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1660416

registered interest
date	13/09/2023
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	Universal Credit: Students
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that students with long-term health conditions are able to access the financial support to which they are entitled; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of deducting loans that cover maintenance from Universal Credit on the income of affected students.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	199393
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2023 answer text <p>Students, including disabled students and those with health conditions, access fees and living costs support for their higher education courses through various loans and grants funded through the student support system. It is important that UC does not duplicate this support, which is designed for the needs of students unlike the social security system. This includes support which recognises a person’s disability, such as the Disabled Students Allowance for those in higher education and discretionary bursaries and grants if undertaking further education. Disabled students also have access to discretionary Hardship Funds which are made available by universities and colleges.</p><p>It is important that Universal Credit does not duplicate this support. A condition of entitlement for Universal Credit is that the claimant must not be in education, which excludes most students. There is an exception where a person has already been determined to have limited capability for work before entering education and is entitled to a qualifying disability benefit, such as Personal Independence Payment. The rules for this exception are designed to encourage those already claiming Universal Credit because of disability or ill health to take up education that may help them into work in the future.</p><p> </p><p>Treatment of student income under Universal Credit broadly mirrors that in income related Employment and Support Allowance, Housing Benefit, Income Support and income-based Jobseekers Allowance which safeguards fairness whilst also ensuring simplification of the benefit system. If an eligible student makes a claim to Universal Credit we take into account, as income, any financial support which provides for the student's basic maintenance, such as student maintenance loans and grants. We do not take into account student income which covers additional costs, such as loans for tuition fees and books. The first £110 of any student maintenance loan or grant paid to meet living costs is not taken into account in each monthly Assessment Period where benefits are calculated. Over a typical 9 or 10 month academic year claimants are able to keep between £990-£1100 more of their Universal Credit award. The intention behind this is to help students with any added costs of books, equipment and travel which may be incurred whilst studying or training.</p><p>Whilst it is acknowledged that maintenance loans are to be paid back, if they were not treated as income and were ignored this would result in Universal Credit (and most legacy benefits) duplicating support already provided through the student finance system.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 18/09/2023 12:01:01 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

1660496

registered interest
date	13/09/2023
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	Carer's Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to (a) review and (b) amend the carer's allowance.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Dan Carden
uin	199443
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society, including pensioners and those with disabilities.</p><p> </p><p>The benefit system supports unpaid carers primarily through Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Carer’s Allowance. The first two are payable to carers on low incomes who are respectively below or above State Pension age. They are means-tested and can be paid at a higher rate than to those without caring responsibilities through the Universal Credit carer element (currently £185.86 per monthly assessment period in addition to the standard allowance) or the additional amount for carers in Pension Credit (currently £42.75 a week in addition to the standard minimum guarantee).</p><p> </p><p>Carer’s Allowance is not means-tested and is not based on National Insurance contributions. Its principal purpose is to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time work in order to provide regular care for a severely disabled person. The main qualifying condition is that the carer is providing at least 35 hours of care to somebody in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit, and that no-one else is providing such care to that person. This has been the approach of successive governments and reflects wider social policy aims, as well as issues of affordability.</p><p> </p><p>Nearly 60% of carers on low incomes who are of working age and on Carer’s Allowance claim an income-related means-tested benefit. More than 8 million households on means-tested benefits received Cost of Living Payments of up to £650 in 2022, and more than 8 million households will receive up to £900 in Cost of Living Payments in 2023/24. All pensioner households will also receive the £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment. Carers who are themselves disabled may also receive the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment, as will the people for whom they provide care. Overall, the Government is providing total support of over £94bn over 2022-23 and 2023-24 to help households and individuals with the rising cost of bills. For people who require additional support, the Household Support Fund will continue until March 2024. This year-long extension allows local authorities in England to continue to provide discretionary support with the significantly rising cost of living to those most in need. The devolved administrations will receive consequential funding.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government keeps the qualifying conditions for Carer’s Allowance under review, but has no plans to amend them at this time.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 199444 199463 question first answered 19/09/2023 14:28:58 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4651 label Biography information for Dan Carden

1660497

registered interest
date	13/09/2023
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	Carers: Cost of Living
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that full-time carers receive adequate financial support, in the context of rises in the cost of living.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Dan Carden
uin	199444
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society, including pensioners and those with disabilities.</p><p> </p><p>The benefit system supports unpaid carers primarily through Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Carer’s Allowance. The first two are payable to carers on low incomes who are respectively below or above State Pension age. They are means-tested and can be paid at a higher rate than to those without caring responsibilities through the Universal Credit carer element (currently £185.86 per monthly assessment period in addition to the standard allowance) or the additional amount for carers in Pension Credit (currently £42.75 a week in addition to the standard minimum guarantee).</p><p> </p><p>Carer’s Allowance is not means-tested and is not based on National Insurance contributions. Its principal purpose is to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time work in order to provide regular care for a severely disabled person. The main qualifying condition is that the carer is providing at least 35 hours of care to somebody in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit, and that no-one else is providing such care to that person. This has been the approach of successive governments and reflects wider social policy aims, as well as issues of affordability.</p><p> </p><p>Nearly 60% of carers on low incomes who are of working age and on Carer’s Allowance claim an income-related means-tested benefit. More than 8 million households on means-tested benefits received Cost of Living Payments of up to £650 in 2022, and more than 8 million households will receive up to £900 in Cost of Living Payments in 2023/24. All pensioner households will also receive the £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment. Carers who are themselves disabled may also receive the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment, as will the people for whom they provide care. Overall, the Government is providing total support of over £94bn over 2022-23 and 2023-24 to help households and individuals with the rising cost of bills. For people who require additional support, the Household Support Fund will continue until March 2024. This year-long extension allows local authorities in England to continue to provide discretionary support with the significantly rising cost of living to those most in need. The devolved administrations will receive consequential funding.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government keeps the qualifying conditions for Carer’s Allowance under review, but has no plans to amend them at this time.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 199443 199463 question first answered 19/09/2023 14:28:58 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4651 label Biography information for Dan Carden

1660518

registered interest
date	13/09/2023
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	Personal Independence Payment: Epilepsy
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department produces for Personal Independent Payment assessors on how to process cases where an applicant has epilepsy.
tabling member constituency	North Down
tabling member printed	Stephen Farry
uin	199456
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>All claimants, including those with epilepsy, are assessed in accordance with the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers" target="_blank">Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Assessment Guide</a> available on GOV.UK. All PIP Health Professionals (HPs) complete training on neurological conditions, including epilepsy.</p><p> </p><p>HPs can access a wide range of clinical resources, including e-learning modules and case studies, to research any conditions presented. Both PIP providers also have a Condition Insight Report on epilepsy for use by their HPs. In addition, HPs are also expected to keep their knowledge up to date through Continuous Professional Development.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 19/09/2023 15:19:53 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4856 label Biography information for Stephen Farry

1660522

registered interest
date	13/09/2023
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: Cost of Living
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps his Department has taken to support disabled people with the cost of living.
tabling member constituency	East Antrim
tabling member printed	Sammy Wilson
uin	199319
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>The Government understands the pressures people, including disabled people, are facing with the cost of living. Disabled people may be entitled to an extra costs benefit such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which is a contribution towards the extra costs associated with being disabled. PIP is paid tax free and can be worth up to £8,983 a year. Recipients are free to choose how they spend their PIP and there is no requirement for them to use it for any particular purpose. Entitlement to PIP depends on the effects that a disability or health condition has on a disabled person’s life and not on a particular disability or diagnosis.</p><p> </p><p>PIP can passport to a range of additional support including:</p><ul><li>Disability additions paid within income related benefits;</li><li>Carer’s Allowance for an informal carer;</li><li>The Motability vehicle scheme; and</li><li>The Blue Badge Scheme.</li></ul><p> </p><p>PIP also exempts the eligible household from the Benefit Cap.</p><p> </p><p>In April, we uprated benefit rates and State Pensions by 10.1%. In order to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions, the benefit cap levels also increased by the same amount.</p><p /><p>In addition, for 2023/24, households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to £900 in Cost of Living Payments. This will be split into three payments across the 2023/24 financial year, with the first payment of £300 having already been made. A separate £150 payment was made to individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits, including PIP, from 20 June. In addition, more than eight million pensioner households across the UK will receive a £300 Cost of Living Payment during winter 2023-24.</p><p> </p><p>The Household Support Fund will continue until March 2024. This year long extension allows local authorities in England to continue to provide discretionary support to those most in need with the significantly rising cost of living. The devolved administrations will receive consequential funding as usual to spend at their discretion.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 19/09/2023 14:32:24 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	1593 label Biography information for Sammy Wilson

1660538

registered interest
date	13/09/2023
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	Carer's Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of changing the eligibility criteria of the carer's allowance to allow carers to claim the allowance for caring for more than one individual.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Dan Carden
uin	199463
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society, including pensioners and those with disabilities.</p><p> </p><p>The benefit system supports unpaid carers primarily through Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Carer’s Allowance. The first two are payable to carers on low incomes who are respectively below or above State Pension age. They are means-tested and can be paid at a higher rate than to those without caring responsibilities through the Universal Credit carer element (currently £185.86 per monthly assessment period in addition to the standard allowance) or the additional amount for carers in Pension Credit (currently £42.75 a week in addition to the standard minimum guarantee).</p><p> </p><p>Carer’s Allowance is not means-tested and is not based on National Insurance contributions. Its principal purpose is to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time work in order to provide regular care for a severely disabled person. The main qualifying condition is that the carer is providing at least 35 hours of care to somebody in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit, and that no-one else is providing such care to that person. This has been the approach of successive governments and reflects wider social policy aims, as well as issues of affordability.</p><p> </p><p>Nearly 60% of carers on low incomes who are of working age and on Carer’s Allowance claim an income-related means-tested benefit. More than 8 million households on means-tested benefits received Cost of Living Payments of up to £650 in 2022, and more than 8 million households will receive up to £900 in Cost of Living Payments in 2023/24. All pensioner households will also receive the £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment. Carers who are themselves disabled may also receive the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment, as will the people for whom they provide care. Overall, the Government is providing total support of over £94bn over 2022-23 and 2023-24 to help households and individuals with the rising cost of bills. For people who require additional support, the Household Support Fund will continue until March 2024. This year-long extension allows local authorities in England to continue to provide discretionary support with the significantly rising cost of living to those most in need. The devolved administrations will receive consequential funding.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government keeps the qualifying conditions for Carer’s Allowance under review, but has no plans to amend them at this time.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 199443 199444 question first answered 19/09/2023 14:28:58 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4651 label Biography information for Dan Carden

1660547

registered interest
date	13/09/2023
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	Jobcentres: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the starting salary for a work coach in a job centre was in December 2020.
tabling member constituency	Wirral South
tabling member printed	Alison McGovern
uin	199376
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>The starting salary for an Executive Officer Work Coach would vary dependant on the location of their place of work. DWP has different pay scales that apply in different locations or pay zones.</p><p> </p><p>For employees based within DWP’s National pay zone, the starting salary of an Executive officer Work Coach in December 2020 was £27,565, per annum full time equivalent.</p><p> </p><p>For employees based within DWP’s Outer London pay zone, the starting salary of an Executive officer Work Coach in December 2020 was £29,285, per annum full time equivalent.</p><p> </p><p>For employees based within DWP’s Inner London pay zone, the starting salary of an Executive officer Work Coach in December 2020 was £31,061, per annum full time equivalent.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 19/09/2023 11:30:38 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern

1660548

registered interest
date	13/09/2023
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	Jobcentres: Training
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many hours the training programme for a work coach took as of September 2023.
tabling member constituency	Wirral South
tabling member printed	Alison McGovern
uin	199377
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>New entrant work coaches into DWP undergo learning which starts with 59 hours of induction, onboarding and operational fundamental learning before moving into their official work coach specific technical learning.</p><p> </p><p>Following transformation of our learning approach, the specific technical learning programme now compromises 94 hours and 15 minutes of classroom learning and includes 6 hours 45 minutes of Mental Health training. We provide an additional 45 hours of supported consolidation of the learning in a live environment. In total this is 139 hours and 15 minutes.</p><p> </p><p>As part of our learning transformation, the initial technical learning programme is followed by bespoke individual learning paths. In partnership with their line manager an individual will continue to grow their skills and confidence through a variety of opportunities including self-serve and facilitator led refresher learning sessions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 19/09/2023 11:05:10 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern

1660549

registered interest
date	13/09/2023
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	Jobcentres: Training
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many hours the training programme for a work coach was in September 2020.
tabling member constituency	Wirral South
tabling member printed	Alison McGovern
uin	199378
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>New entrant work coaches into DWP undergo learning which starts with 59 hours of induction, onboarding and operational fundamental learning before moving into their official work coach specific technical learning.</p><p> </p><p>In September 2020 the specific technical learning programme compromised 134 hours and 15 minutes of classroom learning, including Mental Health training. We provided an additional 112 hours and 30 minutes of supported consolidation of the learning in a live environment. In total this was 246 hours and 45 minutes.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 19/09/2023 11:07:41 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern

1660550

registered interest
date	13/09/2023
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	Jobcentres: Training
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many hours the training programme for a work coach was in September 2015.
tabling member constituency	Wirral South
tabling member printed	Alison McGovern
uin	199379
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2023 answer text <p>DWP records and archives covering the duration of training for a work coach are not held for 2015.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 21/09/2023 14:11:32 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern