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1078450

registered interest
date	27/02/2019
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: Homelessness
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department provides to help homeless applicants make a claim for universal credit.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	226486
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2019 answer text <p>DWP is committed to providing the best possible support for all our claimants, including the most vulnerable in society. We are continuously reviewing and improving the service for vulnerable people to ensure that it is accessible and responsive to their needs.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit has been designed with accessibility in mind and we are committed to providing personalised support for all claimants. Where a homeless claimant requires assistance to complete the initial application process support is available face to face in the Jobcentre. Service delivery teams within jobcentres provide a professional and supportive environment for our customers, providing digital coaching and helping claimants set up and maintain their Universal Credit claims.</p><p> </p><p>If a claimant needs more intensive or specific support to make their claim, face-to-face and other help is available through our current Universal Support Assisted Digital Service offer, which provides bespoke help, support and skills for claimants to make and maintain their digital account online. Since 2017, Universal Support has been delivered by local authorities, funded by grants from DWP.</p><p> </p><p>From 1 April 2019 Citizens Advice (England and Wales) and Citizens Advice Scotland will deliver a new “Help to Claim” service to support vulnerable claimants through the process of making a claim to Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>Jobcentres in England refer claimants considered to be homeless or at risk of homelessness, to the local authority to receive further housing support. The referral is voluntary and there is no impact on the claimants Universal Credit award if they do not consent to the referral being made.</p><p> </p><p>Additional safeguards in place and support available to assist homeless people in making a claim for Universal Credit include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>If a person doesn’t have a fixed address, they can register their hostel or temporary accommodation as their address, and if they are sleeping rough they can use the address of their local jobcentre.</li><li>A work coach can use other methods to identify a person where someone does not have ID, including the use of biographical questions and third party biographical verification.</li><li>Measures are in place to make payments through other methods where someone doesn’t have a bank account, including post office card accounts or the Payment Exception Service. Work coaches can also help people through the process of setting up a bank account where appropriate.</li></ul> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 04/03/2019 15:22:55 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1078451

registered interest
date	27/02/2019
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	State Retirement Pensions
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 4 July 2018 to Question 160779, how many (a) men and (b) women in private sector pensions schemes were contracted-out between 1978-79 and 1987-88; and how many of those (i) men and (ii) women (A) have reached state retirement age since the introduction of the single tier pension and (B) are still to reach state retirement age.
tabling member constituency	Falkirk
tabling member printed	John McNally
uin	226688
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2019 answer text <p>Under the old State Pension, there was a basic State Pension, based on the number of years of employment, and an earnings-related element (additional State Pension). From 1978 until April 2016 it was possible for employees and employers to contract-out of the additional State Pension (SERPS and, from 6 April 2002, State Second Pension) on condition that the employer provided a pension of, at least, a statutory minimum.</p><p> </p><p>Prior to 1988 contracting-out was restricted to Defined Benefit schemes and there was no individual choice. Until April 2012 it was possible to contract-out by joining a Defined Contribution workplace pension scheme or a personal pension scheme which met certain conditions instead. Contracting-out for salary-related Defined Benefit schemes remained open until 5 April 2016. Contracted-out through a salary-related workplace pension scheme meant that the employee and employer paid lower National Insurance contributions and, in doing so, the employee would receive a lower (or no) additional State Pension. However, they would be receiving a workplace pension instead.</p><p> </p><p>An individual’s basic State Pension is not affected. Separate rules apply if an individual is a member of a salary-related pension scheme before 6 April 1997. These rights, known as the Guaranteed Minimum Pension, cannot be taken before age 65 (men) or 60 (women). Contracting-out finally ended on 6 April 2016, and this means that all employees now pay the same rate of NI.</p><p> </p><p>The specific information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 07/03/2019 11:11:00 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4424 label Biography information for John McNally

1078458

registered interest
date	27/02/2019
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, how many universal credit claimants have benefited from the provisions under section 119 (3) (a) and (b) of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 that hardship payments cease to be recoverable in the event that such claimants have earnings above the thresholds specified in those regulations in each month since August 2015.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	226487
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur a disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 04/03/2019 17:21:46 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1078459

registered interest
date	27/02/2019
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	Jobcentre Plus: Autism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training has been provided to Jobcentre Plus staff in the (a) UK and (b) Easington Constituency to support (i) people with autism and (ii) family carers looking after a child with autism to ensure they can access all necessary services.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	226654
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2019 answer text <p>DWP is committed to providing the best possible support for all our claimants, including the most vulnerable in society. We are continuously reviewing and improving the service for vulnerable people to ensure that it is accessible and responsive to their needs.</p><p>Work coaches undergo a comprehensive learning journey designed to equip them with the tools, skills and behaviours required to provide a high quality service to all claimants. Specific training and guidance is provided for working with different vulnerable groups and those with complex needs including claimants with Autistic Spectrum Conditions.</p><p>In addition, Work Coaches are supported by Disability Employment Advisers (DEA) who work in partnership with Work Psychologists to improve the capability of all Work Coaches to better support claimants with disabilities. DEAs based at Jobcentres within the Easington constituency undergo additional training through the North East Autism Society.</p><p>Nationally, there is a range of support available for young people with autism, including:</p><p>•The Work and Health Programme, which offers a personalised local approach to supporting people, overcome barriers to employment, by targeting specialist support to those who are likely to be able to find work within 12 months.</p><p>•Access to Work, which has a Hidden Impairment Specialist Team offers advice and guidance to help employers support employees with conditions such as Autism, Learning Disability and/or Mental Health conditions.</p><p>•Young people who start a work placement with an employer as part of the Department for Education supported internship programme or a traineeship are eligible to apply for Access to Work support for the period of the work placement. Supported internships are for young people aged 16—24 with learning difficulties or learning disabilities, who want to get a job and need extra support to do this.</p><p>•The Disability Confident scheme, through which DWP is engaging with employers and helping to promote the skills, talents and abilities of people with autism and associated conditions. Over 10,000 businesses have signed up to Disability Confident since it was launched in November 2016.</p><p>•The Disability Passport ‘About Me’, developed to encourage disabled claimants, including individuals with autism, to disclose their disability/ health conditions at the earliest stage to their Adviser, to improve communication and ensure reasonable adjustments are put in place. The passport was launched in March 2017 and is hosted on Autism Alliance’s website</p><p>•The Local Supported Employment Proof of Concept, which is being delivered with nine local authorities and will support those with a learning disability or autism who are known to adult social care, or those in contact with secondary mental health services.</p><p>We are also improving access to apprenticeships for people with learning disabilities and difficulties. For example, the government has introduced legislation which adjusts the minimum English and Maths requirements for apprenticeships for people with a learning difficulty or disability to entry Level 3. This change allows more people to benefit from the opportunities available through apprenticeships and work.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 04/03/2019 16:33:53 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1078473

registered interest
date	27/02/2019
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 assessment she has made of the potential merits of bringing forward the increase of the maximum period for recovery of universal credit advance payments from 12 to 16 months, currently scheduled for October 2021.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	226694
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit new claim advances are made on account of a claimant’s expected future Universal Credit entitlement. They are available to those who cannot wait until their first Universal Credit payment is due, in order to provide extra financial support for those who need it most. Because this payment is an advance of entitlement, this is recovered over time.</p><p> </p><p>It was announced at Autumn Budget 2018 that there would be an increase to the maximum recovery period for Universal Credit advances from 12 to 16 months from October 2021.</p><p> </p><p>There is no minimum recovery rate for Universal Credit advances. The rate deducted from a claimant’s Universal Credit is generally determined by the amount of their entitlement advance divided by the number of monthly assessment periods which they choose at the outset for the advanced amount to be recovered from. This is subject to an overall maximum rate of 40 per cent of the claimant’s standard allowance. As a result of the change introduced in the 2018 Autumn Budget, from October 2019 this maximum will reduce to 30 per cent of the claimant’s standard allowance.</p><p>During the recovery of the advance, exceptional circumstances may occur that were not foreseen when the advance was taken out. For example, hospital visits resulting in unexpected and regular bus/taxi fares. If these circumstances push the claimant into genuine hardship resulting in difficulty repaying the advance over the agreed recovery time, a maximum 3-month deferral can be considered.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 226695 226696 226697 question first answered 04/03/2019 17:31:04 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1078474

registered interest
date	27/02/2019
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 the new minimum rate of monthly deductions towards repayment of universal credit advance payments will be as a proportion of a claimant’s standard allowance once the maximum repayment period has been extended to 16 months, as scheduled for October 2021.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	226695
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit new claim advances are made on account of a claimant’s expected future Universal Credit entitlement. They are available to those who cannot wait until their first Universal Credit payment is due, in order to provide extra financial support for those who need it most. Because this payment is an advance of entitlement, this is recovered over time.</p><p> </p><p>It was announced at Autumn Budget 2018 that there would be an increase to the maximum recovery period for Universal Credit advances from 12 to 16 months from October 2021.</p><p> </p><p>There is no minimum recovery rate for Universal Credit advances. The rate deducted from a claimant’s Universal Credit is generally determined by the amount of their entitlement advance divided by the number of monthly assessment periods which they choose at the outset for the advanced amount to be recovered from. This is subject to an overall maximum rate of 40 per cent of the claimant’s standard allowance. As a result of the change introduced in the 2018 Autumn Budget, from October 2019 this maximum will reduce to 30 per cent of the claimant’s standard allowance.</p><p>During the recovery of the advance, exceptional circumstances may occur that were not foreseen when the advance was taken out. For example, hospital visits resulting in unexpected and regular bus/taxi fares. If these circumstances push the claimant into genuine hardship resulting in difficulty repaying the advance over the agreed recovery time, a maximum 3-month deferral can be considered.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 226694 226696 226697 question first answered 04/03/2019 17:31:04 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1078475

registered interest
date	27/02/2019
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, whether her Department have carried out impact assessments on the requirement for universal credit advance payments to be repaid at a minimum rate of 10 per cent of the standard allowance.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	226696
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit new claim advances are made on account of a claimant’s expected future Universal Credit entitlement. They are available to those who cannot wait until their first Universal Credit payment is due, in order to provide extra financial support for those who need it most. Because this payment is an advance of entitlement, this is recovered over time.</p><p> </p><p>It was announced at Autumn Budget 2018 that there would be an increase to the maximum recovery period for Universal Credit advances from 12 to 16 months from October 2021.</p><p> </p><p>There is no minimum recovery rate for Universal Credit advances. The rate deducted from a claimant’s Universal Credit is generally determined by the amount of their entitlement advance divided by the number of monthly assessment periods which they choose at the outset for the advanced amount to be recovered from. This is subject to an overall maximum rate of 40 per cent of the claimant’s standard allowance. As a result of the change introduced in the 2018 Autumn Budget, from October 2019 this maximum will reduce to 30 per cent of the claimant’s standard allowance.</p><p>During the recovery of the advance, exceptional circumstances may occur that were not foreseen when the advance was taken out. For example, hospital visits resulting in unexpected and regular bus/taxi fares. If these circumstances push the claimant into genuine hardship resulting in difficulty repaying the advance over the agreed recovery time, a maximum 3-month deferral can be considered.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 226694 226695 226697 question first answered 04/03/2019 17:31:04 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1078476

registered interest
date	27/02/2019
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 assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a means-tested income and expenditure assessment in respect of deductions from universal credit for the recovery of advance payments to ensure that repayment rates are based on a claimant's ability to pay.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	226697
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit new claim advances are made on account of a claimant’s expected future Universal Credit entitlement. They are available to those who cannot wait until their first Universal Credit payment is due, in order to provide extra financial support for those who need it most. Because this payment is an advance of entitlement, this is recovered over time.</p><p> </p><p>It was announced at Autumn Budget 2018 that there would be an increase to the maximum recovery period for Universal Credit advances from 12 to 16 months from October 2021.</p><p> </p><p>There is no minimum recovery rate for Universal Credit advances. The rate deducted from a claimant’s Universal Credit is generally determined by the amount of their entitlement advance divided by the number of monthly assessment periods which they choose at the outset for the advanced amount to be recovered from. This is subject to an overall maximum rate of 40 per cent of the claimant’s standard allowance. As a result of the change introduced in the 2018 Autumn Budget, from October 2019 this maximum will reduce to 30 per cent of the claimant’s standard allowance.</p><p>During the recovery of the advance, exceptional circumstances may occur that were not foreseen when the advance was taken out. For example, hospital visits resulting in unexpected and regular bus/taxi fares. If these circumstances push the claimant into genuine hardship resulting in difficulty repaying the advance over the agreed recovery time, a maximum 3-month deferral can be considered.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 226694 226695 226696 question first answered 04/03/2019 17:31:04 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1078477

registered interest
date	27/02/2019
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: Vulnerable Adults
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 need for reasonable adjustments for vulnerable universal credit claimants, who cannot read or write, to have access to alternative means of communication with their work coach other than through the online journal.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	226698
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2019 answer text <p>The Department is committed to providing personalised support for all claimants, including those who cannot read or write. Each individual’s circumstances are different and therefore the support that we provide must be tailored to these individual needs.</p><p>Claimants who cannot communicate through their online journal can access face-to-face assistance via their Jobcentre. Further support is also available via our free phone Universal Credit helpline to help them maintain their claim.</p><p>In certain circumstances, where a claimant is unable to manage their own affairs, an appointee can act on their behalf, taking responsibility for making and maintaining any benefit claim. An appointee can be an individual, e.g. a friend or relative, an organisation or representative of an organisation, e.g. a solicitor or local council. The process for enlisting a DWP appointee includes a visit to the claimant and an interview with the potential appointee.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 04/03/2019 16:50:06 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1078478

registered interest
date	27/02/2019
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Disqualification
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of employment and support allowance in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have received a sanction of their benefit in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Jarrow
tabling member printed	Mr Stephen Hepburn
uin	226557
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2019 answer text <p>Sanctions are only used in a small percentage of cases, and that is when people fail to meet their agreed commitments without good reason. When considering whether a sanction is appropriate, a Decision Maker will take all the claimant’s individual circumstances, including any health conditions or disabilities, domestic emergencies and any evidence of good reason, into account before deciding whether a sanction is warranted.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The latest Benefit Sanction Statistics (for Great Britain), released in February 2019, show that just 0.03% of ESA claimants in the Work Related Activity Group had a reduction in benefit as a result of a sanction.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The number of Employment and Support Allowance claimants who have been sanctioned by parliamentary constituency, local authority and region is published at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance for users is available at:</p><p> </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 Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 07/03/2019 14:59:50 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	520 label Biography information for Mr Stephen Hepburn