The Department for Work and Pensions apologises for the delay in responding. We have been investigating the issues raised by your constituent and a response has sent to the hon. Member for Walsall North, Mr David Winnick, today.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4068", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Watford"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Richard Harrington"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-09-12T13:12:05.343Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Members: Correspondence"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of 1 August 2016 to the Benefits Director on pension credit related to a constituency case.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/316", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Winnick"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Walsall North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr David Winnick"} ], "uin" : "45357"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576937", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576937/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Secretary of State has confirmed that the Government expects to make an announcement on the way forward for supported housing in early autumn.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "45122"} , {"_value" : "45221"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-09-12T11:34:21.173Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing Benefit: Supported Housing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the timetable for publication is of the Freud Review into housing benefit changes and their impact on supported accommodation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4368", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Neil Coyle"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bermondsey and Old Southwark"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Neil Coyle"} ], "uin" : "45224"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576938", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576938/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Secretary of State has confirmed that the Government expects to make an announcement on the way forward for supported housing in early autumn.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "45122"} , {"_value" : "45224"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-09-12T11:34:21.127Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Supported Housing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Government plans to announce the outcome of its review into future funding for supported housing; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4069", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Peter Aldous"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Waveney"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Peter Aldous"} ], "uin" : "45221"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576940", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576940/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The primary purpose of Carer's Allowance is to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time employment in order to provide regular and substantial care for a severely disabled person. It is not, and was never intended to be, a carer\u2019s wage or a payment for the services of caring, nor is it intended to replace lost or forgone earnings in their entirety.<\/p>
<\/p>
The earnings limit for Carer's Allowance is a net figure which is the figure left once income tax, National Insurance contributions and half of any contributions to an occupational or personal pension are deducted from earnings. There are also a number of other deductions which can be made that mean that people can earn significantly more than £110 per week and still be eligible for Carer's Allowance.<\/p>
<\/p>
Whilst the Government does not link the earnings limit to any other particular factor (including the National Living Wage), we do keep it under regular review and increase it when it is warranted and affordable, and this will continue to be our approach. Most recently in April 2015 the earnings limit was increased by 8% to £110, far outstripping the general increase in earnings.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4017", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Penny Mordaunt"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Penny Mordaunt"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-09-12T11:54:24.653Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Carers' Benefits: Living Wage"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the living wage on the earnings threshold for carers allowance; and if he will bring forward proposals to raise the existing threshold.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4449", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Turley"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Redcar"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Anna Turley"} ], "uin" : "45121"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576941", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576941/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Secretary of State has confirmed that the Government expects to make an announcement on the way forward for supported housing in early autumn.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "45221"} , {"_value" : "45224"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-09-12T11:34:21.047Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing Benefit: Refuges"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to exempt domestic violence refuges from proposals to cap housing benefit.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/304", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Hall Green"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Roger Godsiff"} ], "uin" : "45122"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576530", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576530/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We have developed a new Disability Confident employer accreditation scheme. This went live in July.<\/p>
This will be core to our engagement with employers to raise awareness, improve performance and drive up engagement on the disability employment agenda.<\/p>
We are developing plans to formally launch the scheme in the Autumn and more information on take up and effectiveness measures will be available from then.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4017", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Penny Mordaunt"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Penny Mordaunt"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-09-12T11:44:48.217Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Disability"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to increase awareness of the Disability Confident campaign; and how his Department plans to measure the effectiveness of that campaign.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3911", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Eilidh Whiteford"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Banff and Buchan"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Eilidh Whiteford"} ], "uin" : "44951"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576531", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576531/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
At the time of the Pensions Act 2011 the government introduced a concession worth £1.1 billion to limit the impact of the rising state pension age on those most affected. The concession capped the maximum delay that anyone would face in claiming their State Pension to 18 months rather than two years, relative to the previous timetable. The Government has no plans to introduce further transitional arrangements.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4068", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Watford"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Richard Harrington"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-09-12T13:21:14.597Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "State Retirement Pensions: Females"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his policy is on the introduction of transitional arrangements to assist women born on or after 6 April 1951 who have been adversely affected by changes to the state pension age.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4367", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Elliott"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Fermanagh and South Tyrone"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Elliott"} ], "uin" : "44917"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576534", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576534/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Both Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) are designed to contribute towards the extra cost of having a disability. PIP is a modern benefit that maintains the key principles of DLA; it is a non-means-tested, non-taxable cash benefit available to people in and out of work. In addition, it takes proper account of mental health conditions and targets resources on those who need support. Most people will continue to receive support under PIP and, in fact, a greater proportion of claimants are receiving the highest rates of the benefit than in DLA \u2013 23 per cent compared to 15 per cent on DLA.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4017", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Penny Mordaunt"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Penny Mordaunt"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-09-12T11:14:54.243Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to monitor the effect of the change from disability living allowance to personal independence payments on the standard of living of the recipients of those payments.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4417", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Deidre Brock"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Edinburgh North and Leith"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Deidre Brock"} ], "uin" : "44986"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/573534", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/573534/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a non-means-tested, non-taxable cash benefit that is paid regardless of the employment status of the claimant. It has been designed to take full account of fluctuating and variable conditions.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Department encourages claimants to provide as much relevant evidence as necessary to support their claim. The \u201cHow your disability affects you\u201d form and accompanying guidance sets out the range of information that can help the Department reach a decision. The guidance for Health Professionals also sets out sources of further evidence which could help inform their advice to the Department (Section 2.3 Further Evidence); this includes family members, carers or anyone else who supports them.<\/p>
<\/p>
This guidance can be accessed on the gov.uk website:<\/p>
<\/p>