Local Welfare Provision Schemes are local schemes to help claimants in urgent need following an emergency or unforeseen event and have no other source of help.<\/p>
These schemes are administered and determined by local authorities in England, while in Scotland and Wales this is a devolved matter. Therefore, we have not assessed the demand for Local Welfare provision as a result of the introduction of Universal Credit.<\/p>
<\/p>
Following Autumn Budget 2017, the Department has introduced a range of measures to support claimants and ensure no one has to experience hardship at the point of claim. These include: making advances of up to 100% of the indicative award available (from the start of a claim) and increasing the repayment period to 12 months, removing the 7 waiting days; providing an additional payment of 2 weeks of Housing Benefit to support claimants when they transition to Universal Credit; and changing how claimants in temporary accommodation receive support for their housing costs.<\/p>
<\/p>
Measures introduced at Autumn Budget 2018 will provide further assistance for claimants over the next few years. These include reducing, from October 2019, the maximum rate at which deductions can be made from a Universal Credit award from 40% to 30% of the standard allowance, with the period over which these recoveries are made extended from 12 to 16 months in October 2021. Payment of Income Support and the income related elements of Employment and Support Allowance and Jobseeker\u2019s Allowance will continue for two weeks after a claim for Universal Credit has been made, effective from July 2020, benefitting 1.1 million households. Additionally, from April 2019, there will be a £1000 increase in work allowances from April 2019, which will provide a £630 boost for households with children, and for people with disabilities.<\/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" : "2018-12-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-11T18:06:52.887Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit"} , "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 has made of the effect of the introduction of universal credit on the level of demand for councils\u2019 Local Welfare Provision schemes by people experiencing financial difficulties.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4638", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Slough"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"} ], "uin" : "199908"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1020306", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1020306/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
I refer the hon Member to the reply to Question 181577<\/a> on 29 October.<\/p> <\/strong><\/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" : "2018-12-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-10T11:48:21.337Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit"}
, "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 recent assessment she has made of the effect of the introduction of universal credit on the level of claimants\u2019 rent arrears in the (a) private rented and (b) social rented sector.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4638", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Slough"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
], "uin" : "199472"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1019878", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1019878/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " This Government is committed to ensuring that children have access to high quality mental health support. We have made an additional £1.4 billion available over the course of 2015/16-2020/21 to transform services and ensure access to specialist mental health services for an additional 70,000 children and young people a year by 2020/21.<\/p> <\/p> We have also introduced two waiting time standards for children and young people. The first aims for 95% of children, up to 19 years old, with eating disorders to receive treatment within a week for urgent cases, and four weeks for routine cases, by 2020. The second is that 50% of patients (of all ages) experiencing a first episode of psychosis receive treatment within two weeks of referral. We are currently exceeding or on track to meet these waiting time standards.<\/p> <\/p> The Green Paper, \u2018Transforming children and young people\u2019s mental health provision\u2019, published by the Department for Health and Social Care and the Department for Education, announced creation of new Mental Health Support Teams. These teams will deliver mental health interventions for those with mild to moderate needs in or close to schools and colleges, and refer those with more severe needs on to specialist services. The Green Paper also announced the piloting of a four week waiting time to improve access to National Health Service mental health services, which we will roll out in a number of trailblazer areas alongside the support teams.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4065", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Jackie Doyle-Price"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thurrock"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jackie Doyle-Price"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-10T14:06:05.607Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Mental Health Services: Children and Young People"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken to ensure that children and young people have access to adequate mental health treatment.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4638", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Slough"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
], "uin" : "198917"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1019880", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1019880/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " At this highly sensitive time in the region, there is an urgent need to restart the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians. We regularly press both parties to resume direct negotiations towards a two-state solution. I discussed the issue of the Middle East Peace Process with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on 11 October and the Palestinian Foreign Minister on 24 November. We continue to believe the best way to achieve this is through substantive peace talks between the parties leading to a two-state solution based on well-known parameters. These parameters are 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states, and a just, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1201", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alistair Burt"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Bedfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alistair Burt"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-10T16:26:10.407Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Israel: Palestinians"}
, "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 diplomatic steps he has taken to secure peace between Israel and Palestine.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4638", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Slough"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
], "uin" : "198918"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1019881", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1019881/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Over the five-year period from 2015-16 to 2019-20 councils will have access to more than £200 billion. It is for local authorities to determine how to spend this and the other sources of income they receive on the services that they provide, including Environmental Health, taking account of local needs and priorities.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-10T17:15:07.17Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Environmental Health"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent changes in the level of Government funding to local authorities on the effectiveness of local authority environmental health teams.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4638", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Slough"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
], "uin" : "198919"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1019882", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1019882/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " In England, local authorities (LAS) are responsible for assessing oral health needs and improving the oral health of their local population.<\/p> <\/p> Improving the oral health of children in England is an ongoing Public Health England (PHE) priority. PHE\u2019s Children\u2019s Oral Health Improvement Programme Board (COHIPB) brings together over 20 stakeholder organisations that have key leadership roles for children and young people. As part of the work of COHIPB, PHE has produced resources which contribute to improving and reducing inequalities in oral health, including local authority area trends in the oral health of five-year-olds and information on programmes currently commissioned by LAs to improve oral health in children. These documents can be viewed at the following link:<\/p> <\/p>