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982488

registered interest
date	08/10/2018
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	Universal Credit: Housing
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 extend direct to landlord payments to all claimants of the housing element of universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	176608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2018 answer text <p>Universal Credit incentivises work by making the journey from unemployment to employment as smooth as possible, without the hurdles that exist within the current system. Paying claimants their housing costs direct means their landlord sees no changes in rent payments when they move into work. Consequently the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will, in the majority of cases, pay eligible housing costs directly to the claimant as has been the case for Housing Benefit in the Private Rented Sector since 2008.</p><p> </p><p>Nonetheless, both the claimant and landlord are able to request an alternative payment arrangement (APA) to have rent paid direct to the landlord at any point in the claim should the need arise.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 22/10/2018 10:57:24 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

982489

registered interest
date	08/10/2018
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	Universal Credit: Private Rented Housing
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 effect of the introduction of universal credit on the financial sustainability of private sector landlords.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	176609
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2018 answer text <p>There are many complex factors which contribute to and affect the financial sustainability of landlords in this sector. Research carried out by the National Federation of ALMOs shows over three quarters of their tenants come onto Universal Credit with pre-existing rent arrears.</p><p>Arrears are usually temporary and the majority of claimants do succeed in paying their rent, managing their monthly payments and clearing their arrears over time</p><p>We continually review and improve Universal Credit in response to feedback. In 2018, following Autumn Budget 2017, we have implemented a comprehensive and wide-ranging package of improvements worth £1.5 billion. These include making advances of up to 100% of the indicative award available (from the start of a claim) and increasing the repayment period to 12 months, removing the 7 waiting days, providing an additional payment of 2 weeks of Housing Benefit to support claimants when they transition to Universal Credit, and changing how claimants in temporary accommodation receive support for their housing costs.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 20/11/2018 16:14:52 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

917363

registered interest
date	05/06/2018
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	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the hardship experienced by universal credit claimants who have their early wage payment towards the end of one month counted by HMRC as a second wage payment in a single universal credit assessment period and therefore do not receive universal credit for that period, whether changes will be made to tackle that inflexibility; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	150235
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2018 answer text <p>Universal Credit seeks to take earnings into account in a way that is fair and transparent. The amount of Universal Credit paid reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household each monthly assessment period, including any earnings reported by the employer during that assessment period. Monthly reporting allows Universal Credit to be adjusted on a monthly basis, which ensures that if a claimant’s income falls, they will not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>On 7 June we also announced that we propose to re-award claimants’ transitional protection that has ceased owing to short-term increases in earnings within an assessment period, if they make a new claim to Universal Credit within three months of when they received the additional payment. The written statement can be accessed at: <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-06-07/HCWS745/" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-06-07/HCWS745/</a></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 13/06/2018 15:06:32 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

908940

registered interest
date	21/05/2018
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	Personal Independence Payment: Autism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department provides to people with autism in relation to personal independence payment assessments.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	146327
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/05/2018 answer text <p>When we identify a claimant requires additional support we have a process to ensure that this is provided. We recognise that attending any face-to-face assessment can be a stressful experience for some people, which is why we do not carry out face-to-face consultations where there is enough existing evidence to determine benefit entitlement. If a face-to-face consultation is required, we encourage claimants to take a companion, for example a carer, friend, or family member, to their consultation for support. It is recognised that information given by a companion can be useful, particularly in cases where the claimant may lack insight into their condition, understate the challenges they face or have difficulty communicating.</p><p> </p><p>Where a claimant does not return their PIP claim form, we will still ask our Assessment Providers to make contact and gather evidence and / or invite the claimant for an assessment.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 30/05/2018 15:20:52 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

894744

registered interest
date	30/04/2018
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	Children: Terminal Illnesses
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support after the death of a terminally ill child parents who were not in work while caring for that child.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	139596
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2018 answer text <p>Any individual whose caring responsibilities cease because the person they are caring for has died, will receive an 8 week continuation of Carer’s Allowance, and where applicable a continuation of Income Support and any other benefit premiums that have been awarded as a result of the caring responsibility. There will also be an 8 week continuation of Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit (where applicable) paid. The 8 week continuation of benefit is designed to allow an individual to make any arrangements and or claims to benefit to ensure that they are not placed in financial hardship. If an individual is claiming Universal Credit that would otherwise stop following a bereavement they will, in some circumstances, receive a Bereavement run-on of up to three months.</p><p> </p><p>We will also make easements for mandatory work related requirements for a period following the death of a child where the claimant was the child’s parent.</p><p> </p><p>Where entitlement to the current benefit ceases or a new claim is required, the Department for Work and Pensions will support the individual to make a claim to the appropriate benefit.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the Government recently announced the establishment of the Children’s Funeral Fund for England. Under this scheme, bereaved parents will no longer have to meet the costs of a burial or cremation. Bereaved parents on qualifying benefits may also receive a Funeral Expenses Payment to help towards the cost of a funeral. Interest-free Social Fund Budgeting Loans are also available for funeral costs.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 08/05/2018 10:32:09 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

894745

registered interest
date	30/04/2018
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	Children: Terminal Illnesses
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 currently not in work following the death of a child for whom they were a long-term carer.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	139597
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2018 answer text <p>Although no statistics are kept on claims from former long-term carers of now deceased children, the benefit system does support people in such circumstances.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 08/05/2018 10:32:19 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

894751

registered interest
date	30/04/2018
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	Personal Independence Payment: Appeals
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 on the number of personal independence payment assessment decisions that have been overturned at tribunals.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	139600
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2018 answer text <p>The number of appeals for PIP cleared at hearing where the appeal decision was in favour of the claimant can be found in Table SSCS.3 of the quarterly bulletin “Tribunals and gender recognition certificate statistics quarterly – October to December 2017”.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-and-gender-recognition-certificate-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-and-gender-recognition-certificate-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-2017</a></p><p> </p><p>It is important to note that appeals figures in this data can relate to a number of processes in the claimant journey and not solely assessment decisions.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 09/05/2018 15:51:11 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

894752

registered interest
date	30/04/2018
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	Personal Independence Payment
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 on the number of personal independence cases that have been rejected at the mandatory reconsideration stage.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	139601
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2018 answer text <p>The volumes of disposal types at the mandatory reconsideration stage broken down by month for Personal Independence Payment can be found in Table 7b of the quarterly bulletin “Personal Independence Payment: April 2013 to January 2018”.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-january-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-january-2018</a></p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 09/05/2018 12:56:32 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

846199

registered interest
date	21/02/2018
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	Attendance Allowance
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 made an assessment of the potential merits of replacing the six-month qualifying period for attendance allowance with a supporting statement from a medical professional confirming a long-term disability.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	128884
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2018 answer text <p>Entitlement to Attendance Allowance is based on the on-going need for frequent personal care and attention, or supervision to ensure personal safety, rather than on the individual’s medical condition. The six-month qualifying period helps establish that the disability and the resulting care or supervision needs are of a long-term nature, and ensures the benefit goes to those for whom it is intended. The Government believes the current long-standing rules of a six month qualifying period are working well.</p><p> </p><p>Severely disabled people do not always have to wait for six months from the date of their claim before they become entitled to the benefit. The Decision Maker will always look at whether, and for how long, the severely disabled person has required the necessary level of care or supervision before the date of claim, and consider whether some or all of the qualifying period has already been completed.</p><p> </p><p>For people who have a progressive disease and are not expected to live longer than another six months, there is no requirement to meet the 6 month qualifying period.</p><p /> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 01/03/2018 15:19:06 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

820925

registered interest
date	11/01/2018
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	Personal Independence Payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she has taken to make the PIP application process more user-friendly for severely disabled people.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	122343
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2018 answer text <p>The Department is continually working to improve the claimant journey for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for all claimants including those severely disabled. We have recently conducted a review of all claimant communications, as explained in the Government’s response to the second independent review of the PIP assessment carried out by Paul Gray. The response can be accessed from here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-pip-assessment-second-independent-review-government-response" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-pip-assessment-second-independent-review-government-response</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Improvements we have made include introducing the Video Relay Service for those with communication difficulties who use British Sign Language (BSL) so they are able to communicate with the Department more easily and also ‘Next Generation Text’ (NGT) for Deaf or hard of hearing claimants unable to use BSL or those unable to speak.</p><p> </p><p>For vulnerable claimants with no support available and who may not be able to engage with the claim process due to reduced mental capacity may be able to receive a visit from a DWP Visiting Officer to help them complete the PIP claim form.</p><p> </p><p>Where there is sufficient evidence available, a decision on entitlement to PIP can be made without the need for a face-to-face assessment with a Healthcare Professional. If a claimant is invited to attend an assessment and has difficulties travelling due to a severe disability they can discuss with the assessment provider to arrange potential rescheduling or have a home visit if they are unable to travel.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 19/01/2018 11:14:55 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith