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 printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1124869

registered interest
date	07/05/2019
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	Food Banks: Somerset
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports showing a 23 per cent increase in demand for food parcels between 2017 and 2019 at Somer Valley foodbank, Somerset; and what assessment they have made of the reasons for any such increase.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL15544
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government does not collect official data on the use of food banks, therefore has not made such assessments.</p><p>We have worked with food insecurity experts, the Office for National Statistics and the Scottish Government to introduce a new set of food security questions in the Family Resources Survey starting from April 2019. This means that we will in future be able to monitor the prevalence and severity of household food insecurity across the UK and for specific groups, to better understand the drivers of food insecurity and identify which groups are most at risk.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 21/05/2019 14:32:30 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1078973

registered interest
date	27/02/2019
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration, if any, they have given to extending (1) the fortnightly payment system used in Northern Ireland, and (2) the more flexible payment system used in Scotland, for Universal Credit to the rest of the UK.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL14095
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2019 answer text <p>On 11 January the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced a number of measures that will provide increased support for Universal Credit claimants, including supporting claimants who would benefit from getting paid more frequently. To support this, the Department is running a pilot in 14 jobcentres across England and Wales to actively explain and promote more frequent payments to customers at the outset of their Universal Credit claim. The trial will last for four weeks, followed by a period of evaluation. This analysis will take place over a 3-month period to track the trial cohort to identify take up rates, effects on payment timeliness, effects on phone calls and reversion rates.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 13/03/2019 15:11:25 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1029115

registered interest
date	19/12/2018
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they anticipate take-up of income-related benefits to improve after the roll out of Universal Credit; if so, what improvement they anticipate; and over what time period.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL12463
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/01/2019 answer text <p>We anticipate a further 700,000 households will get entitlements they were not claiming under the legacy system, worth on average £285 per month as Universal Credit is a more accurate system and will ensure people will receive the right entitlement. Within the legacy system, there are £2.4bn of unclaimed benefits not taken up by people who need them.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 08/01/2019 17:56:18 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1024852

registered interest
date	13/12/2018
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that when a claimants Universal Credit is stopped because they have been admitted to hospital it is re-started without delay when they are discharged.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL12293
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2018 answer text <p>A single claimant who becomes a hospital in-patient will be treated as having a Limited Capability for Work. As such, they retain their entitlement to Universal Credit and as such there is no end to their Universal Credit claim, and no requirement for them to reclaim.</p><p> </p><p>If the hospitalised claimant is part of a couple, their joint claim will continue, so long as the claimant is or is expected to be discharged within six months. When one partner remains in hospital for longer than six months, we would expect the joint claim to end and an individual claim to be made. Where this is the case and a new claim is made, an advance will be available for up to 100 per cent of the standard allowance, ensuring financial support while a claim is completed.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 20/12/2018 15:14:17 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

943367

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the report by End Hunger UK, Fix Universal Credit, published in July; and what steps they are taking to respond to the criticisms of Universal Credit made in that report.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL9585
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/07/2018 answer text <p>The Department follows a test and learn approach to Universal Credit, with a number of changes being delivered following feedback from stakeholders and other interested parties during the last few months. These include:</p><ul><li>From 29 November 2017, introducing Freephone numbers for Universal Credit phone lines.</li><li>From 3 January 2018, extending the repayment period of Universal Credit advances to 12 months, with claimants now able to apply for up to 100 per cent of their estimated monthly entitlement upfront (and from July 2018 claimants can apply for an advance online). These can be paid on the same day where there is urgent need.</li><li>From 14 February 2018, removing the seven day waiting period that some claimants faced at the start of their claim.</li><li>From 11 April, providing an additional payment for claimants already receiving support towards their housing costs of two weeks of their Housing Benefit to support them as they transfer onto Universal Credit. Claimants will not be required to repay this money.</li></ul><p>We engage at a personal and individual level with all of our claimants and are committed to tailoring the support we give, and any conditionality requirements, to the specific circumstances of the individual. Our work coaches undergo a comprehensive training and accreditation programme. Telephony or face to face services are also in place for those vulnerable claimants who cannot self-serve online.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Support is available to help claimants with the transition to Universal Credit and we are investing £200 million into budgeting and digital support to help claimants with the transition to Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>In 2016, the Department trialled a new process for JSA sanctions in response to the Work and Pensions Select Committee’s recommendations to review the JSA sanction process. The trial involved 6,500 claimants, with the findings (Jobseeker’s Allowance Sanctions Early Warning Trial Evaluation – Final report) published on 21 May 2018. Given the low proportion of cases in which claimants provided further evidence and the even lower proportion of cases where decision outcomes were changed, the Department has decided not to implement this trial process more widely, and will instead consider alternative processes.</p><p> </p><p>As part of our test and learn approach we will continue to work closely with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure Universal Credit continues to be introduced in a measured and careful way. Universal Credit ensures claimants are better off when they move into work, by smoothing the transition into work and replacing the benefits cliff edge of the past.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 31/07/2018 12:10:01 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

943368

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they will provide to those who are unable to use online forms and communications in relation to Universal Credit.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL9586
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/07/2018 answer text <p>The Department is committed to providing personalised support for all claimants, including vulnerable groups. Each individual’s circumstances are different and therefore their barriers to work and the support needed must be tailored to these needs.</p><p> </p><p>Face to face and telephony support is in place for those vulnerable claimants who cannot self-serve online; the Universal Credit telephone helpline is now a free phone number.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Support provides Universal Credit claimants with additional help to use a computer to make or maintain their claim (Assisted Digital Support), help in managing their monthly Universal Credit payment and possible advice on their finances (Personal Budgeting Support).</p><p> </p><p>In certain circumstances, where a claimant is unable to manage their own affairs, an appointee can act on their behalf, taking responsibility for making and maintaining any benefit claim. An appointee can be an individual, e.g. a friend or relative, an organisation or representative of an organisation, e.g. a solicitor or local council. The process for enlisting a DWP appointee includes a visit to the claimant and an interview with the potential appointee.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 31/07/2018 12:08:52 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

943369

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
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: Disqualification
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) people, and (2) dependants are currently subject to Universal Credit sanctions; and what plans they have for reducing that number.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL9587
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/07/2018 answer text <p>The number of people on Universal Credit with a sanction deduction in February 2018 was 31,720 against a total number of 774,600 people on Universal Credit at that time.</p><p> </p><p>Under Universal Credit dependants in a household cannot be sanctioned.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>As a sanction is only applied when a claimant fails to meet their conditionality requirements without good reason, the Department does not have expectations on the numbers of sanctions that will be applied.</p><p> </p><p>However, we take a number of steps to ensure claimants are supported to meet their conditionality requirements. Work coaches tailor claimants’ conditionality requirements, and the support they require to meet them, to their individual circumstances and capabilities. They work with claimants to agree their conditionality requirements, explaining what could happen should they fail to meet them. Claimants are given every opportunity to explain why they failed to meet their agreed conditionality requirements before a sanction decision is made. When considering whether a sanction is appropriate, a Decision Maker will take all the claimant’s individual circumstances and any evidence of good reason provided, into account before deciding whether a sanction is warranted.</p><p> </p><p>We review processes and learning materials continuously and have a strong quality assurance framework in place.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 31/07/2018 12:10:37 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

938813

registered interest
date	11/07/2018
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the demand on the services of food banks, whether they plan to introduce any modifications and improvements to the administration of Universal Credit; and in particular whether they will reduce (1) the waiting time for first payments, and (2) the level of advance loan repayments.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL9429
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2018 answer text <p>We continuously modify and improve Universal Credit in response to feedback, and have also implemented a number of further improvements.</p><p>This package of measures, which are set out below, not only addresses concerns raised around the first assessment period and the budgeting issues faced by some claimants at the start of their claim, but also supports the vast majority of claimants transitioning onto Universal Credit. They include:</p><ul><li>from 29 November 2017, all DWP Universal Credit phone lines are free and claimants will not be charged when they need to get help with their Universal Credit claim.</li></ul><ul><li>from 3 January, the repayment period of Universal Credit advances has been increased to 12 months and claimants can now get up to 100 per cent of their estimated monthly entitlement upfront. These advances are available to claimants interest-free. Earlier this month (July 2018), advances also became available to apply for online.</li></ul><ul><li>from 14 February, the seven-day waiting period that some claimants had at the start of their Universal Credit claim was removed; and,</li></ul><ul><li>from 11 April, we have provided an additional payment for claimants already receiving support towards their housing costs of two weeks of their Housing Benefit to support them as they transfer onto Universal Credit. Claimants will not be required to repay this money.</li></ul> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 24/07/2018 16:37:41 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

938814

registered interest
date	11/07/2018
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to increase Universal Credit payments in line with inflation; and what plans they have, if any, to make payments reflect more closely the Minimum Income Standard.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL9430
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2018 answer text <p>The Department will be conducting the annual review of benefit and pension rates later this year, as required by the Social Security Administration Act 1992. This will include many Universal Credit rates, though it will exclude the standard allowance which has been frozen at 2015/16 levels until the end of 2019/20, by the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to supporting people who cannot work or have additional needs as a result of illness or disability and has consistently increased the carer amount, Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity amount and higher disabled child addition in line with inflation since the introduction of Universal Credit. Additionally, although work allowances, have not been increased each year they were raised in line with inflation for 2018/19.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 24/07/2018 16:38:21 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

938815

registered interest
date	11/07/2018
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce any improvement to Universal Credit in order to protect vulnerable groups, including people with mental health problems, and families with children under school age.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL9431
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2018 answer text <p>We are fully committed to providing personalised support for all claimants, including vulnerable groups. Each individual’s circumstances are different and therefore their barriers to work and the support required must be tailored to their needs.</p><p> </p><p>Work coaches are supported in building a strong relationship with their claimants through a comprehensive training and accreditation programme which includes support to identify and help claimants with complex needs. All work coaches delivering Universal Credit receive training on supporting claimants with health conditions. We are developing additional training in mental health that will be available to work coaches to build their expertise and provide the most effective support. The Department has also increased the numbers of Disability Employment Advisers who provide additional support to the work coaches.</p><p> </p><p>On 7 June we announced additional transitional protection for those moving onto Universal Credit via managed migration to protect people who receive a Severe Disability Premium. We also announced changes to make sure the protection we offer people that we move on to Universal Credit is not affected by them taking on a job, earning more or claiming childcare.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is also committed to providing additional support for working families, so we have increased childcare funding from 70 per cent of eligible costs in Tax Credits to 85 per cent in Universal Credit.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 25/07/2018 11:52:54 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton