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1110571

	registered interest
	date	09/04/2019
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Disclosure of Information
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-disclosure agreements her Department has entered into with departmental staff in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	242812
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2019 answer text <p>In February 2015, Cabinet Office published new guidance on non-disclosure agreements. This guidance requires a minister to approve the use of a non-disclosure agreement, and for government departments to hold a record of using such agreements.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>DWP has not entered into any non-disclosure agreements in the four years since February 2015 and our policy is not to use these agreements.</p><p> </p><p>Prior to February 2015, DWP did not centrally hold a record of the use of non-disclosure agreements and the information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 16/04/2019 14:43:21 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1177044

	registered interest
	date	07/02/2020
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what additional financial support his Department provides to vulnerable people that claim universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	13977
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/02/2020 answer text <p>Millions of people who move onto Universal Credit from legacy benefits are better off, including around a million disabled households who will gain on average around £100 per month.</p><p>The Department takes seriously the need to support vulnerable claimants, and wants the application process for Universal Credit to be as quick and easy as possible, ensuring that claimants receive money at the earliest opportunity.</p><p>Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland have supported over 180,000 individuals through the ‘Help to Claim’ provision since April 2019, offering tailored and practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim up to receiving their first full correct payment on time. ‘Help to Claim’ is available online, on the phone and face-to-face in multiple locations including Jobcentres and Citizen’s Advice Bureaux.</p><p>We have listened to feedback on how we can improve Universal Credit to support our claimants and acted quickly, making improvements such as extending advances, removing waiting days, and introducing housing benefit run on. These changes are giving support to those who need it most, whilst at the same time helping people get into work faster.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 17/02/2020 15:39:41 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1277746

	registered interest
	date	18/01/2021
	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: Hendon
	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 in Hendon received a Universal Credit payment (a) at the most recent assessment and (b) in each of the twelve months prior to that date.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	138935
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>The latest available monthly statistics on the number of households on Universal Credit by payment indicator and Westminster Parliamentary Constituency is published and can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a>.</p><p>Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 21/01/2021 16:20:30 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1657781

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2023
	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	Sickness 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 people were on long-term sickness benefits in (a) England, (b) London and (c) Hendon constituency in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	197407
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>The available information is in the attached spreadsheet.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 12/09/2023 16:54:22 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove attachment 1 file name 197407 attachment .xlsx title Attachment
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1684447

	registered interest
	date	23/01/2024
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Carbon Emissions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what targets his Department has set to help achieve the Government's commitments on net zero.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	11071
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2024 answer text <ul><li>The Government set out how we would meet our commitments in the Net Zero Strategy in 2021 which included a detailed breakdown of actions required across all sectors in the economy. This was updated in 2023 through the publication of 'Powering Up Britain'.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The UK has halved its emissions, ahead of every other major economy, and we have grown our economy by over 70% since 1990. The UK over-achieved against the first and second carbon budgets, and the latest projections show that we are on track to meet the third.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>We have one of the most ambitious decarbonisation targets in the world, and we have set more stretching targets for 2030 than most countries. We plan to cut emissions by 68% by 2030, which is more than the EU, Japan or the United States.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DWP supports Defra’s Greening Government Commitments. These targets are set every five years and support the UK Carbon Budgets. The current agreed targets are a 45% reduction in DWP’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and a 17% reduction in direct emissions by 2024/25, which the Department is on track to deliver.</li></ul><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 31/01/2024 14:36:08 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1364320

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2021
	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	Older Workers: Training
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what initiatives she is promoting to assist older people on Jobseekers Allowance who are considering changing career or retraining.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	65412
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2021 answer text <p>The Chancellor announced in the 2021 Spending Review that an enhanced offer for workers aged 50 and over will be introduced, to ensure that older workers receive the support they need to remain in or return to work.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The enhanced offer will build on the Department’s existing Plan for Jobs which provides funding to ensure that more jobseekers of all ages get tailored support, including to reskill or pivot sectors. That includes programmes such as the Job Finding Support service, Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS), Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) and the Restart scheme, to help them find work. The JETS scheme in particular helps claimants to update their digital skills, job searching tools and to identify transferrable skills which has led to over 48,780 jobseekers in England and Wales and over 1,960 in Scotland start work.</p><p>The SWAPs provides opportunities in sectors with high volumes of current local vacancies, such as hospitality, allowing people to learn the skills and behaviours that employers need. DWP is increasing the number of SWAPs opportunities to 80,000 in 2021/22.</p><p> </p><p>A network of 50 Plus Champions provides dedicated support to Work Coaches across all 37 Jobcentre Plus districts to enable and encourage them to direct suitable Plan for Jobs and local support to claimants aged 50 and over. The Government’s Business Champion for Older Workers also spearheads the Government’s work to support employers to hire and re-train older workers, promoting the benefits of older workers to employers across England.</p><p> </p><p>To help people plan for employment in later life, we launched a Mid-life MOT in 2019, encouraging those in their 40s, 50s and 60s to consider aspects of their wealth, work and wellbeing. This helps them to make informed decisions about future income provision and longer-term employment prospects, supporting individuals to stay in work for longer and to achieve the later life that they want.</p><p> </p><p>The UK government are also investing in the National Skills Fund in England to aid The Lifetime Skills Guarantee. Since April 2021, adults of any age over 24 who are looking to achieve their first full Level 3 qualification have been able to access fully funded courses which will give them new skills and greater prospects in the labour market. Skills Bootcamps, which are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, are giving adults the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer. As announced at the Budget, a total investment of over £550m by 2024-25 will make sure adults, at any age, can upskill to reach their potential, transforming lives and delivering on the National Skills Fund commitment.</p><p> </p><p>The free online Skills Toolkit also provides online learning focused on digital, numeracy and employability skills.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/11/2021 17:24:12 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1364337

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2021
	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	Unemployment: Hendon
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support Jobcentre Plus is providing to young people not in education, employment and training in the Hendon constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	65417
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2021 answer text <p>The Government’s Plan for Jobs is delivering a comprehensive package of support for young people, which the Department for Work and Pensions is providing in collaboration with the Department for Education, schools and other partners. This means that whatever their needs, young people can find the right support, education or training that will ultimately lead to sustained employment.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Jobcentre Plus provides an array of support for young people living in the constituency of Hendon and across the Borough of Barnet, underpinned by a close working relationship with key stakeholders.</p><p> </p><p>Kickstart provides employment and training opportunities across a range of sectors with Kickstart jobs offered by key employers in the area such as Brent Cross-Hemmersons, Barnet Council, The Cherry Tree Foundation and The London Village Network. Every week we welcome dozens of employers into the local Jobcentres to recruit young people face-to-face. Our Work Coaches help to prepare young people for interview, and where a job start is secured, offer financial support to overcome any barriers around travel and essential clothing and equipment. The local Youth Hub is based in Grahame Park, Colindale. Work Coaches, in collaboration with Barnet Council, provide bespoke support to customers to move closer to work or opportunities, from CV writing to training opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>We are working closely with the local leaving care team and a range of expert partners to provide the holistic support needed by this priority group of young people. These organisations include Bridging the Gap, Future Pathways, Live Unlimited, Routes into Constructions, Twinning Enterprise, Trail Blazers, Barnet Council, Advocacy Service and Drive Forward Foundation. These vital partnerships have been at the forefront in our drive to reduce youth unemployment, ensuring every young person is being supported into work.</p><p> </p><p>Sector-based Work Academy Programmes also provide the essential skills young people need to enter employment, for example a recent programme provided the skills required for the fitness industry and prioritised those young people with complex barriers linked to leaving care, gang affiliation and a history of offending.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 05/11/2021 12:47:56 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1384345

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2021
	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 Schemes: Young People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what initiatives her Department has undertaken to assist jobseekers under the age of 25 to find employment.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	86079
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2021 answer text <p>We have announced our Plan for Jobs expansion which will see another £500 million invested in supporting people into jobs, with young people at the heart of this through Kickstart and our DWP Youth Offer.</p><p> </p><p>The Kickstart scheme is dedicated to helping 16-24-year olds at risk of long-term unemployment develop their skills and experience through 6-month jobs. Around 112,000 Kickstart jobs have been started by young people and the scheme will continue until March 2022, offering jobs and experience to many thousands more young people.</p><p> </p><p>We are extending the DWP Youth Offer to 2025 and have expanded eligibility to include 16 and 17-year olds, in addition to 18 to 24-year olds, who are claiming Universal Credit and searching for work. The Youth Offer currently provides intensive work search support through the Youth Employment Programme, specialised Youth Employment Coaches for young people with additional barriers to work, and over 150 Youth Hubs across England, Scotland and Wales.</p><p> </p><p>DWP is working in collaboration with the Department for Education, National Careers Service, devolved administrations, and other partners to deliver a comprehensive package of support for young people.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 08/12/2021 17:54:45 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1384347

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2021
	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 Schemes: Older People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether individual support programmes are available to employment seekers over the age of 50.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	86081
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2021 answer text <p>As part of the £500m Plan for Jobs expansion, we are funding a new enhanced support package for workers aged 50 and over to help them to stay in or return to work. This offer has two strands. Older workers will receive better information and guidance on later life planning, helping them make informed choices and supporting them to plan their career and remain in work. For those who have lost their jobs, this funding will ensure that older job seekers on Universal Credit receive more intensive, tailored support as they look to take the next step in their career.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, the Department’s Plan for Jobs provides funding to ensure that jobseekers of all ages get tailored support, including to reskill or pivot sectors. This includes programmes such as the Job Finding Support service, Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS) and the Restart scheme, to help them find work. In particular, the JETS scheme, which has just been extended to September 2022, helps jobseekers update their digital skills, job searching tools and to identify transferrable skills.</p><p> </p><p>To provide support to our Work Coaches, we have a network of 50PLUS Champions across all 37 Jobcentre Plus districts who reinforce Jobcentre Plus commitment to supporting claimants aged 50 and over to find and stay in work.</p><p> </p><p>Their role is to raise the profile of claimants 50 and over across Jobcentre Plus and share good practice including promoting the benefits of employing people aged 50 and over to employers. 50PLUS Champions work closely with Work Coaches to help them identify the most appropriate support from within the Plan for Jobs and the wider offer.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 09/12/2021 17:52:46 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1461311

	registered interest
	date	10/05/2022
	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	Employment: Young People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress her Department has made on supporting young people into high-skilled jobs in Hendon constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	201
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2022 answer text <p>Through Jobcentre Plus, DWP is helping young people to find the right support, education or training that will ultimately lead to sustained employment opportunities and career progression.</p><p> </p><p>The Plan for Jobs provides a comprehensive package of support for young people, including the DWP Youth Offer. We have extended the DWP Youth Offer to 2025 and expanded eligibility to include 16 and 17-year-olds, in addition to 18 to 24-year olds, who are claiming Universal Credit and searching for work.</p><p> </p><p>Both Hendon Jobcentres support young people through the DWP Youth Offer, which includes intensive Work Coach support, Youth Employability Coaches for those with additional barriers, and access to the Youth Hub in the Grahame Park area.</p><p> </p><p>Core skills are fundamental in securing, retaining, and progressing in work. This Government has invested in apprenticeships, traineeships, vocational and basic skills training, alongside careers advice and Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs).</p><p> </p><p>SWAP opportunities link skills/employability training with guaranteed interviews and real vacancies – providing a routeway into work for young people. Whilst many opportunities are entry level, they often offer good career pathways and in work progression. Springboard has recently offered SWAP opportunities in the hospitality sector in each of the four London Districts and are available to young claimants in Hendon. The jobcentre team are also working with No1 Fitness Academy, who are running a 6-week employability programme for young people in Hendon.</p><p> </p><p>Employers from a range of sectors recruit on site daily and we deliver a Job Club to support with applications and interview techniques. Across North London, we hold regular recruitment events with multiple employers offering jobs with a range of entry levels.</p><p> </p><p>The local jobcentre team work collaboratively with Barnet Council and various partners to support Hendon’s young people, developing skills provision and routeways into higher skilled jobs in sectors including construction, computer programming and fitness instruction.</p><p> </p><p>We work closely with the GLA, London Councils and our College Principles. We are working collaboratively to develop Skills Bootcamps in line with priority sectors and we also support the mayor’s priorities around Good Work for Londoners.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 18/05/2022 11:07:01 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1461312

	registered interest
	date	10/05/2022
	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	Employment Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Plan for Jobs in supporting people into work.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	202
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2022 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to supporting everyone who has been affected by the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 on the economy and the labour market. Throughout the pandemic the UK Government has provided historic levels of support to the economy – a total of over £370 billion. This includes key DWP programmes as part of the Plan for Jobs, such as Restart and Kickstart alongside other measures to boost work searches, skills, and apprenticeships. Our support was in addition to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (Furlough) and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.</p><p>Our Plan for Jobs is complemented by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which will help to level up and create opportunity across the UK. As part of Plan for Jobs in England over 162,000 jobs have been started through the Kickstart programme. Data for the financial years 2020/21 and 2021/22 shows that as of 27 March 2022, there was a total of 149,980 starts to a Sector Work Academy Programme (SWAP) nationally. We have also launched Way to Work - a concerted drive across the UK to help half a million currently out of work people into jobs by the end of June 2022.</p><p>Employment is growing in England – up 30,000 on the quarter and 310,000 on the year to stand at 27.510 million in Dec 2021-Feb 2022, according to ONS figures. Employment in England is up from a low in the pandemic of 27.186 million - though it is below its pre-COVID level, underlining the need for Way to Work to support more people into jobs.</p><p>We want everyone to be able to find a job, progress in work and thrive in the labour market, whoever they are and wherever they live.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 18/05/2022 11:13:47 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1483458

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2022
	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	Way to Work Scheme: Hendon
	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 number of people who have moved off Universal Credit and into work as a result of the Way to Work campaign in Hendon constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	25821
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2022 answer text <p>We are unable to provide the number of movements into work in the Hendon parliamentary constituency as to produce this would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst we cannot provide data at a constituency level, we can provide this data at a Jobcentre Plus (JCP) district geographical area. Hendon constituency falls within North London JCP district, we have therefore provided the movements into work for that took place within that area during the campaign. These will include movements that took place in other constituencies that fall within the same JCP district.</p><p> </p><p>We estimate that so far 17,100 unemployed Universal Credit claimants in the North London Jobcentre Plus District have moved into work during the Way to Work Campaign between 31 January and 26 June 2022.</p><p> </p><p>This cumulative figure is composed of our into work measure to the end of May (14,770) and our internal management information up to 26 June (2,340). This figure includes claimants with a sanction in place that moved into work during the period of the campaign (760). This does not include movements into work from JSA claimants as they cannot be broken down to Jobcentre Plus District level. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Due to rounding, sum of figures may not match declared total.</p><p> </p><p>The management information presented here has not been subjected to the usual standard of quality assurance associated with official statistics but is provided in the interests of transparency and timeliness.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 05/07/2022 16:31:40 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1564845

	registered interest
	date	09/01/2023
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Remote Working
	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 their Department’s employees work from home at least one day a week.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	118947
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/01/2023 answer text <p>As a department we do not capture figures for employees working from home at least one day a week. We do however record figures for employees who attend the office. Our Hybrid working policy is minimum of 40% of their time in the office. As a department have headquarters utilisation data published <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-headquarters-occupancy-data" target="_blank">here.</a></p><p> </p><p>The Total DWP on a given day, the average figures for people who were working and were in an office are as follows: (Staff that are not working in the office, can either be working remotely or from home).</p><p> </p><p>Q2 2022/23</p><p>DWP Total – 59.4%</p><p> </p><p>Q3 2022/23</p><p>DWP Total – 60.3%</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 17/01/2023 17:32:38 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1603644

	registered interest
	date	13/03/2023
	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	Support for Mortgage Interest
	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 policy to increase the level of payments through the Support for Mortgage Interest scheme in line with increases in the Bank of England base rate.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	163851
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2023 answer text <p>It is not SMI policy to increase the level of SMI payments in line with increases in the Bank of England’s base rate.</p><p> </p><p>The standard interest rate we pay is set at a level based on the Bank of England's published monthly average mortgage interest rate. We have selected this rate because it is the average interest rate that applies to outstanding mortgages, including fixed and variable mortgages. The Bank of England data is the most reliable as it is based on information that covers over 75 per cent of all banks and building societies' mortgage business. It is also updated on a regular (monthly) basis</p><p> </p><p>The standard interest rate is currently set at 2.09% and will only change when the Bank of England’s average mortgage rate differs by 0.5 percentage points or more from the rate in payment.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 21/03/2023 14:18:34 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1665864

	registered interest
	date	18/10/2023
	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: Artificial Intelligence
	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 has made an assessment of the potential impact of the use of artificial intelligence on the functioning of the welfare system.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	203281
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2023 answer text <p>DWP is continually exploring the use of all types of Artificial Intelligence and its potential to support the provision of more digital services with a human touch in a safe, ethical, and considered way. Artificial Intelligence will never replace the role of our colleagues in supporting customers throughout their journey.</p><p> </p><p>We are using Artificial Intelligence to undertake administrative or repetitive tasks, freeing up our colleagues to spend more time with claimants.</p><p> </p><p>As part of our approach, and in-line with the Prime Minister’s Foundation Model Taskforce, DWP has created a Generative Artificial Intelligence Lighthouse Programme which will safely guide our innovation in emerging Artificial Intelligence technology. The role of this programme is to ‘test and learn’ in a safe and governed environment where all types of AI can be used to assist us in the delivery of our customer outcomes and department efficiencies. Following this test and learn approach will help us to build more certainty on the potential benefits that can be realised.</p><p> </p><p>Where Artificial Intelligence is used to assist its activities in prevention and detection of fraud within UC applications, DWP always ensures appropriate safeguards are in place for the proportionate, ethical, and legal use of data with internal monitoring protocols adhered to. Through the work of departmental governance, we can always explain how the AI reaches conclusions using data.</p><p> </p><p>DWP will not use AI to replace human judgement in determining or denying a payment to a claimant. Where appropriate, Equality and Data Protection Impact Assessments have been carried out.</p><p> </p><p>DWP's Personal Information Charter(opens in a new tab) explains how and why we use personal information and citizen’s rights and responsibilities.</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/personal-information-charter" target="_blank">DWP's Personal Information Charter(opens in a new tab)</a> explains how and why we use personal information and citizen’s rights and responsibilities.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 24/10/2023 15:39:31 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1537698

	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	Pension Funds
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate his Department has made of the amount of money in lost pension funds.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	74628
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2022 answer text <p>The Department does not hold this information.</p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Laura Trott question first answered 07/11/2022 15:20:19 answering member 4780 label Biography information for Laura Trott
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1168304

	registered interest
	date	19/12/2019
	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	Disability
	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 introduce a national strategy on tackling barriers faced by disabled people.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	95
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>I can confirm that the Government will publish a National Strategy for Disabled People in 2020. Our strategy will be ambitious, supporting disabled people in all aspects and phases of their lives and focusing on removing barriers and creating opportunity.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 07/01/2020 14:35:07 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1307530

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2021
	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	long Covid: Disability
	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 an assessment of the potential merits of recognising long covid as a disability.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	179050
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2021 answer text <p>Given Long COVID is an emerging condition, the Government cannot comment whether consideration should be given to its addition to the list of conditions classed as a disability under the Equality Act 2020. An individual is defined as disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a “substantial” and “long-term” negative effect on their ability to carry out normal daily activities. The Act defines “long-term” as where an impairment has lasted, or is likely to last for at least 12 months, or where the impairment is likely to last for the rest of a person’s life. “Substantial” on the other hand is defined as an impairment that is more than minor or trivial.</p><p> </p><p>COVID-19 is a new disease and therefore it is not yet clear what the physical, psychological and rehabilitation needs will be for those experiencing long-term effects of the virus. The Government is funding ambitious and comprehensive research into the long-term physical and mental health effects of COVID-19 to better understand how to help and support those affected, with the most recent research call published on 25 March 2021 by the National Institute of Health Research/UK Research Institute.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 16/04/2021 13:45:58 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1491061

	registered interest
	date	20/07/2022
	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: Care Leavers
	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 an assessment of the potential merits of alternatives to automatic benefit sanctions for care leavers.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	40770
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>We have no plans to assess the potential merits of alternatives to automatic benefit sanctions for care leavers.</p><p>Conditionality and sanctions apply to care leavers in the same way as other claimants who are also expected to move towards and enter employment. There are additional checks in place for care leavers to determine if a referral for a sanction decision is appropriate. Work Coaches can also contact the care leaver single point of contact (SPOC) for any additional information when considering a sanction referral for a care leaver.</p><p>It is only when a care leaver has been found not to have met an agreed and reasonable requirement, without good reason, that we would consider applying a sanction. A decision maker will fully take into account the claimants’ circumstances, when determining if a sanction is warranted.</p><p>If a care leaver disagrees with a decision, they can ask for the decision to be reconsidered and subsequently can appeal against the decision to an independent tribunal.</p> answering member constituency Hertford and Stortford answering member printed Julie Marson question first answered 05/09/2022 14:27:30 answering member 4768 label Biography information for Julie Marson
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1121931

	registered interest
	date	18/04/2019
	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	Pension Credit
	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 take steps to simplify the process of claiming pension credit.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	245757
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring that older people receive the support they are entitled to and the DWP targets activity on engaging with people who may be eligible to benefits at pivotal stages, such as when they claim State Pension or report a change in their circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>The DWP uses a wide range of channels to communicate information about benefits to potential customers including information on <a href="https://gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://gov.uk/</a>, in leaflets and by telephone. People wishing to claim Pension Credit can do so by calling 0800 99 1234, which removes the need for claimants to complete lengthy application forms. However, paper forms are also available for those who prefer. The DWP is required by law to ask a number of questions in order to establish eligibility and ensure accurate assessment and subsequent award.</p><p> </p><p>DWP staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit.</p><p> </p><p>One of the best ways to reach eligible customers is through trusted stakeholder working in the community and we have developed the Pension Credit toolkit, as an on-line tool for agencies and welfare rights organisations to use in order to encourage Pension Credit take-up. It can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit</a></p><p> </p><p>The toolkit contains resources for anyone working with pensioners and includes guides to Pension Credit. It also contains publicity material and guidance designed to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit and help organisations support someone applying for Pension Credit as well as ideas for encouraging take-up. The toolkit also provides links to information about disability and carers benefits.</p><p> </p><p>Most recently we have provided to relevant organisations a fact sheet about Pension Credit and forthcoming changes for couples to ensure that accurate information is available in the places where people are most likely to seek information.</p><p> </p><p>The majority of people of pension age in receipt of a State Pension or another social security benefit receive their annual winter fuel payment automatically without the need to make a claim. There are no plans to change the existing process of claims to Pension Credit.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 29/04/2019 13:54:46 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1252214

	registered interest
	date	16/11/2020
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of women who reached state pension age on 6 April 2016, received a Married Woman’s Pension Rate based on their husband’s National Insurance contributions but subsequently divorced and failed to receive an uplift to a full basic state pension.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	115620
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>There are no women who meet the criteria.</p><p /> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 23/11/2020 17:39:54 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1259232

	registered interest
	date	08/12/2020
	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: Hendon
	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 an auto-enrolment pension in Hendon constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	126842
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2020 answer text <p>Since 2012, in the Hendon constituency, 14,000 eligible jobholders have been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension and 3,260 employers have declared compliance with their automatic enrolment duties.</p><p> </p><p>This data is updated by The Pensions Regulator each month and published on its website which can be accessed via the following weblink:</p><p><a href="https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-analysis/data-requests" target="_blank">https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-analysis/data-requests</a></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 14/12/2020 13:10:47 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1287085

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2021
	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: Post Office
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the value of the contract awarded to accept welfare payments to Post Office accounts is (a) in total and (b) per individual transaction.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	154993
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2021 answer text <p>The value of the seven-year Post Office Card Account contract is £250.9 million.</p><p>The payment model for the Post Office card account is based on the number of customers who have live accounts. The payment model does not include a cost per transaction.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 25/02/2021 17:47:00 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1287086

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2021
	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: Post Office
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason his Department was not able to renew its contract with the Post Office to accept welfare payments through Post Office accounts.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	154994
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2021 answer text <p>The Department’s method of payment policy is to pay customers into standard accounts and is currently transforming its payment exception services to deliver efficiencies. This promotes financial inclusion, and ensures customers have greater flexibility in managing their money.</p><p> </p><p>This transformation will replace the existing two contracts, the Post Office card account and HM Payment Exception Service contracts, with one single payment exception service for customers who the Department are unable to pay into a standard account. The replacement service is being procured in line with public procurement regulations to ensure open and fair commercial competition.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 01/03/2021 15:55:43 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1344673

	registered interest
	date	07/07/2021
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Information
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what mechanisms are in place to audit information provided to her Department by (a) regulatory bodies and (b) non-departmental public bodies.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	29024
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2021 answer text <p>The Department oversees the governance, performance, strategy and financial arrangements of Arm’s-Length Bodies (ALBs) via several mechanisms, which are applicable to both regulatory bodies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs).</p><p> </p><p>The relationship between an ALB and the Department is established through a framework document, in line with the Managing Public Money guidance - <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-money" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-money</a>: “3.8.2 The framework document (or equivalent) agreed between an ALB and its sponsor always provides for the sponsor department to exercise meaningful oversight of the ALB’s strategy and performance, pay arrangements and/or major financial transactions, e.g. by monthly returns, standard delegations and exception reporting. The sponsor department’s accounts consolidate those of its ALBs so its accounting officer must be satisfied that the consolidated accounts are accurate and not misleading”.</p><p> </p><p>A NDPB is required to submit to their sponsoring department, an annual report and audited accounts prepared in accordance with the relevant statutes and guidelines. The annual report and accounts provide the sponsoring department with information about the financial and non-financial performance of the NDPB. In addition, they will state if the NDPB has met key performance indicators as set out in their business and corporate plans. The report and accounts are laid in Parliament and, where commercially possible, made available on the NDPB’s website.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to these processes, the Department runs an Annual Assurance Assessment, holds Quarterly Accountability Reviews with the bodies and attends the bodies’ Audit and Risk Committees.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 16/07/2021 12:21:39 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1364327

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2021
	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	Pension Funds: Environment Protection
	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 support pension funds to invest in green infrastructure.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	65414
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/11/2021 answer text <p>The government has been a global champion in terms of promoting safer, better, greener pensions. On 1 October 2021, Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures regulations and statutory guidance came into force, requiring trustees to consider, assess and report on the financial risks and opportunities of climate change within their portfolios.</p><p> </p><p>We are also doing more to remove barriers to investment in green infrastructure and other illiquid assets. As announced in the recent Budget, we will consult on possible changes to the regulatory charge cap for defined contribution pension schemes used for automatic enrolment. These changes could help unlock access to investment in important sectors of the UK economy, including green infrastructure, whilst continuing to protect savers.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 02/11/2021 13:36:46 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1364338

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2021
	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: Hendon
	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 auto-enrolled in workplace pensions in Hendon constituency since 2012.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	65418
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/11/2021 answer text <p>Since 2012, in the Hendon constituency, approximately 14,000 eligible jobholders have been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension and 3,530 employers have declared compliance with their automatic enrolment duties.</p><p> </p><p>This data is produced and updated by The Pensions Regulator each month and published on its website which can be accessed via the following weblink: <br> <br> <a href="https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-analysis/data-requests" target="_blank">https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-analysis/data-requests</a></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 02/11/2021 13:42:06 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1364341

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2021
	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	Pension Funds: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what contributions she plans to make at COP26 to help pension funds contribute to delivering net zero.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	65421
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/11/2021 answer text <p>The UK was the first country in the world both to make climate disclosures in line with the Task Force on Climate- Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations mandatory for occupational pensions schemes, and to consult on measures to require pension schemes to measure and report their alignment with the Paris Agreement on climate change.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State therefore intends to play a very active role in encouraging other countries to follow this precedent and to commit to TCFD/Paris aligned reporting for their pension sector at COP26. The Secretary of State will also be introducing a session to focus on mobilising finance to fight climate change in emerging markets and developing countries, which will be crucial in the fight against climate change.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 02/11/2021 13:39:52 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1364342

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2021
	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 Pensions
	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 planning to take to help people understand their personal pensions in (a) Hendon constituency and (b) the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	65422
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2021 answer text <p>We are actively working on supporting people to understand and prepare for retirement, with pension guidance provided by the Money and Pension Service available in all parts of the UK.</p><p>Alongside the introduction of the Pension Freedoms in 2015, we introduced Pension Wise guidance, now delivered through the Money and Pensions Service MoneyHelper <a href="https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/pensions-and-retirement/pension-wise" target="_blank">Pension Wise (moneyhelper.org.uk)</a>. Pension Wise provides free, impartial guidance to savers aged 50 or above as they approach retirement and who are considering accessing their pension savings through pensions freedoms. In addition to Pension Wise, MoneyHelper Pensions (formerly known as The Pensions Advisory Service) provides guidance to individuals of all ages, across a wide range of issues.</p><p>To ensure pension savers consider receiving Pension Wise guidance before accessing their savings, we recently consulted on introducing a Stronger Nudge to Pensions’ Guidance. The Government’s response will be published in due course.</p><p>Simple annual benefit statements have also been introduced to help members better understand the information they receive from their pension scheme, including how much they have saved. Empowering consumers to see all of their pensions savings in one place for the first time and also what level of income they might provide in retirement, is a key part of our strategy to improve consumers’ engagement with pensions. Pensions dashboards will put the individual saver in control, reconnect people with their lost pension pots, and transform how people think and plan for their retirement.</p><p>The Pensions Dashboards Programme’s latest progress report was published in October 2021, and highlighted that dashboards remain on track for delivery in phase 4 of their delivery programme.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 05/11/2021 14:34:30 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1387253

	registered interest
	date	13/12/2021
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Carbon Emissions
	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 help achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	91940
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2021 answer text <p>Our plan for Net Zero will generate thousands of well-paid jobs here in the UK, help us develop thriving, world-leading green industries, strengthen our energy security, and improve our health and well-being. Acting now will put us at the forefront of large, expanding global markets and allow us to capitalise on export opportunities so that the UK becomes an importer rather than a customer of the technology of the future. This is why the government's approach will be tech-led using the best of British technology and innovation – just as we did in the last industrial revolution – to help make homes and buildings warmer, the air cleaner and our journeys greener, all while creating thousands of jobs in new future-proof industries.</p><p> </p><p>Our Net Zero Strategy sets out a plan to:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Level up our country supporting up to 190,000 green jobs in 2025 and up to 440,000 jobs across net zero sectors in 2030.</li><li>Build a secure, home-grown energy sector which ends our dependency on volatile foreign gas prices, which will help protect consumers and businesses.</li><li>Leverage new private investments of up to £90 billion by 2030 levelling-up our former industrial heartlands.</li><li>The policies and spending brought forward in the Net Zero Strategy mean that since the Ten Point Plan, we have mobilised £26 billion of government capital investment for the green industrial revolution. More than £5.8 billion of foreign investment in green projects has also been secured since the launch of the Ten Point Plan, along with at least 56,000 jobs in the UK’s clean industries.</li><li>Take a credible and conservative approach to cutting our climate emissions, putting us on track to meet our carbon reduction targets, including our Nationally Determined Contribution (68% reduction by 2030) and Carbon Budget 6 (78% 2035) - building on our successes since 2010.</li></ul> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 16/12/2021 13:52:54 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1452263

	registered interest
	date	17/03/2022
	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	Pension Credit: Hendon
	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 awarded pension credit in Hendon constituency in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	141965
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2022 answer text <p>The following table shows the number of Pension Credit recipients since August 2017 in Hendon.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Pension Credit recipients in Hendon</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>3,354</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>3,160</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>3,030</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020</p></td><td><p>2,903</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021</p></td><td><p>2,832</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 24/03/2022 14:00:47 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1452807

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2022
	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	P&O Ferries: Redundancy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of P&O’s decision to terminate the employment of 800 of its staff on the future viability of the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	143654
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/03/2022 answer text <p>The Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund (MNRPF) is a private sector, multi-employer scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The UK has a robust and flexible framework for pension scheme funding, to protect members benefits. The accrued benefits of UK P&amp;O staff will be protected by these arrangements. The independent Pensions Regulator is working closely with the trustee of the MNRPF in its role to protect pension scheme savers. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 28/03/2022 15:40:32 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1452808

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2022
	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	Merchant Shipping: Pension Funds
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what exposure her Department has to the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	143655
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/03/2022 answer text <p>The Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund is a private sector multi-employer scheme.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 28/03/2022 15:24:50 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1463990

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2022
	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	Pensions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department is taking steps to bring forward initiatives to assist people in understanding their pensions.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	4550
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2022 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is currently introducing several initiatives to assist people in understanding their pensions.</p><p> </p><p>The Stronger Nudge to pensions guidance regulations, coming in to force on 1<sup>st</sup> June 2022, ensure no-one will be able to access their savings through pension freedoms without having received Pension Wise guidance or opted out. As part of this, schemes will offer to book of a Pension Wise appointment for the member as part of the application process, removing the inertia introduced by members having to book their own appointment.</p><p> </p><p>From October this year, new regulations come into force that require defined contribution schemes used for automatic enrolment to send simpler, 2-page maximum, statements to members. These short, simpler statements will give savers the key information they need to be able to better engage with and understand their pensions. They will help people plan for the retirement they want.</p><p> </p><p>DWP published a consultation on the draft regulations for Pensions Dashboards, which closed on 13 March 2022. Following publication of its response, expected this summer, the department will lay regulations for dashboards when parliamentary time allows. Pensions dashboards can help make accessing pensions information easier by empowering people to see what they have in their various pensions, including their State Pension, at the touch of a button on their smartphone, laptop or computer at home. This will put the saver in control and help reconnect people with their lost pension pots, transforming how people think and plan for their retirement.</p><p /> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 26/05/2022 11:16:35 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1469690

	registered interest
	date	13/06/2022
	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	Pensioners: Poverty
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people of the statutory retirement age who live in relative poverty.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	16919
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2022 answer text <p>National Statistics on the number of pensioners in low income in the UK are published annually in the “Households Below Average Income” publication. Latest statistics, covering up until 2020/21, can be found here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1064433/hbai-summary-results.ods" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1064433/hbai-summary-results.ods</a></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 20/06/2022 14:24:55 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1600854

	registered interest
	date	02/03/2023
	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: Hendon
	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 households on Universal Credit in the Hendon constituency had that benefit capped as of 1 March 2023.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	156944
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2023 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>The available information on the number of households receiving Universal Credit (Full Service only) and subject to the benefit cap, by month and Westminster parliamentary constituency, is published every three months on <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Stat-Xplore</a> and the latest statistics are available to August 2022.</p><p> </p><p>The number of households on Universal Credit by month and Westminster parliamentary constituency, is published monthly on <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Stat-Xplore</a> and the latest statistics are available to November 2022.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/03/2023 15:25:38 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1355031

	registered interest
	date	13/09/2021
	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: Hendon
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employed people are receiving universal credit in Hendon constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	48207
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2021 answer text <p>The latest available statistics on the number of people who are on Universal Credit and are in employment, by parliamentary constituency, are published and can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 21/09/2021 16:01:00 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1355040

	registered interest
	date	13/09/2021
	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: Hendon
	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 will have their universal credit reduced as a result of the planned removal of the £20 uplift to the standard allowance in Hendon constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	48211
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2021 answer text <p>The available information on the number of people with Universal Credit in payment, by geography, is published and can be found at: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at: <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 22/09/2021 15:30:07 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1364331

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2021
	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	Household Support Fund: Hendon
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how the £500 million Household Support Fund will provide assistance to vulnerable people in Hendon over the next six months.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	65415
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2021 answer text <p><strong></strong></p><p>We recognise that some people may require extra support over the winter as we enter the final stages of recovery, which is why vulnerable households across the country will now be able to access a new £500 million support fund to help them with essentials. The Household Support Fund will provide £421 million to help vulnerable people in England. The Barnett Formula will apply in the usual way, with the devolved administrations receiving almost £80 million (£41m for the Scottish Government, £25m for the Welsh Government and £14m for the NI Executive), for a total of £500 million.</p><p> </p><p>The Household Support Fund in England is being allocated at the Upper Tier level. In Hendon, this means that funding has been allocated to Barnet Council. All Upper Tier Local Authorities have the flexibility to deliver their own schemes through a variety of routes, which may include offering vouchers to households, directly providing food, or issuing grants to third parties to provide such services on their behalf.</p><p> </p><p>The Household Support Fund will primarily be used to support households in need with food, energy and water costs, with flexibility for support with wider essentials. In exceptional cases of genuine emergency where existing housing support schemes do not meet this exceptional need, the Household Support Fund can be used to support housing costs. At least 50% of the funding is for vulnerable households with children, while up to 50% is available for vulnerable households without children, including individuals.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 05/11/2021 14:36:13 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1384344

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2021
	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: Fraud
	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 (a) identify and (b) reduce fraud within the benefits system.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	86078
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2021 answer text <p>The Department takes benefit fraud very seriously. We have taken further steps to reduce and minimise fraud and error during the past 18 months at a time where the Department processed an additional 3 million new Universal Credit claims.</p><p>We are continuing to expand our Integrated Risk and Intelligence Service that coordinates the detection of, and response to, fraud risks from organised crime groups seeking to exploit the benefit system. This included preventing a large attack in May 2020, stopping substantial sums being paid out to scammers and led to a number of arrests.</p><p>This has been further expanded, following investment at the Spring Budget and Spending Review, to further develop pre-payment ‘risking’ techniques and maintain our new Enhanced Checking Service for high risk claims.</p><p>We have also revisited more than 900,000 high risk claims paid during the early period of COVID-19, which has generated over £400m in potential savings. Where fraud is established, we are committed to the use of appropriate penalties and to recovering monies from the perpetrators.</p><p>We also continue to work with other Government departments and law enforcement agencies nationally and across borders to ensure appropriate intelligence and resources are shared, enabling the totality of any criminality to be identified and investigated</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 10/12/2021 14:52:00 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1384349

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2021
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the universal credit taper rate reduction on household budgets.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	86083
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2021 answer text <p>The reduction in the taper rate, together with an increase in the work allowances, means 1.9m households will keep, on average, around an extra £1,000 a year. These changes represent an effective tax cut for low income working households in receipt of Universal Credit, worth £2.2 billion a year in 2022-23, and will allow working households to keep more of what they earn and strengthen incentives to move into, and progress, in work.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 10/12/2021 11:49:29 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1416780

	registered interest
	date	26/01/2022
	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: Fraud
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department has spent on tackling benefit fraud in each of the last three financial years.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	112539
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2022 answer text <p>All Department for Work and Pensions staff have a role in tackling benefit fraud, which is why all staff undertake mandatory fraud training each year.</p><p> </p><p>The figures provided reflect the direct cost of investigation work plus the cost of investment in fraud detection systems, which, over the last 3 years, amounted to £198m (2018/19), £220m (2019/20) and £162m (2020/21). Note that 2020/21 costs reduced because people were redeployed to front line Operations to help with the COVID claim surge.</p><p> </p><p>Figures do not include indirect costs, such as accommodation or IT.</p><p> </p><p>Looking ahead, the Department has confirmed an additional three year £613 million investment from the October Comprehensive Spending Review settlement and the announcement in December 2021, which will support a targeted review of Universal Credit claims, the development of a new Debt Enforcement Function and further recruitment into the Counter Fraud and Compliance and Debt Directorate so that we can continue to respond quickly and effectively to threats. This includes funding for around 2,000 trained specialists to identify and stop scammers. We expect this to make a significant reduction in the fraud and error challenge we face.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 03/02/2022 18:00:51 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1455062

	registered interest
	date	28/03/2022
	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	Poverty: Children
	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 publish a strategy to tackle child poverty in Hendon constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	148151
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/04/2022 answer text <p>With almost 1.32 million vacancies across the UK, our plan for tackling poverty is firmly focussed on supporting people to move into and progress in work. Our approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment – particularly where it is full-time – in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children.</p><p> </p><p>This plan includes our multi-billion-pound Plan for Jobs, which has been expanded by £500 million, and Way to Work, which is a concerted drive across the UK to help half a million currently out of work people into jobs by the end of June 2022. We have recruited around 13,500 additional work coaches who are all trained to develop a detailed knowledge of their local labour market and to offer claimants the tailored support they need to take advantage of new opportunities wherever they live in the UK.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We recognise that some people require additional support and from April, the government is providing 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 billion. Under the first round of funding, the London Borough of Barnet Council was allocated £2,455,182.90 of funding, and they are provisionally allocated the same amount again for the extension of the fund.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 05/04/2022 16:08:10 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1463989

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2022
	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	Household Support Fund
	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 her Department has taken to progress the allocation of the Household Support Fund to local authorities.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	4549
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2022 answer text <p>Local Authorities have already received their allocations, alongside the grant determination and guidance, for the £421m Household Support Fund extension. The new allocations for Local Authorities are the same as for the previous 6 months of the scheme and can be found <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/household-support-fund-guidance-for-local-councils/household-support-fund-grant-determination-2021-no-315787#annex-a-household-support-fund-grant-final-funding-allocations-per-county-councils-and-unitary-authorities-for-the-period-1-april-to-30-september-2022" target="_blank">here</a>. Local Authorities have discretion on exactly how and when this funding is used within the scope set out, based on their assessment of local need.</p><p> </p><p>This funding is available now for use by Local Authorities until 30 September 2022.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 26/05/2022 15:49:07 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1483459

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2022
	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	Household Support Fund: Barnet
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress her Department has made on allocating the Household Support Fund to the London Borough of Barnet.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	25822
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2022 answer text <p>Local Authorities have received their allocations from the current £421m Household Support Fund for April – September 2022, alongside the grant determination and guidance. The allocations for Local Authorities for this period can be found <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/household-support-fund-guidance-for-local-councils/household-support-fund-grant-determination-2021-no-315787#annex-a-household-support-fund-grant-final-funding-allocations-per-county-councils-and-unitary-authorities-for-the-period-1-april-to-30-september-2022" target="_blank">here</a>. The allocation for Barnet is £2,455,182.90. Local Authorities have discretion on exactly how and when this funding is used within the scope set out in the grant determination and guidance, based on their assessment of local need.</p><p> </p><p>From October 2022, Government is providing an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. In England £421m will be used to further extend the Household Support Fund (October 2022 – March 2023). Guidance and individual local authority indicative allocations for this further extension to the Household Support Fund will be announced in due course.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 05/07/2022 16:02:35 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1490117

	registered interest
	date	18/07/2022
	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: Mortality Rates
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the number of people claiming social security benefits on the mortality rate in England.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	38637
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2022 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions has not made an assessment.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 25/07/2022 14:00:46 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1491060

	registered interest
	date	20/07/2022
	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	Jobseeker's Allowance and Universal Credit: Care Leavers
	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 pay care leavers the higher rate of (a) Jobseekers Allowance and (b) Universal Credit from their 18th birthday.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	40769
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>Universal Credit provides those who are under 25 with lower rates than those age 25 and over. This reflects the fact that these claimants are more likely to live in someone else’s household and have lower living costs.</p><p> </p><p>However, it is acknowledged that some claimants under 25 do live independently, which is why Universal Credit includes separate elements to provide support to claimants for these additional costs. These additional amounts are provided in a similar way to all claimants.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>There are no plans to change this policy.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 05/09/2022 16:04:50 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1364326

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2021
	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: Disability
	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 disabled people in (a) Hendon constituency and (b) the UK to transition from education into employment.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	65413
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2021 answer text <p>DWP Schools Advisers in Hendon and across the London Borough of Barnet, work with the local Special Educational Needs or Disability (SEND) schools to help their young people transition into work. They work with the schools to deliver sessions on building employability skills and providing help with CVs, identifying suitable employment options that align their skills with available jobs and delivering sessions on interview skills.</p><p> </p><p>Across the UK, including Hendon, there are a range of DWP initiatives that are supporting disabled people and people with health conditions to live independent lives and start, stay and succeed in employment. These include the Intensive Personalised Employment Support programme, Access to Work, Supported Internships, Disability Confident and support in partnership with the health system, including Employment Advice in NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services.</p><p> </p><p>As part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs, the Kickstart scheme is aimed specifically at young people. Disabled people or people with long-term health conditions can access the Kickstart scheme, supported through Access to Work if required.</p><p> </p><p>We have also increased the number of Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) to 1000 nationally. DEAs work alongside Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches, including Youth Employability Coaches, specialising in finding the right support to help all customers that have a disability or health condition.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 08/11/2021 17:16:59 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1364332

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2021
	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
	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 Cabinet colleagues on cross-departmental work to implement effectively the National Disability Strategy.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	65416
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2021 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of issues, including the National Disability Strategy which was published in July.</p><p> </p><p>At the request of the Prime Minister, a set of Ministerial Disability Champions were appointed in summer 2020, to drive the development and delivery of the National Disability Strategy.</p><p> </p><p>Their role, as set out on <a href="http://gov.uk/" target="_blank">GOV.UK</a>, includes championing disabled people and driving the delivery of the National Disability Strategy in their respective departments.</p><p> </p><p>As detailed in the strategy itself, the government will publish an annual report in summer 2022, detailing the progress made against commitments. An updated list of Departmental Ministerial Disability Champions will be published on <a href="http://gov.uk/" target="_blank">GOV.UK</a> in due course.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 08/11/2021 16:51:21 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1364339

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2021
	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: Disability
	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 implement further initiatives to help reduce the disability employment gap.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	65419
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2021 answer text <p>The National Disability Strategy, the Health and Disability Support Green Paper and the Health is Everyone’s Business response together reflect this Government’s commitment to supporting disabled people and those with long-term health conditions to live full and independent lives, including through employment. A range of DWP initiatives are currently supporting disabled people to start, stay and succeed in work. These include the Work and Health Programme, the Intensive Personalised Employment Support programme, Access to Work, Disability Confident and support in partnership with the health system, including Employment Advice in NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 04/11/2021 16:38:28 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord