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1253242

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
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	Kickstart Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of young people who have started a Kickstart placement in each region and nation of the UK.
tabling member constituency	Feltham and Heston
tabling member printed	Seema Malhotra
uin	117269
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>Over 100 young people started working in Kickstart funded job placements within the first weeks of the scheme opening to participants on the 2nd November. As of 20/11/20 there were nearly 20,000 approved roles which we are currently matching young people to.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 23/11/2020 16:00:09 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4253 label Biography information for Seema Malhotra

1253309

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
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: Telephone Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether self-employed musicians can submit music for use on her Department's helplines.
tabling member constituency	Staffordshire Moorlands
tabling member printed	Karen Bradley
uin	117247
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>DWP has a procurement framework with a list of suppliers whom we can purchase from. The Department must ensure that any music used is licence-free and adheres to accessibility standards. There are also set parameters regarding audio frequencies to ensure a quality experience for callers, particularly when using a mobile telephone.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 23/11/2020 14:16:58 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4110 label Biography information for Dame Karen Bradley

1253349

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
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 people's universal credit payments will be affected by the change to periodic assessment regulations.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Wendy Chamberlain
uin	117376
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>There is no change to the period of assessment for Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>The Court of Appeal’s Judgment in the case of <em>Johnson and others</em> affects a small minority of claimants in very specific circumstances and the estimated cost is expected to be minimal. Those affected receive two calendar monthly payments of earnings in one assessment period and may lose out if they are entitled to a work allowance. We know that this issue can occur when a claimant’s monthly pay date and the last day of their assessment period are close together.</p><p> </p><p>The legislation we laid on the 20<sup>th</sup> October, revises those arrangements and provides a remedy that satisfies the Court of Appeal Judgment in the case of <em>Johnson and Others. </em>This legislation came into force on 16<sup>th</sup> November and means that in future for cases affected by this issue, monthly earnings will be reallocated to another assessment period, which means that only one set of earnings will be taken into account rather than two, and certain claimants will be able to benefit from any applicable work allowance.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 117374 117375 question first answered 23/11/2020 16:16:56 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4765 label Biography information for Wendy Chamberlain

1252639

registered interest
date	17/11/2020
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, whether additional charges and fines placed on parents paying child maintenance have been (a) revised and (b) temporarily halted due to financial hardship as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	116694
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>Collection charges apply when a case is being managed in the Collect and Pay service. The Direct Pay service does not incur any on-going collection charges. Charges have not been paused as a result of the covid-19 outbreak. We expect paying parents to do the right thing and continue to pay child maintenance due. Where paying parents experience a change in income, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) can review their case and check if the amount paid should change. To help reduce the short-term financial pressure that may be experienced by many paying parents whose income has been affected by the Covid 19 outbreak, the time period over which that change in income is assessed has been reduced from 12 to 2 weeks.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 23/11/2020 14:03:00 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1252640

registered interest
date	17/11/2020
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, what provisions the Child Maintenance Service has put in place to help parents paying child maintenance whose wages have decreased as a result of the covid-19 outbreak and who have to make late or reduced payments.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	116695
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>The Government has been clear in its commitment to support paying parents who have experienced a drop in income as a result of the public health emergency. Where paying parents experience a change in income, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) can review their case and check if the amount paid should change. For paying parents who are experiencing financial difficulties as a result of COVID-19, the time period over which that change in income is assessed has been reduced from 12 to 2 weeks. In the short-term, paying parents may be advised to reduce their payments.</p><p>We know the majority of parents take their responsibilities extremely seriously and will do what is needed to ensure their children are supported.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 23/11/2020 14:07:39 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1252650

registered interest
date	17/11/2020
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: Medical Examinations
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 8 September 2020 to Question 84635 on Social Security Benefits, what recent assessment she has made of the accessibility of telephone assessments for claimants of (a) personal independence payment and (b) other welfare benefits during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	116494
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>All of our assessment providers are advised to consider the needs of claimants when arranging assessment appointments. If a claimant believes they may have difficulties attending their appointment or that they need additional support, the claimant should discuss this with their provider as soon as possible, using the contact details on their appointment letter.</p><p>We are aware that for some claimants, particularly those with certain health conditions or disabilities, it may not be possible or appropriate to carry out assessments over the telephone. Where it is not possible to carry out a Personal Independence Payment telephone assessment, a decision will be made based on all the evidence available to ensure any payment is not delayed. For Work Capability Assessments, claimants will remain on their current award until we gather the evidence needed to make a recommendation or are able to conduct a face to face assessment, or until their benefit is due to end (new-style ESA).</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/11/2020 13:53:38 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1252651

registered interest
date	17/11/2020
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: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of claimants have been kept on the assessment rate of new style employment and support allowance because they cannot access a telephone assessment; and what conditions those claimants have.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	116495
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>The information requested is not held.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/11/2020 13:58:09 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1252654

registered interest
date	17/11/2020
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: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of additional disabled claimants she plans to naturally migrate to universal credit as a result of delays to managed migration.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	116498
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>Natural migrations to Universal Credit occur when a legacy benefit claimant has a change of circumstances that means that they need to make a new claim for support. In these cases, they will claim Universal Credit rather than a legacy benefit. As natural migrations only occur when a claimant’s circumstances change, the Department cannot and does not plan such moves.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 23/11/2020 14:27:17 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray

1252745

registered interest
date	17/11/2020
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	Attendance Allowance
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 extending eligibility for the attendance allowance to people in care homes who self-fund.
tabling member constituency	St Albans
tabling member printed	Daisy Cooper
uin	116662
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/11/2020 answer text <p>No such assessment is necessary</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Attendance Allowance may already be payable in such circumstances where the conditions of entitlement are satisfied.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 19/11/2020 15:58:56 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4769 label Biography information for Daisy Cooper

1252139

registered interest
date	16/11/2020
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
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 assess the potential merits of introducing time-bound targets for increasing Pension Credit uptake.
tabling member constituency	Wansbeck
tabling member printed	Ian Lavery
uin	115659
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>The latest Pension Credit take-up statistics covering 2018-19 were published on 29 October 2020, which can be found at <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-2018-to-2019" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-2018-to-2019</a>. They show a small but encouraging improvement in the take-up of Pension Credit. Take-up of Guarantee Credit – the safety-net element of Pension Credit – has risen from 68% to 70% of those eligible to claim it. The statistics also show a significant improvement in the take-up of Pension Credit by expenditure, with some 76% of Pension Credit being claimed, up from 70% in the previous year.</p><p> </p><p>This year we took steps to raise awareness of Pension Credit by launching a campaign aimed at dispelling some of the common misconceptions about Pension Credit eligibility. We engaged with our stakeholders to ensure that the key campaign messages could be widely disseminated because we know that trusted organisations working in the community are often one of the first places that people are likely to go to seek information.</p><p> </p><p>We have updated our online Pension Credit toolkit (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit</a>) with the recent awareness campaign materials to supplement the resources it already contains for those working with pensioners, such as guides to Pension Credit and information designed to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit.</p><p> </p><p>In May we also launched the digital ‘Apply for Pension Credit’ (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim</a>) service as part of our Covid 19 response to help people claim Pension Credit online with minimal delay and to ensure they can do so while adhering to social distancing or shielding measures. This online claim service for Pension Credit supplements the existing free Pension Credit claim line number (0800 99 1234) and postal claim facilities and around 50% of claims are being made using it.</p><p> </p><p>We continue working with stakeholders to find the best ways to reach eligible pensioners and raise awareness of Pension Credit.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 115660 115661 115662 question first answered 23/11/2020 14:53:59 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4139 label Biography information for Ian Lavery