Department for Work and PensionsI refer to my response to <a href="https://dwp.ecase.co.uk/view_case?case_ref=PQN/21-22/2021/73119" target="_blank">PQN/21-22/2021/73119</a>21-<p> </p><p>Access to Work aim for customers to be paid within 10 days of receipt of claims and all supporting evidence.</p><p> </p><p>Following postal delays during July and August, we are seeing payment clearance times returning to normal levels.</p>North SwindonJustin Tomlinson2021-09-16false2021-09-16T14:59:09.297Z29Work and PensionsWork and Pensions2021-09-13Access to Work Programme1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of whether there has been a change in the average time taken to process Access to Work payments in the most recent period for which figures are available.falseKingston and SurbitonEd Davey48133Department for Work and Pensions<p>Claims can be awarded under Special Rules for Terminal Illness (SRTI) across a range of DWP benefits. The information requested in relation to reviews of SRTI awards is not readily available across all of these benefits, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p>North SwindonJustin Tomlinson2021-09-16false2021-09-16T14:54:27.227Z29Work and PensionsWork and Pensions2021-09-13Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims awarded under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness have been reviewed by her Department following the end of their three-year award duration in each of the last five years.falseEast HamStephen Timms48131Department for Work and Pensions<p>The Department has not had any recent meetings with representatives from the congenital adrenal hyperplasia community. We meet regularly with disabled people, people with health conditions and their representatives, to ensure their voices are put at the heart of policy making and service design. To support the Health and Disability Green Paper we are currently running public events in locations around the country to hear about people’s experiences with our services and to get their views on the Green Paper proposals. These are accompanied by a series of virtual public events for those who would prefer to engage with us in that way.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p />North SwindonJustin Tomlinson2021-09-14false2021-09-14T16:14:44.073Z29Work and PensionsWork and Pensions2021-09-09Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia: Community Development1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether officials in her Department have had recent discussions with representatives from the congenital adrenal hyperplasia community.falseLinlithgow and East FalkirkMartyn Day45888Department for Work and Pensions<p>Government support for mobility needs is focused on people who become disabled earlier in life; developing mobility needs in older life is a normal consequence of ageing for which people can plan and save for.</p><p> </p><p>Individuals can claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for the first time up to the day before they reach State Pension age (SPa). Once someone is in receipt of PIP they can continue to do so beyond SPa, including the mobility component if they were in receipt of it on reaching SPa, for as long as they fulfil the entitlement conditions. There are limited circumstances where someone in receipt of the mobility component can move between rates once over SPa.</p><p> </p><p>PIP claimants over SPa cannot establish a new entitlement to either rate of the mobility component in line with the general principle set out above.</p><p> </p><p>The upper age limit for claiming PIP by new claimants for the first time was last reviewed prior to the most recent changes to SPa made by the Pensions Act 2014 and we have no plans to amend the upper age limit.</p><p> </p><p>Where someone develops mobility difficulties when over SPa they can use any benefit they receive, including the daily living component of PIP, to meet those needs in a way that best suits them. Additional travel concessions and support may also be available by reference to age, whether or not there are mobility needs.</p>North SwindonJustin Tomlinson2021-09-1345129false2021-09-13T15:25:50.617Z29Work and PensionsWork and Pensions2021-09-08Personal Independence Payment: Older People1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the impact of removing the upper age limit for Personal Independence Payment claimants on those with mobility issues who are over pension age.falseBarnsley CentralDan Jarvis45128Department for Work and Pensions<p>Government support for mobility needs is focused on people who become disabled earlier in life; developing mobility needs in older life is a normal consequence of ageing for which people can plan and save for.</p><p> </p><p>Individuals can claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for the first time up to the day before they reach State Pension age (SPa). Once someone is in receipt of PIP they can continue to do so beyond SPa, including the mobility component if they were in receipt of it on reaching SPa, for as long as they fulfil the entitlement conditions. There are limited circumstances where someone in receipt of the mobility component can move between rates once over SPa.</p><p> </p><p>PIP claimants over SPa cannot establish a new entitlement to either rate of the mobility component in line with the general principle set out above.</p><p> </p><p>The upper age limit for claiming PIP by new claimants for the first time was last reviewed prior to the most recent changes to SPa made by the Pensions Act 2014 and we have no plans to amend the upper age limit.</p><p> </p><p>Where someone develops mobility difficulties when over SPa they can use any benefit they receive, including the daily living component of PIP, to meet those needs in a way that best suits them. Additional travel concessions and support may also be available by reference to age, whether or not there are mobility needs.</p>North SwindonJustin Tomlinson2021-09-1345128false2021-09-13T15:25:50.67Z29Work and PensionsWork and Pensions2021-09-08Social Security Benefits: Older People1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support she is providing to claimants over pension age who do not qualify for the mobility allowance of personal independence payment or the mobility scheme and who cannot claim attendance allowance, industrial injuries disabled benefit or constant attendance allowance.falseBarnsley CentralDan Jarvis45129Department for Work and Pensions<p>For the majority of cases made under the SRTI, people are given three year awards. This approach is based on a recommendation from an expert advisory group, initially for DLA, but later adopted in other benefits. The three year awards given to SRTI claims strikes a balance that recognises making a prognosis is not an exact science and that people who do live longer than expected should continue to receive the support provided to them by benefit system, while also enabling those who live for much longer than expected, to be looked at afresh in light of their circumstances as they come towards the end of their award. The majority of claims made under the special rules sadly do not reach three years but for those that do, we want to ensure that people are receiving the right level of support.</p><p> </p><p>As part of the health and Disability Green Paper consultation, we are consulting on reform of assessments and seeking views on policy proposals. Following the consultation, detailed proposals will then be brought forward in a White Paper next year, setting out how we can better enable people to take up work and live more independently, and outline the changes we want to make to the benefits system to better address structural and delivery challenges.</p><p /><p><strong> </strong></p>North SwindonJustin Tomlinson2021-09-13false2021-09-13T15:21:54.653Z29Work and PensionsWork and Pensions2021-09-08Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will reform the three-year award duration for claims made under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness and bring it in line with longer ongoing awards available under the normal rules.falseDenton and ReddishAndrew Gwynne45063Department for Work and Pensions<p>Access to Work aim for customers to be paid within 10 days of receipt of claims and all supporting evidence. During July and August postal delays held up payment claims being received into DWP.</p><p> </p><p>We have introduced scanning of all claims on day of receipt improving payment times, and Access to Work are also developing a digital claim portal which will allow customers to submit their claim online and upload any supporting information. We expect to start testing this with some customers in December 2021.</p>North SwindonJustin Tomlinson2021-09-13false2021-09-13T15:30:13.93Z29Work and PensionsWork and Pensions2021-09-08Access to Work Programme1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the time taken for beneficiaries to receive their Access to Work payments.falseKingston and SurbitonEd Davey45038Department for Work and Pensions<p>As set out in the National Disability Strategy, published on 28 July, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Cabinet Office will set up an Extra Costs Taskforce, bringing together disabled people, regulators and businesses, to better understand the extra costs faced by disabled people, including how this breaks down for different impairments – by summer 2022.</p><p> </p><p>Officials are currently developing proposals for the taskforce and its terms of reference and membership. Insight from disabled people and organisations will inform the development of the Taskforce.</p>North SwindonJustin Tomlinson2021-09-09false2021-09-09T14:23:16.45Z29Work and PensionsWork and Pensions2021-09-07Disability: Finance1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress she has made on establishing an Extra Costs Taskforce.falseNorth East FifeWendy Chamberlain43672Department for Work and Pensions<p>This Government is committed to improving the lives of disabled people and delivering the most ambitious disability reform agenda in a generation. DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) delivers a range of national programmes, as well as initiatives in partnership with the health system, to support disabled people to stay in or move into work. These include the Work and Health Programme and Intensive Personalised Employment Support. Within Jobcentre Plus and aided by Disability Employment Advisers, Work Coaches tailor support to each claimant’s individual needs, taking account of local provision, training, and employment opportunities.</p><p> </p>North SwindonJustin Tomlinson2021-09-14false2021-09-14T15:43:53.107Z29Work and PensionsWork and Pensions2021-09-07Employment: Disability1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps she has taken to help ensure equal employment opportunities for disabled people in Newport West constituency.falseNewport WestRuth Jones44443Department for Work and Pensions<p>Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) provides a minimum level of income for employees when they are sick or incapable of work. Employers are legally required to pay SSP to eligible employees who are off work sick or incapable of work, where employees meet the qualifying conditions. The same qualifying conditions apply to employees across all regions. Some employers may also decide to pay more, and for longer, through Occupational Sick Pay.</p><p> </p>North SwindonJustin Tomlinson2021-09-14false2021-09-14T15:45:45.96Z29Work and PensionsWork and Pensions2021-09-07Statutory Sick Pay: Newport West1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the potential effect of expanding eligibility for statutory sick pay on the people of Newport West constituency.falseNewport WestRuth Jones4444510014120