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93459

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	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	Workplace Pensions
	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 have been enrolled under automatic enrolment into workplace pensions scheme since the inception of that scheme.
	tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
	tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
	uin	210625
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The latest information published by the Pensions Regulator on 9 October 2014 showed that more than 33,660 employers have completed the automatic enrolment process and 4.75 million eligible workers have been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 20/10/2014 11:45:21 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

93471

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	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: Poverty
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the devolved administrations on tackling child poverty.
	tabling member constituency	South Antrim
	tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
	uin	210817
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Tackling child poverty is a cross-government matter. Ministers in HM Treasury, the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Department for Education work together, in conjunction with other Government Ministers, towards the goal of ending child poverty.</p><p> </p><p>The Child Poverty Act 2010 places a duty on the government to consult with the devolved administrations when preparing a child poverty strategy. The Government has also established the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, an independent advisory NDPB, to monitor the progress the Government and others are making towards improving social mobility and reducing child poverty in the United Kingdom. This includes describing the measures taken by the Scottish and Welsh Governments.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Minister of State for Schools recently consulted with the devolved administrations on two matters. The consultation on the Child Poverty Strategy 2014-17 (from 27 February to 22 May) and the consultation on Setting a Persistent Poverty Target (from 26 June to 14 August). Ministers carefully considered the views expressed by the devolved administrations, and all other respondents, when making their decisions on these.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, UK Government officials met with officials from the devolved administrations in August to discuss approaches and evidence. Regular meetings are planned for the future.</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 22/10/2014 16:44:30 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
	tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

93661

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	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
	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 made of the effect of the introduction of contribution-based employment and support allowance on the income of people previously receiving disability living allowance or incapacity benefit.
	tabling member constituency	Dudley North
	tabling member printed	Ian Austin
	uin	210661
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Department is currently reassessing most people on old-style incapacity benefits (Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, and Income Support where paid on the grounds of incapacity), to see if they are fit for work or eligible for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).</p><p>The structure of ESA and its rates of benefit and additions vary significantly from those of the incapacity benefits it is replacing. We have therefore given a commitment that no existing incapacity benefit claimant whose award qualifies for conversion to ESA will see a reduction in the level of their benefit entitlement at the point of change.</p><p>Where on conversion to ESA a claimant receives more by way of their existing incapacity benefit award than they otherwise would via ESA, the rate of their existing award will be frozen and they will be awarded a transitional addition on top of their ESA award, equivalent to the shortfall between the two rates. Where a claimant's ESA award includes such a top-up payment, the amount of benefit they get thereafter will not normally rise until the standard amount of ESA payable at the point of conversion increases (most commonly by virtue of annual up-ratings) by an amount equal to the amount of the top-up payment.</p><p>Where, on conversion to ESA, a claimant is entitled to less by way of their existing incapacity award than they are via ESA, their benefit will immediately be increased to the ESA rate payable.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 21/10/2014 11:21:20 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
	tabling member	1511 label Biography information for Lord Austin of Dudley

93662

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	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, if his Department will provide support from the Access to Work scheme to people with mental health problems before (a) the offer of a job or (b) a job interview to ensure parity with people with other impairments.
	tabling member constituency	Stretford and Urmston
	tabling member printed	Kate Green
	uin	210637
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>Whilst Access to Work has recently been extended to support some pre-employment activity such as Supported Internships, Traineeships and work experience, it is primarily designed to support those in work or those about to start work. AtW can however provide communication support at interviews including with advocacy to assist people with mental health conditions.</p><p> </p><p>Programmes such as Work Programme and Work Choice are designed to help people who are seeking work, including those with mental health conditions.</p><p> </p><p>Support for transport costs to attend a job interview would not be provided by Access to Work, however Work Coaches are able to access the Flexible Support Fund where they identify transport costs as a barrier to work</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 21/10/2014 11:56:45 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
	tabling member	4120 label Biography information for Kate Green

93663

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	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	Conditions of Employment
	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 employed on a zero-hours contract have been sanctioned by Jobcentre Plus for failing to look for or secure extra work hours in the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Mr Frank Field
	uin	210694
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>The information requested is not available. Jobseekers claiming Jobseekers Allowance are not required to apply for zero-hours contract vacancies, they will not be sanctioned as a result of not applying. UC claimants who refuse to accept a zero hours contract job offer, without good reason, can be subject to a sanction. However a UC claimant will not be sanctioned for refusing to take a zero hours contract with an exclusivity clause.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit automatically adjusts benefit payments depending on the number of hours a person works – whatever the type of contract. Where Universal Credit claimants refuse to apply for a role, including a Zero Hours Contract role when mandated to do so or refuse to accept a job offer, they can be sanctioned. People on Universal Credit will not be required to sign up to zero hours contracts which require exclusivity, so they will always have the opportunity to gain more hours elsewhere.</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 20/10/2014 15:35:53 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

93664

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	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	Housing Benefit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the effect of a claimant becoming self-employed is on awards of housing benefit.
	tabling member constituency	Vauxhall
	tabling member printed	Kate Hoey
	uin	210726
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>The effect of starting self-employment on Housing Benefit will depend on the local authority’s assessment of the claimant’s income, or likely level of income, from the self-employment.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance on how to assess self-employed income is in Chapter BW2 of the Housing Benefit Guidance Manual, specifically in paragraphs W2.310 onwards. A link is provided below.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236962/hbgm-bw2-assessment-of-income.pdf" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236962/hbgm-bw2-assessment-of-income.pdf</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 20/10/2014 15:33:40 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	210 label Biography information for Baroness Hoey

93665

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	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	Housing Benefit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is his Department's policy that an award of housing benefit should be suspended when Permitted Work is reported as a change of circumstance.
	tabling member constituency	Vauxhall
	tabling member printed	Kate Hoey
	uin	210727
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>Guidance to local authorities on permitted work and how it affects Housing Benefit is provided in the Housing Benefit Guidance Manual, Chapter BW2, specifically paragraphs W2.141 and following. A link is provided below.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236962/hbgm-bw2-assessment-of-income.pdf" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236962/hbgm-bw2-assessment-of-income.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>There is no specific suspension rule relating to permitted work cases. Decision makers have general powers to suspend any payment of Housing Benefit, in whole or part, when there is an issue about whether the conditions for entitlement are or were fulfilled, or a question arises about whether a decision to award HB should be revised or superseded. This might be exercised where, for example, the decision maker needs further information from the claimant in order accurately to assess Housing Benefit entitlement. It is not an obligatory power; the decision maker may decide whether or not to suspend, based on the circumstances of the case. Guidance is in the Housing Benefit Guidance Manual, Chapter C8. A link is provided below.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236976/hbgm-c8-suspension-and-termination.pdf" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236976/hbgm-c8-suspension-and-termination.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb grouped question UIN 210724 210725 question first answered 20/10/2014 15:22:29 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	210 label Biography information for Baroness Hoey

93666

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	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	Housing Benefit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the time limit is for local authority decisions on determining reported changes of circumstances.
	tabling member constituency	Vauxhall
	tabling member printed	Kate Hoey
	uin	210728
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>There is no time limit set by Central Government for this. The latest published data for average Speed of Processing for change of circumstances for 2013/14 is 9 days.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 20/10/2014 13:47:21 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	210 label Biography information for Baroness Hoey

93667

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	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	Housing Benefit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, under what circumstances local authorities are permitted to suspend housing benefit payments.
	tabling member constituency	Vauxhall
	tabling member printed	Kate Hoey
	uin	210724
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>Guidance to local authorities on permitted work and how it affects Housing Benefit is provided in the Housing Benefit Guidance Manual, Chapter BW2, specifically paragraphs W2.141 and following. A link is provided below.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236962/hbgm-bw2-assessment-of-income.pdf" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236962/hbgm-bw2-assessment-of-income.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>There is no specific suspension rule relating to permitted work cases. Decision makers have general powers to suspend any payment of Housing Benefit, in whole or part, when there is an issue about whether the conditions for entitlement are or were fulfilled, or a question arises about whether a decision to award HB should be revised or superseded. This might be exercised where, for example, the decision maker needs further information from the claimant in order accurately to assess Housing Benefit entitlement. It is not an obligatory power; the decision maker may decide whether or not to suspend, based on the circumstances of the case. Guidance is in the Housing Benefit Guidance Manual, Chapter C8. A link is provided below.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236976/hbgm-c8-suspension-and-termination.pdf" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236976/hbgm-c8-suspension-and-termination.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb grouped question UIN 210725 210727 question first answered 20/10/2014 15:22:29 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	210 label Biography information for Baroness Hoey

93668

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	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	Housing Benefit
	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 gives to local authorities on steps to take when a claimant of housing benefit who retains an award of employment and support allowance reports a change of circumstance in the form of Permitted Work.
	tabling member constituency	Vauxhall
	tabling member printed	Kate Hoey
	uin	210725
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>Guidance to local authorities on permitted work and how it affects Housing Benefit is provided in the Housing Benefit Guidance Manual, Chapter BW2, specifically paragraphs W2.141 and following. A link is provided below.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236962/hbgm-bw2-assessment-of-income.pdf" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236962/hbgm-bw2-assessment-of-income.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>There is no specific suspension rule relating to permitted work cases. Decision makers have general powers to suspend any payment of Housing Benefit, in whole or part, when there is an issue about whether the conditions for entitlement are or were fulfilled, or a question arises about whether a decision to award HB should be revised or superseded. This might be exercised where, for example, the decision maker needs further information from the claimant in order accurately to assess Housing Benefit entitlement. It is not an obligatory power; the decision maker may decide whether or not to suspend, based on the circumstances of the case. Guidance is in the Housing Benefit Guidance Manual, Chapter C8. A link is provided below.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236976/hbgm-c8-suspension-and-termination.pdf" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236976/hbgm-c8-suspension-and-termination.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb grouped question UIN 210724 210727 question first answered 20/10/2014 15:22:29 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	210 label Biography information for Baroness Hoey