Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered question first ministerially corrected answering member label previous answer version answering member constituency answering member printed answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1182330

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Access to Work Programme: GovTech Fund
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she has taken to publicise the availability of the Tech Fund for employees applying for Access to Work to (a) organisations and (b) disabled people.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	24287
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>The Access to Work Tech Fund is only available for people applying for Access to Work where assistive technology replaces existing or proposed human support.</p><p> </p><p>Since its announcement in Spring 2018, take up of Tech Fund has been low (fewer than 10 applicants). As a result, we are currently reviewing this and engaging with stakeholders to further understand the issues that they may be facing or those preventing them from benefiting from the Tech Fund. We are keen to find new ways of helping Access to Work recipients to become aware of, and benefit from, the latest assistive technology that best meets their needs, and would welcome further views on this.</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work has not undertaken any publicising of the Tech Fund specifically. Access to Work continues to undertake targeted marketing and awareness raising activities. For example, the scheme is promoted to benefit claimants through Jobcentre Plus and to a range of business leaders through the Disability Confident scheme. We have also worked with a variety of stakeholder organisations to market Access to Work to their clients, including sharing information about how individuals can apply for support.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 24288 24289 24290 question first answered 10/03/2020 10:57:51 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1182331

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Disability: GovTech Fund
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disabled people have (a) applied for and (b) received funding for technology through the Tech Fund.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	24288
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>The Access to Work Tech Fund is only available for people applying for Access to Work where assistive technology replaces existing or proposed human support.</p><p> </p><p>Since its announcement in Spring 2018, take up of Tech Fund has been low (fewer than 10 applicants). As a result, we are currently reviewing this and engaging with stakeholders to further understand the issues that they may be facing or those preventing them from benefiting from the Tech Fund. We are keen to find new ways of helping Access to Work recipients to become aware of, and benefit from, the latest assistive technology that best meets their needs, and would welcome further views on this.</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work has not undertaken any publicising of the Tech Fund specifically. Access to Work continues to undertake targeted marketing and awareness raising activities. For example, the scheme is promoted to benefit claimants through Jobcentre Plus and to a range of business leaders through the Disability Confident scheme. We have also worked with a variety of stakeholder organisations to market Access to Work to their clients, including sharing information about how individuals can apply for support.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 24287 24289 24290 question first answered 10/03/2020 10:57:51 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1182335

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Dyslexia: GovTech Fund
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with dyslexia (a) applied for and (b) received funding for technology through the Tech Fund.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	24289
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>The Access to Work Tech Fund is only available for people applying for Access to Work where assistive technology replaces existing or proposed human support.</p><p> </p><p>Since its announcement in Spring 2018, take up of Tech Fund has been low (fewer than 10 applicants). As a result, we are currently reviewing this and engaging with stakeholders to further understand the issues that they may be facing or those preventing them from benefiting from the Tech Fund. We are keen to find new ways of helping Access to Work recipients to become aware of, and benefit from, the latest assistive technology that best meets their needs, and would welcome further views on this.</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work has not undertaken any publicising of the Tech Fund specifically. Access to Work continues to undertake targeted marketing and awareness raising activities. For example, the scheme is promoted to benefit claimants through Jobcentre Plus and to a range of business leaders through the Disability Confident scheme. We have also worked with a variety of stakeholder organisations to market Access to Work to their clients, including sharing information about how individuals can apply for support.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 24287 24288 24290 question first answered 10/03/2020 10:57:51 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1182336

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	GovTech Fund
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Tech Fund is available to people that do not receive human support funded through (a) Access to Work and (b) other funding streams.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	24290
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>The Access to Work Tech Fund is only available for people applying for Access to Work where assistive technology replaces existing or proposed human support.</p><p> </p><p>Since its announcement in Spring 2018, take up of Tech Fund has been low (fewer than 10 applicants). As a result, we are currently reviewing this and engaging with stakeholders to further understand the issues that they may be facing or those preventing them from benefiting from the Tech Fund. We are keen to find new ways of helping Access to Work recipients to become aware of, and benefit from, the latest assistive technology that best meets their needs, and would welcome further views on this.</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work has not undertaken any publicising of the Tech Fund specifically. Access to Work continues to undertake targeted marketing and awareness raising activities. For example, the scheme is promoted to benefit claimants through Jobcentre Plus and to a range of business leaders through the Disability Confident scheme. We have also worked with a variety of stakeholder organisations to market Access to Work to their clients, including sharing information about how individuals can apply for support.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 24287 24288 24289 question first answered 10/03/2020 10:57:51 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1182353

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the process will be for self-employed people to claim contributory employment and support allowance in the event that they have to self-isolate as a result of Covid-19; whether those people will be exempt from the face-to-face work capability assessment interview required to begin payments; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	24307
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2020 answer text <p>As part of the Government’s strategy to support people affected by the Covid-19 public health emergency, DWP is making a number of temporary changes to its benefit processes (and legislation) to ensure people who need financial help have access to the benefit system when they need it.</p><p>To avoid increasing the burden on health care professionals and the risk of further infection, we are removing the requirement for fit notes in relation to both Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit (UC) claims relating to Covid-19 only.</p><p>Everyone that claims who is infected with Covid-19 or who is required to self-isolate will be treated as having Limited Capability for Work in ESA and UC without the requirement for medical evidence or undergoing a Work Capability Assessment.</p><p>In addition to better support the needs of people (particularly the self-employed and those not eligible for SSP) and/or not entitled to Universal Credit (UC) we are removing the seven waiting days that currently apply to ESA.</p><p>This means that everyone who makes a new claim for ESA; is entitled to the benefit and is infected with Covid-19 or required to self-isolate will be paid from day one of their claim.</p><p>Staff are ready to support people who need to self-isolate.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 11/03/2020 17:50:28 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1181954

registered interest
date	02/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the amount payable in housing benefit and the housing element of universal credit decreasing when a non-dependent's earnings increase, what recent representations he has received on reducing the bracket for non-dependents' earnings.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	23627
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2020 answer text <p>There are no income bands and only one deduction rate applied to Universal Credit claimants who have non-dependents living in their household.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>There have been no recent representations to reduce the income bands for non-dependents’ earnings for people receiving Housing Benefit.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 05/03/2020 12:00:00 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1181960

registered interest
date	02/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has made to ensure that potential staff shortages due to covid-19 do not delay processing of benefits applications; and if she will make it her policy to backdate benefits for any claimants whose application is delayed due to staff shortages.
tabling member constituency	Alyn and Deeside
tabling member printed	Mark Tami
uin	23674
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2020 answer text <p>DWP has contingency plans in place that prioritise activities to protect payments to claimants and access to new claims when capacity is compromised.</p><p>The ‘date of claim’ will not be affected by capacity inside the Department.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 05/03/2020 17:58:04 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1383 label Biography information for Mark Tami

1181981

registered interest
date	02/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of local housing allowance rates.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	23639
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2020 answer text <p>Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is designed to ensure a fair balance between public spending and supporting vulnerable people to meet their housing costs. LHA rates are not intended to meet all rents in all areas.</p><p> </p><p>Since 2011 we have provided over £1billion in Discretionary Housing Payment funding, enabling local authorities to protect the most vulnerable claimants and supporting households to adapt to housing support reforms.</p><p> </p><p>From April 2020 LHA rates will be increased by CPI. For people in particular circumstances who may require more support, Discretionary Housing Payments are available.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, we recently announced an extra £40 million in Discretionary Housing Payments for 2020/21, helping to tackle the most acute affordability pressures in the private rented sector.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 05/03/2020 11:51:10 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1181982

registered interest
date	02/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the adequacy of local housing allowance rates.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	23647
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2020 answer text <p>The Secretary of State meets regularly with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and other Ministerial colleagues on a range of issues.</p><p>In January we were pleased to announce an end to the Local Housing Allowance freeze from April 2020 when Local Housing Allowance rates will be uprated by CPI – an increase of 1.7%.</p><p> </p><p>This will mean around 900,000 people in receipt of housing support in the Private Rented Sector will see their housing support increase on average by around £10 per month.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 05/03/2020 14:41:44 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1181994

registered interest
date	02/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Means-tested Benefits: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether people self-isolating due to possible covid-19 infection will be exempted from conditionality requirements for means-tested benefits.
tabling member constituency	Alyn and Deeside
tabling member printed	Mark Tami
uin	23556
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">Claimants who are self-isolating as a result of Covid-19 will have their mandatory work search and work availability requirements removed to account for a period of sickness.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">Other work-related requirements outside of this will be tailored to take into consideration the claimant’s capability and circumstances and can be conducted over the phone or through digital formats, making them realistic and achievable.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">The decision to apply a sanction will continue to be considered on a case by case basis. However, conditionality requirements will be relaxed to ensure we do not punish those who take reasonable steps to protect themselves and others, including self-isolation, in the event of Covid-19 outbreak</del>.</p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Claimants who are self-isolating as a result of Covid-19 will have their mandatory work search and work availability requirements switched off during that period.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Any work-related requirements outside of this will be tailored to take into consideration the claimant’s capability and circumstances, can be conducted over the phone or through digital formats and ensure they are realistic and achievable. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 05/03/2020 14:18:58 question first ministerially corrected 06/03/2020 14:37:46 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies previous answer version 10460 answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1383 label Biography information for Mark Tami