We have no plans to change the capital rule on income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).<\/p>
Entitlement to contributory ESA is not affected by the amount of capital a person has.<\/p>
<\/p>
The current upper capital limit strikes a balance between protecting less well-off people and protecting the taxpayer, whilst at the same time recognising the conscientious efforts of people who have built up capital. This limit ensures that the help which comes from taxpayers, many of whom are themselves on low incomes and have limited capital, is directed to people who need it most.<\/p>
The effect of reducing the savings threshold would be that fewer claimants would be entitled to ESA.<\/p>
"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4105", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justin Tomlinson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Swindon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Justin Tomlinson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-24T10:27:59.477Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Employment and Support Allowance"} , "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 potential benefits of reducing the current £16,000 savings threshold for entitlement to Employment and Support Allowance.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4432", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Patrick Grady"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Glasgow North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Patrick Grady"} ], "uin" : "244145"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1121345", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1121345/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "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. The DWP uses a wide range of channels to communicate information about benefits to potential customers; including information on https://gov.uk/<\/a>, in leaflets and by telephone. People wishing to claim Pension Credit can do so by calling 0800 99 1234. 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> 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: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit<\/a><\/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> 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> 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.<\/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" : "2019-04-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "244000"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-23T16:29:34.9Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pensioners: 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 the Government is taking to ensure that older people claim the benefits they are entitled to.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4440", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Marion Fellows"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Motherwell and Wishaw"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Marion Fellows"}
], "uin" : "244156"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1121348", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1121348/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4014", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Reading West"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alok Sharma"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-23T10:45:35.553Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit: EEA Nationals and EU Nationals"}
, "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 EU and EEA nationals (a) have made a claim for universal credit and (b) have had that claim rejected in each of the last 12 months.", "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" : "244127"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1121349", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1121349/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The enhanced rate of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Mobility component was always intended to be for those "unable" or "virtually unable" to walk.<\/p> We believe the current PIP assessment criteria, including the 20 metres distance, are the best way of identifying those whose physical mobility is most limited.<\/p> Senior Officials are in contact with the MS Society and will be meeting them in the coming weeks to discuss the latest research.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4105", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justin Tomlinson"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Swindon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Justin Tomlinson"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-23T14:33:16.323Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Personal Independence Payment: Multiple Sclerosis"}
, "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, in reference to research published by the MS Society in March 2019, whether her Department has plans to undertake a review the effect of the introduction of the 20-metre rule for personal independence payment on costs to other Departments.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4516", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Heidi Allen"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Cambridgeshire"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Heidi Allen"}
], "uin" : "244173"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1121350", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1121350/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " No such estimate has been made. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can be paid to disabled people irrespective of their employment status and, as such, no details of an individual\u2019s employment status are gathered during the course of their claim or award.<\/p> <\/p> PIP is a more modern, dynamic and fairer benefit than its predecessor, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and focuses support on those experiencing the greatest barriers to living independently. 31% of people claiming PIP receive the highest level of support, compared to 15% of DLA\u2019s working-age claimants and 39% of reassessment claimants are getting a higher award on PIP compared to when they were on DLA.<\/p> People with a health condition or disability, who require additional support getting to and from work, can apply for an Access to Work grant.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4105", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justin Tomlinson"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Swindon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Justin Tomlinson"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-23T14:10:07.73Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Personal Independence Payment: 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 estimate her Department has made of the number of disabled people who have had to leave work as a result of receiving lower rates of support from personal independence payment in comparison to disability living allowance.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4516", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Heidi Allen"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Cambridgeshire"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Heidi Allen"}
], "uin" : "244174"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1121357", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1121357/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " 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. The DWP uses a wide range of channels to communicate information about benefits to potential customers; including information on https://gov.uk/<\/a>, in leaflets and by telephone. People wishing to claim Pension Credit can do so by calling 0800 99 1234. 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>