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1147008

registered interest
date	30/09/2019
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	Access to Work Programme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has for Access to Work to fund communication support for disabled people who are required to undertake work-related activity as a condition for receiving employment and support allowance.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	292299
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/10/2019 answer text <p>I have no plans to expand the eligibility criteria for Access to Work.</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work is a grant that provides practical and financial support for individuals whose health or disability affects the way that they do their job. The type of support is tailored to an individual’s needs and can include travel to work, support workers, communication support and specialist aids and equipment for the individual, as well as advice for employers and awareness raising sessions for their staff.</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work does not replace the duty an employer has under the Equality Act to make reasonable adjustments. Instead it provides support that is over and above that which is a reasonable adjustment.</p><p> </p><p>To be eligible for this grant, the person must be in work or about to enter work. This can include disabled people who are undertaking employment and support allowance permitted work, support permitted work and permitted work Personal Capability assessment as a work-related activity.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 03/10/2019 13:37:16 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1146479

registered interest
date	26/09/2019
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	Children: Maintenance
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 5 September 2019 to Question 285165 on Children: Maintenance, for what reasons she has not made an assessment of the effect on equality of calculating child maintenance liabilities using gross income due to different tax liabilities in the constituent parts of the UK.
tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
tabling member printed	Martyn Day
uin	291411
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>An assessment of the decision to use gross income to calculate child maintenance liabilities was carried out when we developed the 2012 statutory scheme.</p><p> </p><p>It is important that the rules used to calculate a child maintenance liability are applied consistently to avoid the complexities for clients that would result from applying different rules to different parts of the UK. The maintenance calculation is designed to be affordable for the non-resident parent, while still ensuring that they contribute a significant proportion of their income to support children they no longer live with.</p><p> </p><p>There is no evidence to suggest that parents are disproportionately affected by the decision to use gross income, because of where they reside in the UK.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 01/10/2019 15:55:41 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1146585

registered interest
date	26/09/2019
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: Payments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the effect of ending the five week wait for the first universal credit payment on (a) levels of poverty and (b) the public purse.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	291450
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>Nobody has to wait for five weeks for a payment following an application for Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit new claim advances provide access to a payment for those in financial need, which can be accessed urgently, until their first regular Universal Credit payment is due. Claimants can access up to 100% of the total expected monthly award, which they can pay back over a period of up to 12 months. We have announced that from October 2021, the repayment period for these advances will be extended further, to 16 months.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has delivered a number of improvements to support claimants during their first assessment period, such as removing waiting days and paying those claimants moving from Housing Benefit onto Universal Credit a two week ‘transitional housing payment’. We are also introducing a two-week run on for eligible claimants of Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance from July 2020.</p><p> </p><p>Assessment periods align to the way the majority of employees are paid, and how utility companies and other service providers collect payments. This allows Universal Credit to be adjusted each month, which means that if a claimant’s income falls they will not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 01/10/2019 13:58:32 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1146586

registered interest
date	26/09/2019
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	Social Security Benefits: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the merits of replicating the policy of the Scottish Government to require full medical records to be available for disability benefit assessments.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	291451
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>It is a matter for the Scottish Government how they assess entitlement for devolved benefits.</p><p> </p><p>The Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment and the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) are based on the impact of a person’s disability or health condition, not on the condition itself and are not medical assessments. Therefore, medical evidence forms only part of the picture needed to assess someone’s functional needs or ability.</p><p> </p><p>We ask people to send in evidence they already have to support their claim. Our Assessment Providers and Case Managers will ask GPs, hospitals and other healthcare or social care professionals for further evidence where they think that would be helpful.</p><p> </p><p>To offer a more joined-up service to disabled people, the DWP Health Transformation Programme will be integrating the services that deliver PIP and WCA. Our ambition is to make the assessment process simpler, more transparent and more user-friendly.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 01/10/2019 13:02:02 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1146587

registered interest
date	26/09/2019
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	Social Security Benefits: Disability
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 an assessment of the merits of only having face-to-face medical assessments for disability benefits if that is requested by the claimant.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	291452
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>Face-to-face consultations give individuals the opportunity to put across their own views of the impact of their health condition or impairment on their everyday lives. However, we recognise that attending a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment or Work Capability Assessment (WCA) can be a stressful experience, which is why our Assessment Providers do not carry out face-to-face assessments where there is enough existing evidence to determine an individual’s functional restrictions.</p><p> </p><p>Our ambition is to make the assessment process simpler and more user-friendly by, where possible, gathering better evidence earlier in the claim to reduce the need for unnecessary face-to-face assessments.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 01/10/2019 13:10:01 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1146693

registered interest
date	26/09/2019
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	Food Banks
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Government plans to publish its report into the factors driving the use of food banks.
tabling member constituency	Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford
tabling member printed	Yvette Cooper
uin	291234
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>The Department is currently working on the literature review and a release date is yet to be determined.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p /> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 01/10/2019 13:47:23 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	420 label Biography information for Yvette Cooper

1145678

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
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	Social Security Benefits: Special Educational Needs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what alternative financial provision his Department has made available for young people with SEND who are (a) in full-time further education and (b) aged 20 or above and no longer have access to non-contributory employment and support allowance.
tabling member constituency	Garston and Halewood
tabling member printed	Maria Eagle
uin	290675
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>A disabled student determined to have Limited Capability for Work (Work Related Activity Group) or Limited Capability for Work Related Activity (Support Group), in receipt of PIP/DLA, who has moved from Employment and Support Allowance to Universal Credit following a change in circumstances, with no break in their claim will meet the criteria to receive Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>A person requiring financial support is able to claim Universal Credit alongside their PIP/DLA payments.</p><p> </p><p><strong>The following special points should be noted:</strong></p><p> </p><p>When claimants are undertaking education/training while claiming UC, their conditionality will depend on their circumstances and the labour market regime they are placed in. For example:</p><ul><li>Claimants who are still eligible for UC whist receiving education are placed in the No Work Related Requirements Group.</li><li>Education/training may be compatible with a claimant’s work-related requirements when: the education or training is able to be treated as a work preparation requirement, i.e. a course which is considered important in helping the claimant move into work, more work or better paid work.</li></ul><p>Regulation 12(4) of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 provides that a person, as described, is not treated as receiving education if the course is considered to be compatible with any work related requirements which the Secretary of State places upon them.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 01/10/2019 16:19:05 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	483 label Biography information for Maria Eagle

1145735

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
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	Television Licences: Scotland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of providing free television licences to people over the age of 75 for qualifying residents in (a) Glasgow South West constituency, (b) Glasgow City local authority area and (c) Scotland in 2018-19; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	290748
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>In the 2015 funding settlement, the Government agreed with the BBC that responsibility for the concession will transfer to the BBC in June 2020.</p><p> </p><p>On 10 June 2019, the BBC announced that the current scheme will end. From 1 June 2020, a free TV licence will only be available to a household with someone aged over 75 who receives Pension Credit.</p><p> </p><p>The cost to the public purse for providing free TV licences to those aged over 75 in Scotland in 2018/19 is estimated as £38m. This is the first year of the part funding agreement leading up to the BBC taking responsibility for policy and funding of the concession from June 2020. The figure of £38m therefore is the DWP’s share only, not the total expenditure.</p><p> </p><p>The table below provides estimates of the costs and caseloads for 2017/18 of providing free TV licences to people aged 75 years and over in Glasgow South West constituency and Glasgow City local authority.</p><p> </p><p>The most recent figures available for parliamentary constituency and local authority are for 2017/18. Figures for 2018/19 will be available in October.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Expenditure (£m) (Nominal)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2017-18</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(a) Glasgow South West constituency</strong></p></td><td><p>£0.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>(b) Glasgow City local authority</strong></p></td><td><p>£4.1</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Note: The figure of £4.1m for Glasgow City local authority has been revised upwards by £0.1m from £4.0m since figures were last provided in a Parliamentary Question response in June 2019.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 01/10/2019 15:14:34 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 136337 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1145736

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
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	Social Security Benefits: Glasgow
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many advance benefit payments have been made to people in Glasgow in each month between April 2019 to August 2019; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	290749
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/09/2019 answer text <p>Universal Credit new claim advances provide access to a payment for those in financial need, which can be accessed urgently, until their first UC payment is due. Claimants can access up to 100% of the total expected monthly award, for which they can pay back over a period of up to 12 months.</p><p> </p><p>For Glasgow City local authority:</p><p> </p><ul><li>In April 2019 there were 3,100 Universal Credit advances paid</li><li>In May 2019 there were 3,100 Universal Credit advances paid</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department has taken a number of steps to ensure that advances meet the needs of claimants and that recovery arrangements are personalised and reasonable. The maximum rate of deductions cannot normally exceed 40 per cent of the Universal Credit standard allowance and does not reduce other components of an award, such as money paid for children, housing or when someone is caring for a severely disabled person. From October 2019 this will be reduced to 30 per cent and from October 2021 we are increasing the maximum recovery period for advances from 12 to 16 months.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes:</strong></p><p> </p><ol><li>Figures are rounded to the nearest 100</li><li>Figures only go to May 2019 in line with published statistics relating to households on Universal Credit</li><li>Figures include all types of advances</li><li>Figures relate to Universal Credit full service only</li></ol> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 30/09/2019 14:50:37 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1145737

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
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	Food Banks: Glasgow South West
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 visit a food bank in Glasgow South West constituency in October 2019; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	290750
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/09/2019 answer text <p>DWP Ministers regularly travel across the country visiting jobcentres, charities, food banks and partnership organisations. We receive many requests for visits across all parts of the UK and try to get to as many places as is possible with the constraints of Departmental business and the Parliamentary timetable.</p><p /> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 30/09/2019 14:50:19 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens