year with the next phase that will consider further steps to improve pension outcomes, including assessing retirement adequacy.</p><p> </p><p>Immediate support for pensioners includes our commitment to the Triple Lock, with over 12 million pensioners set to benefit through the course of this parliament, with the full yearly rate of the new State Pension forecast to increase by around £1,700.</p><p>Pension Credit continues to provide a safety net for the poorest pensioners and those with additional needs, such as those with a severe disability, caring responsibility, responsibility for a child or certain housing costs. We want everybody who could be eligible to claim it, which is why we have launched a nationwide Pension Credit take-up campaign.</p><p>The Household Support Fund (HSF) is also being extended for a further 6 months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025, to support those most in need, including vulnerable pensioners. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.<em> </em></p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 18/09/2024 15:43:27 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
	tabling member	5359

1728708

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2024
	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: Medical Examinations
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many assessors trained and qualified in autism will work in each of the five regions under the Department for Work and Pension's Health Assessment Advisory Service.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Browning
	uin	HL925
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2024 answer text <p>The department and the Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS) are fully committed to supporting those with mental health conditions.</p><p> </p><p>All health professionals (HPs) within the five regions of HAAS are fully qualified in their health discipline and have passed strict recruitment and experience criteria. They must also be registered with a relevant regulatory body such as the General Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Health and Care Professions Council or European Economic Area equivalent. The department has not specified that HAAS employ HPs who are specialists in specific conditions or impairments. Instead, the focus is on ensuring they are experts in disability analysis, focusing on the effects of health conditions and impairments on the claimant’s daily life.</p><p> </p><p>All HPs receive comprehensive training in the functional assessment of mental health conditions and disabilities, including Autism. From 09 September 2024 the educational material for all HAAS HPs was provided by DWP. As part of our review, we identified best practice in the NHS and have implemented the Oliver McGowan training as part of the mandatory training requirements for every HP. This training is recognised to be of significant value to HPs in ensuring they have the skills and knowledge to provide safe, informed, and compassionate assessments to claimants with autism and learning disabilities. This is in addition to our comprehensive education programme for HPs.</p><p> </p><p>Following the completion of core training to undertake the role, HPs will engage in an annual training programme, and HAAS has been provided with materials (such as Continual Professional Development modules) to support the development of their HPs where learning needs are identified. This approach ensures that both service wide and individual training needs are met and will be of benefit to those with neurodiversity where applicable.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sherlock grouped question UIN HL926 question first answered 17/09/2024 14:28:11 answering member 4147 label Biography information for Baroness Sherlock
	tabling member	236 label Biography information for Baroness Browning

1728709

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2024
	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: Medical Examinations
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what qualifications are stipulated for assessors of people on the autism spectrum by the Health Assessment Advisory Service.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Browning
	uin	HL926
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2024 answer text <p>The department and the Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS) are fully committed to supporting those with mental health conditions.</p><p> </p><p>All health professionals (HPs) within the five regions of HAAS are fully qualified in their health discipline and have passed strict recruitment and experience criteria. They must also be registered with a relevant regulatory body such as the General Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Health and Care Professions Council or European Economic Area equivalent. The department has not specified that HAAS employ HPs who are specialists in specific conditions or impairments. Instead, the focus is on ensuring they are experts in disability analysis, focusing on the effects of health conditions and impairments on the claimant’s daily life.</p><p> </p><p>All HPs receive comprehensive training in the functional assessment of mental health conditions and disabilities, including Autism. From 09 September 2024 the educational material for all HAAS HPs was provided by DWP. As part of our review, we identified best practice in the NHS and have implemented the Oliver McGowan training as part of the mandatory training requirements for every HP. This training is recognised to be of significant value to HPs in ensuring they have the skills and knowledge to provide safe, informed, and compassionate assessments to claimants with autism and learning disabilities. This is in addition to our comprehensive education programme for HPs.</p><p> </p><p>Following the completion of core training to undertake the role, HPs will engage in an annual training programme, and HAAS has been provided with materials (such as Continual Professional Development modules) to support the development of their HPs where learning needs are identified. This approach ensures that both service wide and individual training needs are met and will be of benefit to those with neurodiversity where applicable.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sherlock grouped question UIN HL925 question first answered 17/09/2024 14:28:11 answering member 4147 label Biography information for Baroness Sherlock
	tabling member	236 label Biography information for Baroness Browning