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1124133

registered interest
date	01/05/2019
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals
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 issues to GPs on the provision of fit notes for patients who are undergoing an appeal for employment and support allowance.
tabling member constituency	Warrington South
tabling member printed	Faisal Rashid
uin	249916
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department provides  guidance on the benefits system for GPs which is available at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-short-guide-to-the-benefit-system-for-general-practitioners" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-short-guide-to-the-benefit-system-for-general-practitioners</a>.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 07/05/2019 13:47:28 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4670 label Biography information for Faisal Rashid

1123834

registered interest
date	30/04/2019
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	Construction: Silicosis
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department holds on trends in the number of people with Silicosis in the construction industry.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	249297
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2019 answer text <p>Silicosis, along with coal workers pneumoconiosis and asbestosis are the most common forms of pneumoconiosis which is a prescribed disease within the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) scheme. Pneumoconiosis cases not specifically identified as asbestosis or coal workers’ pneumoconiosis are mainly silicosis and the annual numbers of such cases newly assessed for IIDB over the last ten years are shown in the table below. Of these annual cases, those associated with the construction industry are also shown.</p><p> </p><p>The number of silicosis cases within the IIDB scheme is likely to be lower than the true incidence of this disease. This is because IIDB does not compensate anyone who is self-employed, and not all affected individuals apply to the scheme.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Annual new cases of pneumoconiosis not recorded as asbestosis or coal workers’ pneumoconiosis assessed for IIDB, 2008-2017</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>-</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2008</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2009</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2010</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>All cases</strong></p></td><td><p>85</p></td><td><p>80</p></td><td><p>60</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>40</p></td><td><p>45</p></td><td><p>55</p></td><td><p>25</p></td><td><p>30</p></td><td><p>30</p></td><td><p>500</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Cases associated with construction</strong></p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>130</p></td></tr></tbody></table><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Note: values have been rounded to the nearest 5 to meet disclosure rules.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 08/05/2019 13:27:43 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1123885

registered interest
date	30/04/2019
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	Employment and Social Security Benefits: Learning Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to support people with learning disabilities access (a) benefits and (b) employment opportunities.
tabling member constituency	Stevenage
tabling member printed	Stephen McPartland
uin	249271
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit provides enhanced personalised support for all claimants. All claimants receive continuous tailored support managed through personal work coaches, who know each person. Our work coaches receive extensive training to ensure they can offer effective support to different claimant groups, including those with learning disabilities.</p><p> </p><p>From 1 April 2019 Citizens Advice (England and Wales) and Citizens Advice Scotland are delivering the new <strong>‘</strong>Help to Claim’ support to claimants making a new Universal Credit (UC) claim or moving from a legacy benefit to UC because of a change of circumstances. The Citizens Advice Help to Claim service offers tailored, practical support to help people make a UC claim up to receiving their first full correct payment on time. It is available online, through web-chat, through a Freephone number and face to face through local Citizens Advice services.</p><p> </p><p>Telephony support is also available through the Universal Credit Freephone line for claimants who cannot make or maintain their claim online. Where a claimant is unable to manage their own affairs, an appointee can act on their behalf, taking responsibility for making and maintaining a claim.</p><p> </p><p>Personal Independence Payment can be paid to disabled people irrespective of their employment status. Claimants with a severe mental health or behavioural condition, learning disability, developmental disorder or cognitive problems, who may have difficulty engaging with the claims process, and with no support network in place can be provided with additional support during the claims process if they need it. This support can include help filling in the form or the questionnaire and additional protections for failing to return the questionnaire or for failing to attend a face-to-face assessment.</p><p> </p><p>We are supporting disabled people, including those with learning disabilities, to prepare for employment, enter and retain work through a range of initiatives, for example: Access to Work; the Local Supported Employment proof of concept; and the new Intensive Personalised Employment Support scheme, which is expected to be running by the end of 2019.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 07/05/2019 13:18:09 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4093 label Biography information for Stephen McPartland

1123898

registered interest
date	30/04/2019
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
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 make an assessment of the implications for her Department's policies of the Trussell Trust recommendation to change the five-week wait for universal credit payments to reduce the use of foodbanks.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	249202
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>No UC claimant has to wait five weeks for their first payment. If required, advances of up to 100 per cent of their expected UC award are available to claimants from day one of their claim. Advances are paid back over a maximum of 12 months and in the Autumn Budget 2018, we announced that from October 2021, the payback period for these advances will be extended further, allowing claimants up to 16 months. This is just one of a number of measures the Department has put in place to support claimants such as paying those claimants moving from Housing Benefit onto Universal Credit a two week ‘transitional housing payment’. We are also introducing a two-week run on for eligible claimants of Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance from July 2020.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 07/05/2019 15:02:03 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1123936

registered interest
date	30/04/2019
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has plans to include an income assessment form in the application for advance payments for universal credit; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	249177
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>Introducing an income assessment could cause delay to Universal Credit (UC) new claim advances, the purpose of which is to provide fast access to a payment for people in financial need until their first UC payment’s due.</p><p> </p><p>The Department will increase the maximum recovery period for advances on new claims from 12 months to 16 months from October 2021. If an unforeseen event occurs that would result in hardship once recovery begins, in certain circumstances, repayments can be deferred for up to 3 months.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 07/05/2019 14:32:55 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1123937

registered interest
date	30/04/2019
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
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 value of advanced payments that will be paid to claimants of universal credit in 2019.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	249178
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit (UC) new claim advances provide fast access to a payment for people in financial need until their first UC payment is due. Assistance of up to 100% of the total expected monthly award, which is paid back over a period of up to 12 months, and from October 2021 up to 16 months, is available.</p><p> </p><p>The estimated value of advanced payments that were paid to Universal Credit (UC) claimants for new claims and benefits transfers in the financial year 2018/2019 is £502m (<strong>source:</strong> DWP internal statistics).</p><p> </p><p>The projected value of advanced payments that will be paid to claimants of UC for new claims and benefits transfers in each of the next five years is £676m in 2019/2020 rising to £862m in 2023/2024. This projection is line with the expected increase in UC claims.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Projected Advances Spend (£m)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/2020</p></td><td><p>£676</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020/2021</p></td><td><p>£682</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021/2022</p></td><td><p>£678</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022/2023</p></td><td><p>£766</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023/2024</p></td><td><p>£862</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Source:</strong> DWP internal modelling of advances.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes: </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><ol><li>The data supplied is derived from unpublished management information which was collected for internal Departmental use only and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. The data should therefore be treated with caution.</li><li>Figures have been rounded to the nearest £million.</li></ol> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 249179 question first answered 07/05/2019 14:51:38 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1123938

registered interest
date	30/04/2019
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pension, what estimate she has made of the value of advanced payments that will be paid to claimants of universal credit in each of the next five years.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	249179
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit (UC) new claim advances provide fast access to a payment for people in financial need until their first UC payment is due. Assistance of up to 100% of the total expected monthly award, which is paid back over a period of up to 12 months, and from October 2021 up to 16 months, is available.</p><p> </p><p>The estimated value of advanced payments that were paid to Universal Credit (UC) claimants for new claims and benefits transfers in the financial year 2018/2019 is £502m (<strong>source:</strong> DWP internal statistics).</p><p> </p><p>The projected value of advanced payments that will be paid to claimants of UC for new claims and benefits transfers in each of the next five years is £676m in 2019/2020 rising to £862m in 2023/2024. This projection is line with the expected increase in UC claims.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Projected Advances Spend (£m)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/2020</p></td><td><p>£676</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020/2021</p></td><td><p>£682</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021/2022</p></td><td><p>£678</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022/2023</p></td><td><p>£766</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023/2024</p></td><td><p>£862</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Source:</strong> DWP internal modelling of advances.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes: </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><ol><li>The data supplied is derived from unpublished management information which was collected for internal Departmental use only and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. The data should therefore be treated with caution.</li><li>Figures have been rounded to the nearest £million.</li></ol> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 249178 question first answered 07/05/2019 14:51:38 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1123940

registered interest
date	30/04/2019
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	Social Security Benefits: Children
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 effect of the two-child limit on families with a low income; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	249180
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>It is the Department’s view that providing support for a maximum of two children or qualifying young persons in Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit will ensure fairness between those supporting themselves solely through work and those receiving benefits.</p><p> </p><p>The Government continues to take action to help families with the cost of living, including raising the national living wage, reducing the Universal Credit earnings taper, raising the income tax personal allowance, introducing tax-free childcare and 30 hours a week of free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, under Universal Credit, working families can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month. This can be claimed up to a month before starting a job. For families with two children this could be worth up to £13,000 a year.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has assessed the impact of the policy from an equality and human rights perspective throughout its development and in preparation for its implementation. The Department published statistics related to the first year of policy implementation in June 2018, and have committed to subsequent annual releases.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 07/05/2019 15:09:31 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1123955

registered interest
date	30/04/2019
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
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 bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that the universal credit childcare support offer does not require parents to (a) pay childcare costs upfront and (b) provide receipts.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	249201
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>We recognise the difficulty that some claimants might have in paying upfront childcare costs. Where the initial month’s childcare costs may prevent a claimant from starting work, Jobcentres will use the Flexible Support Fund to help claimants in the first instance. This is a non-repayable award, which can be used to meet the upfront childcare costs to help support a claimant into work.</p><p> </p><p>For claimants who are in work and need help with upfront childcare costs, budgeting advances are available that can be used to cover the cost of paying upfront childcare costs or a deposit.</p><p> </p><p>The payment of Universal Credit Childcare costs is based on monthly reporting by the claimant of the actual childcare costs the household incurs. Claimants are required to provide a receipt of the eligible costs they have paid and these are then reimbursed within their Universal Credit award. Such monthly reporting ensures accuracy whilst reducing the levels of error and the possibility of overpayments.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/05/2019 12:59:41 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1124057

registered interest
date	30/04/2019
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	Social Security Benefits: Disability
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 29 April (HL15269), what existing forums they were engaged with on the design of the feasibility test for a single assessment for Employment and Support Allowance/Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL15439
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2019 answer text <p>We committed to working with stakeholders to inform our approach to Work Capability Assessment (WCA) reform in the <em>Improving Lives</em> Command Paper published in 2017 and have been engaging on this broader issue through a number of forums. This has included our Policy Forum, a small group involving academics, think tanks and a number of disability charities.</p><p> </p><p>Specifically, on the single assessment, we are currently gathering evidence to support the design of the feasibility test and will be involving stakeholders to inform this in the coming months. The outcomes from the feasibility test will enable us to establish if a single assessment would improve the customer journey and deliver quality and accurate outcomes.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 08/05/2019 14:32:19 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester