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1737387

registered interest
date	28/10/2024
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	Unemployment
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 total number of people of working age currently out of work.
tabling member constituency	Great Yarmouth
tabling member printed	Rupert Lowe
uin	11392
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2024 answer text <p>Official statistics for the number of people unemployed and economically inactive are published each month by the independent Office for National Statistics (ONS), estimated using the Labour Force Survey.</p><p> </p><p>The ONS headline labour market statistics define working age as between 16 and 64 years old. The latest statistics show 10.61 million people are of working age currently out of work in the UK (June-August 2024) – 1.347 million who are unemployed and 9.263 million who are economically inactive. Of the 9.263 million who are economically inactive, 2.491 million are students and 1.674 million are looking after family/home.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Unemployment (000's)</strong></p></td><td><p>1,347</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Economic inactivity by reason (000's)</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Student</p></td><td><p>2,491</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Looking after family / home</p></td><td><p>1,674</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Temp sick</p></td><td><p>201</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Long-term sick</p></td><td><p>2,750</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Discouraged workers</p></td><td><p>33</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Retired</p></td><td><p>1,079</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other</p></td><td><p>1,035</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total (000's)</strong></p></td><td><p>10,610</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Birkenhead answering member printed Alison McGovern question first answered 31/10/2024 14:39:53 answering member 4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern
tabling member	5158

1737514

registered interest
date	28/10/2024
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: Commonwealth
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to negotiate reciprocal agreements with Commonwealth countries on uprating UK pensions.
tabling member constituency	South Devon
tabling member printed	Caroline Voaden
uin	11488
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2024 answer text <p>The department has no plans to negotiate reciprocal agreements with Commonwealth countries on uprating UK pensions.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 31/10/2024 14:08:17 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
tabling member	5216

1737527

registered interest
date	28/10/2024
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	Child Maintenance Service: Standards
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 (a) the accuracy of Child Maintenance Service calculations and (b) that the process of correcting mistakes in those calculations is (i) faster and (ii) easier.
tabling member constituency	Truro and Falmouth
tabling member printed	Jayne Kirkham
uin	11501
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2024 answer text <p>In the year to June 2024 there were 138,000 new applications to the CMS, an increase of 10% from the year to June 2023.</p><p> </p><p>To ensure calculations are accurate the department continues to build on its already proportionate and cost-effective controls, such as:</p><p> </p><ul><li>use of verified income from HMRC and benefit systems as outlined in legislation and a principal part of service design.</li><li>use of child benefit systems to verify qualifying child(ren).</li><li>procedures and policy to request additional verification.</li><li>a dedicated Financial Investigation Unit who addresses allegations of misrepresentation and fraud.</li><li>a robust mandatory reconsideration (MR) and appeals process.</li><li>a robust 3 Tier Quality Framework.</li></ul><p> </p><p>CMS are wholly committed to delivering the best possible service to all customers within our growing caseload.</p><p> </p><p>Where a single accidental error relating to the maintenance calculation is made, a challenge can be raised by a parent or their representative within time, and corrections can be applied without the need for a review of the decision (MR).</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Work and Pensions and CMS rigorously monitors accuracy as part of our service ambition to further reduce error and increase our accuracy levels. The National Audit Office set a target of monetary value errors under 1%. This standard is consistently met.</p> answering member constituency Stretford and Urmston answering member printed Andrew Western question first answered 31/10/2024 17:20:13 answering member 4979 label Biography information for Andrew Western
tabling member	5279

1737528

registered interest
date	28/10/2024
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
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 staff administering Disability Living Allowance claims provide claimants with a complete understanding of the benefits they are entitled to receive.
tabling member constituency	Truro and Falmouth
tabling member printed	Jayne Kirkham
uin	11502
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2024 answer text <p>All Disability Living Allowance (DLA) staff receive extensive training in the DLA customer journey and have an awareness of other benefits. When claiming Disability Living Allowance, a detailed notification and an additional leaflet are also issued to the customer which explain wider benefit entitlement options and we also encourage customers to visit the Gov.uk website which provides details of additional benefits they may be entitled to.</p><p></p> answering member constituency East Ham answering member printed Sir Stephen Timms question first answered 31/10/2024 12:04:25 answering member 163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms
tabling member	5279

1737529

registered interest
date	28/10/2024
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 steps she is taking to ensure the accuracy of PIP assessment decisions.
tabling member constituency	Truro and Falmouth
tabling member printed	Jayne Kirkham
uin	11503
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2024 answer text <p>PIP assessment accuracy and quality is a priority for both suppliers and the department. The department works extensively with suppliers to make improvements to guidance, training, and audit procedures to ensure a quality service. A high standard is always maintained through an independent audit function that continually monitors performance and provides feedback to its suppliers.</p><p> </p><p>DWP have a comprehensive and on-going quality assurance process in the decision-making journey and work closely with colleagues in Dispute Resolution Service (DRS), who are responsible for reconsiderations and appeals, to understand and learn from decisions that are changed. This also helps to maintain standards and consistency.</p><p> </p><p>The Health Transformation Programme (HTP) is modernising Health and Disability benefit services to create a more efficient service and an improved claimant experience, building trust in our services and decisions. The HTP Evaluation Strategy, published <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fhealth-transformation-programme-evaluation-strategy%2Fhealth-transformation-programme-evaluation-strategy&amp;data=05%7C02%7CBen.Hutchison%40dwp.gov.uk%7C1030a78f1cb347caabc408dcf997c400%7C96f1f6e910574117ac2880cdfe86f8c3%7C0%7C0%7C638659677437053287%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=IS1GsDwfMFHF6nd7fuZCULCF2iae8SAHlHCQP%2BII6DQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a> on GOV.UK, provides an overview of our plans to evaluate the Programme.</p> answering member constituency East Ham answering member printed Sir Stephen Timms question first answered 31/10/2024 14:45:47 answering member 163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms
tabling member	5279

1737135

registered interest
date	25/10/2024
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, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the criteria for auto-enrolment for workplace pensions in the Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Act 2023.
tabling member constituency	Basildon and Billericay
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	11172
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2024 answer text <p>Security in retirement is a key priority for this Government</p><p> </p><p>We are undertaking a landmark Pensions Review, the second phase of which will consider further steps to improve pension outcomes, including assessing pension adequacy. This will consider options to build on the success of Automatic Enrolment, which has turned millions of people into pension savers.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 31/10/2024 12:02:26 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1736876

registered interest
date	24/10/2024
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, if she will make it her policy to maintain the link between Local Housing Allowance rates and rent cost increases each year.
tabling member constituency	Stratford-on-Avon
tabling member printed	Manuela Perteghella
uin	11087
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2024 answer text <p>Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates were restored to the 30th percentile of local market rents from April 2024 for one year.</p><p> </p><p>Decisions on LHA for future years will be taken in the context of the Government’s missions, housing priorities, and the fiscal context.</p> answering member constituency East Ham answering member printed Sir Stephen Timms question first answered 29/10/2024 11:37:58 answering member 163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms
tabling member	5122

1736897

registered interest
date	24/10/2024
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	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 current threshold for pension credit.
tabling member constituency	Runcorn and Helsby
tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
uin	11033
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2024 answer text <p>The rates of Pension Credit are reviewed annually as part of the Secretary of State’s statutory review of State pension and benefit rates. The review for 2025/26 has been completed and its conclusions announced to Parliament. Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Standard Minimum Guarantee in Pension Credit will increase from £218.15 to £227.10 a week for a single pensioner and from £332.95 to £346.60 a week for a pensioner couple. The new rates will take effect from 7 April 2025.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 31/10/2024 14:06:33 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1736898

registered interest
date	24/10/2024
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many additional applications for pension credit have been accepted in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland, (d) North West of England and (e) Runcorn and Helsby constituency in the last four months.
tabling member constituency	Runcorn and Helsby
tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
uin	11034
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2024 answer text <p>The department published information on 27<sup>th</sup> September on <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-pension-credit-claims-received-from-1-april-2024-to-1-september-2024/weekly-pension-credit-claims-received-from-1-april-2024-to-1-september-2024&amp;data=05|02|SPDPQSANDBRIEFINGS@DWP.GOV.UK|b58e5a9921ee43dcfed708dcf7431466|96f1f6e910574117ac2880cdfe86f8c3|0|0|638657114689377586|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0=|0|||&amp;sdata=ltZdooppXEG37GDof5dGhRZfBbxplwEXNj38BitWr5Q=&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">the number of applications between 1 April 2024 and 22 September 2024</a>. This showed a 152% increase in applications in the 8 weeks following the 29 July 2024 Winter Fuel Payment announcement by the chancellor.</p><p> </p><p>The <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/pension-credit-applications-and-awards-november-2024" target="_blank">Department has announced its plan to publish</a> updated information on Pension Credit Applications and Awards on 28 November 2024. We are currently unable to provide information at the geographic levels requested and the 28 November 2024 statistical release is currently planned to include data at the national level.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 29/10/2024 15:57:15 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1736911

registered interest
date	24/10/2024
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
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 make Jobcentres more effective at helping unemployed people into (a) work and (b) training.
tabling member constituency	Cannock Chase
tabling member printed	Josh Newbury
uin	11082
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2024 answer text <p>Government has set an ambition to get to an 80% employment rate, alongside raising living standards and tackling insecurity at work. The Government plans to tackle economic inactivity, support people into good work and help them to progress.</p><p><strong>Proposed reforms include: </strong></p><ul><li>A new public employment and careers service to help get more people into work and to progress in work.</li><li>Working with local areas to tackle economic inactivity including the development of joined-up work, health and skills plans for the economically inactive, with input from mayors, local councils, the NHS, businesses, colleges and the voluntary sector to address barriers and deliver employment opportunities for local people.</li><li>A youth guarantee for all people aged 18 to 21 to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or employment support.</li><li>DWP will shortly publish a white paper to these effects.</li></ul> answering member constituency Birkenhead answering member printed Alison McGovern question first answered 30/10/2024 15:41:36 answering member 4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern
tabling member	5034