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1659680

registered interest
date	11/09/2023
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: Disability
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 that people transferred onto the Adult Disability Payment while awaiting his Department's decision to increase their mobility rate who are subsequently deemed by Social Security Scotland to be eligible for an enhanced mobility rate receive a backdated payment for the period following their notifying his Department of their change in circumstances and their transition to Adult Disability Payment.
tabling member constituency	North Ayrshire and Arran
tabling member printed	Patricia Gibson
uin	198820
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2023 answer text <p>These are matters for the Scottish Government.</p><p /> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 14/09/2023 10:49:38 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4435 label Biography information for Patricia Gibson

1651657

registered interest
date	10/07/2023
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 guidance his Department issues on whether a Scottish Higher National Certificate is advanced education for child maintenance purposes.
tabling member constituency	North Ayrshire and Arran
tabling member printed	Patricia Gibson
uin	193137
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2023 answer text <p>The Department publishes the Child Maintenance Decision Makers’ Guide on the gov.uk website. The guidance provides a list, although not exhaustive, along with information regarding advanced and non-advanced education and training. This information can be found <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-maintenance-decision-makers-guide" target="_blank">here.</a></p><p> </p><p>A Scottish National Certificate is equivalent to a National Higher Certificate (HNC) and counts as advanced education.</p><p> </p><p>Child Maintenance payments cease when a child leaves full-time non-advanced education (non-advanced means up to A level or higher, or NVQ or SVQ Level 3 and below). Courses of degree level and above, Diploma of Higher Education, Higher National Certificate, Diploma of Higher Education or, NVQ and SVQ Level 4 and above, count as advanced education.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 13/07/2023 13:36:48 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4435 label Biography information for Patricia Gibson

1644852

registered interest
date	14/06/2023
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: Applications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing a remote ID verification process for people applying for Universal Credit from remote and island communities.
tabling member constituency	North Ayrshire and Arran
tabling member printed	Patricia Gibson
uin	189727
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>When applying for Universal Credit (UC), a claimant is required to confirm their identity by using the on-line service, as part of the claim process. Where a claimant has not attempted online verification, or has attempted and failed, then they will be asked to attend a face-to-face interview (F2F). This process would be different for each claimant including those from remote and island communities. It is necessary to undertake this to ensure the claimant is who they say they are and to prevent fraud.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 19/06/2023 15:05:05 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4435 label Biography information for Patricia Gibson

1625978

registered interest
date	05/05/2023
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, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing payment period arrangements for Universal Credit to account for people who are not paid monthly.
tabling member constituency	North Ayrshire and Arran
tabling member printed	Patricia Gibson
uin	183905
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/05/2023 answer text <p>No such assessment has been made.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>There are no planned changes to Universal Credit assessment periods or payment schedules.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Universal Credit has been designed with monthly assessment periods to reflect the world of work, where the majority of all employees receive wages monthly. Guidance is available to claimants, staff and representatives to raise awareness of different earnings patterns and their impact on Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has been working closely with HMRC since Universal Credit went live in 2013 to support and inform employers on the importance of timely reporting via the Real Time Information (RTI) system to ensure payments of Universal Credit are accurate. This includes the updating of HMRC guidance to reiterate that where a payment falls on a non-banking day the payment should be shown as having been made on the regular payday.</p><p> </p><p>Where a claimant wishes to dispute the earnings information, we have received from their employer, they can submit evidence to us, and we will look into the case to see if a change needs to be made.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/05/2023 08:35:26 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4435 label Biography information for Patricia Gibson

1599610

registered interest
date	27/02/2023
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	State Retirement Pensions: Terminal Illnesses
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 hold discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of enabling people of working age with a terminal illness to have early access their state pension.
tabling member constituency	North Ayrshire and Arran
tabling member printed	Patricia Gibson
uin	153835
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2023 answer text <p>There are no plans for discussions with cabinet colleagues regarding early access to state pension for people with a terminal illness.</p><p> </p><p>Hearing that your illness cannot be cured can be a frightening and devastating experience. For those at the end of their life, the Government’s priority is providing financial support quickly and compassionately. The main way that the Department does this is through special benefit rules, sometimes referred to as “the Special Rules”. These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment, serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit. For many years, the Special Rules have applied to people who have 6 months or less to live and now they are being changed so they apply to people who have 12 months or less to live.</p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Laura Trott question first answered 02/03/2023 13:07:36 answering member 4780 label Biography information for Laura Trott
tabling member	4435 label Biography information for Patricia Gibson

1504356

registered interest
date	02/09/2022
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: Canada
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of Canada’s recent request to discuss a reciprocal social security agreement.
tabling member constituency	North Ayrshire and Arran
tabling member printed	Patricia Gibson
uin	45888
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2022 answer text <p>There are two separate social security arrangements in place between the UK and Canada, made in 1995 and 1998. The UK Government has no plans to change the social security relationship with Canada.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 07/09/2022 11:48:48 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4435 label Biography information for Patricia Gibson

1504357

registered interest
date	02/09/2022
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	British Nationals Abroad: State Retirement Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment they have made of the potential impact of its policy on up-rating UK State Pensions overseas on 48 commonwealth countries, in relation to the Government’s Global Britain vision.
tabling member constituency	North Ayrshire and Arran
tabling member printed	Patricia Gibson
uin	45889
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2022 answer text <p>The UK State Pension is payable worldwide and is up-rated annually in countries where there is a legal requirement to do so. This is a longstanding policy, which has been supported by successive governments for over 70 years. The Government has no plans to change the policy.</p> answering member constituency Hertford and Stortford answering member printed Julie Marson question first answered 08/09/2022 16:45:18 answering member 4768 label Biography information for Julie Marson
tabling member	4435 label Biography information for Patricia Gibson

1504358

registered interest
date	02/09/2022
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	Canada: British Nationals Abroad
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the recent incident where state pensions paid to UK pensioners living in Canada was suspended.
tabling member constituency	North Ayrshire and Arran
tabling member printed	Patricia Gibson
uin	45890
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2022 answer text <p>We understand that some customers in Canada did not receive life certificate forms sent to them by the Department. Our outbound postal supplier has confirmed that the life certificates were issued and dispatched from the UK.</p><p> </p><p>In line with the process for all overseas state pension recipients, the Department suspended payment for those customers who did not return their form within the 16-week window. After being alerted to the failure to deliver within Canada, we reinstated all suspended payments and issued any arrears owed.</p><p> </p><p>We have also extended the time period for Canadian customers to return their life certificate forms, having confirmed that certificates are now being delivered.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 07/09/2022 11:54:30 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4435 label Biography information for Patricia Gibson

1467291

registered interest
date	01/06/2022
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	Bereavement Support Payment
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 ensure that Bereavement Support Payments for unmarried couples with children will (a) come into effect from September 2022, (b) be fully backdated from August 2018 and (c) not be subject to further delivery delays.
tabling member constituency	North Ayrshire and Arran
tabling member printed	Patricia Gibson
uin	11729
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2022 answer text <p>The draft Bereavement Benefits Remedial Order proposes to extend Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent’s Allowance to cohabiting partners with dependant children. We are currently considering representations received on the proposals during the Orders first laying period. On conclusion, the Order will be laid for a second and final 60-day sitting period. This will be followed by debates in both Houses of Parliament before the proposals can become law. Due to the nature of the Parliamentary processes, we cannot say at this stage when the Order will come into force.</p><p> </p><p>DWP is working closely on the implementation of the Order, and we will be updating the GOV.UK website at key points during the parliamentary process:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bereavement-benefits-proposal-for-implementation-of-the-mclaughlin-2018-and-jackson-2020-judgments" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bereavement-benefits-proposal-for-implementation-of-the-mclaughlin-2018-and-jackson-2020-judgments</a></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p /> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/06/2022 13:13:59 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4435 label Biography information for Patricia Gibson

1359646

registered interest
date	15/10/2021
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	Pension Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to (a) raise awareness of Pension Credit and (b) make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the time period for claiming backdated Pension Credit from three months.
tabling member constituency	North Ayrshire and Arran
tabling member printed	Patricia Gibson
uin	57112
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2021 answer text <p>Around 1.4 million eligible pensioners across Great Britain receive some £5 billion in Pension Credit which tops up their retirement income and is a passport to other financial help such as support with housing costs, council tax, heating bills and a free TV licence for those over 75.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to use every opportunity to encourage pensioners to check their eligibility and make a claim. For example, on 16 June as part of a media day of action on Pension Credit, DWP joined forces with Age UK as well as the BBC to help reach, via national and local media, older people who may be reticent about claiming it. More recently, on 7 September, I met the BBC Director General to discuss other opportunities to work together to get information about Pension Credit to pensioners and their family members. We have also set up a working group including organisations such as Age UK, Independent Age, the BBC and British Telecom to explore innovative ways to reach eligible pensioners. The most recent meeting of the working group took place on 19 October.</p><p> </p><p>Earlier this year, over 11 million pensioners in Great Britain received information about Pension Credit in the leaflet accompanying their annual State Pension up-rating letter. They will do so again next year.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>There are no plans to review the existing Pension Credit backdating rules.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 21/10/2021 11:18:33 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 25591 answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4435 label Biography information for Patricia Gibson