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1678281

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
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	Poverty: Children
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UNICEF report Child Poverty in the Midst of Wealth, published on 6 December, and its conclusion that of the 39 OECD and EU countries featured in the report, the UK has seen the largest increase in child poverty since 2014.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Durham
uin	HL1205
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>The most recent available data, covering 2021/22 shows that relative poverty rates for children remain unchanged since 2009/10. On an absolute basis, which better represents changes to actual living standards, the rate after housing costs has fallen by 5 percentage points across the same period. There were 400,000 fewer children in absolute poverty after housing costs in 2021/22 compared to 2009/10.</p><p> </p><p>The most recent available OECD data shows that the United Kingdom has a relative poverty rate for 0–17-year-olds comparable to large European countries such as France and Germany and below Australia, the United States and Italy.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to reducing poverty, including child poverty, and supporting low-income families. We will spend around £276bn through the welfare system in Great Britain in 2023/24 including around £124bn on people of working age and children.</p><p> </p><p>Our approach to tackling poverty is based on clear evidence that parental employment, particularly where its full time, reduces the risk of poverty. In the financial year 2021 to 2022, children living in households where all adults work were around 5 times less likely to be in absolute poverty after housing costs than those living in workless households.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 20/12/2023 16:55:03 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	4312 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Durham

1678319

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
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	Disability
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish their disability action plan; and whether they expect publication to be delayed due to the cancellation of the role of minister for disabled people, health and work.
tabling member printed	Lord Watson of Invergowrie
uin	HL1243
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2023 answer text <p>The Disability Action Plan consultation was published on 18 July 2023. The consultation ran for 12 weeks from 18 July to 6 October 2023. Since then, we have been carefully working through the responses and will publish our response to that plan in early 2024.</p><p> </p><p>On 14 December, Government confirmed the appointment of Mims Davies as the new Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work.</p><p> </p><p>The Minister will build upon this Government’s strong track record and champion the issues disabled people face to ensure that their voices continue to be heard in all parts of government. We will build on our existing measures including through our multi-billion-pound support plans announced at Autumn Statement to help millions more disabled people get into and stay in work.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 21/12/2023 11:18:42 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	1241 label Biography information for Lord Watson of Invergowrie

1676826

registered interest
date	11/12/2023
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: Uprating
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether the social security benefit cap will be lifted in line with inflation in April 2024; and if not, why.
tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
uin	HL1068
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2023 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has a statutory obligation to review the levels at least once every five years. There is no requirement until November 2027.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 19/12/2023 13:52:35 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1676831

registered interest
date	11/12/2023
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	Household Support Fund
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Autumn Statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 22 November (HC Deb cols 325–357), what plans they have to extend the Household Support Fund.
tabling member printed	Lord Polak
uin	HL1073
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>The Government has provided over £2 billion in funding for the Household Support Fund since October 2021.</p><p>The current Household Support Fund runs from April 2023 until the end of March 2024, and the Government continues to keep all its existing programmes under review in the usual way.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 20/12/2023 16:46:07 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	4547 label Biography information for Lord Polak

1676135

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
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	Access to Work Programme
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what is the estimated average time span from application to payment for employment support providers seeking help from the Access to Work scheme.
tabling member printed	Lord Touhig
uin	HL954
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2023 answer text <p>We do not routinely collect data on the funding provided directly to employment support providers. Access to Work funding is, in most cases, paid directly to the customer, unless the customer requests that the funding is paid directly to an employment support provider.</p><p> </p><p>Access to work has recruited additional staff to ensure a high level of customer service. The digital payments portal was introduced in June 2023 and is available for all customers that choose to claim online.</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work has received significant increase in payment claims over the last year and have recruited new staff to meet the increased demand and reduce the time it takes to make payments<strong>.</strong></p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL955 HL957 question first answered 14/12/2023 16:33:25 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig

1676136

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
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	Access to Work Programme: Administrative Delays
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any delays, and the reasons for such delays, in paying funds to employment support providers who have successfully applied for help from the Access to Work scheme.
tabling member printed	Lord Touhig
uin	HL955
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2023 answer text <p>We do not routinely collect data on the funding provided directly to employment support providers. Access to Work funding is, in most cases, paid directly to the customer, unless the customer requests that the funding is paid directly to an employment support provider.</p><p> </p><p>Access to work has recruited additional staff to ensure a high level of customer service. The digital payments portal was introduced in June 2023 and is available for all customers that choose to claim online.</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work has received significant increase in payment claims over the last year and have recruited new staff to meet the increased demand and reduce the time it takes to make payments<strong>.</strong></p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL954 HL957 question first answered 14/12/2023 16:33:25 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig

1676137

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
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	Access to Work Programme: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether the budget for the Access to Work scheme has been underspent, and if so, by how much, in each of the past five years.
tabling member printed	Lord Touhig
uin	HL956
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>Access to Work grant expenditure has been underspent against budget in three of the past five years.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>18/19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>19/20</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>20/21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>21/22</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>22/23</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Budget (mid-year adjusted)</p></td><td><p>117.1</p></td><td><p>145.3</p></td><td><p>108.6</p></td><td><p>151.9</p></td><td><p>178.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Full year outturn</p></td><td><p>124.5</p></td><td><p>146.8</p></td><td><p>104.5</p></td><td><p>146.5</p></td><td><p>177.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>(Over) / Underspend</p></td><td><p><strong>(7.4)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>(1.4)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>4.1</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>5.5</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>1.0</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Other than years impacted by the Pandemic, the grant expenditure has increased year on year.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 20/12/2023 16:44:18 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig

1676138

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
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	Access to Work Programme
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many employment support providers have received support from the Access to Work scheme in each of the past five years.
tabling member printed	Lord Touhig
uin	HL957
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2023 answer text <p>We do not routinely collect data on the funding provided directly to employment support providers. Access to Work funding is, in most cases, paid directly to the customer, unless the customer requests that the funding is paid directly to an employment support provider.</p><p> </p><p>Access to work has recruited additional staff to ensure a high level of customer service. The digital payments portal was introduced in June 2023 and is available for all customers that choose to claim online.</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work has received significant increase in payment claims over the last year and have recruited new staff to meet the increased demand and reduce the time it takes to make payments<strong>.</strong></p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL954 HL955 question first answered 14/12/2023 16:33:25 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig

1676139

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
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	Access to Work Programme
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government why autism is defined as a disability in some application forms for help from the Access to Work scheme and not in other cases.
tabling member printed	Lord Touhig
uin	HL958
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2023 answer text <p>To apply for Access to Work customers must complete an application either online or over the phone. The application is the same no matter how they complete it. Customers are asked to describe their condition in their own words and how it impacts their work. The application form does not list or ask about any specific conditions. This supports the principle that Access to Work is tailored to each customer’s disability and support need.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 13/12/2023 12:59:37 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig

1674989

registered interest
date	04/12/2023
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	Local Housing Allowance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential benefits of ending the freeze in Local Housing Allowance rates before April 2024.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford
uin	HL809
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2023 answer text <p>As announced by the Chancellor in the recent Autumn Statement, the Government will be investing £1.2 billion in 24/25 increasing LHA rates to the 30th percentile of local market rents. This is a significant investment of over £7 billion over the next five years.</p><p> </p><p>Secondary legislation is required for this increase, which will be laid in January and will come into force by 31st January 2024. This allows the Department for Work and Pensions and local authorities sufficient time to implement the rates from April 2024 and ensure claimants are paid accurately. Increases to other benefits also apply from April 2024 onwards.</p><p> </p><p>For those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs and need further support Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. Since 2011 the Government has provided nearly £1.7 billion in DHP funding to local authorities.</p><p><em> </em></p><p>Since October 2021, Government has provided over £2 billion to local authorities in England via the Household Support Fund (HSF) for them to provide discretionary support with the cost of essentials to those most in need. As with all government spending in England, the HSF has led to consequential increases in Barnett funding, which the Devolved Administrations can spend at their discretion.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 12/12/2023 13:43:21 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	4922 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford