The Government is committed to reducing poverty, including child poverty, and supporting low-income families. We will spend around £276bn through the welfare system in Great Britain in 2023/24 including around £124bn on people of working age and children, and around £152 billion on pensioners. Of this, around £79 billion will be spent on benefits to support disabled people and people with health conditions.<\/p>
<\/p>
From April, we uprated benefit rates and State Pensions by 10.1%, and in order to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions the benefit cap levels also increased by the same amount.<\/p>
<\/p>
In 2021/22 there were 1.7 million fewer people in absolute poverty after housing costs than in 2009/10, including 400,000 fewer children, 1 million fewer working age adults and 200,000 fewer pensioners.<\/p>
<\/p>
With almost one million job vacancies across the UK, our focus remains firmly on supporting people, including parents, to move into and progress in work. This approach which is based on clear evidence about the importance of employment - particularly where it is full-time - in substantially reducing the risks of poverty. The latest statistics show that in 2021/22 children living in workless households were 5 times more likely to be in absolute poverty, after housing costs, than those where all adults work.<\/p>
<\/p>
Through the ambitious package announced at the Spring budget we are delivering measures that are designed to support people to enter work, increase their working hours and extend their working lives.<\/p>
<\/p>
To help people into work, our core Jobcentre offer provides a range of options, including face-to-face time with work coaches and interview assistance. In addition, there is specific support targeted towards young people, people aged 50 plus and job seekers with disabilities or health issues.<\/p>
<\/p>
To support those who are in work, from 1 April 2023, the National Living Wage (NLW) increased by 9.7% to £10.42 an hour for workers aged 23 and over - the largest ever cash increase for the NLW. In addition, the voluntary in-work progression offer started to roll-out in April 2022. It is now available in all Jobcentres across Great Britain. We estimate that around 1.4m low-paid benefit claimants will be eligible for support to progress into higher-paid work.<\/p>
<\/p>
To further support parents into work, on 28th<\/sup> June 2023, the maximum monthly amounts that a parent can <\/p> This government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living which is why we are providing total support of over £94bn over 2022-23 and 2023-24 to help households and individuals with the rising bills.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4169", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1668166/answer/previousversion/743", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4169", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-15T14:27:00.267Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
], "questionFirstMinisteriallyCorrected" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-15T16:10:23.327Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Poverty"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to tackle destitution in the UK, particularly destitution experienced by children.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/259", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "The Marquess of Lothian"}
], "uin" : "HL52"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1461033", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1461033/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department for Transport does not hold data on the number of coach parties or coaches entering the UK from the European Union, either for 2022 or for previous years.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4580", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Vere of Norbiton"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL53"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-05-24T11:05:36.687Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-05-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Channel Crossing: Bus Services"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government how many coaches have entered the UK from the European Union so far in 2022; and how many had arrived by the same period in 2019.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2472", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Faulkner of Worcester"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Faulkner of Worcester"}
], "uin" : "HL52"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168594", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168594/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " There are no plans to close Cheltenham General Hospital\u2019s (CGH) accident and emergency (A&E) and NHS England and NHS Improvement is clear that any potential solution developed as part of One Gloucestershire\u2019s Fit for the Future public engagement programme will not include any such plans.<\/p> NHS England and NHS Improvement envisages the same workforce in the department and this includes a consultant-led service at Cheltenham\u2019s A&E department.<\/p> Options for public consultation have not been drawn up at this stage. There are no formal proposals developed which include removing the consultant-led A&E service at Cheltenham.<\/p> Discussions have taken place between the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Chief Executive of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Following these discussions, the Secretary of State confirmed on 23 October 2019 that no proposals to close Cheltenham A&E would be included in the forthcoming consultation.<\/p> CGH\u2019s A&E department is consultant-led from 8am-8pm and overnight (8pm \u2013 8am) the service is led by specialist emergency nurse practitioners. This arrangement, which has been in place since 2013, was in response to a lack of middle grade doctors and has preserved and ensured the continuation of high-quality care for patients in Gloucestershire 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Options for public consultation have not yet been drawn up due to the pre-consultation engagement phase, which is ongoing.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4019", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL49"}
, {"_value" : "HL50"}
, {"_value" : "HL51"}
, {"_value" : "HL53"}
, {"_value" : "HL54"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-07T17:43:44.82Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-12-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cheltenham Hospital: Accident and Emergency Departments"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and (2) the Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, about the consultant-led Accident and Emergency service at Cheltenham General Hospital; and what was the outcome of any such discussions.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/248", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Jones of Cheltenham"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Jones of Cheltenham"}
], "uin" : "HL52"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1149759", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1149759/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Holders of British National (Overseas) passports are non-visa nationals and can apply for the right to work or study in the UK. This means that they can enter the UK for six months or less without the need to obtain a visit visa but would need to apply from outside the UK, and meet the criteria, for any work or study route. The UK continues to support the \u2018One Country, Two Systems\u2019 model underpinned by the Sino-British Joint Declaration; the immigration status of BN(O)s is part of this agreement.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4311", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Williams of Trafford"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-28T17:16:26.83Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Immigration: British National (Overseas)"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to bring forward legislation to ensure that all holders of British National Overseas passports have the right to enter the United Kingdom to work or study.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/457", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Pendry"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Pendry"}
], "uin" : "HL52"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/731044", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/731044/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "HL52<\/del> be reimbursed for their childcare increased by 47%, from £646.35 for one child and £1,108.04 for two or more children to £950.92 and £1,630.15 respectively.<\/strong> Importantly, we can now also provide even more help with upfront childcare costs when parents move into work or increase their hours. This means that a parent who needs this additional financial help can now be provided with funding towards both their first and second set of costs (or increased costs), upfront, thereby easing them into the UC childcare costs cycle.<\/p>