The Government has fully funded local authorities to meet their additional obligations to service users previously in receipt of the Independent Living Fund for the remainder of this Parliament.<\/p>
<\/p>
When the Department closed the Independent Living Fund, a commitment was made to conduct research into the impact of the closure. This will be based on interviews with former users and with Local Authorities. The research is on-going and will be published in due course.<\/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" : "2016-09-12T14:55:56.863Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Independent Living Fund"} , "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 his Department has made of the effect of the closure of the independent living fund on people who received payments from that fund prior to its closure.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4056", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nic Dakin"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Scunthorpe"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Nic Dakin"} ], "uin" : "45315"} , {"_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/576942", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576942/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Refugees and people in Great Britain with humanitarian protection status who are disabled and in need of financial support are entitled to claim Disability Living Allowance, providing they meet all the necessary conditions of entitlement set out in regulations.<\/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" : "2016-09-12T10:39:53.21Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Disability Living Allowance: Refugees"} , "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 guidance his Department plans to issue to its staff on the application of residency tests to refugees applying for disability living allowance.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4393", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart C McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stuart C. McDonald"} ], "uin" : "45160"} , {"_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/576532", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/576532/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The table below shows the average (median) actual clearance times (AACT), in weeks, for normal rules new claims and DLA reassessments to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for Airdie and Shotts, Scotland and England in April 2016.<\/p>
<\/p>
April 2016<\/p><\/td> | Normal Rules, New Claims AACT (weeks)<\/p><\/td> | Normal Rules, DLA Reassessments AACT (weeks)<\/p><\/td><\/tr> | ||||||||||||
Airdie and Shotts parliamentary constituency<\/p><\/td> | 11<\/p><\/td> | 13<\/p><\/td><\/tr> | ||||||||||||
Scotland<\/p><\/td> | 10<\/p><\/td> | 13<\/p><\/td><\/tr> | ||||||||||||
England<\/p><\/td> | 9<\/p><\/td> | 12<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> Source \u2013 PIP Computer Systems<\/em> management information.<\/em><\/p> <\/p> Notes to table:<\/em><\/p> 1) The figures are for normal rules only, and do not include special rules for the terminally ill, as these claims have a separate and faster route through the claims process.<\/p> 2) \u2018Time take for a decision\u2019 has been interpreted as the average time between the date of referral to the assessment provider and the date of the DWP decision to either award or disallow the claim. It does not include claims that were withdrawn by the claimant or claims that were disallowed by DWP pre-referral to the Assessment Providers (e.g. for failure to meet basic eligibility criteria or failure to return the Part 2 form within the time limit).<\/p> 3) Figures have been rounded to the nearest whole number of weeks.<\/p> <\/p> Further information on AACTs is published and available at;<\/p> Financial year<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Number of people helped by Access to Work in Scotland<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Number of people helped by Access to Work in Scotland with a primary medical condition recorded as \u201cMental health condition<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2013/14<\/p><\/td> 2,840<\/p><\/td> 80<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2014/15<\/p><\/td> 2,860<\/p><\/td> 90<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2015/16<\/p><\/td> 2,790<\/p><\/td> 110<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> Note:<\/strong><\/em><\/p> The Department does not routinely publish regional breakdowns of Access to Work data. These data were obtained from the Disability Service Client database and are rounded to the nearest 10.<\/em><\/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" : "2016-09-12T13:41:12.17Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Access to Work Programme: Scotland"}
, "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, how many people in Scotland received support from Access to Work grants (a) in total and (b) for a mental health condition in each of the last three years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4365", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Neil Gray"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Airdrie and Shotts"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Neil Gray"}
], "uin" : "45060"}
, {"_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> https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/547146/pip-assessment-guide.pdf<\/a><\/p> <\/strong><\/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" : "2016-09-12T12:44:20.47Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Personal Independence Payment"}
, "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 forms of medical evidence his Department accepts for personal independence payments claims from a person suffering from (a) myalgic encephalopathy and (b) other illnesses with variable symptoms that permit part-time work.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4451", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kevin Foster"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Torbay"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Kevin Foster"}
], "uin" : "44154"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/573535", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/573535/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The assessment for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is designed to treat people as individuals, considering the impact of their impairment or health condition on their everyday life and how each claimant has personally adapted to living with a disability.<\/p> <\/p> The assessment is carried out by registered health professionals who have specialist training in assessing the impact of disability and health conditions on an individual\u2019s functional ability, including some rare conditions. Prior to carrying out an assessment they routinely refresh their knowledge of any condition with which they are not fully familiar.<\/p> <\/p> The PIP Assessment Guide for Health Professionals includes guidance on the assessment criteria and how they should be applied. This guidance can be accessed on the gov.uk website:<\/p> |