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1723515

registered interest
date	25/07/2024
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: Disqualification
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential mental health impact of benefit sanctions.
tabling member constituency	City of Durham
tabling member printed	Mary Kelly Foy
uin	1797
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/08/2024 answer text <p>Under the previous administration, no assessment was made of the mental health impacts of benefits sanctions. The new government will reform labour market policy and operations with the aim of increasing employment and integrating work and health support.</p><p> </p><p>Sanctions are not applied to those with a severe medical health condition or disability where they have been found to have Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity following their Work Capability Assessment (WCA), or where they have a specified condition or are undergoing certain treatments ahead of their WCA.</p><p> </p><p>Those subject to work-related requirements will only be sanctioned if they fail to meet the labour market requirements that they’ve agreed to with their work coach without demonstrating good reason for doing so. To ensure these requirements are realistic and achievable, they are discussed and agreed with the claimant and based on their individual capabilities and household circumstances, including any health issues, caring responsibilities, earnings, and ongoing work or volunteering.</p><p> </p><p>We acknowledge that there will be times when a claimant’s circumstances are such that there their ability to carry out their labour market requirements is disrupted due to their personal circumstances. In these cases, an easement can be applied to lift these requirements completely for an agreed period of time.</p><p> </p><p>To support those who demonstrates that they cannot meet their most immediate and essential needs as a result of receiving a sanction, we have a system of recoverable hardship payments. These needs can include heating, food, and hygiene.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Birkenhead answering member printed Alison McGovern question first answered 02/08/2024 10:33:46 answering member 4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern
tabling member	4753 label Biography information for Mary Kelly Foy

1698168

registered interest
date	22/03/2024
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: Disqualification
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 how many of his Department's staff are involved in sanctions (a) referral, (b) decision making, (c) administration and (d) appeals.
tabling member constituency	Wirral South
tabling member printed	Alison McGovern
uin	20048
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 26/03/2024 12:59:43 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern

1684832

registered interest
date	24/01/2024
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: Disqualification
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure the mental well-being of people affected by welfare sanctions.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	11413
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2024 answer text <p>Under Universal Credit, sanctions do not apply to all customers. Those with a health condition, illness or disability who are found to have ‘limited capability for work and work-related requirements’, are not subject to work-related conditions and will therefore not be sanctioned.</p><p> </p><p>Those on work-related benefits are expected to take responsibility for meeting the conditionality requirements they have agreed with their work coach. Where a customer on a work-related benefit has a health condition, illness or a disability, work coaches have the discretion to tailor their requirements to what is reasonable and achievable taking into account the individual's condition. In some circumstances a customer’s work-related requirements maybe be lifted for a period if their ability to carry them out is disrupted due to their personal circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>A sanction is only applied where an individual has failed to meet their agreed conditionality requirements without demonstrating good reason for doing so and in cases where vulnerabilities are known or suspected, a pre-referral quality check is undertaken prior to any sanction referral to ensure that it is appropriate in the circumstances. 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 30/01/2024 10:57:33 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1684836

registered interest
date	24/01/2024
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: Disqualification
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 impact of sanctions for (a) minor infringements of welfare rules and (b) being late for jobcentre meetings on the mental health of people sanctioned.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	11415
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2024 answer text <p>No assessment has been made of the potential mental health impact of sanctions for (a) minor infringements of welfare rules and (b) being late for jobcentre meetings.</p><p> </p><p>Under Universal Credit, sanctions do not apply to all customers. Those with a health condition, illness or disability who are found to have ‘limited capability for work and work-related requirements’, are not subject to work-related conditions and will therefore not be sanctioned. Those on work-related benefits are expected to take responsibility for meeting the conditionality requirements they have agreed with their work coach to do so. Where a customer on a work-related benefit has a health condition, illness or a disability, work coaches have the discretion to tailor their requirements to what is reasonable and achievable taking into account the individual's condition. Additionally, in some circumstances a customer’s work-related requirements maybe be lifted for a period if their ability to carry them out is disrupted due to their personal circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>A sanction is only applied where an individual has failed to meet their agreed conditionality requirements without demonstrating good reason for doing so and in the cases where vulnerabilities are known or suspected, a pre-referral quality check is undertaken prior to any sanction referral to ensure that it is appropriate in the circumstances. For minor conditionality failures, including failing to attend a mandatory appointment with a work coach an open-ended sanction is applied. Open-ended sanctions can be ended at any time by the customer simply re-engaging with their work coach and complying with the failed conditionality requirement.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 30/01/2024 10:53:18 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1681869

registered interest
date	15/01/2024
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: Disqualification
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 to ensure that people who are unable to (a) attend appointments at their local Jobcentre and (b) meet the requirements for receiving benefits as a result of underlying health conditions issues are not sanctioned.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	9551
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2024 answer text <p>All work-related requirements are set in discussion with claimants, who take ownership of planning how they will meet their requirements and ultimately secure employment, if they are able to do so. Generally, work coaches have the discretion to adjust how often the claimant meets with them and how these meetings take place, in light of the claimant’s needs, circumstances and capability.</p><p> </p><p>Should a claimant fail to carry out a mandatory work-related activity that has been agreed and set out in their Claimant Commitment or Work plan, we will ask them why. We will take into account any reasons they provide, including any health conditions, before referring for consideration of a sanction. When considering whether a sanction is appropriate, a Decision Maker will take into account all the claimant’s individual circumstances, including any health conditions or disabilities and any evidence of good reason, before deciding whether a sanction is warranted.</p><p> </p><p>We also have a well-established system of hardship payments, available as a safeguard if a claimant demonstrates that they cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs as a result of their sanction, including accommodation, heating, food and hygiene. All claimants will retain the right to mandatory reconsideration or appeal a decision should they disagree.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 22/01/2024 16:00:17 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1677848

registered interest
date	13/12/2023
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: Disqualification
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 11 December 2023 to Question 5084 on Social Security Benefits: Disqualification, if his Department will start capturing this data.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham, Deptford
tabling member printed	Vicky Foxcroft
uin	6852
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2023 answer text <p>There are no current plans to make this information available as it would incur disproportionate costs to link the necessary data</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 19/12/2023 14:59:22 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4491 label Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft

1675177

registered interest
date	04/12/2023
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: Disqualification
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data his Department holds on the number of sanctioned benefits claimants who have subsequently found long-term employment.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham, Deptford
tabling member printed	Vicky Foxcroft
uin	5084
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2023 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 11/12/2023 12:43:16 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4491 label Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft

1673743

registered interest
date	28/11/2023
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: Disqualification
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 claimants subject to benefit sanctions have adequate income to afford living essentials.
tabling member constituency	Nottingham East
tabling member printed	Nadia Whittome
uin	4297
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>Sanctions are calculated only with reference to the full value of the standard allowance to which that claimant is entitled and are deducted from the claimant’s total Universal Credit (UC) award. Sanctioned claimants who receive other awards or additional money, such as the housing and childcare elements, will continue to do so in full, unless the total UC award is eroded by the earnings taper or other income.</p><p> </p><p>As a safeguard for claimants who demonstrate they cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs as a result of their sanction, we have a well-established system of hardship payments available. These needs can include accommodation, heating, food, and hygiene. Claimants are able to apply for a hardship payment from the first assessment period that the sanction has been applied to.</p><p> </p><p>Sanctions are only applied if the claimant fails to meet a tailored requirement without good reason.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 04/12/2023 11:53:49 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4869 label Biography information for Nadia Whittome

1673224

registered interest
date	27/11/2023
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: Disqualification
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of benefit claims (a) flagged and (b) investigated by the (i) Risk Review Team and (ii) Enhanced Review Team have resulted in the suspension of benefits in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	4016
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2023 answer text <p>The Risk Review Team (RRT) has now been incorporated in to a broader and wide-ranging Enhanced Review Team (ERT), aimed at identifying and stopping fraud early.</p><p> </p><p>As the NAO have reported in the Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23. ‘The majority of 2022-23 savings (£650 million) came from the Enhanced Review Team (ERT), which provides a rapid response service for detailed checking of high-risk Universal Credit claims before they go into payment. These estimates also suggest that preventative actions have a much higher level of return than investigating fraud and error after it has occurred.’</p><p> </p><p>Data on how many and what proportion of cases handled by ERT have resulted in suspension is not available to this level for ERT and to produce it would incur disproportionate costs. This is due to large volumes of data being held across different clerical platforms, which would need to be forensically examined.</p><p> </p><p>Likewise, data on cases closed, reinstated, or remaining suspended, cannot be provided within reasonable costs.</p><p> </p><p>We are unable to provide the number of claimants who have appealed decisions on cases closed following RRT/ERT action and the number who have been successful in their appeals over the last five years because ERT only started completing reviews in April 2020.</p><p> </p><p>We are unable to give per year figures since the formation of ERT due to the lengthy dispute process and are also unable to identify which appeals would have previously been suspended, due to this data not being held. However, the cumulative total of cases for RRT and ERT that have been through the dispute process are:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Appealed to date - 1118</li><li>Outcome in claimant’s favour – 228</li></ul> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard grouped question UIN 4017 4018 question first answered 12/12/2023 11:57:50 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood

1673225

registered interest
date	27/11/2023
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: Disqualification
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of benefit claims suspended by the (a) Risk Review Team and (b) Enhanced Review Team in each of the last three years (i) have subsequently been (A) closed and (B) reinstated and (ii) remain suspended.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	4017
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2023 answer text <p>The Risk Review Team (RRT) has now been incorporated in to a broader and wide-ranging Enhanced Review Team (ERT), aimed at identifying and stopping fraud early.</p><p> </p><p>As the NAO have reported in the Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23. ‘The majority of 2022-23 savings (£650 million) came from the Enhanced Review Team (ERT), which provides a rapid response service for detailed checking of high-risk Universal Credit claims before they go into payment. These estimates also suggest that preventative actions have a much higher level of return than investigating fraud and error after it has occurred.’</p><p> </p><p>Data on how many and what proportion of cases handled by ERT have resulted in suspension is not available to this level for ERT and to produce it would incur disproportionate costs. This is due to large volumes of data being held across different clerical platforms, which would need to be forensically examined.</p><p> </p><p>Likewise, data on cases closed, reinstated, or remaining suspended, cannot be provided within reasonable costs.</p><p> </p><p>We are unable to provide the number of claimants who have appealed decisions on cases closed following RRT/ERT action and the number who have been successful in their appeals over the last five years because ERT only started completing reviews in April 2020.</p><p> </p><p>We are unable to give per year figures since the formation of ERT due to the lengthy dispute process and are also unable to identify which appeals would have previously been suspended, due to this data not being held. However, the cumulative total of cases for RRT and ERT that have been through the dispute process are:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Appealed to date - 1118</li><li>Outcome in claimant’s favour – 228</li></ul> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard grouped question UIN 4016 4018 question first answered 12/12/2023 11:57:50 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood