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226834

registered interest
date	11/03/2015
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 Schemes: Disability
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their criteria for referring people with disabilities on to (1) the Work Programme, and (2) Work Choice.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL5628
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>Disabled people are able to access Work Programme support at a variety of points. Those on Employment and Support Allowance can enter the programme immediately after their Work Capability Assessment. Claimants on Jobseekers’ Allowance with a disability can volunteer from three months after the date of their claim. If Jobseekers’ Allowance claimants with a disability do not elect to join the programme at this point, they will be referred on a mandatory basis 12 months after the initial point of claim.</p><p> </p><p>To be eligible for Work Choice, a customer/claimant must be of working age, resident in the UK and disabled as defined by the Equality Act 2010. They must also satisfy the following suitability criteria:</p><p>· experience complex employment support needs arising primarily from their disability; AND</p><p>· have barriers in work that cannot be overcome through workplace adjustments required under the Equality Act 2010 and/or Access to Work support; AND</p><p>· likely to need support in work as well as help with finding work; AND</p><p>· cannot be helped through other DWP programmes/suitable provision; AND</p><p>· expect to be able to work for a minimum of 16 hours or more per week following completion of Module One of Work Choice.</p><p> </p><p>The specific information requested for the percentage of disabled people supported into employment from the Work Programme and by Work Choice is not available.</p><p> </p><p>The Department checks accuracy of information through its tried and tested quality assurance process involving full sign-off of products by stakeholders and senior management.</p><p> </p><p>The Department, as part of the Work Choice provider guidance, prescribes the events that should be followed to ensure a clear, effective and salient approach to communications with participants receiving support under this programme. This is reviewed on a continual basis however any concerns or issues with individual communications are dealt with by exception rather than by routine or prescribed period checks.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud grouped question UIN HL5629 HL5630 question first answered 18/03/2015 15:34:43 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

226835

registered interest
date	11/03/2015
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 Schemes: Disability
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of people with disabilities are supported into work on (1) the Work Programme, and (2) Work Choice.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL5629
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2015 answer text <p>Disabled people are able to access Work Programme support at a variety of points. Those on Employment and Support Allowance can enter the programme immediately after their Work Capability Assessment. Claimants on Jobseekers’ Allowance with a disability can volunteer from three months after the date of their claim. If Jobseekers’ Allowance claimants with a disability do not elect to join the programme at this point, they will be referred on a mandatory basis 12 months after the initial point of claim.</p><p> </p><p>To be eligible for Work Choice, a customer/claimant must be of working age, resident in the UK and disabled as defined by the Equality Act 2010. They must also satisfy the following suitability criteria:</p><p>· experience complex employment support needs arising primarily from their disability; AND</p><p>· have barriers in work that cannot be overcome through workplace adjustments required under the Equality Act 2010 and/or Access to Work support; AND</p><p>· likely to need support in work as well as help with finding work; AND</p><p>· cannot be helped through other DWP programmes/suitable provision; AND</p><p>· expect to be able to work for a minimum of 16 hours or more per week following completion of Module One of Work Choice.</p><p> </p><p>The specific information requested for the percentage of disabled people supported into employment from the Work Programme and by Work Choice is not available.</p><p> </p><p>The Department checks accuracy of information through its tried and tested quality assurance process involving full sign-off of products by stakeholders and senior management.</p><p> </p><p>The Department, as part of the Work Choice provider guidance, prescribes the events that should be followed to ensure a clear, effective and salient approach to communications with participants receiving support under this programme. This is reviewed on a continual basis however any concerns or issues with individual communications are dealt with by exception rather than by routine or prescribed period checks.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud grouped question UIN HL5628 HL5630 question first answered 18/03/2015 15:34:43 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

226836

registered interest
date	11/03/2015
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 Schemes: Disability
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what checks are made to ensure that there is effective communication from Jobcentre Plus and Work Choice providers.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL5630
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2015 answer text <p>Disabled people are able to access Work Programme support at a variety of points. Those on Employment and Support Allowance can enter the programme immediately after their Work Capability Assessment. Claimants on Jobseekers’ Allowance with a disability can volunteer from three months after the date of their claim. If Jobseekers’ Allowance claimants with a disability do not elect to join the programme at this point, they will be referred on a mandatory basis 12 months after the initial point of claim.</p><p> </p><p>To be eligible for Work Choice, a customer/claimant must be of working age, resident in the UK and disabled as defined by the Equality Act 2010. They must also satisfy the following suitability criteria:</p><p>· experience complex employment support needs arising primarily from their disability; AND</p><p>· have barriers in work that cannot be overcome through workplace adjustments required under the Equality Act 2010 and/or Access to Work support; AND</p><p>· likely to need support in work as well as help with finding work; AND</p><p>· cannot be helped through other DWP programmes/suitable provision; AND</p><p>· expect to be able to work for a minimum of 16 hours or more per week following completion of Module One of Work Choice.</p><p> </p><p>The specific information requested for the percentage of disabled people supported into employment from the Work Programme and by Work Choice is not available.</p><p> </p><p>The Department checks accuracy of information through its tried and tested quality assurance process involving full sign-off of products by stakeholders and senior management.</p><p> </p><p>The Department, as part of the Work Choice provider guidance, prescribes the events that should be followed to ensure a clear, effective and salient approach to communications with participants receiving support under this programme. This is reviewed on a continual basis however any concerns or issues with individual communications are dealt with by exception rather than by routine or prescribed period checks.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud grouped question UIN HL5628 HL5629 question first answered 18/03/2015 15:34:44 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

223922

registered interest
date	26/02/2015
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	Jobseeker's Allowance Sanctions Independent Review
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government which of the recommendations of the independent review by Matthew Oakley in July 2014 of the operation of Jobseeker’s Allowance sanctions validated by the Jobseekers Act 2013 have been implemented; and what plans there are to implement any outstanding recommendations.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL5273
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The Government has published our response to the Oakley Report and a copy can be found here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/332137/jsa-sanctions-independent-review-government-response.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/332137/jsa-sanctions-independent-review-government-response.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>We have accepted all recommendations made by the Oakley Report and we have already implemented a number of improvements. Our response sets out a number of target completion dates for recommendations made by the Oakley Report.</p><p> </p><p>In the Government Response to the Oakley Review we committed to report on the progress of the Communications Review by the end of 2014. The Department published an update on improvements to communications following the review, on 18 December 2014. This can be found here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/387727/jsa-sanctions-independent-review-government-response-update.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/387727/jsa-sanctions-independent-review-government-response-update.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>We will continue to implement the remaining recommendations and will keep the House informed on progress.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 10/03/2015 14:39:51 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

223924

registered interest
date	26/02/2015
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 and Support Allowance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will undertake an independent review of the operation of Employment and Support Allowance sanctions, with particular emphasis on their impact on those with mental health problems.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL5274
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>As with all of our policies, we keep the operation of the sanctions system under review to ensure that it continues to operate effectively and as fairly as possible.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to make improvements to the sanctions system as committed to in our response to the Oakley Review. The Government has gone further than the scope of the Review, for example, we are reviewing all claimant communications and sanctions processes, not only for those Jobseekers Allowance claimants who come under the remit of the Review, but all Jobseekers Allowance claimants and also all Employment Support Allowance claimants.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 10/03/2015 15:07:26 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

223925

registered interest
date	26/02/2015
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure benefits claimants facing hardship difficulties are provided with appropriate welfare advice by front-line Jobcentre Plus staff, and to publicise the availability of such advice.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL5275
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2015 answer text <p>As part of helping claimants with employment-related support, Jobcentre Plus work coaches provide those facing ''hardship difficulties'' with appropriate information, advice and guidance. Depending upon individual circumstances, this could include information about and help to claim Hardship Payments (where a sanction has been applied), raising awareness of Short Term Benefit Advances for those awaiting initial payment of benefit; and signposting claimants to other sources of help available locally.</p><p> </p><p>As the support on offer is tailored to local need, Jobcentre Plus offices have the flexibility to promote these services through the means that best suits their local needs. This may include displaying leaflets or posters of the types of services on offer or holding a list of the different organisations providing support which will be issued to claimants in ‘’hardship’’.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 10/03/2015 15:07:58 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

172330

registered interest
date	06/01/2015
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to publish (1) their current guidance on the Access to Work scheme, and (2) the forthcoming revision of that guidance.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL3913
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/01/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The staff guidance on the Access to Work scheme is published on gov.uk</p><p> </p><p>It can be found at the following link<strong> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/387398/access-to-work-guide.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/387398/access-to-work-guide.pdf</a> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Minister for Disabled People set out in a written statement on the 18<sup>th</sup> December 2014 that we will work with stakeholders to develop further, user-friendly guidance, with the aim of beginning to publish this by the end of March 2015<strong>.</strong></p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 12/01/2015 15:15:38 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

155685

registered interest
date	17/11/2014
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 funding they have provided for locally delivered Universal Support in the Universal Credit Pathfinder areas; what funding is planned for the roll-out in 2015; and how much of any such funding will be targeted at front-line delivery, as opposed to "enabling" activities (such as assessing needs and provision in an area, and co-ordinating existing services).
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL2869
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>We have provided funding in the pathfinder sites and all current live Universal Credit sites through Delivery Partnership Agreements (DPAs) which were based on local agreement as to the likely level on need for support in each area.</p><p> </p><p>From February 2015, Universal Credit will rollout to new single claimants who would currently be eligible for Jobseekers Allowance across all remaining jobcentres and local authorities. This provides the opportunity to build a secure platform for the introduction of Universal Support by mobilising local partnerships nationwide, putting in place a robust infrastructure for more complex and vulnerable claimants.</p><p> </p><p>The Department will put in place Delivery Partnership Agreements (DPAs) with local authorities. As in the current live sites these will provide a framework to make available funded support for those who need additional help.</p><p> </p><p>How much funding is targeted for specific purposes by the Department will be determined by the individual partnerships, based on local need.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 01/12/2014 15:25:45 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

76543

registered interest
date	08/07/2014
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions have taken place between government departments on the promotion of Access to Work, including the Mental Health Support Service, to apprentices and skills providers, and to National Health Service staff.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL887
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Access to Work offers Mental Health Support Service from contracted provision delivered by Remploy. Remploy promotes that provision to employers, providers and the National Health Service. Access to Work has been extended to support people on Supported Internships, Traineeships and Work experience under the Youth Contract and has made information about Access to Work available to these providers through Department for Education and Department for Business, Innovation &amp; Skills.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 17/07/2014 14:34:55 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

76544

registered interest
date	08/07/2014
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when their forthcoming review of Access to Work will be completed; and what its purpose is.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL888
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Access to Work is an important part of the employment support we provide for disabled people who need additional help to take up and remain in employment. I want to build on the success of this programme, which is why the Minister of State for Disabled People has said that we will look into Access to Work to focus on how we can support more disabled people within the resources available and further improve the service we offer to customers. We will set out further details shortly, which will include timescales for taking this work forward.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 15/07/2014 12:36:28 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester