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1136764

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2019
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Buscombe on 25 June (HL Deb, col 1004), what sources they used to inform their statements that the UK (1) delivers the fourth most generous level of welfare support in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), (2) spends more on family benefits than any other country in the G7, and (3) spends the second highest amount on family benefits as a share of GDP, in the OECD.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL16914
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>(1) This statement was due to official error. We are the fourth most generous country according to the UN 2019 World Happiness Report. The UK spends £220bn on welfare each year, providing vital financial support for the most vulnerable in society.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>(2) and (3) These two statements come from OECD 2015 data (<a href="https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?datasetcode=SOCX_AGG" target="_blank">https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?datasetcode=SOCX_AGG</a>). 2015 data is used as it is the most recent full data set. Please note that OECD definitions do not always match UK definitions, but insure data is comparable across OECD countries.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 17/07/2019 14:09:48 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1137614

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2019
	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	Local Housing Allowance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the proportion of single room properties that were affordable for local housing allowance claimants in each region of England in (a) 2010 and (b) the most recent period for which data is available.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	274447
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>In 2010, Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates were set at the 50th percentile of local rents, so half of non-housing benefit properties in the private rented sector were available within the LHA rate.</p><p> </p><p>The proportion of non-housing benefit single room accommodation available within the LHA rate by region in England for 2018/19 are as follows:</p><p><strong> </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>East Midlands</p></td><td><p>15%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Eastern</p></td><td><p>13%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London</p></td><td><p>8%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North East</p></td><td><p>14%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>15%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South East</p></td><td><p>14%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South West</p></td><td><p>15%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>West Midlands</p></td><td><p>16%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire &amp; The Humber</p></td><td><p>21%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Note: figures are exclusive of housing benefit properties as the lettings data used to calculate the LHA is exclusive of tenancies where the claimant is in receipt of housing benefit.</p><p> </p><p>There are no current plans to extend or maintain the LHA Freeze after March 2020. Specific decisions on how to uprate the Local Housing Allowance rates from April 2020 will form part of the discussions in support of fiscal events later this year.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 11/07/2019 13:53:48 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

1134904

	registered interest
	date	26/06/2019
	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	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, how many (a) disability and (b) work capability assessments were carried out with a home visit in 2018-19 in each DWP Region.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	269649
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>Please find the information requested below. PIP and HDAS both have separate estate delivery models resulting in a significant difference in numbers of home visits. I have interpreted ‘(a) disability’ as PIP assessments.</p><p> </p><p>This is unpublished data derived from the DWP0400 report. The numbers are unpublished data, derived from assessment provider MI.</p><p> </p><p>(a) PIP data does not align to DWP regions, however, I have provided the data in the relevant Lots. Lot 1 (Scotland, north-east and north-west England), Lot 2 (Central England and Wales) and Lot 3 (South East and South West England):</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Personal Independence Payment completed as Home Visits Contract Lot</strong> <strong>April 18 - March 19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Lot 1 – Scotland &amp; the North</p></td><td><p>76,890</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Lot 2 – Wales and The Midlands</p></td><td><p>116,630</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Lot 3 – The South of England</p></td><td><p>47,160</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Lot 2 numbers are higher due to the supplier business model; Lot 1 is higher than Lot 3 due to the higher proportion of rural areas.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>(b) Work Capability Assessment data by DWP regions:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Work Capability Assessments completed as Home Visits by DWP Region <br> April 18 - March 19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Central</p></td><td><p>2,070</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London &amp; Home Counties</p></td><td><p>1,460</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North East</p></td><td><p>2,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>1,590</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Scotland</p></td><td><p>1,350</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Southern</p></td><td><p>1,080</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wales</p></td><td><p>630</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Figures rounded to the nearest 10.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>All Assessment Providers are required to undertake home visits where there is a clinical need to do so and assess all cases prior to routing them for assessment. In PIP, there is some contract flexibility in the delivery of home assessments over and above the clinical requirement.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 01/07/2019 16:42:45 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1136559

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what account is taken of income from compensation payments under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme in disability benefit calculations.
	tabling member constituency	Rotherham
	tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
	uin	272845
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/07/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The disability benefits (Attendance Allowance, Personal independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance) are non–contributory and are not means–tested. No account is taken of income from compensation payments or any other income when assessing entitlement to a disability benefit.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 12/07/2019 13:57:42 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion

1134528

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2019
	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	Debt Collection
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department has received from debt collection agencies in respect of civil penalties in each of the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	269123
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The table below details the amount recovered from Debt Collection Agencies in respect of Civil Penalties in each of the last 12 months.*</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Month</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Recovery Value</strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jun 2018</p></td><td><p>£6,900</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul 2018</p></td><td><p>£5,500</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aug 2018</p></td><td><p>£6,900</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sep 2018</p></td><td><p>£5,200</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct 2018</p></td><td><p>£4,600</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nov 2018</p></td><td><p>£6,400</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Dec 2018</p></td><td><p>£4,600</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan 2019</p></td><td><p>£3,000</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Feb 2019</p></td><td><p>£4,700</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mar 2019</p></td><td><p>£5,800</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr 2019</p></td><td><p>£3,500</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2019</p></td><td><p>£3,800</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>A £50 Civil Penalty may be imposed by both Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Local Authorities where an individual incurs a recoverable overpayment as a result of failing to provide accurate information as part of their benefit claim or in connection with an award of benefit, and has not taken reasonable steps to correct the error.</p><p> </p><p>When recovering overpayments, DWP ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect claimants from any undue financial hardship. Like the Department, private collection agencies will look to establish sustainable repayment arrangements.</p><p> </p><p><em>*The data provided in this response 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. All figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.</em></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 01/07/2019 16:50:55 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1135249

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2019
	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	Local Housing Allowance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans the Government has to restore local housing allowance rates to cover the cheapest third of local rents to improve affordability for residents in receipt of that allowance who seek to live in private accommodation.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	270236
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>There are no plans to extend or maintain the Benefit Freeze after March 2020. Specific decisions on how to uprate the Local Housing Allowance from April 2020 will form part of the discussions in support of fiscal events later this year.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 02/07/2019 10:47:16 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1136012

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	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
	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 the adequacy of the application process for personal independent payments for applicants that are homeless and do not have access to (a) a telephone and (b) IT facilities .
	tabling member constituency	Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
	tabling member printed	Gerald Jones
	uin	271550
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>A claim to PIP can be made via a freephone telephone number by a 3<sup>rd</sup> party on behalf of the customer as long as they are present at the time of the call. This can be done through a number of support organisations or agencies, that are free to use, such as Citizens Advice.</p><p> </p><p>It is likely that the individual would already be working with or have been signposted to the Local Jobcentre Plus network and there is provision within JCP to support and access telephony within the JCP to make a claim to PIP.</p><p> </p><p>If the claimant is without a correspondence address or a fixed abode, the telephony agent will advise the claimant that letters can be sent to a local Jobcentre. The telephony agent will then assist the claimant to identify the address of a local Jobcentre.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 04/07/2019 13:51:36 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4501 label Biography information for Gerald Jones

1140188

	registered interest
	date	18/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Employment and Support Allowance
	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 May 2019 to Question 237584, if she will place in the Library a copy of letter from the Minister for Disabled People clarifying previous answers on the ministerial requirement to amend the wording of the ESA65B letter to claimants’ doctors.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, West Derby
	tabling member printed	Stephen Twigg
	uin	278886
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>A copy of this letter has been placed in the library of the House.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/07/2019 10:24:31 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	167 label Biography information for Stephen Twigg

1136302

	registered interest
	date	02/07/2019
	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	Debt Collection
	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 1 July 2019 to Question 269123, the total amount of civil penalties her Department has issued in each of the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	272257
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>A £50 Civil Penalty may be imposed by both Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Local Authorities where an individual incurs a recoverable overpayment as a result of failing to provide accurate information as part of their benefit claim or in connection with an award of benefit, and has not taken reasonable steps to correct the error.</p><p> </p><p>The table below shows the volume of Civil Penalties applied in the 12 months from July 2018 to June 2019*.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Month</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Civil Penalties Applied</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul-18</p></td><td><p>6,600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aug-18</p></td><td><p>7,300</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sep-18</p></td><td><p>6,800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct-18</p></td><td><p>8,900</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nov-18</p></td><td><p>8,900</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Dec-18</p></td><td><p>7,500</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan-19</p></td><td><p>10,600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Feb-19</p></td><td><p>10,800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mar-19</p></td><td><p>9,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr-19</p></td><td><p>8,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May-19</p></td><td><p>8,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jun-19</p></td><td><p>7,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>99,600</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>If a claimant is having difficult repaying a benefit overpayment or Civil Penalty, they can request a review of the amount that is being taken. Any adjustment in the rate of repayment will be based on the individual circumstances of the debtor.</p><p> </p><p>When recovering benefit overpayments, the DWP ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect claimants from any undue financial hardship.</p><p> </p><p><em>*The data provided in this response 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. All figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.</em></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 08/07/2019 13:00:06 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

1134522

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2019
	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, how many civil penalties relating to failure to undertake tasks required for universal credit compliance have been issued in each of the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	High Peak
	tabling member printed	Ruth George
	uin	269119
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>A £50 Civil Penalty may be imposed by both Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Local Authorities where an individual incurs a recoverable overpayment as a result of failing to provide accurate information as part of their benefit claim or in connection with an award of benefit, and has not taken reasonable steps to correct the error.</p><p> </p><p>The table below shows the volume of Civil Penalties applied to UC Overpayments in the last 12 months along with the value of recoveries in the last 12 months where a Civil Penalty was imposed on a UC debt. *</p><p> </p><p>Note that there is no correlation between the number applied and the value of recovery for the associated month. Civil Penalties issued in a 12-month period will not necessarily be recovered in that same 12-month period as debts will be repaid over different timeframes, in accordance with a debtor’s particular commitments.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Month</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Number applied to UC overpayment </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Value of </strong> <strong>Recovery </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Jun-18</strong></p></td><td><p>140</p></td><td><p>£4,300</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Jul-18</strong></p></td><td><p>120</p></td><td><p>£4,700</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Aug-18</strong></p></td><td><p>190</p></td><td><p>£8,100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Sep-18</strong></p></td><td><p>130</p></td><td><p>£5,800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Oct-18</strong></p></td><td><p>80</p></td><td><p>£8,600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Nov-18</strong></p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>£5,700</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Dec-18</strong></p></td><td><p>Fewer than 5</p></td><td><p>£5,400</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Jan-19</strong></p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>£4,800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Feb-19</strong></p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>£3,700</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Mar-19</strong></p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>£3,800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Apr-19</strong></p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>£2,300</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>May-19</strong></p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>£1,600</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>When recovering overpayments, DWP ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect claimants from any undue financial hardship. Like the Department, private collection agencies will look to establish sustainable repayment arrangements.</p><p> </p><p><em>*The data provided in this response 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. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 100. </em></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 269120 question first answered 03/07/2019 15:34:36 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma previous answer version 126281 answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George