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answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered question first ministerially corrected answering member label attachment file name file name title title previous answer version answering member constituency answering member constituency answering member printed answering member printed answering member label answering member label
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891535

	registered interest
	date	25/04/2018
	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	Universal Credit: Young People
	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 receipt of premiums claimed for universal credit after the age of 20; and how many of those people requested a mandatory reconsideration of the work capability assessment.
	tabling member constituency	Midlothian
	tabling member printed	Danielle Rowley
	uin	138098
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2018 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">The data requested is going through quality assurance clearance procedures in line with National Statistic and Official Statistics publication standards. We will announce the release date, as per the protocol of release of statistics, when they are ready.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</ins></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 30/04/2018 15:05:28 question first ministerially corrected 17/05/2018 16:22:02 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma previous answer version 54947 answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4628 label Biography information for Danielle Rowley

997428

	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	Universal Credit: Greater London
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much funding has been provided to each London borough to date to support people transitioning to universal credit to make their claim online.
	tabling member constituency	Westminster North
	tabling member printed	Ms Karen Buck
	uin	184860
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2018 answer text <p>The funding provided to London local authorities to provide Universal Support since 1 April 2017 is set out in the attached document. This includes payments for both digital and budgeting support which can not be disaggregated.</p><p> </p><p>The funding provided to each local authority includes:</p><p> </p><ol><li>Full payment for 2017/18 (1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018)</li><li>Payment in July 2018 of 50% of the 2018/19 (1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019) funding allocation</li><li>Additional payments in September 2018 to those local authorities who provided support for more than 50% of their estimated volumes in Quarter 1 (1 April to 30 June 2018)</li></ol><p> </p><p>Funding for the remainder of 2018/19 is being collated and analysed.</p><p> </p><p>The amount paid to local authorities varies according to the expected Universal Credit caseload and how long they have been delivering Universal Credit. The London Borough of Tower Hamlets and Harrow Council decided to opt out of the provision of Universal Support.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 06/11/2018 17:44:56 question first ministerially corrected 06/11/2018 18:04:38 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma attachment 1 file name TABLE DOC 184860.docx title Funding to London LAs Universal Support previous answer version 83693 answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	199 label Biography information for Ms Karen Buck

437038

	registered interest
	date	10/12/2015
	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	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Altmann on 4 December (HL3783) that the Personal Independence Payment assessment criteria were "designed in close collaboration with disabled people and disability groups", whether they will now take into account the responses to the consultation held separately between 24 June and 5 August 2013 on the moving around criteria.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
	uin	HL4504
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2015 answer text <p><strong>The full public consultation on the ‘Moving around’ activity of the mobility component closed on 5 August 2013. We received more than 1,100 responses. We carefully considered all the responses received, including the suggestions for alternative approaches. We published our response to the consultation on 21 October 2013.</strong></p><br /><p><strong>We believe the assessment criteria, including the 20 metres distance, are the best way of identifying those whose physical mobility is most limited, so we did not make any changes. However, we have strengthened the measures around the reliability criteria – we recognise these are a key protection for claimants.</strong></p><br /><p><strong>Our response to the consultation is annexed to this answer.</strong></p> answering member printed Baroness Altmann question first answered 21/12/2015 12:19:10 question first ministerially corrected 22/12/2015 14:16:11 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann attachment 1 file name Annex HL 4504.pdf title Annex "Moving around activity" previous answer version 36662 answering member printed Baroness Altmann answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
	tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

923153

	registered interest
	date	13/06/2018
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many deaths since 2000 have been linked to Child Support Agency cases or cases managed by the Child Maintenance Service.
	tabling member printed	Lord Pearson of Rannoch
	uin	HL8617
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2018 answer text <p>We have interpreted your question to refer to the death, for any reason, of receiving or paying parent who is named on a case managed by the Child Support Agency (CSA) or the Child Maintenance Service (CMS).</p><p> </p><p>Data is only available for the 2003 CSA scheme, and for the CMS since December 2015. <del class="ministerial">IIt</del> <ins class="ministerial">It </ins>is standard practice for the Department to be informed of a death and for this to be recorded on departmental systems. It is only possible to identify a death of a case participant where the Department has a National Insurance number for the parent involved and has been informed of the death. Where the Department is informed of a death only the date is recorded as standard practice and as such any link beyond involvement in a case cannot be established.</p><p> </p><p>For 2003 scheme cases managed by the CSA there were 71,200 deaths informed to DWP between 2003 and 31st December 2017.</p><p> </p><p>For cases managed by the CMS there were 3,500 deaths informed to DWP between 1st December 2015 and 31st December 2017.</p><p> </p><p>Numbers have been rounded to the nearest one hundred.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 25/06/2018 13:44:36 question first ministerially corrected 17/07/2018 15:04:25 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe previous answer version 65349 answering member printed Baroness Buscombe answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	3153 label Biography information for Lord Pearson of Rannoch

947127

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2018
	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	Universal Credit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their plans to address payment errors and delays for people attempting to claim Universal Credit.
	tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
	uin	HL9817
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/07/2018 answer text <p>Around 80 per cent of new claims are paid in full and on time. In many cases, where full payment is not made on time by the end of the first assessment period, this is as a result of unresolved issues such as: some claimants have not signed their Claimant Commitment or passed identity checks, and the others have outstanding verification issues, such as for housing and self-employed earnings. Whilst their verification is on-going, many of these claimants receive a part payment for those elements of the claim that have been resolved. Within five weeks of the payment due date, 95 per cent of claims are paid in full.</p><p>DWP continues to monitor payment timeliness and we have made changes to improve payment timeliness. For example, we have built processes into the system to make it easier and quicker for people to verify information such as their housing costs.</p><p> </p><p>Advances are available to provide financial support until the first payment and these can now be repaid over a course of 12 months and can consist of up to 100 per cent of the indicative monthly award. We have also abolished waiting days and now provide 2 weeks of housing support to claimants moving to Universal Credit from Housing Benefit.</p><p> </p><p>If a claim has been delayed due to error, DWP can also consider awarding an ex-gratia payment, as set out in the guide of Financial Redress for Maladministration, available on gov.uk, and which is attached.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 31/07/2018 13:50:40 question first ministerially corrected 31/07/2018 14:41:10 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe attachment 1 file name HL9817 Financial Redress for Maladministration FR.PDF title Financial Redress for Maladministration previous answer version 72633 answering member printed Baroness Buscombe answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1144092

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2019
	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	Poverty
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the report by the Social Metrics Commission Measuring Poverty 2019, published in July, and the appointment of the new Prime Minister on 24 July, what plans they have to revise their strategy for tackling poverty.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bird
	uin	HL17580
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del><ins class="ministerial">The Government is committed to delivering a sustainable, long-term solution to poverty through reforming the welfare system so that it works with the tax system and the Labour market to support employment and higher pay. Promoting full-time work through work incentives are a key feature of this approach, reinforced by the National Living Wage and the rising Personal Tax Allowance, which work together to promote independence from benefits.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Universal Credit, which is now reaching over 2 million households, has already shown that it is more effective in getting people into work than the legacy benefits it replaces. Nine months into a UC claim, 40% of claimants are working for an employer in a paid role, compared with only 23% at the start of their claim. </ins><br /> <br /><ins class="ministerial"> The number of people in employment has increased by over 3.7 million since 2010. Three-quarters of the growth in employment has been in full-time work which substantially reduces the chances of being in poverty.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Government is working with the Social Metrics Commission, and other experts in the field, to develop new experimental statistics which will help us to find new and better ways to analyse poverty in this country. These will be published in 2020 and, in the long-run, could help us target support more effectively.</ins></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 09/09/2019 15:23:29 question first ministerially corrected 30/09/2019 14:54:43 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott previous answer version 134826 answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	4564 label Biography information for Lord Bird

1144129

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2019
	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	Pension Credit
	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 22 July (HL16979), whether they will provide details of the funding for charities that work with older people to support the take-up of Pension Credit in each of the three years specified in the original question.
	tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
	uin	HL17617
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del><ins class="ministerial">The Government works with a wide range of stakeholders including charitable organisations to promote the take-up of Pension Credit. However, the DWP does not provide specific funding to such organisations for Pension Credit take-up related activities. Support is available through a variety of information resources including the Pension Credit toolkit, which is an on-line tool for organisations to use in order to encourage people to claim Pension Credit.</ins></p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 09/09/2019 15:36:02 question first ministerially corrected 02/10/2019 14:06:45 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott previous answer version 134866 answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

1144138

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2019
	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	Sanitation
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a statutory requirement for public buildings and offices to provide appropriate disposal bins for the disposal of stoma and other continence products and personal care products in (1) female, and (2) male toilets.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Greengross
	uin	HL17626
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 cover a wide range of basic health, safety and welfare issues and apply to most workplaces. These Regulations require for suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences to be available at readily accessible places. The attached documents the <em>Workplace Health Safety and Welfare Approved Code of Practice and Guidance</em> (L24) and <em>Welfare at Work – Guidance for employers</em> (INDG293), which are guidance to help dutyholders comply with the regulations, say:</ins></p><ul><li><ins class="ministerial">provision must be made for any worker with a disability to enable them to have access to facilities which are adjusted for their use as necessary; and</ins></li></ul><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><ul><li><ins class="ministerial">that toilets used by women should be provided with suitable means for the disposal of sanitary dressings.</ins></li></ul><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">There are no equivalent requirements for men.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">These regulations do not apply to non-workplaces; however, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s building regulations are applicable to public buildings and the advice is:</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><ul><li><ins class="ministerial">Statutory guidance supporting Part M of the building regulations, includes a sanitary waste disposal bin in accessible toilets. All building other than dwellings in scope, including offices and all public buildings would require as a minimum one accessible toilet where a stoma bag can be safely disposed of.</ins></li></ul><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><ul><li><ins class="ministerial">Building Regulations come with statutory guidance on the layout of wheelchair-accessible unisex toilets. These toilets offer private space for anyone needing to attend to a medical need and are not exclusively for use by ambulant disabled people. The guidance for accessible WCs includes a sanitary waste disposal bin with a lid and a wash hand basin. The layout and content of these spaces are controlled in all newly built offices and public buildings.</ins></li></ul><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><ul><li><ins class="ministerial">The statutory guidance given in Approved Document M (Access to and use of buildings) also points to the British Standard BS8300-2:2018 “Design of an accessible and inclusive built environment. Buildings. Code of practice”. This independent best practice standard was updated in January 2018 with further information describing best practice in a range of toilets for people treating a medical condition.</ins></li></ul><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott attachment 1 file name HL17626 attachment 1 Workplace health and safety regulations.pdf title Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare 2 file name HL17626 attachment 2 Welfare at work.pdf title Welfare at Work question first answered 09/09/2019 15:38:19 question first ministerially corrected 30/09/2019 11:58:41 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott previous answer version 134882 answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	2518 label Biography information for Baroness Greengross

1144160

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2019
	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	Housing Benefit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for increasing the (1) scope, and (2) total amount, of housing benefit, including any resulting savings on temporary accommodation and other costs.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
	uin	HL17648
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del></p><p><strong><ins class="ministerial">No assessment has been made of the case for increasing the scope of housing support. Housing support in the private rented sector is based on the Local Housing Allowance and decisions on the uprating of Local Housing Allowance from April 2020 will form part of the discussions in support fiscal events later this year.</ins></strong></p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 09/09/2019 15:39:15 question first ministerially corrected 30/09/2019 12:02:40 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott previous answer version 134928 answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1144161

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2019
	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	Carers
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many carers registered with the Department of Work and Pensions are (1) over 18 years, (2) 13–18 years, and (3) under 13 years old, in each (a) London borough, and (b) English local authority area.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Jolly
	uin	HL17649
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Department does not hold information on carers unless they claim a benefit related to their role as a carer, such as Carer’s Allowance (CA). Carers may be receiving broader support through other DWP benefits, or through other sources, in addition to or instead of CA.</ins></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Carer’s Allowance is a benefit available to those carers providing support to a disabled or seriously ill family member or friend for 35 hours or more a week. To be eligible for CA, the carer must also care for someone claiming Disability Living Allowance (middle or highest care rate), Personal Independence Payment (daily living component) or Attendance Allowance, must earn no more than £123 a week after tax, national insurance and expenses, and be aged 16 or over.</ins></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">The attached table shows the number of CA claimants in each London Borough and English Local Authority area (ranked by total number of CA claimants) as of February 2019 (the latest data available). This includes those who are in receipt of CA and those who are entitled to but do not receive CA. The data is available publicly at stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk.</ins></p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 09/09/2019 15:41:17 question first ministerially corrected 27/09/2019 10:03:50 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott attachment 1 file name HL17649 attachment.pdf title Table of CA Claimants previous answer version 134960 answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	4203 label Biography information for Baroness Jolly

1144170

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2019
	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	Poverty
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government why the objectives listed in the departmental plan for the Department for Work and Pensions makes no reference to (1) reducing poverty, and (2) the Sustainable Development Goal on poverty.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL17658
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">As clearly set out in the Government’s published response to the Voluntary National Review of the Sustainable Development Goal 1, we are committed to delivering a sustainable, long-term solution to reducing poverty through welfare reforms that ensure that the benefits system works with the tax system and the labour market to support employment and higher pay. There is clear evidence that full-time work dramatically reduces the risk of poverty for working families; for example, there is only a 7% chance of a child being in poverty (relative, after housing costs) if both parents work full-time compared with 66% for children in (two-parent) families with only part-time work. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><ins class="ministerial"><ins class="ministerial">Although not directly referenced, our approach to reducing poverty is already reflected in our Single Departmental Plan which sets out how we plan to achieve our key strategic objectives including delivering an effective labour market strategy that boosts employment among under-represented and disadvantaged groups and facilitating progression; and consolidating the delivery of Universal Credit so that it works for everyone.</ins></ins></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><ins class="ministerial"><ins class="ministerial"><ins class="ministerial"><ins class="ministerial">Universal Credit, at the heart of our reforms, has already shown that it is more effective in getting people into work than the legacy benefits it replaces. Nine months into a UC claim, 40% of claimants are working for an employer in a paid role, compared with only 23% at the start of their claim. This is a key approach to provide a sustainable solution to reducing poverty.</ins></ins></ins></ins></ins></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 09/09/2019 15:42:45 question first ministerially corrected 03/10/2019 13:26:53 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott previous answer version 134986 answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1144202

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2019
	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	Food Banks: Schools
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that there has been an increase in the number of food banks set up in UK schools.
	tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
	uin	HL17690
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">There is no official data or record of the number of foodbanks in the UK. However, the Government wants to develop a better understanding of household food needs to help ensure that support is targeted at those who need it most. This is why the Government has worked with food insecurity experts, the Office for National Statistics and the Scottish Government to introduce a new set of food security questions in the Family Resources Survey starting from April 2019. This means that we will in future be able to able to monitor the prevalence and severity of household food insecurity across the UK and for specific groups, to better understand the drivers of food insecurity and identify which groups are most at risk.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">To help families on low incomes we are supporting 1.3 million children with free school meals, investing up to £26 million in school breakfast clubs, providing approximately 2.3 million children aged 4-6 with a portion of fresh fruit or vegetables each day at school, and, through the Healthy Start Programme, hundreds of thousands of low income families benefit from vouchers which can be redeemed against fruit, vegetables, milk and infant formula.</ins></p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 09/09/2019 15:53:12 question first ministerially corrected 30/09/2019 14:57:52 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott previous answer version 135004 answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1183173

	registered interest
	date	05/03/2020
	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	Sick Leave: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they are giving to employers of people in insecure employment including (1) people on zero-hours contracts, (2) self-employed individuals working for organisations as if they were employees, and (3) people in similar precarious circumstances where it is not possible to claim statutory sickness benefit, in situations where people are advised to self-isolate due to contracting COVID-19, experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or having been in contact with cases of COVID-19; and what advice they are giving to people in such circumstances.
	tabling member printed	Lord Greaves
	uin	HL2265
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2020 answer text <p>As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 20/03/2020 12:13:15 question first ministerially corrected 30/04/2020 16:47:49 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott previous answer version 13683 answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
	tabling member	2569 label Biography information for Lord Greaves

747512

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2017
	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: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to collect child maintenance arrears, by category of collectability.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	2606
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/07/2017 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">The department publishes an annual estimate of child maintenance arrears in the Client Funds Account that sets out the three categories of collectability.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>1. Likely to be collected:</strong> Debt which meets criteria indicating that the Department has a good chance of collecting it. The criteria are:</del></p><ul><li><del class="ministerial">At least one payment made against the outstanding arrears in the six months prior to the reporting date.</del></li><li><del class="ministerial">At least one payment made in excess of the scheduled amount</del></li></ul><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>2. Potentially collectable:</strong> Debt which meets criteria indicating that the Department has a reasonable chance of collecting it. The criteria are:</del></p><ul><li><del class="ministerial">The existence of a payment schedule at any point during the six months prior to the reporting date, even though no payments were received in the period.</del></li><li><del class="ministerial">For recent arrears, i.e. aged three months or less, the receipt of at least one payment against those arrears after the reporting date.</del></li><li><del class="ministerial">Debt on cases where enforcement action such as deduction directly from the non-resident parent’s bank account, or forcing the sale of their property is likely to be successful.</del></li></ul><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>3. Uncollectable:</strong> All remaining debt which does not meet the criteria for either of the other categories.</del></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong><ins class="ministerial"> <p><ins class="ministerial">The Department aims to ensure parents fulfil their obligation to make financial provision for their children and that maintenance is paid accurately and on time. Our priority, as outlined in our published Arrears and Compliance Strategy is to collect on-going maintenance and arrears in cases where there is still a child who stands to benefit.</ins></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Child maintenance arrears are categorised in the Client Fund Account according to the likelihood of them being collected. We consider action on all cases that fall into the collectable and potentially collectable categories of debt. Where we are unable to take enforcement action, for example where we cannot trace the non-resident parent, cases will fall into the uncollectable category and will be reviewed as resources allow.</ins></p></ins></strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 06/07/2017 09:26:53 question first ministerially corrected 06/07/2017 10:03:54 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage previous answer version 2227 answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

765617

	registered interest
	date	06/10/2017
	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: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, why the Child Maintenance Service allows non-resident parents £2,500 of unearned income that is not factored into payment plans; and whether he plans to review this policy.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	106137
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2017 answer text <p>Calculation of a child maintenance liability is based on gross income information provided directly to the Child Maintenance Service by HMRC. <del class="ministerial">Individuals are required to declare unearned income not taxed at source which does not exceed £2500 a year to HMRC, which already enables HMRC to include it in the income information they provide.</del> Unearned income exceeding £2500 a year is dealt with by HMRC through tax self-assessment <del class="ministerial">and is picked up in a child maintenance calculation through an unearned income variation. We have no plans to review this.</del><ins class="ministerial">The treatment of unearned income for child maintenance purposes is aligned with this for administrative efficiency. We are inviting views on the future treatment of &quot;income&quot; within the recently published Compliance and Arrears Strategy consultation.</ins></p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 12/10/2017 13:56:00 question first ministerially corrected 01/02/2018 17:10:55 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse previous answer version 14051 answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

793044

	registered interest
	date	21/11/2017
	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	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received on concern about the adequacy of the funeral fund to cover basic funeral costs; and whether he plans change to that fund.
	tabling member constituency	Bermondsey and Old Southwark
	tabling member printed	Neil Coyle
	uin	114829
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2017 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">DWP have advertised 1,053 External Vacancies since January 2015 containing 21,432 posts. The breakdown provided by Government Recruitment Services is provided as requested overleaf. It is worth considering these vacancies are not guaranteed to have been filled.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">These are the vacancies we advertised. Not all roles advertised were filled and therefore this data will include repeat adverts.</del></p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Month</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Number of Vacancies</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Number of Posts</strong> <strong>Advertised</strong></del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jan-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">8</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">214</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Feb-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">353</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Mar-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">9</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">60</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Apr-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">8</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">62</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">May-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">13</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">54</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jun-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">20</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">311</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jul-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">326</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Aug-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">26</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1698</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Sep-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1479</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Oct-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">13</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">469</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Nov-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">28</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">397</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Dec-15</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">14</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">239</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jan-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">14</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">290</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Feb-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">47</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1274</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Mar-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">50</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2107</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Apr-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">74</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1309</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">May-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">31</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">500</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jun-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">58</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1081</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jul-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">26</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">214</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Aug-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">34</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">804</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Sep-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">61</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1251</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Oct-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">50</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">542</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Nov-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">34</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">567</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Dec-16</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">5</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">48</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jan-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">101</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1540</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Feb-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">35</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">483</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Mar-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">131</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Apr-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">4</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">22</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">May-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">42</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">891</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jun-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">64</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1238</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jul-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">24</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">433</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Aug-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">243</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Sep-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">18</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">66</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Oct-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">30</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">605</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Nov-17</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">29</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">131</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Total</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>1053</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>21432</strong></del></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Department has had a number of discussions with representatives from the funeral industry and groups supporting bereaved people about Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments and in particular the maximum amount of £700 available for other costs. We have made clear that we will ensure that Funeral Expenses Payments continue to meet the necessary costs of a cremation or burial for eligible claimants. Average payments have increased year-on-year to meet these necessary costs. We have had to make difficult choices about welfare spending and it has not been possible to increase the £700 maximum for other costs. However, we have made interest-free Social Fund Budgeting Loans available for funeral costs in addition to Funeral Expenses Payments.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">We have also been carrying out reforms to the Funeral Expenses Payments Regulations which are coming into force in April 2018. The reforms focused primarily on clarifying a number of issues around eligibility and to simplify the process for claiming a Funeral Expenses Payment. The formal response to the consultation on the Reform of the Funeral Expenses Payment Regulations was published on 3 July 2017 and can be found at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/656887/consultation-response-reforms-to-funeral-expenses-payments.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/656887/consultation-response-reforms-to-funeral-expenses-payments.pdf</a>.</ins></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 28/11/2017 16:52:20 question first ministerially corrected 29/11/2017 12:23:58 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage previous answer version 25531 answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
	tabling member	4368 label Biography information for Neil Coyle

631257

	registered interest
	date	07/11/2016
	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	Disability Living Allowance: 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 estimate he has made of the number of foreign children adopted by UK parents who are not eligible for disability living allowance because of the past presence rule.
	tabling member constituency	Cambridge
	tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
	uin	52007
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2016 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">I am replying to this question as assessments of the effect of the benefit cap are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">Evaluation evidence in relation to the existing cap showed very little, if any, impact on homelessness as a direct result of the cap. The small numbers of capped households who have been evicted were noted by Local Authorities as having other reasons for rent arrears and also failing to engage with relevant services; they were considered intentionally homeless.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">Where claimants need further financial support with their housing costs in order to adjust to the benefit cap, for example while they find work or move to more suitable accommodation, Local Authorities can provide additional support through the use of Discretionary Housing Payments.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">To help Local Authorities protect the most vulnerable and to support households adjusting to the reforms, the Government will provide £870 million funding for the Discretionary Housing Payments scheme over the next 5 years.</del></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial"> <p> </p><ins class="ministerial"><p>The information is not held.</p></ins><p> </p></ins></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 15/11/2016 15:05:14 question first ministerially corrected 16/11/2016 15:41:59 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt previous answer version 20545 answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes answering member 4048
	tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1388612

	registered interest
	date	16/12/2021
	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	Offshore Industry: Continental Shelf
	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 29 November 2021 to Question 80980 on Offshore Industry: Continental Shelf, if she will publish the types of enforcement action the HSE took where backlogs were not being manged safely; and if she will provide to which installations those actions applied.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	94356
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/01/2022 answer text <p>HSE does not record its enforcement actions specifically in relation to “maintenance backlogs”. A search of HSE’s database has revealed that since the start of the initial pandemic lockdown in March 2020, there have been 112 interventions that have looked at maintenance management, including backlog, and have resulted in enforcement action in the form of letters and notices. A table showing the actions in relation to installations and their duty holders is attached.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 12/01/2022 11:14:32 question first ministerially corrected 12/01/2022 16:57:58 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith attachment 1 file name 94356 attachment.pdf title Attachment for 94356 previous answer version 42538 answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1420809

	registered interest
	date	08/02/2022
	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	Social Security Benefits: Disqualification
	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 potential merits of exempting people from sanctions if there is evidence of severe mental health or associated risk of self harm.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	120811
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2022 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">We are fully committed to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which we ratified in 2009, and the progressive realisation of rights for disabled people that it sets out. The UK has some of the strongest equalities legislation in the world, including the Equality Act 2010, and we will continue to make sure that these rights are protected.The UK has a proud record of furthering the rights of disabled people. The principles of the UN Convention are at the heart of our approach. We continue to reform and modernise our public services and welfare system to ensure that disabled people are able to participate in every aspect of society.The UK’s 2021 report demonstrates our ongoing commitment across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to support disabled people, through legislation, policies and programmes that tackle the barriers faced by disabled people to realise their full participation and inclusion in society. The Government’s response was submitted to the UNCRPD Committee in 2021, and published on GOV.UK with accessible formats in December 2021 and can be found <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disabled-peoples-rights-the-uks-2021-report-on-select-recommendations-from-the-uncrpd-periodic-review" target="_blank">here</a>.The UK Government’s recently published National Disability Strategy has been a milestone in this respect, with over 100 practical commitments which are being delivered to improve the everyday lives of disabled people.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Those who are not expected to look for work, such as those with severe health conditions, including mental health, are not subject to work search or work availability requirements.</ins></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Work Coaches engage at an individual level with them and are committed to tailoring support for specific individual needs, including agreeing realistic and structured steps to encourage claimants into or towards the labour market where conditionality requirements are regularly reviewed to ensure that they remain appropriate for the claimant. This would include tailoring to reflect any mental health or associated self-harm issues the claimant raised.</ins></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Sanctions are only applied where a claimant fails to comply with a mandatory requirement set out in their claimant commitment such as a failure to attend an appointment. When considering whether a sanction is appropriate, a Decision Maker will take all the claimant’s individual circumstances, including any health conditions or disabilities and any evidence of good reason, into account before deciding whether a sanction is warranted.</ins></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 21/02/2022 13:31:54 question first ministerially corrected 21/02/2022 14:28:15 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies previous answer version 51832 answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

604191

	registered interest
	date	17/10/2016
	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	Migrant Workers: Pay
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he made an estimate of the number of foreign companies employing migrant workers in the UK who have sued their employees for overpayment of wages upon their return to their country of origin.
	tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
	tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
	uin	48990
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2016 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">DWP has received no representations on migrant employees in the UK being forced to repay funds paid to them as a result of shortfalls in wages to their employers upon return to their country of origin.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">DWP has not made an estimate of the number of foreign companies employing migrant workers in the UK who have sued their employees for overpayment of wages upon their return to their country of origin.</ins></p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 20/10/2016 15:39:20 question first ministerially corrected 21/10/2016 11:31:20 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds previous answer version 15529 answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

685608

	registered interest
	date	06/02/2017
	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, how many work coaches his Department has employed in each (a) region and (b) constituent part of the UK in each of the last three years; and how many work coaches his Department plans to employ in each such region and part of the UK in each of the next three years.
	tabling member constituency	Batley and Spen
	tabling member printed	Tracy Brabin
	uin	63215
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2017 answer text <p>The number of work coaches employed by the department in each of the last three years, shown by each nation within Great Britain and also by Jobcentre Plus district can be seen in the tables below.</p><p> </p><p>By the end of March 2018 we plan to have around 2,500 more Work Coaches in Jobcentres across the nations and regions of Great Britain. However, the final allocation of work coaches will be based on funding, claimant activity and determined by need.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>March 2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>March 2015</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>March 2016</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>National</p></td><td><p>12,613</p></td><td><p>11,341</p></td><td><p>11,596</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>England</p></td><td><p>10,855</p></td><td><p>9,723</p></td><td><p>9,659</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Scotland</p></td><td><p>1,136</p></td><td><p>997</p></td><td><p>1,186</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Wales</p></td><td><p>622</p></td><td><p>620</p></td><td><p>750</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="5"><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong> <strong>Jobcentre Plus Region</strong></strong></ins></p></td><td><p><strong>Jobcentre Plus District</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>March 2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>March 2015</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>March 2016</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Central England </ins></p></td><td><p>Birmingham &amp; Solihull</p></td><td><p>476</p></td><td><p>412</p></td><td><p>449</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins> <ins class="ministerial">Central England</ins></p></td><td><p>Black Country</p></td><td><p>369</p></td><td><p>381</p></td><td><p>355</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins> <ins class="ministerial">Central England</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">*</ins>Derbyshire</p></td><td><p>192</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">349</del><ins class="ministerial">0</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">326</del><ins class="ministerial">0</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins> <ins class="ministerial">Central England</ins></p></td><td><p>East Anglia</p></td><td><p>375</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">272</del><ins class="ministerial">349</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">296</del><ins class="ministerial">326</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins> <ins class="ministerial">Central England</ins></p></td><td><p>Leicestershire &amp; Northamptonshire</p></td><td><p>270</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">321</del><ins class="ministerial">272</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">327</del><ins class="ministerial">296</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins> <ins class="ministerial">Central England</ins></p></td><td><p>Lincolnshire Nottinghamshire &amp; Rutland</p></td><td><p>348</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">216</del><ins class="ministerial">321</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">242</del><ins class="ministerial">327</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins> <ins class="ministerial">Central England</ins></p></td><td><p>Mercia</p></td><td><p>240</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">406</del><ins class="ministerial">216</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">409</del><ins class="ministerial">242</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins> <ins class="ministerial">Central England</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">*Midland Shires</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">0</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">406</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">409</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins> <ins class="ministerial">Central England</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">*</ins>Staffordshire &amp; Shropshire</p></td><td><p>257</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">238</del><ins class="ministerial">0</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">228</del><ins class="ministerial">0</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> London and the Home Counties</ins></p></td><td><p>Bedfordshire &amp; Hertfordshire</p></td><td><p>267</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">445</del><ins class="ministerial">238</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">374</del><ins class="ministerial">228</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> London and the Home Counties</ins></p></td><td><p>East London</p></td><td><p>555</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">288</del><ins class="ministerial">445</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">238</del><ins class="ministerial">374</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> London and the Home Counties</ins></p></td><td><p>Essex</p></td><td><p>314</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">249</del><ins class="ministerial">288</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">246</del><ins class="ministerial">238</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> London and the Home Counties</ins></p></td><td><p>Kent</p></td><td><p>293</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">390</del><ins class="ministerial">249</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">336</del><ins class="ministerial">246</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> London and the Home Counties</ins></p></td><td><p>North London</p></td><td><p>479</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">555</del><ins class="ministerial">390</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">464</del><ins class="ministerial">336</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> London and the Home Counties</ins></p></td><td><p>South London</p></td><td><p>624</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">369</del><ins class="ministerial">555</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">361</del><ins class="ministerial">464</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> London and the Home Counties</ins></p></td><td><p>West London</p></td><td><p>413</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">332</del><ins class="ministerial">369</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">362</del><ins class="ministerial">361</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> North East England</ins></p></td><td><p>Durham &amp; Tees Valley</p></td><td><p>374</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">353</del><ins class="ministerial">332</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">336</del><ins class="ministerial">362</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> North East England</ins></p></td><td><p>North East Yorkshire &amp; Humber</p></td><td><p>388</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">352</del><ins class="ministerial">353</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">377</del><ins class="ministerial">336</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> North East England</ins></p></td><td><p>Northumberland Tyne &amp; Wear</p></td><td><p>372</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">344</del><ins class="ministerial">352</ins></p></td><td><p>377</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> North East England</ins></p></td><td><p>South Yorkshire</p></td><td><p>366</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">573</del><ins class="ministerial">344</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">523</del><ins class="ministerial">377</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> North East England</ins></p></td><td><p>West Yorkshire</p></td><td><p>548</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1,392</del><ins class="ministerial">573</ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">343</del><ins class="ministerial">523</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> North West England</ins></p></td><td><p>Cumbria &amp; Lancashire</p></td><td><p>347</p></td><td><p>293</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">370</del><ins class="ministerial">343</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> North West England</ins></p></td><td><p>Greater Manchester Central &amp; Cheshire</p></td><td><p>404</p></td><td><p>344</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">371</del><ins class="ministerial">370</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> North West England</ins></p></td><td><p>Greater Manchester East &amp; West</p></td><td><p>390</p></td><td><p>372</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">427</del><ins class="ministerial">371</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> North West England</ins></p></td><td><p>Merseyside</p></td><td><p>410</p></td><td><p>383</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">315</del><ins class="ministerial">427</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Scotland</ins></p></td><td><p>East &amp; South East Scotland</p></td><td><p>314</p></td><td><p>289</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">395</del><ins class="ministerial">315</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Scotland</ins></p></td><td><p>Glasgow Lanarkshire &amp; East Dunbartonshire</p></td><td><p>387</p></td><td><p>319</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">205</del><ins class="ministerial">395</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Scotland</ins></p></td><td><p>North of Scotland</p></td><td><p>188</p></td><td><p>180</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">271</del><ins class="ministerial">205</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Scotland</ins></p></td><td><p>West of Scotland</p></td><td><p>247</p></td><td><p>210</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">392</del><ins class="ministerial">271</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Southern England</ins></p></td><td><p>Devon Cornwall &amp; Somerset</p></td><td><p>314</p></td><td><p>273</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">363</del><ins class="ministerial">330</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Southern England</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">*Avon Severn and Thames</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">0</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">0</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">302</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Southern England</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">*Berkshire, Surrey and Sussex</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">0</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">0</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">363</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Southern England</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">*</ins>Gloucestershire &amp; West of England</p></td><td><p>325</p></td><td><p>262</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">330</del><ins class="ministerial">0</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Southern England</ins></p></td><td><p>Greater Wessex</p></td><td><p>445</p></td><td><p>401</p></td><td><p>435</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Southern England</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">*</ins>Surrey &amp; Sussex</p></td><td><p>348</p></td><td><p>282</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">750</del><ins class="ministerial">0</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Southern England</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">*</ins>Thames Valley</p></td><td><p>338</p></td><td><p>267</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">172</del><ins class="ministerial">0</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Wales</ins></p></td><td><p>North &amp; Mid Wales</p></td><td><p>129</p></td><td><p>141</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">303</del><ins class="ministerial">172</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Wales</ins></p></td><td><p>South East Wales</p></td><td><p>271</p></td><td><p>271</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">275</del><ins class="ministerial">303</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Wales</ins></p></td><td><p>South West Wales</p></td><td><p>222</p></td><td><p>207</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">449</del><ins class="ministerial">275</ins></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Notes</p><ol><li>The number of Work Coaches is expressed as a Full Time Equivalent.</li><li>Numbers rounded to the nearest whole number.</li><li>Numbers may not sum due to rounding</li><li><ins class="ministerial">* Highlights change to District structure</ins></li></ol><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 09/02/2017 16:56:41 question first ministerially corrected 06/03/2017 16:21:07 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds previous answer version 35189 answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4588 label Biography information for Tracy Brabin

758890

	registered interest
	date	07/09/2017
	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 his Department has made of the number of people receiving tax credits who will be receiving universal credit at the completion of full service roll-out.
	tabling member constituency	Oldham East and Saddleworth
	tabling member printed	Debbie Abrahams
	uin	9616
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2017 answer text <p>Based on the existing tax credit data and take-up we estimate that around <del class="ministerial">5.8</del> <ins class="ministerial">3.8 </ins>million people receiving Tax Credits will be receiving Universal Credit at the completion of Full Service roll-out.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds previous answer version 11131 answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds 11369 answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds question first answered 13/09/2017 15:12:46 question first ministerially corrected 08/01/2018 20:43:49 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4212 label Biography information for Debbie Abrahams

765833

	registered interest
	date	06/10/2017
	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	Jobcentres: Sheffield
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to publish the cost-benefit analysis of Eastern Avenue Jobcentre closure.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
	tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
	uin	106233
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2017 answer text <p>We are not <del class="ministerial">yet</del> in a position to share any figures due to commercial confidentiality pending completion of legal processes. We expect to make savings by merging offices through reduced running costs and making best use of both office space available and taxpayer’s money.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 16/10/2017 11:44:29 question first ministerially corrected 17/10/2017 11:52:20 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds previous answer version 14508 answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

1484717

	registered interest
	date	29/06/2022
	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	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, when she last reviewed the benefit cap.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Sir Stephen Timms
	uin	27503
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2022 answer text <p>There is a statutory duty to review the levels every <ins class="ministerial">5 years</ins> <del class="ministerial">Parliament</del>. The last time the Benefit cap was reviewed was November 2016.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 04/07/2022 16:01:45 question first ministerially corrected 06/07/2022 08:27:10 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley previous answer version 10671 answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1488843

	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	Poverty: Children
	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 help reduce the numbers of children living in poverty in Manchester Gorton constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
	tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
	uin	36101
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2022 answer text <p>The latest statistics on the number and proportion of children who are in low income families by local area, covering the seven years, 2014/15 to 2020/21, can be found in the annual publication: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-in-low-income-families-local-area-statistics-2014-to-2021" target="_blank">Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p> </p><p>This Government is committed to reducing child poverty and supporting low-income families, and believes work is the best route out of poverty.  With a record 1.3 million vacancies across the UK, our focus is firmly on supporting people to move into and progress in work. This approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment - particularly where it is full-time – in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children.</p><p> </p><p>The latest available data on in-work poverty shows that in 2019/20, children in households where all adults were in work were around six times less likely to be in absolute poverty (before housing costs) than children in a household where nobody works. Compared with 2010, there are nearly 1 million fewer workless households and almost 540,000 fewer children living in workless households in the UK. In 2020/21, there were 200,000 fewer children in absolute poverty before housing costs than in 2009/10.</p><p> </p><p>To help parents into work, our Plan for Jobs is providing broad ranging support for all jobseekers with our Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP), Job Entry Targeted Support and Restart scheme. Our plan for jobs is providing results. As of 6 July, we estimate that at least 520,400 unemployed Universal Credit claimants and Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) claimants have moved into work during the Way to Work Campaign between 31 January and the end of 30 June 2022.</p><p> </p><p>We are also extending the support Jobcentres provide to people in work and on low incomes. Through a staged roll-out, which started in April 2022, around 2.1m low-paid benefit claimants will be eligible for support to progress into higher-paid work. This is on top of the support we have already provided by increasing the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour and giving nearly 1.7 million families an extra £1,000 (on average) a year through our changes to the Universal Credit taper and work allowances.</p><p> </p><p>To further support parents to move into and progress in work, eligible UC claimants can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month up to a maximum of £646.35 per month for one child and £1,108.04 per month for two or more children. This is on top of the free childcare offer in England which provides 15 hours a week of free childcare for all 3- and 4-year-olds and disadvantaged 2-year-olds, doubling for working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds to 30 hours a week.</p><p> </p><p>Around <ins class="ministerial">1.</ins>9 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for and claiming a free school meal, saving families around £450 per year. In addition, around 1.25 million more infants enjoy a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime as well as over 90,000 disadvantaged further education students. We are also investing £200 million a year to continue the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, which benefitted over 600,000 children last summer, and we have increased the value of the Healthy Start Vouchers by a third to £4.25 a week.</p><p> </p><p>On top of this, the government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living. These are global challenges, that is why the government is providing over £15bn in further support, targeted particularly on those with the greatest need. This package is in addition to the over £22bn announced previously, with government support for the cost of living now totalling over £37bn this year.</p><p> </p><p>This includes an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. In England, the current Household Support Fund is already providing £421m of support for the period 1 April – 30 September 2022, at least a third (£140m) will be spent on families with children. Manchester City Council has been allocated £6,453,163.20.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 18/07/2022 15:28:57 question first ministerially corrected 22/07/2022 10:06:30 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley previous answer version 13615 answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1488845

	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	Poverty: Children
	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 estimate of the number of children living in poverty in Manchester Gorton.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
	tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
	uin	36102
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2022 answer text <p>The latest statistics on the number and proportion of children who are in low income families by local area, covering the seven years, 2014/15 to 2020/21, can be found in the annual publication: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-in-low-income-families-local-area-statistics-2014-to-2021" target="_blank">Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p> </p><p>This Government is committed to reducing child poverty and supporting low-income families, and believes work is the best route out of poverty.  With a record 1.3 million vacancies across the UK, our focus is firmly on supporting people to move into and progress in work. This approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment - particularly where it is full-time – in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children.</p><p> </p><p>The latest available data on in-work poverty shows that in 2019/20, children in households where all adults were in work were around six times less likely to be in absolute poverty (before housing costs) than children in a household where nobody works. Compared with 2010, there are nearly 1 million fewer workless households and almost 540,000 fewer children living in workless households in the UK. In 2020/21, there were 200,000 fewer children in absolute poverty before housing costs than in 2009/10.</p><p> </p><p>To help parents into work, our Plan for Jobs is providing broad ranging support for all jobseekers with our Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP), Job Entry Targeted Support and Restart scheme. Our plan for jobs is providing results. As of 6 July, we estimate that at least 520,400 unemployed Universal Credit claimants and Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) claimants have moved into work during the Way to Work Campaign between 31 January and the end of 30 June 2022.</p><p> </p><p>We are also extending the support Jobcentres provide to people in work and on low incomes. Through a staged roll-out, which started in April 2022, around 2.1m low-paid benefit claimants will be eligible for support to progress into higher-paid work. This is on top of the support we have already provided by increasing the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour and giving nearly 1.7 million families an extra £1,000 (on average) a year through our changes to the Universal Credit taper and work allowances.</p><p> </p><p>To further support parents to move into and progress in work, eligible UC claimants can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month up to a maximum of £646.35 per month for one child and £1,108.04 per month for two or more children. This is on top of the free childcare offer in England which provides 15 hours a week of free childcare for all 3- and 4-year-olds and disadvantaged 2-year-olds, doubling for working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds to 30 hours a week.</p><p> </p><p>Around <ins class="ministerial">1.</ins>9 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for and claiming a free school meal, saving families around £450 per year. In addition, around 1.25 million more infants enjoy a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime as well as over 90,000 disadvantaged further education students. We are also investing £200 million a year to continue the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, which benefitted over 600,000 children last summer, and we have increased the value of the Healthy Start Vouchers by a third to £4.25 a week.</p><p> </p><p>On top of this, the government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living. These are global challenges, that is why the government is providing over £15bn in further support, targeted particularly on those with the greatest need. This package is in addition to the over £22bn announced previously, with government support for the cost of living now totalling over £37bn this year.</p><p> </p><p>This includes an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. In England, the current Household Support Fund is already providing £421m of support for the period 1 April – 30 September 2022, at least a third (£140m) will be spent on families with children. Manchester City Council has been allocated £6,453,163.20.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 18/07/2022 15:28:57 question first ministerially corrected 22/07/2022 10:06:53 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley previous answer version 13616 answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1488846

	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	Poverty: 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 steps her Department has taken to help support families with children who are in poverty, in the context of the level of child poverty in Manchester Gorton constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
	tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
	uin	36103
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2022 answer text <p>The latest statistics on the number and proportion of children who are in low income families by local area, covering the seven years, 2014/15 to 2020/21, can be found in the annual publication: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-in-low-income-families-local-area-statistics-2014-to-2021" target="_blank">Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p> </p><p>This Government is committed to reducing child poverty and supporting low-income families, and believes work is the best route out of poverty.  With a record 1.3 million vacancies across the UK, our focus is firmly on supporting people to move into and progress in work. This approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment - particularly where it is full-time – in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children.</p><p> </p><p>The latest available data on in-work poverty shows that in 2019/20, children in households where all adults were in work were around six times less likely to be in absolute poverty (before housing costs) than children in a household where nobody works. Compared with 2010, there are nearly 1 million fewer workless households and almost 540,000 fewer children living in workless households in the UK. In 2020/21, there were 200,000 fewer children in absolute poverty before housing costs than in 2009/10.</p><p> </p><p>To help parents into work, our Plan for Jobs is providing broad ranging support for all jobseekers with our Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP), Job Entry Targeted Support and Restart scheme. Our plan for jobs is providing results. As of 6 July, we estimate that at least 520,400 unemployed Universal Credit claimants and Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) claimants have moved into work during the Way to Work Campaign between 31 January and the end of 30 June 2022.</p><p> </p><p>We are also extending the support Jobcentres provide to people in work and on low incomes. Through a staged roll-out, which started in April 2022, around 2.1m low-paid benefit claimants will be eligible for support to progress into higher-paid work. This is on top of the support we have already provided by increasing the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour and giving nearly 1.7 million families an extra £1,000 (on average) a year through our changes to the Universal Credit taper and work allowances.</p><p> </p><p>To further support parents to move into and progress in work, eligible UC claimants can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month up to a maximum of £646.35 per month for one child and £1,108.04 per month for two or more children. This is on top of the free childcare offer in England which provides 15 hours a week of free childcare for all 3- and 4-year-olds and disadvantaged 2-year-olds, doubling for working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds to 30 hours a week.</p><p> </p><p>Around <ins class="ministerial">1.</ins>9 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for and claiming a free school meal, saving families around £450 per year. In addition, around 1.25 million more infants enjoy a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime as well as over 90,000 disadvantaged further education students. We are also investing £200 million a year to continue the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, which benefitted over 600,000 children last summer, and we have increased the value of the Healthy Start Vouchers by a third to £4.25 a week.</p><p> </p><p>On top of this, the government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living. These are global challenges, that is why the government is providing over £15bn in further support, targeted particularly on those with the greatest need. This package is in addition to the over £22bn announced previously, with government support for the cost of living now totalling over £37bn this year.</p><p> </p><p>This includes an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. In England, the current Household Support Fund is already providing £421m of support for the period 1 April – 30 September 2022, at least a third (£140m) will be spent on families with children. Manchester City Council has been allocated £6,453,163.20.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 18/07/2022 15:28:57 question first ministerially corrected 22/07/2022 10:07:02 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley previous answer version 13614 answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1489008

	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	Poverty: Children
	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 tackle the 7,300 children reported to be living in poverty in Stockton North constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	35933
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2022 answer text <p>The latest statistics on the number and proportion of children who are in low income families by local area, covering the seven years, 2014/15 to 2020/21, can be found in the annual publication: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-in-low-income-families-local-area-statistics-2014-to-2021" target="_blank">Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p> </p><p>This Government is committed to reducing child poverty and supporting low-income families, and believes work is the best route out of poverty.  With a record 1.3 million vacancies across the UK, our focus is firmly on supporting people to move into and progress in work. This approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment - particularly where it is full-time – in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children.</p><p> </p><p>The latest available data on in-work poverty shows that in 2019/20, children in households where all adults were in work were around six times less likely to be in absolute poverty (before housing costs) than children in a household where nobody works.  Compared with 2010, there are nearly 1 million fewer workless households and almost 540,000 fewer children living in workless households in the UK. In 2020/21, there were 200,000 fewer children in absolute poverty before housing costs than in 2009/10.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To help parents into work, our Plan for Jobs is providing broad ranging support for all jobseekers with our Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP), Job Entry Targeted Support and Restart scheme. Our plan for jobs is providing results. As of 6 July, we estimate that at least 520,400 unemployed Universal Credit claimants and Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) claimants have moved into work during the Way to Work Campaign between 31 January and the end of 30 June 2022.</p><p> </p><p>We are also extending the support Jobcentres provide to people in work and on low incomes. Through a staged roll-out, which started in April 2022, around 2.1m low-paid benefit claimants will be eligible for support to progress into higher-paid work. This is on top of the support we have already provided by increasing the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour and giving nearly 1.7 million families an extra £1,000 (on average) a year through our changes to the Universal Credit taper and work allowances.</p><p> </p><p>To further support parents to move into and progress in work, eligible UC claimants can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month up to a maximum of £646.35 per month for one child and £1,108.04 per month for two or more children. This is on top of the free childcare offer in England which provides 15 hours a week of free childcare for all 3- and 4-year-olds and disadvantaged 2-year-olds, doubling for working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds to 30 hours a week.</p><p> </p><p>Around <ins class="ministerial">1.</ins>9 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for and claiming a free school meal, saving families around £450 per year. In addition, around 1.25 million more infants enjoy a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime as well as over 90,000 disadvantaged further education students. We are also investing £200 million a year to continue the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, which benefitted over 600,000 children last summer, and we have increased the value of the Healthy Start Vouchers by a third to £4.25 a week.</p><p> </p><p>On top of this, the government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living. These are global challenges, that is why the government is providing over £15bn in further support, targeted particularly on those with the greatest need. This package is in addition to the over £22bn announced previously, with government support for the cost of living now totalling over £37bn this year.</p><p> </p><p>This includes an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. In England, the current Household Support Fund is already providing £421m of support for the period 1 April – 30 September 2022, at least a third (£140m) will be spent on families with children.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 18/07/2022 15:34:00 question first ministerially corrected 22/07/2022 10:07:13 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley previous answer version 13623 answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1489009

	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	Poverty: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her department has made on the level of child poverty in Stockton North constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	35934
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2022 answer text <p>The latest statistics on the number and proportion of children who are in low income families by local area, covering the seven years, 2014/15 to 2020/21, can be found in the annual publication: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-in-low-income-families-local-area-statistics-2014-to-2021" target="_blank">Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p> </p><p>This Government is committed to reducing child poverty and supporting low-income families, and believes work is the best route out of poverty.  With a record 1.3 million vacancies across the UK, our focus is firmly on supporting people to move into and progress in work. This approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment - particularly where it is full-time – in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children.</p><p> </p><p>The latest available data on in-work poverty shows that in 2019/20, children in households where all adults were in work were around six times less likely to be in absolute poverty (before housing costs) than children in a household where nobody works.  Compared with 2010, there are nearly 1 million fewer workless households and almost 540,000 fewer children living in workless households in the UK. In 2020/21, there were 200,000 fewer children in absolute poverty before housing costs than in 2009/10.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To help parents into work, our Plan for Jobs is providing broad ranging support for all jobseekers with our Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP), Job Entry Targeted Support and Restart scheme. Our plan for jobs is providing results. As of 6 July, we estimate that at least 520,400 unemployed Universal Credit claimants and Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) claimants have moved into work during the Way to Work Campaign between 31 January and the end of 30 June 2022.</p><p> </p><p>We are also extending the support Jobcentres provide to people in work and on low incomes. Through a staged roll-out, which started in April 2022, around 2.1m low-paid benefit claimants will be eligible for support to progress into higher-paid work. This is on top of the support we have already provided by increasing the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour and giving nearly 1.7 million families an extra £1,000 (on average) a year through our changes to the Universal Credit taper and work allowances.</p><p> </p><p>To further support parents to move into and progress in work, eligible UC claimants can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month up to a maximum of £646.35 per month for one child and £1,108.04 per month for two or more children. This is on top of the free childcare offer in England which provides 15 hours a week of free childcare for all 3- and 4-year-olds and disadvantaged 2-year-olds, doubling for working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds to 30 hours a week.</p><p> </p><p>Around <ins class="ministerial">1.</ins>9 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for and claiming a free school meal, saving families around £450 per year. In addition, around 1.25 million more infants enjoy a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime as well as over 90,000 disadvantaged further education students. We are also investing £200 million a year to continue the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, which benefitted over 600,000 children last summer, and we have increased the value of the Healthy Start Vouchers by a third to £4.25 a week.</p><p> </p><p>On top of this, the government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living. These are global challenges, that is why the government is providing over £15bn in further support, targeted particularly on those with the greatest need. This package is in addition to the over £22bn announced previously, with government support for the cost of living now totalling over £37bn this year.</p><p> </p><p>This includes an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. In England, the current Household Support Fund is already providing £421m of support for the period 1 April – 30 September 2022, at least a third (£140m) will be spent on families with children.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 18/07/2022 15:34:00 question first ministerially corrected 22/07/2022 10:06:21 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley previous answer version 13624 answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1489010

	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	Poverty: Children
	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 help families with children in poverty in Stockton North.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	35935
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2022 answer text <p>The latest statistics on the number and proportion of children who are in low income families by local area, covering the seven years, 2014/15 to 2020/21, can be found in the annual publication: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-in-low-income-families-local-area-statistics-2014-to-2021" target="_blank">Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p> </p><p>This Government is committed to reducing child poverty and supporting low-income families, and believes work is the best route out of poverty.  With a record 1.3 million vacancies across the UK, our focus is firmly on supporting people to move into and progress in work. This approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment - particularly where it is full-time – in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children.</p><p> </p><p>The latest available data on in-work poverty shows that in 2019/20, children in households where all adults were in work were around six times less likely to be in absolute poverty (before housing costs) than children in a household where nobody works.  Compared with 2010, there are nearly 1 million fewer workless households and almost 540,000 fewer children living in workless households in the UK. In 2020/21, there were 200,000 fewer children in absolute poverty before housing costs than in 2009/10.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To help parents into work, our Plan for Jobs is providing broad ranging support for all jobseekers with our Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP), Job Entry Targeted Support and Restart scheme. Our plan for jobs is providing results. As of 6 July, we estimate that at least 520,400 unemployed Universal Credit claimants and Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) claimants have moved into work during the Way to Work Campaign between 31 January and the end of 30 June 2022.</p><p> </p><p>We are also extending the support Jobcentres provide to people in work and on low incomes. Through a staged roll-out, which started in April 2022, around 2.1m low-paid benefit claimants will be eligible for support to progress into higher-paid work. This is on top of the support we have already provided by increasing the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour and giving nearly 1.7 million families an extra £1,000 (on average) a year through our changes to the Universal Credit taper and work allowances.</p><p> </p><p>To further support parents to move into and progress in work, eligible UC claimants can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month up to a maximum of £646.35 per month for one child and £1,108.04 per month for two or more children. This is on top of the free childcare offer in England which provides 15 hours a week of free childcare for all 3- and 4-year-olds and disadvantaged 2-year-olds, doubling for working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds to 30 hours a week.</p><p> </p><p>Around <ins class="ministerial">1.</ins>9 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for and claiming a free school meal, saving families around £450 per year. In addition, around 1.25 million more infants enjoy a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime as well as over 90,000 disadvantaged further education students. We are also investing £200 million a year to continue the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, which benefitted over 600,000 children last summer, and we have increased the value of the Healthy Start Vouchers by a third to £4.25 a week.</p><p> </p><p>On top of this, the government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living. These are global challenges, that is why the government is providing over £15bn in further support, targeted particularly on those with the greatest need. This package is in addition to the over £22bn announced previously, with government support for the cost of living now totalling over £37bn this year.</p><p> </p><p>This includes an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. In England, the current Household Support Fund is already providing £421m of support for the period 1 April – 30 September 2022, at least a third (£140m) will be spent on families with children.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 18/07/2022 15:34:00 question first ministerially corrected 22/07/2022 10:06:13 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley previous answer version 13625 answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1489011

	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	Poverty: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the level of child poverty in (a) Stockton South, (b) Redcar (c) Middlesbrough South and (d) East Cleveland and Hartlepool constituency in the latest period for which data is available.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	35936
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2022 answer text <p>The latest statistics on the number and proportion of children who are in low income families by local area, covering the seven years, 2014/15 to 2020/21, can be found in the annual publication: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-in-low-income-families-local-area-statistics-2014-to-2021" target="_blank">Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p> </p><p>This Government is committed to reducing child poverty and supporting low-income families, and believes work is the best route out of poverty.  With a record 1.3 million vacancies across the UK, our focus is firmly on supporting people to move into and progress in work. This approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment - particularly where it is full-time – in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children.</p><p> </p><p>The latest available data on in-work poverty shows that in 2019/20, children in households where all adults were in work were around six times less likely to be in absolute poverty (before housing costs) than children in a household where nobody works.  Compared with 2010, there are nearly 1 million fewer workless households and almost 540,000 fewer children living in workless households in the UK. In 2020/21, there were 200,000 fewer children in absolute poverty before housing costs than in 2009/10.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To help parents into work, our Plan for Jobs is providing broad ranging support for all jobseekers with our Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP), Job Entry Targeted Support and Restart scheme. Our plan for jobs is providing results. As of 6 July, we estimate that at least 520,400 unemployed Universal Credit claimants and Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) claimants have moved into work during the Way to Work Campaign between 31 January and the end of 30 June 2022.</p><p> </p><p>We are also extending the support Jobcentres provide to people in work and on low incomes. Through a staged roll-out, which started in April 2022, around 2.1m low-paid benefit claimants will be eligible for support to progress into higher-paid work. This is on top of the support we have already provided by increasing the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour and giving nearly 1.7 million families an extra £1,000 (on average) a year through our changes to the Universal Credit taper and work allowances.</p><p> </p><p>To further support parents to move into and progress in work, eligible UC claimants can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month up to a maximum of £646.35 per month for one child and £1,108.04 per month for two or more children. This is on top of the free childcare offer in England which provides 15 hours a week of free childcare for all 3- and 4-year-olds and disadvantaged 2-year-olds, doubling for working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds to 30 hours a week.</p><p> </p><p>Around <ins class="ministerial">1.</ins>9 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for and claiming a free school meal, saving families around £450 per year. In addition, around 1.25 million more infants enjoy a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime as well as over 90,000 disadvantaged further education students. We are also investing £200 million a year to continue the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, which benefitted over 600,000 children last summer, and we have increased the value of the Healthy Start Vouchers by a third to £4.25 a week.</p><p> </p><p>On top of this, the government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living. These are global challenges, that is why the government is providing over £15bn in further support, targeted particularly on those with the greatest need. This package is in addition to the over £22bn announced previously, with government support for the cost of living now totalling over £37bn this year.</p><p> </p><p>This includes an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. In England, the current Household Support Fund is already providing £421m of support for the period 1 April – 30 September 2022, at least a third (£140m) will be spent on families with children.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 18/07/2022 15:34:00 question first ministerially corrected 22/07/2022 10:06:39 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley previous answer version 13626 answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1489189

	registered interest
	date	14/07/2022
	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	Poverty: Children
	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 which are specifically intended to help families with children in poverty in Stockton North.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	36757
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2022 answer text <p>The latest statistics on the number and proportion of children who are in low income families by local area, covering the seven years, 2014/15 to 2020/21, can be found in the annual publication: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-in-low-income-families-local-area-statistics-2014-to-2021" target="_blank">Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p> </p><p>This Government is committed to reducing child poverty and supporting low-income families, and believes work is the best route out of poverty.  With a record 1.3 million vacancies across the UK, our focus is firmly on supporting people to move into and progress in work. This approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment - particularly where it is full-time – in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children.</p><p> </p><p>The latest available data on in-work poverty shows that in 2019/20, children in households where all adults were in work were around six times less likely to be in absolute poverty (before housing costs) than children in a household where nobody works.  Compared with 2010, there are nearly 1 million fewer workless households and almost 540,000 fewer children living in workless households in the UK. In 2020/21, there were 200,000 fewer children in absolute poverty before housing costs than in 2009/10.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To help parents into work, our Plan for Jobs is providing broad ranging support for all jobseekers with our Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP), Job Entry Targeted Support and Restart scheme. Our plan for jobs is providing results. As of 6 July, we estimate that at least 520,400 unemployed Universal Credit claimants and Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) claimants have moved into work during the Way to Work Campaign between 31 January and the end of 30 June 2022.</p><p> </p><p>We are also extending the support Jobcentres provide to people in work and on low incomes. Through a staged roll-out, which started in April 2022, around 2.1m low-paid benefit claimants will be eligible for support to progress into higher-paid work. This is on top of the support we have already provided by increasing the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour and giving nearly 1.7 million families an extra £1,000 (on average) a year through our changes to the Universal Credit taper and work allowances.</p><p> </p><p>To further support parents to move into and progress in work, eligible UC claimants can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month up to a maximum of £646.35 per month for one child and £1,108.04 per month for two or more children. This is on top of the free childcare offer in England which provides 15 hours a week of free childcare for all 3- and 4-year-olds and disadvantaged 2-year-olds, doubling for working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds to 30 hours a week.</p><p> </p><p>Around <ins class="ministerial">1.</ins>9 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for and claiming a free school meal, saving families around £450 per year. In addition, around 1.25 million more infants enjoy a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime as well as over 90,000 disadvantaged further education students. We are also investing £200 million a year to continue the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, which benefitted over 600,000 children last summer, and we have increased the value of the Healthy Start Vouchers by a third to £4.25 a week.</p><p> </p><p>On top of this, the government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living. These are global challenges, that is why the government is providing over £15bn in further support, targeted particularly on those with the greatest need. This package is in addition to the over £22bn announced previously, with government support for the cost of living now totalling over £37bn this year.</p><p> </p><p>This includes an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. In England, the current Household Support Fund is already providing £421m of support for the period 1 April – 30 September 2022, at least a third (£140m) will be spent on families with children.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 18/07/2022 15:34:00 question first ministerially corrected 22/07/2022 10:05:58 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley previous answer version 13627 answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1023922

	registered interest
	date	12/12/2018
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints of maladministration from women born in the 1950s relating to the change in their state pension age submitted to her Department’s Independent Case Examiner have been (a) resolved, (b) rejected, (c) closed for other reasons.
	tabling member constituency	Ceredigion
	tabling member printed	Ben Lake
	uin	201695
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>Individual government departments have long established complaints procedures. That approach has not changed under Labour governments 1997-2010 or successive governments. The DWP has a two tier complaints process which considers formal complaints about our service<strong>. </strong>Once a complainant has exhausted the DWP complaint process they are signposted to the Independent Case Examiner’s Office if they are dissatisfied with the final response to their complaint. The Independent Case Examiner is independent.</p><p>The table below provides information on the method by which complaints submitted to the Independent Case Examiner’s (ICE) Office, concerning changes to women’s State Pension age, were closed.</p><p><ins class="ministerial"></ins></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Reason for complaint closure</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Number</ins> <ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">(a) Resolved (we have interpreted this as meaning closed following issue of an ICE investigation report)</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">192</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">(b) Rejected (the complaint failed to meet the ICE acceptance criteria)</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1,598</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">(c) Paused for other reasons (includes withdrawn complaints and those closed following a High Court decision to grant permission for a Judicial Review of the Departments handling of the change to women’s State Pension age – it is not within the ICE remit to consider issues which are, or have been, subject to legal proceedings.)</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2,506</ins></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong> </strong></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Independent Case Examiner’s Office received the first complaints from women relating to changes in their state pension age in October 2016. The table below provides details of the numbers received in each of the past three reporting years.</ins></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Year (April to March)</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Number received</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2016/2017</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">243</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2017/2018</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2981</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2018/2019 (to 13 December 2018)</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1072</ins></p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 17/12/2018 15:27:52 question first ministerially corrected 18/12/2018 17:16:19 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 92203 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4630 label Biography information for Ben Lake

1126921

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2019
	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	State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimates he has made of the potential cost to the public purse of uprating state pensions for pensioners who live overseas.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	254754
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">All political parties since WW2 have</del> <ins class="ministerial">Successive post-war Governments have followed</ins> the same policy. Up-rating UK State Pensions for recipients who are overseas residents is longstanding; state Pensions are payable worldwide and are up-rated where there is a legal requirement to do so.</p><p> </p><p>The policy on the up-rating of UK State Pensions paid to recipients living outside the UK has been in place for over 70 years. The UK State Pension is payable worldwide without regard to nationality. Entitlement to the UK State Pension is based on the national insurance contributions on a person’s national insurance record. The annual index-linked increases to UK State Pensions are paid to recipients overseas only where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in EEA countries or in countries where there is a reciprocal agreement in place that provides for the up-rating of the UK State Pension. The Government has no plans to change the policy <ins class="ministerial">upheld by all previous Governments, Labour, Coalition and Conservative for the past 70 years.</ins> <del class="ministerial">of all Governments, Labour, Coalition or Conservative since WW2.</del></p><p> </p><p>The estimated costs of up-rating state pensions overseas where they are currently not up-rated are available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-costs-of-uprating-state-pension-in-frozen-rate-countries" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-costs-of-uprating-state-pension-in-frozen-rate-countries</a></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 23/05/2019 16:41:54 question first ministerially corrected 20/06/2019 15:16:55 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 119892 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1185846

	registered interest
	date	17/03/2020
	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: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of an additional fuel payment to pensioners following Government advice for them to stay at home.
	tabling member constituency	Nottingham North
	tabling member printed	Alex Norris
	uin	30876
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly<em>.</em></del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">There are no plans to extend the winter fuel allowance scheme.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has, however, published a series of measures designed to help those affected by the coronavirus outbreak with the cost of their energy bills. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Further information on the measures is available here:</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-agrees-measures-with-energy-industry-to-support-vulnerable-people-through-covid-19" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-agrees-measures-with-energy-industry-to-support-vulnerable-people-through-covid-19</a></ins></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 23/03/2020 11:51:44 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:03:58 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 13798 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4641 label Biography information for Alex Norris

1186500

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2020
	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: Coronavirus
	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 plans to extend the winter fuel allowance for recipients who (a) have to self-isolate or (b) are diagnosed with covid-19.
	tabling member constituency	Wallasey
	tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
	uin	32053
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">There are no plans to extend the winter fuel allowance scheme. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has, however, published a series of measures designed to help those affected by the coronavirus outbreak with the cost of their energy bills. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Further information on the measures is available here:</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-agrees-measures-with-energy-industry-to-support-vulnerable-people-through-covid-19" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-agrees-measures-with-energy-industry-to-support-vulnerable-people-through-covid-19</a></ins></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 24/03/2020 14:36:54 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:03:49 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 14287 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1279589

	registered interest
	date	22/01/2021
	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: Publicity
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will publicise the option for fortnightly payment of universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Stockport
	tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
	uin	142086
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2021 answer text <p><ins class="ministerial">There is no option for fortnightly payments in Universal Credit (UC).</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Alternative Payment Arrangements (APA) are available to support claimants who cannot manage their single monthly payment where there is a risk of financial harm to the claimant and/or their family. These include more frequent payments. UC staff will always consider an APA where a need has been identified either by a work coach, case manager, or triggered by information received from the claimant, their representative or their landlord.</ins></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">There are no plans to review the four categories of specified accommodation at a national or local level. However, we are reviewing the guidance for specified accommodation claims to improve consistency in decision-making.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">The specified accommodation definition was introduced into Housing Benefit in 2014 to extend the protections for exempt accommodation to other categories of supported housing that, although not materially different, were subject to welfare reforms. As a result, housing support for people living in specified accommodation is paid through Housing Benefit rather than Universal Credit and this support is exempt from the Benefit Cap.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">The specified accommodation definition applies to all of Housing Benefit across Great Britain.</del></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 29/01/2021 14:41:11 question first ministerially corrected 01/02/2021 16:31:56 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 78446 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1301871

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2021
	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, how many additional staff her Department has employed during the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Stalybridge and Hyde
	tabling member printed	Jonathan Reynolds
	uin	167195
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2021 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As of Friday 5 March 2021, the Department of Work and Pensions has recruited 21,709 staff on permanent, temporary, fixed term and agency contracts and also people loaned from other Government Departments</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">From the start of April 2020 to the end of February 2021 an additional 13,242 people have joined DWP as staff employed on its payroll. This figure is based on new joiners only, doesn’t take account of any leavers, and does not include staff loaned from other government departments that didn’t join DWP payroll, or agency workers who are not directly employed by the Department. It also does not include internal movement within DWP into key roles as a result of the impact of COVID-19.</ins></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 16/03/2021 16:56:30 question first ministerially corrected 09/04/2021 13:02:04 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 90758 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4119 label Biography information for Jonathan Reynolds

1301873

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2021
	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, how many additional staff her Department has employed on fixed-term contracts during the covid-19 outbreak; and if she will list when each of those contracts will end.
	tabling member constituency	Stalybridge and Hyde
	tabling member printed	Jonathan Reynolds
	uin	167196
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2021 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">Since 1 April 2020 we have recruited 11,400 people on fixed term contracts. Of those who have started since 1 April 2020, we have 10,642 employees who remain in the business. Their contract end dates are set out in the following table reflecting, the position as at 28 February 2021, which is a continuously changing picture, given that people are actively being extended and recruited, and we will also lose people naturally through turnover before their end dates are due.</del></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial"> </del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"> </del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial"> </del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Contract end dates</strong></del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Mar-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2102*</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Apr-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">417*</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">May-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">264*</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jun-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">130*</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jul-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">348*</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Aug-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">82*</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Sep-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">234</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Oct-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">135</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Nov-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1523</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Dec-21</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">766</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jan-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1204</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Feb-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1327</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Mar-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">16</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Apr-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1063</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">May-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">728</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jun-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">81</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jul-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">142</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Aug-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">55</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Sep-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Oct-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">6</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Nov-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">7</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Dec-22</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">5</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Jan-23</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">6</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Total</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>10642</strong></del></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">*Some contract end dates for people due to leave in these months are in the process of being extended.</del></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Since 1 April 2020 we have recruited 11,556 people on fixed term contracts. Of those who have started since 1 April 2020, we have 10,507 employees who remain in the business. Their contract end dates are set out in the following table reflecting, the position as at 28 February 2021, which is a continuously changing picture, given that people are actively being extended and recruited, and we will also lose people naturally through turnover before their end dates are due.</ins></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>Contract end dates</strong></ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Mar-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2102*</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Apr-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">412*</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">May-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">261*</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Jun-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">122*</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Jul-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">348*</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Aug-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">81*</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Sep-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">228</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Oct-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">135</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Nov-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1499</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Dec-21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">763</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Jan-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1176</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Feb-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1322</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Mar-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">16</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Apr-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1056</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">May-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">707</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Jun-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">78</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Jul-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">125</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Aug-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">54</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Sep-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Oct-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">6</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Nov-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">4</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Dec-22</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">5</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Jan-23</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">6</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>Total</strong></ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>10507</strong></ins></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">*Some contract end dates for people due to leave in these months are in the process of being extended.</ins></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 16/03/2021 17:03:01 question first ministerially corrected 09/04/2021 13:02:22 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 90762 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4119 label Biography information for Jonathan Reynolds

746123

	registered interest
	date	28/06/2017
	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: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the number of women in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry local authority area, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England who will be affected by changes to the state pension age for women born in the 1950s.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry North East
	tabling member printed	Colleen Fletcher
	uin	1557
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2017 answer text <p>Women born between 6 April 1950 and 5 April 1953 were affected by State Pension age equalisation under the Pensions Act 1995.</p><p> </p><p>The Pensions Act 2011 accelerated the equalisation of State Pension age, and included transitional arrangements limiting State Pension age delays, affecting women born between 6 April 1953 and 5 December 1953. It also brought forward the increase in State Pension age from 65 to 66 which affected women born between 6 December 1953 and 5 April 1960.</p><p> </p><p>Information on the numbers affected by constituent country, parliamentary constituency or local authority is not held by the Department for Work and Pensions. However, the most recent population breakdowns for England and its parliamentary constituencies by age can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/parliamentaryconstituencymidyearpopulationestimates" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/parliamentaryconstituencymidyearpopulationestimates</a></p><p> </p><p>Population breakdowns by local authority, region and country can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationestimatesforukenglandandwalesscotlandandnorthernireland" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationestimatesforukenglandandwalesscotlandandnorthernireland</a></p><p> </p><p>The House of Commons library have produced a paper estimating the number of women affected by the Pensions Act 2011 (those born between 6 April 1953 and 5 <del class="ministerial">December 1953</del><ins class="ministerial"> April 1960</ins>) by constituency, which can be found here:</p><p><a href="http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7405/CBP-07405constituencyestimates.xlsx" target="_blank">http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7405/CBP-07405constituencyestimates.xlsx</a></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 03/07/2017 14:01:01 question first ministerially corrected 05/07/2017 08:38:48 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 1264 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4378 label Biography information for Colleen Fletcher

816738

	registered interest
	date	05/01/2018
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether all women born in the 1950s affected by the change in state pension age have now been informed by letter of such changes.
	tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
	tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
	uin	121165
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2018 answer text <p>The Government sent letters to women affected by the 1995 Act changes between April 2009 and March 2011 using the address details held by HMRC at that time.</p><p>The timetable for equalising State Pension age for women and men to 65 and the subsequent increase to 66 was accelerated by the Pensions Act 2011 following sharp increases in life expectancy projections. A concession was made prior to the passing of the 2011 Act which reduced the maximum delay that anyone would experience in claiming their State Pension, relative to the previous timetable, to 18 months compared to the original proposal. Following the Pensions Act 2011 the Government wrote to all those directly affected to inform them of the changes to their State Pension age between January 2012 and November 2013.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Background to direct mail outs: </strong></p><ul><li><strong>Apr 09 – Mar11:</strong> All those affected by the 1995 Act changes alone (those born between 6 April 1950 and 5 April 1953) were sent letters informing them of the change to their State Pension age. Letters went to approximately 1.2 million women between 2009 and 2011.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li><strong>Jan 12 – Nov 13: </strong>All those affected by the 2011 Act changes (those born between 6 April 1953 and 5 April 1960) were sent letters informing them of the change to their State Pension age. This involved mailing more than 5 million letters <del class="ministerial">with an accompanying leaflet</del> to those affected, between January 2012 and November 2013.</li><li><ins class="ministerial">Both lots of letters had appropriate supporting information.</ins></li></ul> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/01/2018 10:42:39 question first ministerially corrected 18/12/2018 17:16:05 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 33458 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1010390

	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	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 proportion of claimants receiving the housing element of universal credit are also claiming the state pension.
	tabling member constituency	Arfon
	tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
	uin	192811
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2018 answer text <p>The table gives the estimated number of households receiving the Housing Element of Universal Credit in Great Britain, May 2018. The notes should be read in conjunction with the information provided in the table.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p>Estimated number of households in payment and receiving the Housing Element of Universal Credit in Great Britain, May 2018</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">471,800</del><ins class="ministerial">425,400</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Claiming State Pension</p></td><td><p>200</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong>Source:</strong> Household on Universal Credit dataset <strong>and</strong> Work and Pensions Longitudinal Survey.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes:</strong></p><ol><li>The figures are derived from unpublished information and have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard.</li></ol><ol start="2"><li>Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred. Individual figures may not add up to the total due to rounding.</li><li>A count date of the second Thursday of the month is used when calculating the statistics for households on Universal Credit.</li><li>Further information on the background and methodology for Universal Credit can be accessed here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/739399/universal-credit-statistics-background-methodology.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/739399/universal-credit-statistics-background-methodology.pdf</a></li></ol> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 27/11/2018 11:22:16 question first ministerially corrected 06/12/2018 16:58:29 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson previous answer version 87254 answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1105758

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2019
	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	Work Capability Assessment
	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 whether Maximus is meeting the SC12 and SC13 targets in schedule 2.2 of the Health and Disability Assessment Services contract; and whether the Government collates data from individual assessment centres on those targets.
	tabling member constituency	Falkirk
	tabling member printed	John McNally
	uin	237797
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/04/2019 answer text <p>The supplier aims to deliver quality assessments as efficiently as possible. Our priority is to ensure that claimants who attend an assessment centre are seen and the supplier is achieving the SC1<ins class="ministerial">3</ins><del class="ministerial">2</del> target which measures the percentage of claimants sent home unseen. Currently, more people are waiting longer in assessment centres than we would like; the supplier is currently just below the SC1<ins class="ministerial">2</ins><del class="ministerial">3</del> target level which measures waiting times in assessment centres. SC12 and SC13 are national contractual service levels, but the Department does monitor performance at assessment centre-level. We are working closely with the supplier to improve waiting times for more claimants while ensuring the length of the assessment meets the individual claimant’s needs and claimants who attend for an assessment are seen.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 04/04/2019 13:46:25 question first ministerially corrected 29/04/2019 16:36:42 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson previous answer version 112078 answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4424 label Biography information for John McNally

1171008

	registered interest
	date	15/01/2020
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what savings have accrued to the public purse under the £30 reduction for claimants of employment and support allowance in the work-related activity group in each month since that reduction was implemented.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	3794
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">There are no savings from the removal of the Employment and Support Allowance Work Related Activity Component for new claims from April 2017.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">This change enabled the Department to recycle money into providing practical support that will make a significant difference to the life chances of those in the Work-Related Activity Group. We have invested £330m over 4 years with £100m available in 2020/21 and will support those with limited capability for work to move towards and into suitable employment.</del></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em>The information requested on the savings accrued from the removal of the Work Related Activity Component (WRAC) is not available. It would incur disproportionate cost to calculate any actual net savings from the removal of the WRAC. </em></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em> </em></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em>When the WRAC was removed we made a clear commitment to instead provide practical support that will make a significant difference to the life chances of those in the Work-Related Activity Group. We have been investing an additional £330m over 4 years to support those with limited capability for work to move towards and into suitable employment. </em></ins></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 20/01/2020 15:00:20 question first ministerially corrected 24/01/2020 14:36:26 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson previous answer version 1615 answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1185252

	registered interest
	date	16/03/2020
	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	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 protect sick, elderly or disabled people in receipt of (a) employment support allowance, (b) personal independence payment and (c) universal credit from having to attend mandatory assessments or appointments in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	30000
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">From 17<sup>th</sup> March, we suspended all face-to-face assessments for health and disability benefits. For existing claimants, we have also automatically extended awards and suspended any new review or reassessment activity, except where claimants notify us of changes to their needs that may result in an increase to their award. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">We have temporarily suspended the requirement for face-to-face Jobcentre Plus appointments for all claimants in Universal Credit, Job Seekers’ Allowance (JSA), Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Income Support. This means that claimants are not expected to contact their Jobcentre Plus while this temporary suspension is in place. They will continue to receive benefits as normal and they will not be sanctioned for not taking part in interviews with Jobcentres.</ins></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 19/03/2020 17:45:25 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:02:18 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson previous answer version 13583 answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1185307

	registered interest
	date	16/03/2020
	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	Carers: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if the Government has plans to extend financial support for people that need to take time off work to care for vulnerable relatives suffering from covid-19.
	tabling member constituency	Dudley North
	tabling member printed	Marco Longhi
	uin	30043
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">It is likely that many employees who have received a shield letter will be able to work from home and therefore be entitled to normal pay. We would encourage employers to make this happen where possible. For those that cannot work from home, we would encourage employers to furlough these staff. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Under the scheme employers will be eligible to apply for a government grant of 80% of workers’ salaries up to £2,500 a month. The scheme will be backdated to 1st March and available for at least three months, with the first grants expected to be paid within weeks.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">There is also the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme which will help eligible freelance workers receive up to £2,500 per month in grants for at least three months.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Government has set up an advice contact centre and website exclusively to help those who have been identified as shielding to access support. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">A new Local Support System in England will make sure those individuals that have been identified by the NHS to stay at home, and who are without a support network of friends and family, will receive essential supplies such as groceries and medicine.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Everyone infected with Covid-19 or required to self-isolate will be treated as having Limited Capability for Work in ESA and UC without the requirement for fit notes or undergoing a Work Capability Assessment. Those applying for Contributory ESA will be able to claim from day 1 – as opposed to day 8 - and we have removed the need for face-to-face assessment.</ins></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 24/03/2020 12:23:10 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:01:23 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson previous answer version 14242 answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4789 label Biography information for Marco Longhi

1185463

	registered interest
	date	16/03/2020
	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	Statutory Sick Pay
	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 adequacy of statutory sick pay in covering individual weekly living expenses; and if she will increase the value of that pay to the European average during the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Lewisham West and Penge
	tabling member printed	Ellie Reeves
	uin	30126
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The current Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) rate is the legal minimum rate that an employer must pay to an employee; many employers have their own occupational health schemes. Our welfare system is not directly comparable with other European countries. The SSP system is designed to balance support for the individual with the costs to the employer and, as such, there are no plans to make this change. The Government has been clear in its commitment to support those affected in these difficult times and we have made a number of changes to the welfare system in the past fortnight to ensure people are supported in doing this. These changes include:</ins></p><ul><li><ins class="ministerial">making it easier to access benefits. Those applying for Contributory ESA will be able to claim from day 1 – as opposed to day 8 - and we have removed the need for face-to-face assessment. Both Universal Credit and Contributory ESA can now be claimed by phone or online;</ins></li><li><ins class="ministerial">increasing the standard allowance of Universal Credit and working tax credit for this year by around £1000 per year; and</ins></li><li><ins class="ministerial">increasing in the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants so that it covers the cheapest third of local rents – which is on average £600 in people’s pockets.</ins></li></ul><p><ins class="ministerial">Together, these measures represent an injection of over £6.5 billion into the welfare system.</ins></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 24/03/2020 12:15:27 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:02:08 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson previous answer version 14238 answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4620 label Biography information for Ellie Reeves

1185726

	registered interest
	date	17/03/2020
	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: Coronavirus
	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 pay employment and support allowance to claimants on the first day of application as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	30722
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Those applying for Contributory ESA are able to claim from day 1 – as opposed to day 8. And we have removed the need for face-to-face assessment.</ins></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/03/2020 16:39:53 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:01:59 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson previous answer version 13995 answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1186092

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2020
	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	Self-employed: Coronavirus
	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 oral contribution of the Chancellor of the Exchequer of 17 March 2020, Official Report column 953, that self-employed people who self-isolate can apply for employment and support allowance (ESA), whether ESA will be available to people who are not themselves ill.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	31422
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Everyone infected with Covid-19 or required to self-isolate will be treated as having Limited Capability for Work in ESA and UC without the requirement for fit notes or undergoing a Work Capability Assessment. Those applying for Contributory ESA will be able to claim from day 1 – as opposed to day 8 - and we have removed the need for face-to-face assessment. </ins></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/03/2020 12:53:43 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:01:13 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson previous answer version 13830 answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1186243

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2020
	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: Medical Examinations
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether personal independence payments (PIP) claimants who are due for reassessment will continue to receive payments of PIP until face-to-face assessments are recommenced.
	tabling member constituency	Luton South
	tabling member printed	Rachel Hopkins
	uin	31617
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">From 17th March, we suspended all face-to-face assessments for health and disability benefits for three months. For existing claimants, we have automatically extended awards and suspended any new review or reassessment activity, except where claimants notify us of changes to their needs that may result in an increase to their award. This temporary measure is being taken to ensure the Department’s resources are focused on providing access to financial support for new claimants, and it will also reassure claimants about continuity of their benefit during the coronavirus outbreak.</ins></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/03/2020 13:14:57 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:01:43 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson previous answer version 13839 answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4873 label Biography information for Rachel Hopkins