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1680504

registered interest
date	08/01/2024
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
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 help ensure that people whose allowances have been altered by measures announced in the Autumn Statement receive adequate financial support.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	8489
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/01/2024 answer text <p>The Autumn Statement 2023 claim closure measure will introduce legislation to close the claim of those on work-related benefits who do not re-engage for a continuous period of six months or more following an open-ended sanction decision. It remains unchanged that customers usually lose 100% of their Universal Credit Standard Allowance when a sanction is applied.</p><p> </p><p>The claim closure measure will not be applied where a customer receives additional amounts of Universal Credit (UC) for childcare, housing, or a disability. Where those in receipt of an additional amount of UC remain disengaged for a period of 2 months or more following an open-ended sanction, Targeted Case Reviews (TCR) will be conducted to encourage these customers to re-engage and to confirm their benefit entitlement. The TCR process forms part of our wider fraud and error agenda to ensure we are paying customers what they are entitled to, and a review could result in the customers benefit payment being maintained, reduced, or increased.</p><p> </p><p>For customers who demonstrate that they cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs as a result of a sanction, we have a well-established system of hardship payments. These needs can include heating, food, and hygiene.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 16/01/2024 12:08:18 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1580103

registered interest
date	24/01/2023
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
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 households entitled to social security benefits are claiming all they are entitled to.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	131251
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2023 answer text <p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/" target="_blank">GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a> provides information on eligibility and how to make a claim for benefits, including signposting to telephony routes (including textphone and Relay UK) for people who are unable to complete forms online. There are videos on the DWP YouTube channel that provide further information on a range of benefits including Personal Independence Payment, Universal Credit, Winter Fuel Payment, Pension Credit and DLA for Children and these explain how to claim and what to expect once a claim has been made.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance on <a href="https://www.gov.uk/" target="_blank">GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a> includes information on benefits people may be able to claim and other financial support. This includes housing support, help with council tax and direct payments for social care. Where appropriate DWP letters include signposting to additional help and support</p><p> </p><p>We have produced 39 easy read guides, over 90 British Sign Language videos and are ensuring benefit claim forms are accessible to all, covering a variety of DWP benefits and services. These provide disabled people with information on benefit type, who can apply, how to make a claim and assist with making a claim.</p><p> </p><p>Operational staff also have access to a database of known support called a District Provision Tool. It covers national and local information. This contains support for customers such as housing, debt, domestic abuse, modern slavery and other complex needs alongside specific organisations that support people with disabilities or specific health conditions. This tool is used to facilitate signposting discussions with customers so they can access tailored support where required.</p><p> </p><p>Anyone who requires support to make a new claim to Universal Credit - whether they are claiming benefits for the first time, have had a change of circumstance on legacy benefits which has initiated a move to Universal Credit, or have chosen voluntarily to move to Universal Credit - will be able to access the Help to Claim support, funded by DWP and provided by Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 30/01/2023 14:22:29 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1551783

registered interest
date	14/12/2022
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of social security payments in the context of the increase in the costs of living.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	110765
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2022 answer text <p>The government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and has taken further decisive action to support people with their energy bills. The government’s Energy Price Guarantee, running from October 2022- March 2023, will save a typical British household around £900 this winter, based on what energy price would have been under the current price cap – reducing bills by roughly a third. This is in addition to the over £37bn of cost of living support announced earlier this year which includes the £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households provided through the Energy Bills Support Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>From 10 April 2023 we are uprating State Pension and benefit rates by 10.1%. In order to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions the benefit cap will also be increased by 10.1%. These increases are subject to Parliamentary approval.</p><p /><p>To ensure stability and certainty for households, the government is providing £26bn in cost of living support for 2023/24. This includes Cost of Living Payments for the most vulnerable. In 2023/24, households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to a further £900 in Cost of Living Payments. A £300 payment will be made to pensioner households and individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits will receive a £150 payment. Also included is the amended Energy Price Guarantee which will save the average UK household £500 in 2023-24.</p><p> </p><p>For those who require extra support, the Government is providing an additional £1 billion of funding, including Barnett impact, to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund in England in the next financial year. This is on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing total funding to £2.5 billion. In England this will be delivered through an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £842 million, running from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, which local authorities use to help households with the cost of essentials. It will be for the devolved administrations to decide how to allocate their additional Barnett funding.</p><p /><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 20/12/2022 14:57:44 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1537745

registered interest
date	31/10/2022
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure that families that have reached the benefits cap have enough money.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	74767
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>Getting claimants back into work remains our primary concern and, returning to employment will significantly increase the likelihood of a household not being affected by the cap.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities can support claimants with reviewing their housing options and provide budgeting advice.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants can also approach their local authority to be considered for a Discretionary Housing Payment. These can be paid to those entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their rental costs.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/11/2022 17:02:59 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1537747

registered interest
date	31/10/2022
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to remove the benefits cap.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	74768
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>There is a statutory duty to review the levels of the cap at least once in every five years and this will happen at the appropriate time.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/11/2022 16:40:55 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1537751

registered interest
date	31/10/2022
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
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 impact of freezing the benefits cap.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	74770
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>No assessment has been made. There is a statutory duty to review the levels of the cap at least once in every five years and this will happen at the appropriate time.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/11/2022 16:22:54 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1537752

registered interest
date	31/10/2022
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps in the next fiscal event to ensure that families subject to the benefits cap do not fall into food and heating poverty in winter 2022-23.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	74771
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>The Energy Price Guarantee is supporting millions of households with rising energy costs, and the Chancellor made clear it will continue to do so from now until April next year. This is in addition to the over £37bn of cost-of-living support announced earlier this year which includes the £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households provided through the Energy Bills Support Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>For those who require additional support the government has provided an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. For the period October 2022-March 2023, we are providing an additional £421million to help households in England with the cost of essentials, and the devolved administrations will receive £79 million through the Barnett formula.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants can also approach their local authority to be considered for a Discretionary Housing Payment. These can be paid to those entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their rental costs.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/11/2022 16:39:15 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1537127

registered interest
date	28/10/2022
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
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 help ensure that people with a deteriorating condition (a) have the right level of social security support and (b) do not experience delays for the (i) assessment and (ii) processing of their claims.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	73863
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/11/2022 answer text <p>The department is committed to assessing people as quickly as possible, in order that they receive the benefit and support they are entitled to in a timely manner.</p><p>With all of our disability benefits, Personal Independence Payment, Employment Support Allowance and Industrial Injuries Disability Benefits, where a claimants’ needs arising from a long-term health condition or disability have changed, they should report that change to the department. Once a change in circumstances has been reported, we will always review their existing award to see whether a change is required to their award to reflect their current needs.</p><p>We work continuously with providers to drive improvements to overall processing times. As part of the department’s response to the pandemic we introduced telephone and video assessments, and they continue to be delivered alongside face-to-face and paper-based assessments.</p><p>The department is always looking at ways to improve the assessment process and continues to work with all the assessment providers to maximise the number of assessments completed.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 02/11/2022 14:30:47 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1523428

registered interest
date	18/10/2022
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
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 17 October 2022 to Question 55061 on Social Security Benefits, on what date was the Benefit Cap last reviewed.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	65860
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2022 answer text <p>The benefit cap levels have not been reviewed since they were lowered and tiered from November 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The statutory review obligation changed on 24 March 2022, under section 96A of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, the Secretary of State must, at least once every five years (i.e., by March 2027) review the benefit cap levels to determine whether it is appropriate to change them, and this will happen at the appropriate time</p> answering member constituency Brentwood and Ongar answering member printed Alex Burghart question first answered 26/10/2022 16:52:19 answering member 4613 label Biography information for Alex Burghart
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1507857

registered interest
date	23/09/2022
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Prime Minister about lifting the benefits cap.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	55061
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2022 answer text <p>Ministers have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues relating to welfare delivery, the content of these internal discussions is held in confidence.</p><p /><p>There is a statutory duty to review the levels of the benefit cap at least once in every five years and this will happen at the appropriate time.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 17/10/2022 16:49:00 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell