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1135705

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	Pension Credit
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that those who are entitled to claim (1) pension credit, and (2) a TV licence from June 2020, but currently do not, take up those benefits.
tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
uin	HL16798
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>In the 2015 funding settlement, the Government agreed with the BBC that responsibility for the concession would transfer to the BBC. The implementation of the licence fee and the concession from June 2020 is a matter for the BBC and TV Licensing, which are independent of Government.</p><p> </p><p>However, we expect the BBC to put in place robust plans to support those who might be affected. The BBC has said it will write to all over 75 TV licence holders advising them of how the new policy will work and when they need to act.</p><p> </p><p>Irrespective of this, the Government is committed to ensuring that older people receive the support they are entitled to and the DWP targets activity on engaging with people who may be eligible to benefits at pivotal stages, such as when they claim State Pension or report a change in their circumstances. The DWP uses a wide range of channels to communicate information about benefits to potential claimants; including information on gov.uk, in leaflets and by telephone. DWP staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit.</p><p> </p><p>Potential claimants can use the Pension Credit calculator to check if they are likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive. People wishing to claim Pension Credit can do so by calling 0800 99 1234.</p><p> </p><p>One of the best ways to reach eligible claimants is through trusted stakeholder working in the community and we have developed the Pension Credit toolkit, as an on-line tool for agencies and welfare rights organisations to use in order to encourage Pension Credit take-up.</p><p> </p><p>The toolkit contains resources for anyone working with pensioners and includes guides to Pension Credit. It also contains publicity material and guidance designed to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit and help organisations support someone applying for Pension Credit as well as ideas for encouraging take-up. The toolkit also provides links to information about disability and carers benefits.</p><p> </p><p>Most recently we have provided to relevant stakeholders a fact sheet about Pension Credit and the changes introduced on 15 May for mixed age couples to ensure that accurate information is available in the places where people are most likely to seek information.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 15/07/2019 16:38:11 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

1135729

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	Pension Credit
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding they provided to charities that work with older people to support the take-up of Pension Credit in (1) 2015–16,(2) 2016–17, and (3) 2017–18.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jolly
uin	HL16822
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring that older people receive the support they are entitled to. We work with a wide range of stakeholders, including charities to ensure that accurate information about benefits including Pension Credit is available in the places where people are most likely to go to seek information.</p><p> </p><p>The DWP knows that one of the best ways to reach eligible claimants is through trusted stakeholder organisations working in the community and that is why we have developed and resourced the Pension Credit on line toolkit, as an on-line tool for agencies and welfare rights organisations to use in order to encourage Pension Credit take-up.</p><p> </p><p>The toolkit contains resources for anyone working with pensioners and includes guides to Pension Credit. It also contains publicity material and guidance designed to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit and help organisations support someone applying for Pension Credit as well as ideas for encouraging take-up. The toolkit also provides links to information about disability and carers benefits.</p><p> </p><p>Stakeholders and potential claimants alike can use the online Pension Credit calculator to check if they are likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive. Most recently we have provided to relevant stakeholders a fact sheet about Pension Credit and the changes introduced on 15 May for mixed age couples to ensure they are able to communicate the most up-to-date information to potential claimants.</p><p> </p><p>DWP staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 15/07/2019 12:41:13 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	4203 label Biography information for Baroness Jolly

1135797

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	Department for Work and Pensions: Iron and Steel
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether officials in her Department have had discussions with officials in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the UK Steel Charter.
tabling member constituency	Scunthorpe
tabling member printed	Nic Dakin
uin	271387
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>We have discussed the procurement of steel with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which has asked all Government departments to consider guidance on steel procurement and to notify of any upcoming opportunities for industry.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 09/07/2019 13:30:29 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4056 label Biography information for Nic Dakin

1135798

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	Department for Work and Pensions: Iron and Steel
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 it her Department's policy to sign up to the UK Steel Charter.
tabling member constituency	Scunthorpe
tabling member printed	Nic Dakin
uin	271388
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions will sign the UK Steel Charter.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 09/07/2019 13:38:01 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4056 label Biography information for Nic Dakin

1135807

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	Workplace Pensions
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 publication of the master trust and GPP defaults report by Corporate Adviser magazine, whether her Department plans to reduce the protection on charges for members of occupational pension schemes used for automatic enrolment.
tabling member constituency	Wallasey
tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
uin	271354
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>The DWP have no such plans. The Corporate Adviser report (available on request from <a href="https://corporate-adviser.com/" target="_blank">https://corporate-adviser.com/</a>) showed that the vast majority of pension savers are in schemes are able to invest in a range of diversified assets at prices well below the automatic enrolment charge cap. Therefore I do not intend to reduce member protections.</p><p> </p><p>In my 2017 written statement HCWS249 (<a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2017-11-16/HCWS249/" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2017-11-16/HCWS249/</a>) I committed to reviewing the level and scope of the charge cap in 2020, alongside the suitability of ‘combination charges’ (where a percentage charge on funds is combined with a charge on contribution or a flat annual fee), to see whether a change is needed to protect members.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 04/07/2019 14:12:02 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1135809

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	Social Security Benefits: EU Nationals
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 informed any EU nationals that they have no recourse to public funds since June 2018.
tabling member constituency	Salford and Eccles
tabling member printed	Rebecca Long Bailey
uin	271477
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>Whether someone has recourse to public funds is a matter for the Home Office. However, where a person’s claim for benefit has been refused, DWP will inform the claimant of this decision and how they can request a reconsideration.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 09/07/2019 14:18:37 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4396 label Biography information for Rebecca Long Bailey

1135825

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	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 she has made of the proportion of people working in the gig economy that are in receipt of universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	271364
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>The term “gig economy” covers a wide range of roles and working practices and the information requested is not held.</p><p> </p><p>The Department provides tailored support to our claimants who are in self-employment through our work coaches to help them to increase their productivity and earnings.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit encourages all claimants with a work expectation to find and progress in work. To support those already in, or considering self-employment, we have extended the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) scheme from April 2019 onwards. The NEA provides support and mentoring for claimants who are looking to start or develop their business.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 04/07/2019 14:40:37 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1135888

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	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 long on average it takes to (a) agree and (b) allocate the Social Fund funerals expense payment.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	271339
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>On average, it takes The Department for Work &amp; Pensions 2-3 weeks to process a Social Fund Funeral Payment from the point of claim, to the decision maker determining whether entitlement exists. In the instances when entitlement exists, it then takes an additional 3-5 working days for the payment to credit to either the Funeral Director’s or claimant’s bank account.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 04/07/2019 14:46:16 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1135889

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	Funerals
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 increase awareness among the relatives of deceased people of (a) direct funerals and (b) other funeral options; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	271340
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>My officials regularly engage with funeral and bereavement stakeholders to help them build awareness of the support available</p><p> </p><p>In August 2018, the GOV.UK website was updated with a step-by-step guide about to do after someone has died, including arranging a funeral and applying for a Funeral Expenses Payments.</p><p> </p><p>DWP is currently updating the leaflet that registrars give to people registering deaths. The revised version will include details of Funeral Expense Payments, and direct people to the GOV.UK step-by-step guide. DWP staff can also provide this information over the phone or in Jobcentres.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 271352 question first answered 04/07/2019 13:27:45 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1135890

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	Public Health Funerals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pauper funerals were held in England in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and whether local authorities are in all cases able to claim back the costs of those funerals through the Social Fund funeral expenses fund.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	271341
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>The Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments scheme is available to people on qualifying income based benefits. It does not provide funding for local authorities.</p><p> </p><p>My department does not collect data on the number of Local Authority funerals. MHCLG own the policy for Public Health (LA) funerals, but do not collect information on the number of public health funerals held.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 04/07/2019 13:17:47 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew