This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society.<\/p>
<\/p>
The information requested on the cost to the public purse of increasing the rate of Carer\u2019s Allowance to that of Jobseeker\u2019s Allowance is not available but an indicative cost can be calculated using data published on StatXplore and gov.uk.<\/p>
<\/p>
The current rate of Jobseeker\u2019s Allowance for those aged 25 and over is £73.10. The difference between this and the rate of Carer\u2019s Allowance (currently £66.15 a week) is £6.95. As of November 2018, there were approximately 780,000 claimants receiving Carer\u2019s Allowance in England and Wales. Thus, paying an additional £6.95 a week to carers in England and Wales would cost in the region of £280m a year. Carer\u2019s Allowance has been devolved to the Scottish Government since September 2018 and is delivered in Scotland by DWP for an interim period under an Agency Agreement.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government also provides targeted financial support for carers on low incomes through income-related benefits such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Income Support. In April 2019, the additional amount for carers in receipt of Pension Credit and Income Support increased to £36.85 a week. The Universal Credit carer element increased to £160.20 per monthly assessment period. Universal Credit also adjusts to fluctuating earnings and periods when paid employment is not feasible, for example due to caring responsibilities. The Government is committed to helping carers balance providing care with their own paid employment where this is possible, as indicated in the Carers Action Plan.<\/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" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "278482"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T13:33:57.537Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Carer's 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 merits of increasing the rate of the carer\u2019s allowance to match the rate of jobseeker\u2019s allowance.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4058", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Blomfield"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Blomfield"} ], "uin" : "278481"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139847", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139847/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society.<\/p>
<\/p>
The information requested on the cost to the public purse of increasing the rate of Carer\u2019s Allowance to that of Jobseeker\u2019s Allowance is not available but an indicative cost can be calculated using data published on StatXplore and gov.uk.<\/p>
<\/p>
The current rate of Jobseeker\u2019s Allowance for those aged 25 and over is £73.10. The difference between this and the rate of Carer\u2019s Allowance (currently £66.15 a week) is £6.95. As of November 2018, there were approximately 780,000 claimants receiving Carer\u2019s Allowance in England and Wales. Thus, paying an additional £6.95 a week to carers in England and Wales would cost in the region of £280m a year. Carer\u2019s Allowance has been devolved to the Scottish Government since September 2018 and is delivered in Scotland by DWP for an interim period under an Agency Agreement.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government also provides targeted financial support for carers on low incomes through income-related benefits such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Income Support. In April 2019, the additional amount for carers in receipt of Pension Credit and Income Support increased to £36.85 a week. The Universal Credit carer element increased to £160.20 per monthly assessment period. Universal Credit also adjusts to fluctuating earnings and periods when paid employment is not feasible, for example due to caring responsibilities. The Government is committed to helping carers balance providing care with their own paid employment where this is possible, as indicated in the Carers Action Plan.<\/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" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "278481"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T13:33:57.597Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Carer's Allowance: Costs"} , "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 cost to the public purse of increasing carer's allowance to the same level as jobseeker\u2019s allowance.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4058", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Blomfield"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Blomfield"} ], "uin" : "278482"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1137230", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1137230/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Tackling climate change is a shared endeavour between all Government departments. BEIS Ministers and officials regularly engage with their counterparts across government on clean growth matters including delivery of the Clean Growth Strategy and progress against our carbon budgets.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4021", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Skidmore"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingswood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Skidmore"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "911847"} , {"_value" : "911856"} , {"_value" : "911859"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-10T11:23:58.523Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Climate Change: Departmental Coordination"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to facilitate cross-governmental co-operation on tackling climate change.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4058", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Blomfield"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Blomfield"} ], "uin" : "911861"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1134842", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1134842/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The purpose of the automated checks is to help the applicant establish their continuous residence in the UK. Eligibility to receive benefits is not dependent upon being continuously resident in the UK. Benefits except Job Seekers Allowance and Maternity Allowance on their own are not strong indicators of continuous residence unless receipt of them persists over a period of 12 months. There are also overlaps with other data that is available from the checks. For instance, PAYE data covers most applicants who claim working tax credits and receipt of other benefits included in the checks will overlap with receipt of child tax credits. Child Benefit is not included in the automated checks because it is not a sufficient indicator of continuous UK residence. A full explanation of how the automated checks work has been published at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check.<\/a><\/p> Following analysis conducted on an anonymised sample of 10,000 applications submitted under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006, the Home Office estimated that the potential pool of resident EEA citizens who might benefit from tax credits data being included in the automated checks was around two per cent and this was before any consideration of the applicability of that data to proving continuous residence. Individuals who need to rely on tax credits to demonstrate their continuous residence are still able to provide documentary evidence of this as part of their application.<\/p> In accordance with section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, we have had due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty.<\/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" : "2019-07-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-03T15:35:26.417Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Immigration: 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 the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2019 to Question 267306 on Immigration: EU Nationals, what estimate he has made of the number of applicants for whom tax credit records would be relevant.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4058", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Blomfield"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Blomfield"}
], "uin" : "269726"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131224", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131224/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The ongoing plight of refugees in Libya is a matter of deep concern for the British Government. A range of interventions, including the focus and scale of the Government's existing resettlement programmes, are regularly discussed between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office. We continue to pressure the Libyan authorities to pursue alternatives to detention and prioritise human rights. I met the Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister last week and pressed the issue.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1466", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Wiltshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Andrew Murrison"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-17T15:23:17.587Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Libya: Migrants"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on the number of refugees the Government plans to resettle from detention centres in Libya.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4058", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Blomfield"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Blomfield"}
], "uin" : "263145"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130877", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130877/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " In 2017-18, income from the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) contributed £75 million to the department\u2019s skills budget.<\/p> While the income raised is not additional funding for skills, the ISC is helping to maintain the department\u2019s existing skills budget and existing level of investment in skills in England. As such, it is not possible to provide a breakdown of how the department\u2019s ISC allocation is spent.<\/p> The ISC ensures that we can continue to invest in developing the skills that the country needs and also addresses skills gaps in the workforce. Similarly, it helps to maintain funding levels for each of the devolved administrations.<\/p>