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1016311

registered interest
date	28/11/2018
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 and what proportion of people in receipt of legacy benefit payments had a deduction in the latest month for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	196807
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2018 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 03/12/2018 14:45:03 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

1010717

registered interest
date	20/11/2018
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 Answer of 18 September 2018 to Question 172595, what plans she has for the legacy benefit IT systems when the roll-out of universal credit is completed.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	193448
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2018 answer text <p>We regularly review all legacy benefit systems and for those which may no longer be required as a result of the completion of the Universal Credit managed migration process, work will be undertaken to decommission them.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 28/11/2018 18:47:57 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1010205

registered interest
date	19/11/2018
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 estimate she has made of the number of people who have ceased to claim income-related benefits in the most recent 12 months for which data is available; and for what reasons those people ceased to make such claims.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	192727
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2018 answer text <p>The information requested for those moving off income-related benefits is only available for Jobseeker’s Allowance. It is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost for other income related benefits.</p><p> </p><p>The available information which shows the number of off-flows and reasons from the Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) claimant count is published at: <a href="https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp" target="_blank">https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance for users can be found at: <a href="https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp" target="_blank">https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp</a></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 03/12/2018 11:52:22 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1010206

registered interest
date	19/11/2018
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 and what proportion of new claims for (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) employment and support allowance were processed within (i) five days and (ii) 10 days or longer within the most recent 12 months for which data are available.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	192728
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2018 answer text <p>The information requested is shown in the table below:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Claims processed in 5 working days</p></td><td><p>%of claims processed in 5 working days</p></td><td><p>Claims processed in 10 working days</p></td><td><p>%of claims processed in 10 working days</p></td><td><p>Claims processed in 21 working days</p></td><td><p>%of claims processed in 21 working days</p></td><td><p>Total claims processed</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)</p></td><td><p>165,570</p></td><td><p>23.53%</p></td><td><p>578,170</p></td><td><p>82.17%</p></td><td><p>689,600</p></td><td><p>98.00%</p></td><td><p>703,660</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Employment &amp; Support Allowance (ESA)</p></td><td><p>248,540</p></td><td><p>55.36%</p></td><td><p>358,830</p></td><td><p>79.93%</p></td><td><p>415,590</p></td><td><p>92.57%</p></td><td><p>448,930</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong>Notes: </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The period the data covers is from 1 November 2017 to 31 October 2018.</p><p> </p><p>All volumes are rounded to the nearest 10. For context figures for the total claims cleared have also been provided.</p><p> </p><p>The claims cleared within 10 and 21 days figures are cumulative and as such includes the claims cleared within 5 or 10 days respectively.</p><p> </p><p>Claim processing times may be affected by the verification issues (such as wage slips). ESA and JSA claimants are paid in arrears, usually on a fortnightly basis.</p><p> </p><p>The data provided relates to the initial ESA assessment phase prior to the Work Capability Assessment.</p><p> </p><p>This data is from the Management Information System Programme (MISP), a Departmental</p><p>performance management, data capture and reporting tool. This type of internal management information does not form part of the official statistics outputs that are released by the Department in</p><p>accordance with the UK Statistics Authority’s Code of Practice.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 27/11/2018 17:48:16 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1006900

registered interest
date	14/11/2018
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 guidance her Department provides to people in receipt of benefits on managing their personal finances.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	191360
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2018 answer text <p>Work coaches will signpost claimants to additional help from other agencies if they need it, including advice on managing their personal finances. This includes the Money Advice Service that offers a free and independent service to help people make informed choices on all issues to do with money.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit, which is replacing six legacy benefits, provides an enhanced level of personalised support as people receive tailored support managed through personal work coaches.</p><p> </p><p>As part of the Universal Support package Personal Budgeting Support (PBS) is offered to Universal Credit claimants from the outset of their claim. PBS helps claimants as they transition to Universal Credit and adapt to the financial changes that Universal Credit brings, such as managing their money on a monthly basis and paying their bills on time.</p><p> </p><p>PBS face to face services are currently offered through Local Authorities via Universal Support delivered locally. From April 2019 Citizens Advice (England and Wales) and Citizens Advice Scotland will take on the responsibility for delivering a strengthened Universal Support service, a move which will ensure a consistent and streamlined service for claimants across the country.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 23/11/2018 14:43:55 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

997365

registered interest
date	29/10/2018
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 and what proportion of working people in receipt of top up benefits are resident in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) in each region of the UK and (c) in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Ashfield
tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
uin	184954
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2018 answer text <p>The numbers of in work families receiving tax credits are in table 1.1 of the Child and Working Tax Credits statistics: finalised annual awards - 2016 to 2017 published by HMRC can be accessed at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720570/Main_publication_-_final_tables.xlsx" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720570/Main_publication_-_final_tables.xlsx</a></p><p> </p><p>Geographical breakdowns including constituency level figures are available at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720739/Main_geographical_-_final_tables.xlsx" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720739/Main_geographical_-_final_tables.xlsx</a></p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit and Housing Benefit statistics for Great Britain are regularly published and the latest statistics for September 2018 and May 2018 respectively can be accessed at:</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><a href="https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p><p> </p><p>The information available for the number of employed individuals that are in receipt of Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance in May 2018 in geographical areas of Great Britain can be found in the following table.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/12/2018 18:17:56 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma attachment 1 file name People Table 184954.docx title Working people in receipt of IS, JSA or ESA previous answer version 82637 answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

990339

registered interest
date	18/10/2018
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, whether her Department has targets for moving people from jobseeker's allowance to employment support allowance; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Warwick and Leamington
tabling member printed	Matt Western
uin	181319
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>There are no Departmental targets for moving people from Jobseeker’s Allowance to Employment and Support Allowance. Every benefit claim is considered on its merits, and decisions are made based on the available evidence and the legislation according to which such decisions are made.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 23/10/2018 16:35:13 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4617 label Biography information for Matt Western

971480

registered interest
date	10/09/2018
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, whether his Department retains the capacity to revert to the legacy benefit systems.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	172595
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2018 answer text <p>Reverting to legacy benefits would not only create massive disruption for claimants, but would leave them trapped in a complex and confusing system of multiple and overlapping benefits. The legacy benefits system consists of 6 different benefits, each with separate rules and criteria, interacting in complicated ways, creating perverse incentives and confusion, and additional administrative costs.</p><p> </p><p>Our staff have been trained in the more flexible and tailored Universal Credit system, which the projections in our published Universal Credit Full Business Case expect to put 200,000 more people into work in the UK. Our new system, will for the first time benefit people in work looking to progress, and enables us to provide extra personalised support and stronger work incentives to help people out of poverty and into work faster.</p><p> </p><p>As the National Audit Office noted in their recent report, as the changes have become increasingly embedded across the department, it would be both complex and expensive to revert to legacy benefits at this stage.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 18/09/2018 15:27:55 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

943897

registered interest
date	18/07/2018
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 provision her Department makes for people who when making a benefit application are unable to respond with bank documentation and other relevant paperwork within the requested 10 days.
tabling member constituency	East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
tabling member printed	Dr Lisa Cameron
uin	165608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2018 answer text <p>DWP administers a number of benefits with different eligibility requirements. In order to ensure that we pay people their correct benefit in a timely way, we may need to ask for information or documentation from a claimant to support their application within a particular timeframe. We will prompt claimants using a variety of methods such as SMS, phone call or a message on claimants’ UC journal. Where information is not received, we can consider extending the timeframe.</p><p>If a claimant does not have a bank account, DWP does have other methods of payment which can be used in these circumstances, for example, a Post Office card account (POca). In certain circumstances a claimant can request to be paid by the Payment Exception Service. This is a way for people who do not have a bank account to collect benefit or pension payments. Further detail is on gov.uk at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/payment-exception-service" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/payment-exception-service</a>.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 23/07/2018 15:15:38 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4412 label Biography information for Dr Lisa Cameron

942866

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
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 the effect is of a claimant refusing a job with a prospective employer where the terms and conditions on offer include a zero hours contract on that claimant's continued receipt of benefits.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	165078
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2018 answer text <p>Universal Credit (UC) radically transforms the welfare system by seeking to ensure not only that claimants are better off in work, but that they are better off working more hours and earning more money, helping them ultimately to become financially independent. Their UC payments adjust automatically depending on the amount they earn, so that they are financially supported and do not need to switch their benefit claim.</p><p>UC claimants may be required to look for and accept jobs with a zero hours contract. Such contracts can be a beneficial and positive way for claimants to boost their income and gain valuable work experience.</p><p> </p><p>UC claimants are expected to take responsibility for meeting any mandatory conditionality requirements they have agreed and will be supported by their Work Coach throughout. If there is no reason why a claimant should not take a zero hours contract job and they refuse, they may be sanctioned. However, sanctions are only used in a minority of cases and that is when claimants fail to meet their conditionality requirements without good reason.</p><p> </p><p>Jobseeker's Allowance claimants are not required to apply for zero hours contract jobs.</p><p>This is because of the impact that fluctuating earnings and hours may have on a claim – entitlement will end when a claimant earns more than a certain amount or works more than 16 hours in a week. This means they would then need to reclaim when lower, or no hours are offered, posing a real risk of gaps in income. This disincentive to take on flexible work, or work more hours, has been designed out of UC to ensure support for people whose hours fluctuate.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 24/07/2018 15:07:06 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens