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1581571

registered interest
date	27/01/2023
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: Eligibility
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the suitability of information on their eligibility for benefits sent to members of the public who (a) do not have access to the internet, (b) are unable to use the internet, (c) are unable to read or write and (d) do not have English as their first language.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	134047
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2023 answer text <p>DWP seeks to identify individuals who have complex user needs and / or require additional support to enable them to access our benefit and services. We provide a tailored service that recognises those with complex needs at any point throughout their journey and ensures appropriate support is made available quickly. This includes those who do not have internet access.</p><p> </p><p>DWP continuously reviews and improves the service for people who claim, or seek to claim, benefits to ensure services are accessible and responsive to citizen needs. All new work coaches undergo mandatory training in the identification and support for vulnerable customers. Specific training and guidance is provided for all staff on working with different vulnerable groups.</p><p> </p><p>DWPs Jobcentres provide access to services for claimants who need face-to-face support. Jobcentres also display, outside each site, a telephone number with details of how to contact DWP. Jobcentre colleagues are available to those claimants who need us most.</p><p> </p><p>Help to Claim support is delivered independently by Citizens Advice, in partnership with Citizens Advice Scotland, with support provided through telephony and digital channels. Those individuals who are unable to access support via these channels can go to their local Jobcentre, local libraries, local advice centres and community organisations where they can use computers with internet access free of charge.</p><p> </p><p>DWP has contracted provision for Interpreter and Translation Services. This provision meets Equality Act 2010 obligations and can be arranged for claimants where English is not their first language, or who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired. It is DWPs policy to use an interpreter when we need to communicate with a claimant who:</p><ul><li>cannot communicate adequately in English</li><li>has complex needs and, or may need additional support; and</li><li>cannot provide their own interpreter.</li></ul><p>Individuals can choose to use their own interpreter if they prefer.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 01/02/2023 11:56:33 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1503376

registered interest
date	02/09/2022
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	Pension Credit
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 any plans to increase the take up of Pension Credit in light of the cost of living crisis.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	45028
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2022 answer text <p>We have already undertaken a range of actions this year to raise awareness of Pension Credit and increase take-up including a comprehensive multi-channel paid advertising campaign, launched on 3 April. This has included newspaper, social media and website advertising, as well as radio promotion, messaging on public transport and messages on screens in hundreds of medical centres across Great Britain.</p><p>We have provided charities and other stakeholders working across local communities with updated information and resources, to help them to promote Pension Credit.</p><p>The Pension Credit campaign is aligned to the broader Cost of Living branding to ensure people understand its association with the Government’s Cost of Living support package. In addition to this, Pension Credit is highlighted on the Help for Households website to maximise visibility and drive additional visitors and help encourage claims.</p><p>Our campaign has also focussed on encouraging the private sector to help drive up claims, and to reach those who may have been reticent about claiming Pension Credit. On 15 June DWP held a second Pension Credit Day of Action with broadcasters, regional and national newspapers and other partners encouraging them to reach out to pensioners and their family and friends, through their channels. Our internal management information suggests it has been highly effective – with over 10,000 Pension Credit claims made across Great Britain that week – an increase of 275% compared to the same week the year before, which included the 2021 Pension Credit day of Action.</p><p>It is more important than ever before to ensure that eligible pensioners claim Pension Credit, because a successful claim qualifies them for the Cost of Living payments. Our messaging highlighted that Pension Credit claims can be backdated 3 months so claims made by 18 August and successfully backdated would also be eligible for the first Cost of Living payment. Ongoing awards will also qualify for the second Cost of Living payment.</p><p>The work to raise awareness of Pension Credit and increase take-up is ongoing.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 07/09/2022 11:15:58 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1504547

registered interest
date	02/09/2022
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	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 the average processing time was for new Pension Credit claims made between 1 March 2022 and 1 September 2022.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	45986
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2022 answer text <p>The Average Actual Clearance Time for Pension Credit New Claims between March 2022 and July 2022 is 39.73 days. August data is not yet available.</p><p /><p>Source: Customer Account Management System</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 07/09/2022 11:56:09 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1504548

registered interest
date	02/09/2022
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	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 recent steps her Department has taken to ensure claims for Pension Credit are processed in a timely manner.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	45987
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2022 answer text <p>The success of the recent Pension Credit campaign together with the Cost of Living Crisis is driving the volume of Pension Credit claims being submitted to an all time high.</p><p> </p><p>Additional resources are being deployed to ensure we deal with the increase as quickly as possible. We are also working closely with stakeholders and service providers to identify potential process enhancements that will drive efficiency and reduce processing times.</p><p> </p><p>Successful claims and arrears are backdated and paid accordingly, to ensure those who are entitled do not miss out.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 07/09/2022 11:58:26 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1488695

registered interest
date	13/07/2022
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	Department for Work and Pensions: Staff
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 estimate expected staffing levels of her Department by the end of 2022.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	36074
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2022 answer text <p>DWP continually monitors and reviews staffing levels. Based on current planning assumptions, we anticipate our headcount at the end of 2022 will be within a range of c.79,000 to c.82,000 full time equivalents.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 21/07/2022 13:41:36 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1487105

registered interest
date	06/07/2022
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	Department for Work and Pensions: Civil Servants
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 a reduction in civil service job within her Department on (a) customer service and (b) appointment management.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	31909
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2022 answer text <p>The Department for Work &amp; Pensions is committed to providing high quality services and has delivered on challenges without precedent. However, civil service headcount as a whole has increased since June 2016. Returning to pre-pandemic numbers across the whole of the civil service will mean a more effective, innovative, and lean organisation that will deliver affordable, high-quality services.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has been considering how we can contribute to this aim, and we are working through the potential impacts that need to be mitigated.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 15/07/2022 13:15:14 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi