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

1673512

registered interest
date	28/11/2023
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: Interviews
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of benefit applications involved a face-to-face interview in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
uin	4098
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill grouped question UIN 4100 question first answered 04/12/2023 16:44:36 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1673513

registered interest
date	28/11/2023
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: Interviews
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to increase the number and proportion of benefit decisions that include a face-to-face interview with the claimant.
tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
uin	4099
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>Many benefits across DWP use interviews or consultations to establish entitlement or eligibility. For example, Universal Credit requires face to face interviews for claimant commitments which impact eligibility, and Personal Independence Payment and the Work Capability Assessment use health-related consultations delivered in person, through telephony or video to help DWP decision makers determine eligibility.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 04/12/2023 16:46:13 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1673514

registered interest
date	28/11/2023
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: Interviews
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of applications made (a) following face-to-face interviews and (b) determined on paper were successful in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
uin	4100
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill grouped question UIN 4098 question first answered 04/12/2023 16:44:36 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1673638

registered interest
date	28/11/2023
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: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to reduce waiting times for PIP assessments.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Lloyd Russell-Moyle
uin	4239
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>We are committed to ensuring people can access financial support through Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in a timely manner.  Reducing customer journey times for PIP claimants is a priority for the department and we are working constantly to make improvements to our service.</p><p /><p>We always aim to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to review all available evidence, including that from the claimant.</p><p /><p>We have seen a decrease in PIP clearance times, with the latest statistics showing that the average end-to-end journey has reduced from 26 weeks in August 2021 to 15 weeks at the end of July 2023. This is because we’re:</p><p /><ul><li>using a blend of phone, video and face-to-face assessments to support customers and deliver a more efficient and user-centred service;</li><li>increasing case manager and assessment provider health professional resource; and</li><li>prioritising new claims, while ensuring that claimants awaiting award reviews do not fall out of payment through no fault of their own.</li></ul><p> </p><p>In addition, the Health Transformation Programme (HTP) is modernising health and disability benefit services to create a more efficient service, to reduce processing times and improving trust in our services and decisions. As part of this, from July 2023, a limited number of claimants have been able to begin their claim for PIP entirely online, which we aim to roll out across England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the end of 2024.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 04/12/2023 12:06:17 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4615 label Biography information for Lloyd Russell-Moyle

1673641

registered interest
date	28/11/2023
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	Maternity Allowance: Eligibility
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 paragraph 3.10 of the Autumn Statement 2023, CP 977, published on 22 November 2023, if he will take steps to ensure self-employed parents remain able to verify their eligibility for maternity allowance.
tabling member constituency	Walthamstow
tabling member printed	Stella Creasy
uin	4139
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>Self-employed parents will continue to be able to claim Maternity Allowance. We are working to reflect the changes announced in the Autumn Statement in the claims process for Maternity Allowance announced and details will be published in due course.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 04/12/2023 14:25:58 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	4088 label Biography information for Stella Creasy

1673643

registered interest
date	28/11/2023
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: Applications
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 28 November 2023 to Question 3498 on Pension Credit: Applications, what steps his Department is taking to modernise the Pension Credit application process.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North East
tabling member printed	Anne McLaughlin
uin	4204
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>Citizens currently have the choice of three routes to make an application to Pension Credit, online, by phone or by paper. Through our Service Modernisation Programme, DWP aims to further improve the process of claiming Pension Credit based on user research with customers and their representatives.</p><p><em> </em></p><p /><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 04/12/2023 14:20:12 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	4437 label Biography information for Anne McLaughlin

1673672

registered interest
date	28/11/2023
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: Mental Health Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to support the delivery of mental health first aid in the workplace.
tabling member constituency	Stockport
tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
uin	4289
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for the Health and Safety (First-Aid Regulations) 1981 which require employers to provide first aid to employees who are injured or become ill at work.</p><p> </p><p>The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations are designed to help individuals who require immediate intervention or support where necessary until professional emergency care arrives. They require employers to consider mental health alongside physical health when undertaking a first aid needs assessment.</p><p> </p><p>An employer’s assessment of first aid needs requires a risk based approach and should consider whether training employees in mental health first aid is necessary in their workplace.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 04/12/2023 16:16:32 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1673701

registered interest
date	28/11/2023
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	Cold Weather Payments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to support pensioners over winter 2023-24.
tabling member constituency	Bournemouth East
tabling member printed	Mr Tobias Ellwood
uin	4094
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2023 answer text <p>The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living which is why it is providing total support of over £94bn in 2022/23 and 2023/24 to help households and individuals with their rising bills.</p><p> </p><p>This winter over 8 million pensioner households will receive a £300 pensioner Cost of Living Payment in addition to their conventional Winter Fuel Payment. This means that a household with someone aged 66-79 will receive an increased payment of £500 and a household with someone aged 80 or over will receive an increased payment of £600. Most payments will be made automatically in November and December.</p><p>Cold Weather Payments are also available to help vulnerable people in receipt of certain income-related benefits in England and Wales to meet additional heating costs, during periods of unseasonably cold weather between 1 November and 31 March. This includes older people in receipt of Pension Credit. Those eligible will automatically receive £25 when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0°C or below over seven consecutive days.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to maximise opportunities to raise awareness of Pension Credit. On 28 November, we launched the ‘Countdown to Deadline Day’ media push, highlighting that there is still time to apply for Pension Credit by the 10 December and be eligible for a £300 Cost of Living Payment (payable to those on income-related benefits including Pension Credit), thanks to the Pension Credit backdating rules. Our messaging also emphasises that the average Pension Credit award is now worth over £3,900 per year and that an award of Pension Credit can open the door to a range of other support, including help with housing costs, council tax and heating bills.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 05/12/2023 11:15:13 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood

1673723

registered interest
date	28/11/2023
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 Ombudsman: 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 his Department is taking to reduce the waiting times for the Pensions Ombudsman to respond to enquiries that the Early Resolution Team have escalated.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	4291
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>TPO’s Early Resolution team (ERT) investigates complaints where TPO believes the complaint may be resolved informally. Over 80% of cases that go to ERT are resolved there, but where this is not possible, the complaint is passed to TPO’s Adjudication Team. Cases may then be escalated to the Pensions Ombudsman where the complainant does not agree with the adjudicator’s decision.</p><p> </p><p>DWP have recently provided additional funding to TPO towards reducing waiting times. This funding has been used to create a new casework support team. This has significantly increased case clearances.</p><p> </p><p>Due to variation in the complexity of cases, TPO does not currently hold validated data on the average time for cases to pass through the Adjudication Team and Ombudsman.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 04/12/2023 14:28:37 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1673725

registered interest
date	28/11/2023
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 Ombudsman: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of (a) financial and (b) staffing support for the Pensions Ombudsman in (i) 2020, (ii) 2021, (iii) 2022 and (iv) 2023 to date.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	4292
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>DWP have increased the financial support to The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO), with an additional £750,000 of funding provided in 2022/23 towards tackling the case backlog and an additional £1,698,347 in 2023/24 towards the case backlog and waiting times, enabling TPO to create a new casework support team. This has significantly increased case clearances.</p><p> </p><p>The Department also provide support, when necessary, in the areas of digital, commercial, security and HR alongside continuing stewardship support and advice.</p><p> </p><p>The TPO 2022/23 annual report and accounts are due to be laid in Parliament and will provide further detail.</p><p /> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 04/12/2023 14:33:28 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare