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1346748

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of child support cases received by the Independent Case Examiner are awaiting a preliminary screening as of 14 July 2021.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	33261
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>As of 14 July 2021 there were 14 child support cases awaiting preliminary screening, which equates to 1.3% of all current child support cases held.</p><p> </p><p>Data on the average time it took to complete preliminary screening and register cases in the last calendar year is not recorded. The Independent Case Examiner (ICE) office aims to complete this preliminary screening and register the case within two working days.</p><p> </p><p>The cases that reach the ICE are the most complex and usually require investigation. Complainants are kept updated about the timings involved with their case and the vast majority are satisfied with the service they receive. Of the cases held on 14 July 2021, there were 824 cases awaiting allocation to an investigator, which equates to 40% of cases held.</p><p> </p><p>The average time taken from complaint acceptance date to allocation to an investigation case manager in all ICE cases is 64.6 weeks.</p><p> </p><p>The ICE office currently has 44 (42.06 FTE) investigators. A further 5 investigators have recently been recruited and are due to be post in August and September. Investigators hold between 7 and 11 cases at any given time, depending on complexity.</p><p> </p><p>Investigators have a case holding of between 7 and 11 cases at any given time (depending on complexity) and there is an expectation they will pass between 27 and 42 cases (again depending on complexity) through for the ICE to consider.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 33262 33263 33264 question first answered 19/07/2021 13:28:34 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1346749

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken was for a child support case received by the Independent Case Examiner to undergo a preliminary screening in the last calendar year.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	33262
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>As of 14 July 2021 there were 14 child support cases awaiting preliminary screening, which equates to 1.3% of all current child support cases held.</p><p> </p><p>Data on the average time it took to complete preliminary screening and register cases in the last calendar year is not recorded. The Independent Case Examiner (ICE) office aims to complete this preliminary screening and register the case within two working days.</p><p> </p><p>The cases that reach the ICE are the most complex and usually require investigation. Complainants are kept updated about the timings involved with their case and the vast majority are satisfied with the service they receive. Of the cases held on 14 July 2021, there were 824 cases awaiting allocation to an investigator, which equates to 40% of cases held.</p><p> </p><p>The average time taken from complaint acceptance date to allocation to an investigation case manager in all ICE cases is 64.6 weeks.</p><p> </p><p>The ICE office currently has 44 (42.06 FTE) investigators. A further 5 investigators have recently been recruited and are due to be post in August and September. Investigators hold between 7 and 11 cases at any given time, depending on complexity.</p><p> </p><p>Investigators have a case holding of between 7 and 11 cases at any given time (depending on complexity) and there is an expectation they will pass between 27 and 42 cases (again depending on complexity) through for the ICE to consider.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 33261 33263 33264 question first answered 19/07/2021 13:28:34 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1346750

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	Independent Case Examiner
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of cases received by the Independent Case Examiner are waiting to be assigned to an investigator as at 14 July 2021; and what the average time taken is before an investigator has been appointed to a case in the most recent period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	33263
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>As of 14 July 2021 there were 14 child support cases awaiting preliminary screening, which equates to 1.3% of all current child support cases held.</p><p> </p><p>Data on the average time it took to complete preliminary screening and register cases in the last calendar year is not recorded. The Independent Case Examiner (ICE) office aims to complete this preliminary screening and register the case within two working days.</p><p> </p><p>The cases that reach the ICE are the most complex and usually require investigation. Complainants are kept updated about the timings involved with their case and the vast majority are satisfied with the service they receive. Of the cases held on 14 July 2021, there were 824 cases awaiting allocation to an investigator, which equates to 40% of cases held.</p><p> </p><p>The average time taken from complaint acceptance date to allocation to an investigation case manager in all ICE cases is 64.6 weeks.</p><p> </p><p>The ICE office currently has 44 (42.06 FTE) investigators. A further 5 investigators have recently been recruited and are due to be post in August and September. Investigators hold between 7 and 11 cases at any given time, depending on complexity.</p><p> </p><p>Investigators have a case holding of between 7 and 11 cases at any given time (depending on complexity) and there is an expectation they will pass between 27 and 42 cases (again depending on complexity) through for the ICE to consider.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 33261 33262 33264 question first answered 19/07/2021 13:28:34 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1346751

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	Independent Case Examiner
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many full-time equivalent investigators are employed by the Independent Case Examiner; and what the average number of cases is managed by each case worker per year.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	33264
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>As of 14 July 2021 there were 14 child support cases awaiting preliminary screening, which equates to 1.3% of all current child support cases held.</p><p> </p><p>Data on the average time it took to complete preliminary screening and register cases in the last calendar year is not recorded. The Independent Case Examiner (ICE) office aims to complete this preliminary screening and register the case within two working days.</p><p> </p><p>The cases that reach the ICE are the most complex and usually require investigation. Complainants are kept updated about the timings involved with their case and the vast majority are satisfied with the service they receive. Of the cases held on 14 July 2021, there were 824 cases awaiting allocation to an investigator, which equates to 40% of cases held.</p><p> </p><p>The average time taken from complaint acceptance date to allocation to an investigation case manager in all ICE cases is 64.6 weeks.</p><p> </p><p>The ICE office currently has 44 (42.06 FTE) investigators. A further 5 investigators have recently been recruited and are due to be post in August and September. Investigators hold between 7 and 11 cases at any given time, depending on complexity.</p><p> </p><p>Investigators have a case holding of between 7 and 11 cases at any given time (depending on complexity) and there is an expectation they will pass between 27 and 42 cases (again depending on complexity) through for the ICE to consider.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 33261 33262 33263 question first answered 19/07/2021 13:28:34 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1346828

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 18 May 2021 to Question 367 on Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations, what further progress her Department has made in its discussions with representatives of (a) the Independent Assessment Service and (b) Capita on finding a suitable method of audio recording face-to-face assessments; and when those discussions will conclude.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham, Deptford
tabling member printed	Vicky Foxcroft
uin	33285
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>The Department continues to work closely with both IAS and Capita to deliver an audio recording service for face to face assessments that removes the requirement for the Claimant to provide the equipment. Arrangements are being finalised and we hope to have this in place as soon as practicably possible.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 19/07/2021 14:02:39 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4491 label Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft

1346835

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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: Overpayments
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 is taking to prevent (a) universal credit overpayments and (b) the subsequent debt caused by those overpayments.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	33312
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2021 answer text <p>DWP recognises that stopping fraud and error before is happens and preventing debt is the best approach, both for Government and claimants alike, and it should be noted that, during a period when we have faced the unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19, fraud and error in the benefits system remains low, with 95% of benefits, worth more than £200 billion, paid correctly in 2020/21.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to invest in fraud and error prevention, with the Chancellor announcing £44m at the Spring Budget to support the expansion of both our Integrated Risk and Intelligence Service and our new Enhanced Checking Service and the development of Transaction Risking as a means of identifying high risk claims.</p><p> </p><p>Our Annual Report and Accounts published 15 July 2021 provides more information on what we are doing to prevent overpayments occurring – <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2020-to-2021" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2020-to-2021</a></p><p> </p><p>Where an overpayment does occur, the Department has a responsibility to recover the money without creating undue financial hardship. In Universal Credit, all overpayments are recoverable. Where recovery is made by deduction from Universal Credit, there is a limit placed on the overall amount that can be deducted. Formerly 40% of the Universal Credit Standard Allowance, this was reduced from 30% to 25% in April 2021.</p><p>Where requested deductions exceed the 25% maximum, or there is insufficient Universal Credit in payment for all deductions to be made, a priority order is applied, which determines the order in which items should be deducted. ‘Last resort’ deductions, such as rent or fuel costs, are at the top of the priority order, ensuring that claimant welfare is prioritised, followed by social obligation deductions, such as fines and child maintenance, and finally benefit debt, such as Social Fund loans and benefit overpayments.</p><p>Anyone with overpayment deductions who does experience financial hardship is encouraged to contact the Department’s Debt Management unit. Where a person cannot afford the proposed rate of these deductions repayment a lower amount can be negotiated.</p><p>DWP is also committed to HM Treasury’s Breathing Space policy, which provides citizens with problem debt the right to legal protections from creditor action for a period of time in order to enable them to receive debt advice and enter into an appropriate debt solution.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 33313 question first answered 21/07/2021 16:15:02 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1346839

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of removing the uplift to the universal credit standard allowance on rent arrears accrued by universal credit claimants.
tabling member constituency	Stalybridge and Hyde
tabling member printed	Jonathan Reynolds
uin	33219
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>No assessment has been made.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit has provided a vital safety net for six million people during the pandemic, and we announced the temporary uplift as part of a £400 billion package of measures put in place that will last well beyond the end of the roadmap. Our focus now is on our multi-billion Plan for Jobs, which will support people in the long-term by helping them learn new skills and increase their hours or find new work.</p><p> </p><p>For those entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs, Discretionary Housing Payments are available. They are flexible and can be considered where, in the local authority’s opinion, further financial assistance towards housing costs is required.</p><p> </p><p>Local Housing Allowance rates for private renters on Universal Credit or Housing Benefit were increased to the 30th percentile of market rents last year, and have been maintained in cash terms in 2021/22.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 19/07/2021 17:05:50 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4119 label Biography information for Jonathan Reynolds

1346840

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of removing the uplift to the universal credit standard allowance on levels of debt accrued by universal credit claimants.
tabling member constituency	Stalybridge and Hyde
tabling member printed	Jonathan Reynolds
uin	33220
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>No assessment has been made.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit has provided a vital safety net for six million people during the pandemic, and we announced the temporary uplift as part of a £400 billion package of measures put in place that will last well beyond the end of the roadmap. Our focus now is on our multi-billion Plan for Jobs, which will support people in the long-term by helping them learn new skills and increase their hours or find new work.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 32332 32382 32383 32384 33222 33223 question first answered 19/07/2021 16:53:47 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4119 label Biography information for Jonathan Reynolds

1346841

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of removing the uplift to the universal credit standard allowance on food bank usage.
tabling member constituency	Stalybridge and Hyde
tabling member printed	Jonathan Reynolds
uin	33221
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2021 answer text <p>No assessment has been made.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit has provided a vital safety net for six million people during the pandemic, and we announced the temporary uplift as part of a £400 billion package of measures put in place that will last well beyond the end of the roadmap. Our focus now is on our multi-billion Plan for Jobs, which will support people in the long-term by helping them learn new skills and increase their hours or find new work.</p><p> </p><p>Foodbanks are independent, charitable organisations and the Department for Work and Pensions does not have any role in their operation. There is no consistent and accurate measure of food bank usage at a constituency or national level.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise the data limitations in this area, so from April 2021 have introduced a set of questions into the Family Resources Survey (FRS) on food bank usage. The first results of these questions are expected to be published in March 2023 subject to usual quality assurance.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 20/07/2021 16:23:58 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 15292 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4119 label Biography information for Jonathan Reynolds

1346842

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made on the potential effect of removing the uplift to the universal credit standard allowance on material deprivation.
tabling member constituency	Stalybridge and Hyde
tabling member printed	Jonathan Reynolds
uin	33222
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>No assessment has been made.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit has provided a vital safety net for six million people during the pandemic, and we announced the temporary uplift as part of a £400 billion package of measures put in place that will last well beyond the end of the roadmap. Our focus now is on our multi-billion Plan for Jobs, which will support people in the long-term by helping them learn new skills and increase their hours or find new work.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 32332 32382 32383 32384 33220 33223 question first answered 19/07/2021 16:53:47 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4119 label Biography information for Jonathan Reynolds