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1697811

registered interest
date	21/03/2024
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	Department for Work and Pensions: Mental Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training (a) he has and (b) other Ministers in his Department have had in mental health literacy.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	19898
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Ministers are not required to undertake specific mental health literacy training.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 26/03/2024 17:21:30 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1697812

registered interest
date	21/03/2024
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	Department for Work and Pensions: Mental Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure his Department's (a) policy and (b) other staff have comprehensive training in mental health.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	19899
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>DWP is actively taking steps to increase staff capability and raising awareness of the mental health difficulties that may be experienced by our customers, ensuring they can be directed to further support at any stage of the claimant journey.</p><p> </p><p>We continually review our learning alongside external experts and psychologists to enhance the mental health training offer. The learning is mandatory and aims to help our colleagues better support claimants who may present with mental health issues/unexpected behaviour by exploring their impact on customers, the steps needed to build relationships and learning how to respond appropriately to customers’ needs.</p><p> </p><p>All colleagues in customer contact roles will receive this learning by March 2025, and the learning is included in new entrant learning for colleagues in these roles. As of the end of February 2024, we have delivered the learning to 62,291 colleagues, with a further 20,399 colleagues due to receive the learning before the rollout is completed.</p><p> </p><p>All DWP colleagues have access to support and resources relating to mental health.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 26/03/2024 15:22:07 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1697814

registered interest
date	21/03/2024
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	Unemployment: Mental Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has he made of the potential merits of taking a nurturing and trauma-informed approach to people with mental health challenges who are not in employment.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	19900
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The DWP is proudly committed to becoming a more Trauma Informed organisation. The potential merits of the adoption of the Trauma Informed Approach into DWP services, will benefit all customers including those with mental ill health who are unemployed. Adopting the principles of the approach into the core of our business will help us to ensure that anyone interacting with our services feels as safe, empowered and understood as possible; this will underpin our ongoing commitment to compassionate coaching and tailored services.<strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>We have a dedicated programme which will integrate the six key pillars of the approach as defined by the Office for Health Improvements and Disparities (December, 2022) which are safety, trustworthiness, choice, empowerment, collaboration and cultural consideration. Our programme looks at these six pillars within the contexts of application to our colleagues, our customers, our culture, and the context of our interaction- whether that is a physical, telephony, digital or postal interaction. There is significant emphasis within the design of the programme regarding what more can be done to prevent trauma and re-traumatisation for both our customers and our colleagues. We are learning from best practice demonstrated by organisations such as NHS Education Scotland, Work Services Australia and the Wales ACES Hub to shape the future prioritisation of this work.</p><p /><p>When developing policies, the Department routinely carries out assessments against the Public Sector Equality Duty to ensure that due regard is given to our responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 19901 question first answered 26/03/2024 14:28:57 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1697815

registered interest
date	21/03/2024
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: Mental Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that obligations under the Equalities Act 2010 are taken into account when developing policies on support for people with mental health challenges.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	19901
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The DWP is proudly committed to becoming a more Trauma Informed organisation. The potential merits of the adoption of the Trauma Informed Approach into DWP services, will benefit all customers including those with mental ill health who are unemployed. Adopting the principles of the approach into the core of our business will help us to ensure that anyone interacting with our services feels as safe, empowered and understood as possible; this will underpin our ongoing commitment to compassionate coaching and tailored services.<strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>We have a dedicated programme which will integrate the six key pillars of the approach as defined by the Office for Health Improvements and Disparities (December, 2022) which are safety, trustworthiness, choice, empowerment, collaboration and cultural consideration. Our programme looks at these six pillars within the contexts of application to our colleagues, our customers, our culture, and the context of our interaction- whether that is a physical, telephony, digital or postal interaction. There is significant emphasis within the design of the programme regarding what more can be done to prevent trauma and re-traumatisation for both our customers and our colleagues. We are learning from best practice demonstrated by organisations such as NHS Education Scotland, Work Services Australia and the Wales ACES Hub to shape the future prioritisation of this work.</p><p /><p>When developing policies, the Department routinely carries out assessments against the Public Sector Equality Duty to ensure that due regard is given to our responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 19900 question first answered 26/03/2024 14:28:57 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1697816

registered interest
date	21/03/2024
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: Mental Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to ensure that the sanctions regime does not disadvantage those who experience mental health challenges.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	19902
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2024 answer text <p>Customers in the No Work Related Requirements Group, for example those with a severe mental health condition or disability, are not subject to conditionality requirements and therefore not subject to sanctions.</p><p> </p><p>Customers are only ever sanctioned if they fail to meet their agreed requirements without good reason and they are given every opportunity to explain why they failed to meet their agreed conditionality requirement before a decision is made. We recognise the importance of understanding how a mental health condition impacts someone’s ability to search for or prepare for work and Claimant Commitments are set in discussion with the claimant and tailored to their capability and circumstances, making them realistic and achievable.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 02/04/2024 12:30:47 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1695688

registered interest
date	13/03/2024
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: Adult Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support people who are on Universal Credit to access free adult education.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	18523
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2024 answer text <p>Universal Credit (UC) claimants are required to undertake activity to address skills needs if this will help them enter and retain employment or find better paid work. Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches engage with claimants to identify and address these needs through options ranging from the Department for Education’s Skills Bootcamps; careers advice from National Careers Service advisors, many of whom are co-located in Jobcentre offices or DWP’s successful (Sector Based Work Academy Programmes).</p><p>DWP’s Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) help employers who have immediate and future employment needs by providing short work focussed opportunities to fill local job vacancies. Through the adult education budget, Government funds the skills training that employers require and in return employers agree to offer work experience placements and a guaranteed offer of an interview for a live vacancy. Data for the financial years 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 to date shows that, as of 28 January 2024, there were a total of 266,330 starts to a Sector-based Work Academy Programme. Final start figures for 2023/24 will be available early next financial year.</p><p>For claimants who need vocational and essential skills training (English/maths/digital), to support their work search goals, it was announced at Spring budget 2023 that the length of time UC claimants can undertake full time work-related training has been extended to up to 16 weeks. This means eligible claimants are able to access a wider range of courses, including those made available through the DfE Free Courses for Jobs initiative.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, local Jobcentre Plus partnership teams work directly with colleges and training providers in their area to ensure claimants have access to the right skills support. Jobcentre Plus partnership leads also participate in DfE’s employer representative body led Local Skills improvement Partnerships across England, which are articulating local employer skills needs for consideration by colleges and local training providers.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 20/03/2024 12:07:38 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1695105

registered interest
date	11/03/2024
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	Employment: Musculoskeletal Disorders
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help people with (a) arthritis and (b) a musculoskeletal condition to remain in work.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	17974
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/03/2024 answer text <p>The Government has an ambitious programme of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions, to start, stay and succeed in work.</p><p> </p><p>These include: the Work and Health Programme; Access to Work grants; Disability Confident; <a href="https://www.support-with-employee-health-and-disability.dwp.gov.uk/support-with-employee-health-and-disability" target="_blank">a digital information service for employers</a>; Disability Employment Advisers and increasing Work Coach support in Jobcentres and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care.</p><p> </p><p>In the Spring Budget 2023, the government set out a package of measures to tackle the leading health-related causes keeping people out of work, including specific initiatives for people with MSK conditions. This includes introducing employment advisers within MSK services, including to support people with MSK conditions to thrive in work and scaling up MSK physical activity hubs in the Community, building on the example of delivering physical activity interventions in local leisure and community centre venues;</p><p> </p><p>The Government also announced a new package of support in Autumn Statement 2023 to: double the number of places on the Universal Support employment programme; launch WorkWell in approximately 15 pilot areas to provide light touch work and health support; explore new ways of providing individuals receiving a fit note with timely access to support; and establish an expert group to advise on a framework for Occupational Health provision.</p><p> </p><p>In October 2022 we published the <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.som.org.uk%2Fsites%2Fsom.org.uk%2Ffiles%2FMSK_Health_Toolkit_for_employers_and_further_education_institutions.pdf&amp;data=05|01|Manuel.Ramos27%40dhsc.gov.uk|46179b1e03eb4329a05b08dab1eef870|61278c3091a84c318c1fef4de8973a1c|1|0|638017937164151338|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D|3000|||&amp;sdata=2JT4Zdo8eJA43ZQopeH%2FcvyEfTnkf4GN2W7cZ8lOKFo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Musculoskeletal (MSK) Health Toolkit for employers and further education institutions</a> which encourages employers to support adolescents and young adults with MSK conditions. The <a href="https://www.bitc.org.uk/toolkit/musculoskeletal-health-toolkit-for-employers/" target="_blank">Musculoskeletal health toolkit for employers</a> was developed in partnership with Business in the Community and provides practical information for employers of all sizes to address MSK conditions in the workplace for the working age population.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 15/03/2024 11:49:55 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell