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1124577

registered interest
date	02/05/2019
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, with reference to the recommendation to exempt claimants in temporary accommodation from the benefit cap on page 7 of the report of the Work and Pensions Committee, The Benefit Cap, published on 12 March 2019, HC 1477, if she will ask local authorities to publish the number of households that are currently affected by the cap in their area; and how much Discretionary Housing Payment funding has been used to cover their rent shortfalls in the most recent period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Bethnal Green and Bow
tabling member printed	Rushanara Ali
uin	250474
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2019 answer text <p>The latest official statistics for households capped under Housing Benefit and Universal Credit were published on 2<sup>nd</sup> May 2019, and contain data on households capped to February 2019, published here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-cap-number-of-households-capped-to-february-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-cap-number-of-households-capped-to-february-2019</a>.</p><p>Statistics by Local Authority are available in Tables 2 and 9, respectively. The number of households who have had their Housing Benefit award capped by local authorities are also published on the DWP Stat Xplore portal (<a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a>).</p><p> </p><p>Statistics on the use of Discretionary Housing Payments (for local authorities in England and Wales) are provided by local authorities on a voluntary basis and as such may not correspond exactly to the total Discretionary Housing Payment funds allocated. In addition, Discretionary Housing Payment awards can be recorded against a combination of welfare reform categories including households affected by the benefit cap.</p><p> </p><p>The latest statistics on spend by local authorities, covering the period April to September 2018, are published here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/use-of-discretionary-housing-payments-april-to-september-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/use-of-discretionary-housing-payments-april-to-september-2018</a>.</p><p>Statistics relating to the specific welfare reform category can be found in Table 7.</p><p> </p><p>The latest full year of statistics available are for the 17/18 financial year and are published here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/use-of-discretionary-housing-payments-financial-year-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/use-of-discretionary-housing-payments-financial-year-2017-to-2018</a>.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 14/05/2019 11:28:26 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4138 label Biography information for Rushanara Ali

1124262

registered interest
date	01/05/2019
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 her Department is taking to ensure that people who are digitally excluded are not missing out on benefits to which they are entitled.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	249804
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2019 answer text <p>Our Universal Credit Claimant Survey, found that 98 per cent of claimants have internet access and did claim online, and the majority of those said they found the claim process overall to be straightforward. This can be accessed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-full-service-claimant-survey" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-full-service-claimant-survey</a></p><p>However, for those that are still unable to access or use digital services, assistance to make and maintain their claim is available via the Freephone Universal Credit helpline. Face-to-face support is also available in Jobcentres. In exceptional circumstances, a home visit can be arranged to support a claimant in making and maintaining their claim.</p><p>From 1 April 2019 Citizens Advice (England and Wales) and Citizens Advice Scotland are delivering the new ‘Help to Claim’ support to claimants making a new Universal Credit (UC) claim or moving from a legacy benefit to UC because of a change of circumstances. The Citizens Advice Help to Claim offers tailored, practical support to help people make a UC claim up to receiving their first full correct payment on time. It is available online, through web-chat, through a Freephone number and face to face through local Citizens Advice services.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 08/05/2019 17:09:36 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1124266

registered interest
date	01/05/2019
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 estimate she has made of the amount of (a) jobseeker’s allowance, (b) universal credit, (c) personal independence payment and (d) disability living allowance to which claimants were entitled but did not claim in each year since 2010.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	249805
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2019 answer text <p>There are £2.4 billion of unclaimed legacy benefits not going to the people who need them, because they do not know that they are entitled to them or how to claim. Universal Credit makes sure that welfare payments reach those who need them most.</p><p> </p><p>The information requested is not held by the Department for Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance.</p><p> </p><p>The Department holds information on the amount of Jobseeker’s Allowance that claimants were entitled to but did not claim for the years 2009-2016. More recent data is not held.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Estimated amount of unclaimed JSA</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Millions of Pounds</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>1,380</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>1,850</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>1,550</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>1,510</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015/16</p></td><td><p>1,380</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Notes</p><ul><li>Amounts are shown in nominal terms (not adjusted for inflation)</li><li>The figures in the brackets give the 95 per cent confidence intervals. This range around the central take-up estimate is calculated to show, with 95 per cent probability, the range within which the true value of take-up lies. This assumes that there is no non-sampling error such as incorrect reporting of amounts or under-coverage of the range of respondents.</li><li>This information can be accessed here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-201516" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-201516</a></li></ul><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 08/05/2019 17:12:08 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1124268

registered interest
date	01/05/2019
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 she is taking to promote the use of benefits calculators to help ensure that people claim the benefits to which they are entitled.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	249806
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2019 answer text <p>The independent benefits calculators we endorse are intended to provide useful estimations of what people can get in certain circumstances, based on what information is entered on the calculators themselves. This is to allow people to safely explore what help they may receive from Universal Credit before they apply, or based on potential changes of circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>Information on accessing independent benefit calculators is readily available via the gov.uk website. This includes links to three independent calculators and advice on the type of information required to complete a calculation.</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators</a></p><p> </p><p>In addition, DWP staff will signpost post people to independent benefit calculators and websites which provide additional advice and guidance.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 08/05/2019 15:40:26 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1124271

registered interest
date	01/05/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the amount of (a) tax credits and (b) child benefit to which claimants were entitled but did not claim in each year since 2010.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	249808
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2019 answer text <p>Estimates of the amounts of tax credit which have not been claimed by eligible households are published annually in “Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit Take-up rates” on the gov.uk website. The latest publication relating to 2016-17 is here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/763597/Child_Benefit__Child_Tax_Credit_and_Working_Tax_Credit_take-up_rates_2016_to_2017.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/763597/Child_Benefit__Child_Tax_Credit_and_Working_Tax_Credit_take-up_rates_2016_to_2017.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>The table below show estimates of the total amount of tax credit expenditure unclaimed since 2010-11.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Central estimate of expenditure unclaimed (£bn)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>4.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>4.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>4.0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>3.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-15</p></td><td><p>4.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015-16</p></td><td><p>5.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016-17</p></td><td><p>4.4</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Variations in the amounts unclaimed are related to changes in the rates and thresholds in the tax credit system. The proportion of Child Tax Credit expenditure which is claimed has remained at 90 per cent or above since 2010-11, and the proportion of Working Tax Credit expenditure which is claimed has remained at between 83 and 86 per cent over the same period.</p><p> </p><p>The proportion of eligible children who have Child Benefit claimed on their behalf is included in the publication referenced above and remains high at 93 per cent in 2016-17. Information relating to the amounts of Child Benefit unclaimed can only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 08/05/2019 08:47:04 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1105461

registered interest
date	27/03/2019
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 support her Department provides to families who have been reunited through refugee family reunion to access the social security system.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	237691
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/04/2019 answer text <p>Those who have joined a family member in the UK through refugee family reunion are entitled to the same support as any other person. As with anyone else, they will be assessed to ascertain whether they have complex needs and whether they require additional support to access DWP services.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 05/04/2019 11:10:01 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1105560

registered interest
date	27/03/2019
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 she will make it her policy to restore inflation-linked up-rating to working age social security benefits.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	237624
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 froze the majority of working-age benefits for four tax years from 2016-17.</p><p> </p><p>The relevant provisions will lapse in 2020 and the pre-existing statutory arrangements will come back into force.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 01/04/2019 15:50:37 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

1104863

registered interest
date	25/03/2019
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, how many claimants who applied for (a) attendance allowance, (b) employment support allowance and (c) universal credit have died within six months of having those applications rejected.
tabling member constituency	Bridgend
tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
uin	236324
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2019 answer text <p>The Department holds data across a number of data sets which would require analysis and quality assurance and would be a substantial piece of work to bring together to answer these questions; therefore the information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p /><p /> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 236325 question first answered 02/04/2019 11:46:02 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

1104864

registered interest
date	25/03/2019
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, how many claimants of (a) attendance allowance, (b) employment support allowance and (c) universal credit have died after registering those claims but prior to her Department making a decision on those claims; and how many of those claimants applied for those social security benefits under (i) normal and (ii) special rules.
tabling member constituency	Bridgend
tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
uin	236325
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2019 answer text <p>The Department holds data across a number of data sets which would require analysis and quality assurance and would be a substantial piece of work to bring together to answer these questions; therefore the information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p /><p /> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 236324 question first answered 02/04/2019 11:46:03 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

1092627

registered interest
date	21/03/2019
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 information her Department holds on the proportion of (a) employment and support allowance, (b) jobseeker's allowance and (c) universal credit claimants who have (i) accepted and (ii) not accepted that her Department has taken into account their personal circumstances when deciding upon the claimant commitments which apply to their claim.
tabling member constituency	Kensington
tabling member printed	Emma Dent Coad
uin	235366
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/03/2019 answer text <p>As part of the process of making a claim, all JSA (including New Style), New Style ESA and Universal Credit claimants discuss and agree a claimant commitment statement as part of the conditions of their claim.</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not hold information on the reasons why a claimant commitment is or is not accepted by the claimant. Where a claimant commitment is not accepted, for any reason, a claim cannot be made, unless reasonable adjustments apply.</p><p> </p><p>The reasonable requirements in a Claimant Commitment are based on the appropriate conditionality group for the claimant, and the Work Coach is able to tailor the requirements to include adjustments or easements for personal circumstances. If a claimant and their Work Coach are unable to agree on the reasonable requirements in their claimant commitment, they can request another Work Coach to review this.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 29/03/2019 14:14:01 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4683 label Biography information for Emma Dent Coad