{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?date=2014-12-15&hansardHeading=Social+Security+Benefits", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?date=2014-12-15&hansardHeading=Social+Security+Benefits", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?date=2014-12-15&_metadata=all&hansardHeading=Social+Security+Benefits", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?date=2014-12-15&_page=0&hansardHeading=Social+Security+Benefits", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?date=2014-12-15&hansardHeading=Social+Security+Benefits", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?date=2014-12-15&hansardHeading=Social+Security+Benefits", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170247", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170247/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p /> <p>I refer the Noble Baroness to the oral answer given by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Rt.Hon. Iain Duncan Smith, Official Report, 8 December 2014, column 633. He set out how the Department for Work and Pensions will be doing much more to raise awareness of Short Term Benefit Advances (STBAs) as recommended by the All-Party Parliamentary inquiry and others, including the Social Security Advisory Committee. This will include providing more information to claimants about STBAs online and in Jobcentres. Staff guidance on STBAs will also be updated and staff reminded of the process for considering an STBA.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>A key part of the STBA process is a discussion between the claimant and the Decision Maker to consider the circumstances of the request and make an informed discretionary decision about the claimant\u2019s needs. Such a discussion needs to be had with the claimant and cannot be done online or with a third party.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Benefits are normally paid in arrears and where the Department can pay any benefit due to the claimant it does. Where an STBA can be paid it is usually paid the day after it is first requested by the claimant.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The Government believes the current system for claiming STBAs is simple. All claimants need to do is mention to staff that they will not be able to manage until their payment is due and the STBA process will start. However, the Government has accepted the need to raise awareness of STBAs as set out above.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The Government has made improvements to the hardship process. In July 2014 it strengthened guidance for work coaches so that all claimants are informed about how and when they can make an application for hardship payment and processing times have also been improved.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3893", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Freud"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Freud"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL3744"}
        , {"_value" : "HL3745"}
        , {"_value" : "HL3746"}
        ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-17T17:21:20.167Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government, further to the answer by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 8 December (HC Deb, col 633), what specific new steps they are taking to raise awareness of short-term benefit advances.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4234", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
      ], "uin" : "HL3743"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170248", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170248/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>I refer the Noble Baroness to the oral answer given by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Rt.Hon. Iain Duncan Smith, Official Report, 8 December 2014, column 633. He set out how the Department for Work and Pensions will be doing much more to raise awareness of Short Term Benefit Advances (STBAs) as recommended by the All-Party Parliamentary inquiry and others, including the Social Security Advisory Committee. This will include providing more information to claimants about STBAs online and in Jobcentres. Staff guidance on STBAs will also be updated and staff reminded of the process for considering an STBA.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>A key part of the STBA process is a discussion between the claimant and the Decision Maker to consider the circumstances of the request and make an informed discretionary decision about the claimant\u2019s needs. Such a discussion needs to be had with the claimant and cannot be done online or with a third party.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Benefits are normally paid in arrears and where the Department can pay any benefit due to the claimant it does. Where an STBA can be paid it is usually paid the day after it is first requested by the claimant.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The Government believes the current system for claiming STBAs is simple. All claimants need to do is mention to staff that they will not be able to manage until their payment is due and the STBA process will start. However, the Government has accepted the need to raise awareness of STBAs as set out above.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The Government has made improvements to the hardship process. In July 2014 it strengthened guidance for work coaches so that all claimants are informed about how and when they can make an application for hardship payment and processing times have also been improved.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3893", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Freud"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Freud"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL3743"}
        , {"_value" : "HL3745"}
        , {"_value" : "HL3746"}
        ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-17T17:21:20.12Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government whether they will examine \"the possibility of allowing advice workers to request automatically short-term benefit advances electronically for their clients\" as recommended by the report of the All-Party Parliamentary inquiry into Hunger and Food Poverty in Britain.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4234", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
      ], "uin" : "HL3744"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170249", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170249/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>I refer the Noble Baroness to the oral answer given by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Rt.Hon. Iain Duncan Smith, Official Report, 8 December 2014, column 633. He set out how the Department for Work and Pensions will be doing much more to raise awareness of Short Term Benefit Advances (STBAs) as recommended by the All-Party Parliamentary inquiry and others, including the Social Security Advisory Committee. This will include providing more information to claimants about STBAs online and in Jobcentres. Staff guidance on STBAs will also be updated and staff reminded of the process for considering an STBA.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>A key part of the STBA process is a discussion between the claimant and the Decision Maker to consider the circumstances of the request and make an informed discretionary decision about the claimant\u2019s needs. Such a discussion needs to be had with the claimant and cannot be done online or with a third party.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Benefits are normally paid in arrears and where the Department can pay any benefit due to the claimant it does. Where an STBA can be paid it is usually paid the day after it is first requested by the claimant.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The Government believes the current system for claiming STBAs is simple. All claimants need to do is mention to staff that they will not be able to manage until their payment is due and the STBA process will start. However, the Government has accepted the need to raise awareness of STBAs as set out above.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The Government has made improvements to the hardship process. In July 2014 it strengthened guidance for work coaches so that all claimants are informed about how and when they can make an application for hardship payment and processing times have also been improved.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3893", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Freud"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Freud"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL3743"}
        , {"_value" : "HL3744"}
        , {"_value" : "HL3746"}
        ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-17T17:21:20.387Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation of the All-Party Parliamentary inquiry into Hunger and Food Poverty that the Department for Work and Pensions should \"automatically consider paying short-term benefit advances if a benefit claim has not been paid within five working days\".", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4234", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
      ], "uin" : "HL3745"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170250", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170250/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>I refer the Noble Baroness to the oral answer given by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Rt.Hon. Iain Duncan Smith, Official Report, 8 December 2014, column 633. He set out how the Department for Work and Pensions will be doing much more to raise awareness of Short Term Benefit Advances (STBAs) as recommended by the All-Party Parliamentary inquiry and others, including the Social Security Advisory Committee. This will include providing more information to claimants about STBAs online and in Jobcentres. Staff guidance on STBAs will also be updated and staff reminded of the process for considering an STBA.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>A key part of the STBA process is a discussion between the claimant and the Decision Maker to consider the circumstances of the request and make an informed discretionary decision about the claimant\u2019s needs. Such a discussion needs to be had with the claimant and cannot be done online or with a third party.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Benefits are normally paid in arrears and where the Department can pay any benefit due to the claimant it does. Where an STBA can be paid it is usually paid the day after it is first requested by the claimant.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The Government believes the current system for claiming STBAs is simple. All claimants need to do is mention to staff that they will not be able to manage until their payment is due and the STBA process will start. However, the Government has accepted the need to raise awareness of STBAs as set out above.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The Government has made improvements to the hardship process. In July 2014 it strengthened guidance for work coaches so that all claimants are informed about how and when they can make an application for hardship payment and processing times have also been improved.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3893", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Freud"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Freud"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL3743"}
        , {"_value" : "HL3744"}
        , {"_value" : "HL3745"}
        ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-17T17:21:20.517Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government whether they plan to simplify the application process for hardship payments and short-term benefit advances as recommended by the All-Party Parliamentary inquiry into Hunger and Food Poverty.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4234", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
      ], "uin" : "HL3746"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170558", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170558/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>Benefit processing has improved with 93% of overall claims being processed on time (within 16 days). This is up 7 percentage points since 2009/10.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>We are unable to answer what estimate has been made however we can provide actual data on the number processed and those processed over five days for working age benefits. See table below.<\/p><p> <\/p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Claims processed in 5 days<\/strong><\/p><\/td><td><p>2010/11<\/p><\/td><td><p>2011/12<\/p><\/td><td><p>2012/13<\/p><\/td><td><p>2013/14<\/p><\/td><td><p>YTD 2014/15<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>ESA claims total processed<\/p><\/td><td><p>712,369<\/p><\/td><td><p>736,108<\/p><\/td><td><p>807,889<\/p><\/td><td><p>894,919<\/p><\/td><td><p>610,027<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>ESA claims processed in over 5 days<\/p><\/td><td><p>420,684<\/p><\/td><td><p>389,748<\/p><\/td><td><p>473,249<\/p><\/td><td><p>424,463<\/p><\/td><td><p>223,993<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>ESA claims % processed in over 5 days<\/p><\/td><td><p>59.1%<\/p><\/td><td><p>53.0%<\/p><\/td><td><p>58.6%<\/p><\/td><td><p>47.4%<\/p><\/td><td><p>36.7%<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td> <\/td><td> <\/td><td> <\/td><td> <\/td><td> <\/td><td> <\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>IS claims processed<\/p><\/td><td><p>428,099<\/p><\/td><td><p>385,028<\/p><\/td><td><p>356,580<\/p><\/td><td><p>334,332<\/p><\/td><td><p>212,130<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>IS claims processed in over 5 days<\/p><\/td><td><p>184,143<\/p><\/td><td><p>169,913<\/p><\/td><td><p>158,188<\/p><\/td><td><p>123,552<\/p><\/td><td><p>36,517<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>IS claims % processed in over 5 days<\/p><\/td><td><p>43.0%<\/p><\/td><td><p>44.1%<\/p><\/td><td><p>44.4%<\/p><\/td><td><p>37.0%<\/p><\/td><td><p>17.2%<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td> <\/td><td> <\/td><td> <\/td><td> <\/td><td> <\/td><td> <\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>JSA claims total processed<\/p><\/td><td><p>3,350,544<\/p><\/td><td><p>3,319,207<\/p><\/td><td><p>3,206,249<\/p><\/td><td><p>2,828,235<\/p><\/td><td><p>1,528,860<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>JSA claims processed in over 5 days<\/p><\/td><td><p>2,134,727<\/p><\/td><td><p>2,201,502<\/p><\/td><td><p>2,151,105<\/p><\/td><td><p>1,819,152<\/p><\/td><td><p>927,510<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>JSA claims % processed in over 5 days<\/p><\/td><td><p>63.7%<\/p><\/td><td><p>66.3%<\/p><\/td><td><p>67.1%<\/p><\/td><td><p>64.3%<\/p><\/td><td><p>60.7%<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p><strong>Notes<\/strong><\/p><p>The data in the tables cover 1st April to 31st March, with the exception of 2014/15 when the Year to Date (YTD) covers 1st April to 30th November<\/p><p> <\/p><p><strong>Source<\/strong><\/p><p>For ESA / IS / JSA \u2013 Management Information System Programme (MISP)<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4084", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Esther McVey"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wirral West"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Esther McVey"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-18T11:43:51.387Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-15", "_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 estimate he has made of the number of people who waited longer than five days between their benefit application and a decision on their application in each year since May 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4243", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Jarvis"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley Central"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Jarvis"}
      ], "uin" : "218629"}
    ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 5, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]}
}