Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1247044

	registered interest
	date	30/10/2020
	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	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 effect the 2018 reforms to the Social Fund’s funeral expenses payments scheme have had on the processing times for payments under that scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Swansea East
	tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
	uin	109490
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2020 answer text <p>The Social Fund Funeral Expenses Amendment Regulations came into force in spring 2018. Whilst data is not collated on the specific effects of these reforms, data on processing times and the number of claims accepted can be found in The Social Fund Annual Report 2018/19 which was published on GOV.UK on 4 November 2020.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 109491 question first answered 06/11/2020 11:49:17 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris

1247046

	registered interest
	date	30/10/2020
	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	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 effect the 2018 reforms to the Social Fund’s funeral expenses payments scheme have had on the number of claims (a) accepted and (b) rejected under that scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Swansea East
	tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
	uin	109491
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2020 answer text <p>The Social Fund Funeral Expenses Amendment Regulations came into force in spring 2018. Whilst data is not collated on the specific effects of these reforms, data on processing times and the number of claims accepted can be found in The Social Fund Annual Report 2018/19 which was published on GOV.UK on 4 November 2020.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 109490 question first answered 06/11/2020 11:49:17 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris

1247048

	registered interest
	date	30/10/2020
	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	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the 2018 reforms to the Social Fund’s funeral expenses payments scheme, whether the changes to enable claimants to submit evidence electronically have been implemented in full.
	tabling member constituency	Swansea East
	tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
	uin	109492
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2020 answer text <p>Regulation 2 of The Social Fund Funeral Expenses Amendment Regulations 2018 allows for the electronic submission of evidence in connection with claims for social fund funeral payments. As a result, Funeral Directors are able to submit evidence electronically to support a claim for Funeral Expense Payments, and we continue to work on identifying a secure digital solution to extend this option to applicants.</p><p /><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 06/11/2020 11:53:04 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris

1247052

	registered interest
	date	30/10/2020
	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	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether there was a backlog of applications for funeral expenses payments prior to the implementation of covid-19 lockdown restrictions on 23 March 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Swansea East
	tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
	uin	109493
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2020 answer text <p>Prior to the implementation of COVID-19 restrictions on 23 March there was a backlog of Funeral Expense Payments (FEP) claims. In response to this and the COVID-19 outbreak, steps have been taken to significantly speed up the processing of Funeral Expense Payment claims in support of those who need it most.</p><p /><p /> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 09/11/2020 17:46:57 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris

1247057

	registered interest
	date	30/10/2020
	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	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims for funeral expenses payments were received in (a) 2019-20 and (b) the first six months of 2020-21.
	tabling member constituency	Swansea East
	tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
	uin	109497
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2020 answer text <p>The number of Funeral Expenses Payment applications received, in Great Britain, is reported annually in Appendix 1 of the Social Fund Annual Report:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-fund-annual-report-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-fund-annual-report-2017-to-2018</a></p><p /><p>The information requested for 2019/20 will be published in due course, and so cannot be released ahead of publication.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In the period April 2020 - September 2020, there were approximately 23,900 applications received for Funeral Expenses Payments in Great Britain.</p><p> </p><p>This figure is drawn from the Social Fund Policy, Budget, and Management Information System. It is not quality assured to the same extent as Official / National statistics.</p><p>Notes</p><p>The figure is rounded to the nearest 100.</p><ul><li>The figure relates to applications received by DWP, not applications processed. Some applications may have been withdrawn before a decision was made.</li><li>The number of applications made is not equal to the number of people who made applications, as individuals may make multiple applications in a given time period.</li><li>Differences between any comparisons made of applications received, initial decisions, awards and initial refusals are due to applications being withdrawn; applicants rejecting or not responding to loan offers; and decisions outstanding at the time of the count.</li></ul> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 09/11/2020 18:06:24 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris

1247060

	registered interest
	date	30/10/2020
	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	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many funeral expenses payment claims were accepted at initial decision in (a) 2019-20 and (b) the first six months of 2020-21.
	tabling member constituency	Swansea East
	tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
	uin	109498
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2020 answer text <p>We do not publish the number of claims awarded, at initial decision, as requested. The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>However, a variant on the data requested is in the public domain. Applications that were initially unsuccessful may have resulted in an award after review, reconsideration or appeal. These cases are included in the final awards in the Social Fund Annual Report.</p><p /><p>The number of Funeral Expenses Payment awards, in Great Britain, is reported annually in Appendix 1 of the Social Fund Annual Report:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-fund-annual-report-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-fund-annual-report-2017-to-2018</a></p><p /><p>The number of awards for 2019/20 will be published in due course, and so cannot be released ahead of publication.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 09/11/2020 18:03:33 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris

1247061

	registered interest
	date	30/10/2020
	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	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many funeral expenses payments claims were rejected at initial decision in (a) 2019-20 and (b) the first six months of 2020-21.
	tabling member constituency	Swansea East
	tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
	uin	109499
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2020 answer text <p>The number of Funeral Expenses Payment applications refused at initial decision, in Great Britain, is reported annually in Appendix 1 of the Social Fund Annual Report:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-fund-annual-report-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-fund-annual-report-2017-to-2018</a></p><p /><p>The information requested for 2019/20 will be published in due course, and so cannot be released ahead of publication.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In the period April 2020 - September 2020, there were approximately 8,500 applications refused, at initial decision, for Funeral Expenses Payments in Great Britain.</p><p> </p><p>This figure is drawn from the Social Fund Policy, Budget, and Management Information System. It is not quality assured to the same extent as Official / National statistics.</p><p>Notes</p><p>The figure is rounded to the nearest 100.</p><ul><li>Due to the timing of application processing, figures on initial refusals may relate to applications received in the previous year.</li><li>The number of initially unsuccessful applications is not equal to the number of people who unsuccessfully apply for a Funeral Expenses Payment, as individuals may make multiple applications in a given time period.</li><li>The number of initial refusals gives the number of initially unsuccessful applications and not those that are unsuccessful after appeal. An application will only be unsuccessful if it does not meet the qualifying criteria. These include, amongst other criteria, being in receipt of relevant benefits and meeting rules regarding relationship with the deceased. The full qualifying criteria are outlined in section 7 of “The Social Fund: Technical Guidance” publication. (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-social-fund-technical-guidance/the-social-fund-technical-guidance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-social-fund-technical-guidance/the-social-fund-technical-guidance</a>)</li><li>Differences between any comparisons made of applications received, initial decisions, awards and initial refusals are due to applications being withdrawn; applicants rejecting or not responding to loan offers; and decisions outstanding at the time of the count.</li></ul> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 09/11/2020 18:03:35 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris

1247062

	registered interest
	date	30/10/2020
	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	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 proportion of funeral expenses payments claims made in 2019-20 were cleared in (a) 15 working days, (b) 15 working days plus 2 days and (c) 15 working days plus 5 days.
	tabling member constituency	Swansea East
	tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
	uin	109500
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2020 answer text <p>The information requested, in Great Britain, is reported annually in Appendix 1 of the Social Fund Annual Report, up to 2017/18:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-fund-annual-report-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-fund-annual-report-2017-to-2018</a></p><p /><p>The information requested for 2019/20 will be published in due course, and so cannot be released ahead of publication.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 09/11/2020 17:49:36 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris

1247063

	registered interest
	date	30/10/2020
	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	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 proportion of funeral expenses payments claims made in the first six months of 2020-21 were cleared in (a) 15 working days, (b) 15 working days plus 2 days and (c) 15 working days plus 5 days.
	tabling member constituency	Swansea East
	tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
	uin	109501
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2020 answer text <p>The proportion of Funeral Expenses Payments made in the first 6 months of 2020-21 (April 20 to September 20) which were cleared in (a) 15 working days was 46%.</p><p>In April to September 2020 there was a backlog of claims which had built up over a period of months due to the closure of the Funeral Expenses Payments main processing centre in Balham in December 2019, and activity prior to closure to support staff through redeployment options. In March 2020 processing was impacted by colleagues shielding with health conditions under COVID.</p><p>We have since improved our processing and productivity times with a combination of additional processing support on loan, deployment of IT kit to colleagues at home and the introduction of process easements. These have been instrumental in improving the service to customers and the department are working with HMT and Ministers to seek permanent process changes.</p><p>We now have an Actual Average Clearance Time of 11.8 days in September 2020 compared to 34.7 days in September 2019.</p><p>Extract taken from RPT data store on 3<sup>rd</sup> November 2020.</p><p>Source: Departmental MISP from Social Fund Funeral Payment System</p><p>Please note that the data supplied is derived from unpublished management information which was collected for internal Departmental use only and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. The data should therefore be treated with caution.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 13/11/2020 14:46:23 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris

1247065

	registered interest
	date	30/10/2020
	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	Funeral Payments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many funeral expenses payments claims took longer than six weeks to clear in (a) 2019-20 and (b) the first six months of 2020-21.
	tabling member constituency	Swansea East
	tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
	uin	109502
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2020 answer text <p>This information is not held.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 06/11/2020 12:00:41 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris