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1129679

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Universal Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May to Question 249845 on Universal Credit, what proportion of universal credit claimants who had not fully repaid their advance as of 5 May 2019 had taken out that advance prior to 5 November 2017.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	259851
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>8.1% of UC advances which were paid before 5 November 2017, have not been fully repaid as at 5 June 2019, which is the latest position available.</p><p>Universal Credit new claim advances provide access to a payment for those in financial need, which can be accessed on the same day, until their first UC payment is due. Claimants can access up to 100% of the total expected monthly award, for which they can pay back over a period of up to 12 months. From October 2021, this maximum repayment period will be extended further to 16 months.</p><p>Notes:</p><p>1. This data has been sourced from internal management information and was not intended for public release. It should therefore not be compared to any other similar data subsequently released by the Department.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/06/2019 14:08:16 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1129768

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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	Post Office Card Account
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Post Office card accounts were active in each of the last five years; and how much his Department paid into those accounts.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	260046
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The figures for the number of active accounts at year end for the last five years are as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>At Year End</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total Number of Accounts</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2015</p></td><td><p>2409075</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2016</p></td><td><p>2179279</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2017</p></td><td><p>1790546</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2018</p></td><td><p>1383266</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2019</p></td><td><p>1103328</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The figures for the amount paid into Post Office card accounts for the last five financial years are as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Monies Paid in by DWP</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-2015</p></td><td><p>£17,333,287,535.11</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015-2016</p></td><td><p>£16,228,823,143.88</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016-2017</p></td><td><p>£14,141,533,797.78</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017-2018</p></td><td><p>£12,047,638,556.85</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018-2019</p></td><td><p>£9,515,393,806.89</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 10/06/2019 16:02:06 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1128547

	registered interest
	date	23/05/2019
	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	Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Scottish Government guidance for registered medical professionals on making clinical judgments about terminal illness was a contributory factor in revised UK guidance notes for the DS1500 form.
	tabling member constituency	Bridgend
	tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
	uin	257690
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>A variety of stakeholders were involved in the development of the revised guidance notes for the DS1500 form. This included specialist clinicians as well as disability charities, representing a broad clinical perspective. This work was a result of our continual improvement activity and engagement with stakeholders.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 257691 question first answered 10/06/2019 14:15:25 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

1128548

	registered interest
	date	23/05/2019
	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	Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) consultants, (b) GPs and (c) specialist nurses were consulted during the process to develop the revised guidance notes for the DS1500 form.
	tabling member constituency	Bridgend
	tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
	uin	257691
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>A variety of stakeholders were involved in the development of the revised guidance notes for the DS1500 form. This included specialist clinicians as well as disability charities, representing a broad clinical perspective. This work was a result of our continual improvement activity and engagement with stakeholders.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 257690 question first answered 10/06/2019 14:15:25 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

1128322

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	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	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 steps she has taken to ensure that universal credit claimants (a) are fully aware of how the repayment of advance payments work and (b) understand that the deferment of repayments is for a maximum of three months.
	tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
	tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
	uin	257562
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>Applications for a Universal Credit advance payment can be made in person, by telephone or online depending on the claimant’s circumstances. Depending on the type of advance payment application, we will consider whether the claimant satisfies the eligibility conditions for receiving the advance. If the claimant is eligible we will agree the amount of the advance and the period over which the advance will be recovered from their future Universal Credit payments. If the claimant has made the application in person or by telephone, the outcome of the application is explained to the claimant face to face or over the phone and then their online journal is updated. If they have made the application online the outcome will be displayed on screen.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has taken a number of steps to ensure that advances meet the needs of claimants and that the recovery arrangements are personalised and reasonable. Affordability is managed by ensuring the recovery rate will not be more than the equivalent of 40% of the claimant’s standard allowance. The claimant is given the choice over the repayment period and it is explained to them exactly how much will be deducted each month depending on the option they choose. If the claimant is making the advance application online, these options are clearly displayed on screen for them to choose from.</p><p> </p><p>Help is available for those struggling to meet the recovery rate. In exceptional circumstances, recovery can be deferred for up to three months from the start of the recovery period. If the claimant tells us that due to unforeseen circumstances they are experiencing hardship and are having difficulty repaying the advance over the agreed recovery time, we would explain that repayment can be deferred by a maximum of three months.</p><p> </p><p>From October 2019 the maximum rate of deductions from a claimant’s standard allowance will be reduced from 40% to 30%. From October 2021 we are increasing the recovery period for advances from 12 to 16 months, further supporting those in financial need.</p><p> </p><p>Information about advances is available on the Gov.uk site at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-advances" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-advances</a></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/06/2019 14:31:16 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley

1130122

	registered interest
	date	05/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Universal Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2019 to Question 240478, for what reason the decision was made to extend the recovery period for advances to 16 months.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	260539
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>Currently, the maximum amount of an advance is determined by the claimants expected UC payment and the need to repay it over 12 months at a maximum deduction rate of 40% of the standard allowance.</p><p>We have announced that we will reduce this maximum rate to 30% to ensure that claimants with the highest rate of deductions will keep more of their monthly payment. UC claimants who currently have deductions of over 30% will benefit from this change, because they will have up to 10% more of their Universal Credit standard allowance available each month.</p><p>We recognise that this could impact the maximum advance available to claimants, to ensure that this does not happen and that claimants still receive the level of support they need, we have increased the amount of time claimants have to repay the Advance from 12 to 16 months.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/06/2019 15:58:25 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1128545

	registered interest
	date	23/05/2019
	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	Personal Independence Payment: Terminal Illnesses
	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 on 30 April 2019 to Question 245707, Personal Independence Payment: Terminal Illnesses, what (a) qualifications and (b) training Assessment Providers have to determine whether a special rules case should be rejected for not satisfying the terminally ill definition.
	tabling member constituency	Bridgend
	tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
	uin	257688
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>Healthcare Professionals undertake Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness (SRTI) provisions in accordance with the department’s PIP Assessment Guide. Healthcare Professionals dealing with claims under SRTI are (a) fully qualified in their health discipline and (b) have a broad training in disability analysis. As well as their qualified profession, the Department recognises the importance of ensuring individuals also have sufficient experience, skills and training to undertake assessments and so any health professional undertaking assessments must also have at least two years' experience following registration. Both Assessment Providers conform to a rigorous set of standards regarding staff recruitment and training which are being closely monitored by the department.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 10/06/2019 15:04:50 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

1128341

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	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	Universal Credit: Overpayments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, (a) how many and (b) what percentage of universal credit claimants had funds deducted for a universal credit overpayment in the most recent month for which data is available.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	257575
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>Internal Management information shows that in April 2019, 80,000 payments of Universal Credit (UC) had a deduction applied to repay a UC overpayment (this figure does not include UC Advances and has been rounded to the nearest 10,000).</p><p> </p><p>It is not possible to show this figure as a percentage as the latest UC caseload data is only available as of 14<sup>th</sup> February 19. However, for context as of 14<sup>th</sup> February 19, 1.4m households received payments of UC.</p><p /><p>The Department ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect claimants who have deductions from their benefit to repay overpayments. There are maximum rates of deduction that are set out in legislation, and if a claimant is struggling they can contact the Department’s Debt Management Team to discuss lowering their repayment rate.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/06/2019 15:03:56 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1128546

	registered interest
	date	23/05/2019
	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	Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of Scottish Government guidance for registered medical professionals on making clinical judgments about terminal illness; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Bridgend
	tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
	uin	257689
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>It is a matter for the Scottish Government how they assess entitlement for devolved benefits and to decide on appropriate guidance to support that.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 10/06/2019 14:18:31 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

1129988

	registered interest
	date	05/06/2019
	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	Pensions: Consumer Information
	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 ensure that consumer interest is central to the development of the pensions dashboard product.
	tabling member constituency	Wallasey
	tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
	uin	260556
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>Pension dashboards are a priority for this government and ensuring they are delivered in the interest of consumers is of the upmost importance to us.</p><p> </p><p>That is why the Money and Pensions Service will convene an industry delivery group to oversee the development, delivery and governance of dashboards. On 3 June 2019, the Money and Pensions Service announced that Chris Curry from the Pensions Policy Institute will be the Principal of the industry delivery group, the most senior role within the group. As the Principal, he will identify and agree who in industry will sit on the delivery group to ensure they are best placed to deliver dashboards for the benefit of the consumer. The industry delivery group will be made up of stakeholders from across the industry, consumer groups, regulators and government.</p><p>Once the industry delivery group is up and running, what we expect to see from them in 2019 is to:</p><ul><li>create a roadmap for delivering the supporting architecture;</li><li>start to work with industry on agreeing data standards and schemes readiness to provide data and;</li><li>design a robust governance and security framework.</li></ul><p>In parallel we expect industry to start creating and testing consumer facing dashboards. This will help determine what information is necessary and show how it can be presented in a meaningful way that best meets the needs of the consumer. The industry delivery group must carefully consider how and when the first live dashboards are promoted to consumers.</p><p>We also set out in the government’s response to the consultation on pensions dashboards, the ten design principles which the industry delivery group must adhere to when designing the dashboard system to help ensure the privacy and security of individual’s data. These include that the system must comply with the Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation and that the system must not include a central database.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 10/06/2019 15:47:35 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle