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987718

registered interest
date	15/10/2018
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	If she will take steps to improve access to home assessments for claimants of personal independence payment and universal credit who are unable to attend an assessment centre.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	907052
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2018 answer text <p>It’s important to note that any claimant can request a home visit although I do recognise improvements can be made to ensure that those who need a home assessment are able to get one.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently considering aspects of our assessment processes, including how claimants requiring a home visit can be identified more effectively at the beginning of the process and the ease with which they can request one.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 15/10/2018 16:00:49 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

987719

registered interest
date	15/10/2018
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	What recent changes the Government has made to universal credit to protect the incomes of the most vulnerable claimants.
tabling member constituency	Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
tabling member printed	Bill Grant
uin	907057
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2018 answer text <p>We have already spent £1.5 billion on improvements during the first assessment period. We have already committed more money to protect the most vulnerable, including the 500,000 people currently receiving the Severe Disability Premium. A million disabled people will be better off.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 15/10/2018 16:11:09 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4605 label Biography information for Bill Grant

987742

registered interest
date	15/10/2018
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: Liverpool
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with housing associations in South Liverpool on the potential effect of the introduction of universal credit on tenants' ability to make rental payments.
tabling member constituency	Garston and Halewood
tabling member printed	Maria Eagle
uin	179125
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>We work extensively with stakeholders, including housing associations in South Liverpool, to support Universal Credit claimants to pay their rent. Several Liverpool based housing associations are enrolled as Trusted Partners on the Landlord Portal, including Riverside Housing which took part in the Trusted Partner Pilot, and which was one of the first housing associations to enrol on the Landlord Portal. Jobcentres in Liverpool have been working closely with a wide range of partners including Registered Social Landlords throughout the preparation and delivery stages of Universal Credit, to help tenants and identify areas where further support may be required.</p><p> </p><p>The best way to ensure people pay their rent is to help them into work. Under Universal Credit, people are moving into work faster and staying in work longer than under the previous system. The changes announced as part of the £1.5bn package of improvements in the Autumn 2017 Budget support claimants during the first assessment period to prevent them from falling into arrears while their claim is assessed.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 23/10/2018 16:40:54 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	483 label Biography information for Maria Eagle

987768

registered interest
date	15/10/2018
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	Temporary Employment: Mental Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effect of (a) zero-hour contracts and (b) non-permanent work on the mental health of employees.
tabling member constituency	Sunderland Central
tabling member printed	Julie Elliott
uin	179210
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>We recognise the importance of employment security and good work design to employee wellbeing and mental health.</p><p> </p><p>Both the Government and independent research has identified that zero hours contracts are an important part of a flexible, modern labour market. Zero hours contracts allow flexibility for both employers and individuals and are useful where work demands are irregular or where there is not a constant demand for staff. They can also provide a level of flexibility for the individual, which allows them to work around other commitments, such as study or childcare.</p><p> </p><p>However, we recognise concerns that the UK’s flexible labour market is not working fairly for everyone and that, in some cases, zero hours contracts are not used appropriately by business. That is why the Prime Minister asked Matthew Taylor to carry out his review to consider modern working practices and whether they need to change to keep pace with modern business models.</p><p> </p><p>Our detailed response to the review was published on 7 February 2018. In that response, we committed to take forward work on the vast majority of the 53 recommendations. The Government has committed to firm action and future legislation, and has consulted on how best to achieve change. We are now analysing the responses.</p><p> </p><p>Further, the Government also recognises the importance of mental health which is why the Prime Minister commissioned the Lord Dennis Stevenson and Paul Farmer, the Chief Executive of Mind, to conduct an independent review, <em>Thriving at Work</em> into how employers can better support all employees, including those with mental ill health or wellbeing, to remain in and thrive at work. It presented a compelling business case for employers to take action to improve the wellbeing of their employees providing recommendations for all employers to adopt six core standards that lay the basic foundations for an approach to workplace mental health.</p><p> </p><p>The Health and Safety Executive as an agency of DWP sets standards and provides resources and guidance for employers. These promote a preventative approach designed to reduce the impact of ill health that results from activities undertaken in the workplace and includes preventative actions on work-related mental ill health. The approach applies to all employers, regardless of the size of their business or nature of the employment contract used. HSE collects statistics gathered from the Labour Force Survey on self-reported work-related stress, anxiety and depression amongst workers within the last 12 months (see: <a href="http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/" target="_blank">http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/</a>). However, linking data on non-permanent work contracts to the group of workers reporting work-related mental ill health is unlikely to provide any reliable information.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 23/10/2018 16:56:37 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4127 label Biography information for Julie Elliott

987770

registered interest
date	15/10/2018
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: Social Media
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 spent on promoted content on (a) Twitter, (b) Facebook and (c) Instagram in each month since June 2017.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	179268
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>We are the biggest Government Department with a day to day operation on which around 22 million citizens depend. However we are conscious that many people who want information won’t be aware of Government channels. In these instances paying to reach the widest possible audience is both necessary and responsible. This is in line with other Government Departments.</p><p> </p><p>Between June 2017 and September 2018 The Department for Work and Pensions has spent £1,710,666 on promoted activity with these platforms through its media buying agency Carat.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/10/2018 16:17:14 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

987795

registered interest
date	15/10/2018
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 plans to take to provide low-income parents in receipt of universal credit with support for the payment of upfront childcare costs.
tabling member constituency	Bethnal Green and Bow
tabling member printed	Rushanara Ali
uin	179223
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>The Government recognises that childcare costs can affect parents’ decisions to take up paid work or increase their working hours, or remain in paid work. To overcome this barrier to employment we increased the level of support for childcare costs from 70 per cent in legacy benefits, to 85 per cent within Universal Credit. This means that working families claiming Universal Credit can reclaim up to 85 per cent of their eligible childcare costs each month, up to a maximum of £646.35 for one child and £1,108.04 for two or more children.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants with a firm job offer can claim Universal Credit Childcare costs up to 1 month prior to starting work to enable their children to settle into a new routine. We also offer extra support to enable parents to pay upfront childcare costs or deposits: for example, claimants may be eligible to receive an advance of their future Universal Credit entitlement, which is interest free. Work coaches and claimants work together to ensure that, where this is taken up, repayments are affordable and manageable.</p><p> </p><p>If a budgeting advance is not appropriate, the Flexible Support Fund may also provide assistance. Payments from this fund are non-repayable, and are managed locally to provide tailored and targeted support for claimants to move into work.</p><p> </p><p>Since February 2018, Universal Credit claimants have been able to upload digital copies of their childcare cost receipts or invoices through their online Universal Credit account, which also eases the burden on claimants.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 23/10/2018 16:48:11 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4138 label Biography information for Rushanara Ali

987801

registered interest
date	15/10/2018
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, for what reason a student maintenance loan is classed as income in respect of applications for universal credit.
tabling member constituency	High Peak
tabling member printed	Ruth George
uin	179316
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2018 answer text <p>Universal Credit does not duplicate the support provided by the student support system. An award of Universal Credit takes into account the elements of student loans or grants which provide for basic maintenance and disregards elements paid for specific additional costs, such as tuition or books. A flat rate monthly disregard of £110 is applied against the amount taken into account as student income.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 18/10/2018 16:15:06 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4662 label Biography information for Ruth George

987844

registered interest
date	15/10/2018
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims for (a) Personal Independence Payment and (b) Employment and Support Allowance were (i) made and (ii) awarded in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle
tabling member printed	Emma Hardy
uin	179301
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>The latest available data on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) registrations and clearances (i.e. whether the claim was awarded, disallowed or withdrawn) and the number of Employment and Support Allowance claimants who undertake a Work Capability Assessment and the related outcomes by month is publically available and can be found at <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Guidance for users is available at:</p><p><a href="https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 23/10/2018 14:12:36 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4645 label Biography information for Emma Hardy

987845

registered interest
date	15/10/2018
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: Endometriosis
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims for (a) personal independence payment and (b) employment and support allowance where Endometriosis was referenced in the application were (a) made and (b) awarded in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle
tabling member printed	Emma Hardy
uin	179302
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>In response to question a) on Personal Independence Payment (PIP), in the application process, claimants’ main disabling condition is only recorded for collation by the Department at assessment. It is not recorded at the point of application. The Department does not therefore hold data on the number of applicants to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) with a main disabling condition of Endometriosis.</p><p> </p><p>In response to question b) on PIP, the number of awards for claimants with Endometriosis as the main disabling condition for the last 3 years are included in the table below:</p><p> </p><p>Table 1: PIP Awards for claimants with Endometriosis as the main disabling condition for the past 3 years:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Number of PIP Claims Awarded</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>150</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>180</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018*</p></td><td><p>110</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>440</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>* Only includes data up to 31<sup>st</sup> July 2018.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes:</strong></p><p> </p><ul><li>The PIP Assessment outcome in Table 1 shows the outcome of the first DWP decision on each Assessment (i.e. prior to any reconsideration, appeal action and award review), where that decision was made between 1st January 2016 and 31st July 2018.</li><li>Data is based on main disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer system. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the main disabling condition is shown in these statistics.</li><li>PIP data includes normal rules and special rules for the terminally ill claimants, and is for both new claims and DLA reassessment claims.</li><li>This is unpublished data. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.</li><li>Data taken from the PIP computer system’s management information.</li><li>Data has been rounded to the nearest 10.</li><li># indicates a value of less than 10.</li><li>Statistical disclosure control has been applied to this table to avoid the release of confidential data. Totals may not sum due to the disclosure control applied.</li><li>Figures are for Great Britain only.</li><li>Figures are correct as at 31<sup>st</sup> July 2018.</li></ul><p>In response to questions a) and b) on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), the information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 23/10/2018 14:43:33 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4645 label Biography information for Emma Hardy

987875

registered interest
date	15/10/2018
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: Learning Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training Jobcentre Plus staff receive to ensure that they are able to fully support people with learning disabilities to find work.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham, Deptford
tabling member printed	Vicky Foxcroft
uin	179256
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>Jobcentre Plus staff receive training that includes topics which provide staff with the awareness, skills and knowledge to support people with learning disabilities to find work. This enables our people to provide the best customer experience tailored to the individual</p><p> </p><p>The training specifically provides an understanding of the characteristics of customers with learning disabilities, identifying and discussing support they may require along with measures and techniques that they can use to ensure that the best outcome for the individual is reached.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 23/10/2018 16:44:56 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4491 label Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft