There are currently no plans to reform Bereavement Support Payment (BSP). BSP is a contributory benefit intended to help with the immediate costs of bereavement. In common with other contributory benefits, BSP is not means tested. Other sources of financial assistance, including Universal Credit, are available for those who require on-going financial support.<\/p>
<\/p>
Whilst we have no plans for broader reform, on 15th July we laid a draft proposal for a Remedial Order (The Bereavement Benefits Remedial) Order 2021) that will extend eligibility to Widowed Parent\u2019s Allowance and Bereavement Support Payment to cohabitees with dependent children. Further details can be found on Gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bereavement-benefits-proposal-for-implementation-of-the-mclaughlin-2018-and-jackson-2020-judgments<\/a><\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4142", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Guy Opperman"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hexham"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Guy Opperman"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-10-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "56236"}
, {"_value" : "56520"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-10-25T16:19:57.96Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Bereavement Support 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 assessment she had made of the potential merits of making Bereavement Support Allowance an ongoing payment with similar criteria to Carers Allowance for those bereaved who have been left with children, using an earning threshold allowance for eligibility beyond the existing 21 months.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4000", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ian Mearns"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gateshead"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ian Mearns"}
], "uin" : "56088"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1359107", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1359107/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " There are no plans to reform the Triple Lock.<\/p> <\/p> The legislation currently before Parliament is a one-year response to exceptional circumstances.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4142", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Guy Opperman"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hexham"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Guy Opperman"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-10-21T13:33:44.087Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "State Retirement Pensions: Reform"}
, "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 she plans to reform the triple lock on the State Pension.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4682", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Luke Pollard"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Luke Pollard"}
], "uin" : "56145"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1359146", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1359146/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department is currently experiencing high volumes of customer complaints, and it is taking us longer than usual to reply as we start to recover from the challenges of the pandemic.<\/p> <\/p> DWP now triage complaints giving priority to vulnerable claimants who may be at risk, and those with benefit payment issues. We aim to contact customers within 15 working days to clear the complaint or agree how to investigate it if it will take longer.<\/p> <\/p> We continue to look into all complaints as quickly as we can and, as part of the triage process, we write or call those customers where there may be a delay in answering their complaint.<\/p> <\/p> We are in the process of designing the future operating model for DWP complaints and correspondence. As part of this we will be looking for further opportunities to drive efficiency in the process whilst ensuring that vulnerable customers are prioritised.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4142", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Guy Opperman"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hexham"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Guy Opperman"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-10-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-10-25T14:17:10.803Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions: 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, what steps she is taking to improve her Department's response times to correspondence from members of the public.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1442", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Alistair Carmichael"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orkney and Shetland"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Alistair Carmichael"}
], "uin" : "56167"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1359183", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1359183/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department publish complaints received data on a quarterly basis on Gov.uk.<\/p> <\/p> The data is currently published up to June 2021 and is available at DWP complaints data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4142", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Guy Opperman"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hexham"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Guy Opperman"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-10-22T14:00:49.823Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions: Complaints"}
, "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 complaints were lodged with her Department in each month from September 2019.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4418", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justin Madders"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ellesmere Port and Neston"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Justin Madders"}
], "uin" : "56253"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1359184", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1359184/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Changes to State Pension age were made over a series of Acts by successive governments from 1995 onwards, following public consultations and extensive debates in both Houses of Parliament.<\/p> <\/p> We do not hold any recorded information of an impact assessment that informed the rises in State Pension age of the Pensions Act 1995. However, the White Paper \u2018Equality in State Pension Age\u2019 1993 contains some consideration of impacts. The document can be found here http://qna.files.parliament.uk/qna-attachments/1084399/original/Equality%20in%20State%20Pension%20age%201993.pdf<\/a><\/p> <\/p> The 2006 impact assessment 'The Gender Impact of Pension Reform' considered a wide range of reforms to both state and private pension systems, including proposed State Pension age changes, and can be found here:<\/p> https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20111115164646/http:/www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/genderimpactassessment.pdf<\/a><\/p> <\/p> The Department has carried out a number of impact assessments to consider how new regulatory legislation impact those affected by the changes. These include some mention of the impacts on income and health. Please see:<\/p> <\/p> The 2007 Regulatory Impact Assessment can be found here: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121204130650/http:/www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/pensions-bill-ria.pdf<\/a><\/p> The Pensions Act 2011 Impact Assessment can be found here:<\/p> http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pensions-act-2011-impact-assessment<\/a><\/p>