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1658476

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2023
	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: Artificial Intelligence
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the response to requests for transparency over the use of artificial intelligence to verify welfare claims.
	tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
	uin	HL9915
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2023 answer text <p>DWP recognises the public interest in being transparent about what we do and how we process personal information. However, we have to balance this with keeping the information secure, by not revealing publicly all methods and practices used particularly to detect fraudulent claims and cyber-attack against our systems.</p><p> </p><p>DWP takes its responsibility to protect data very seriously and we have published the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/personal-information-charter" target="_blank">Personal information charter (PIC) </a>which gives details of how we use information provided to us. We have done this to be as transparent as we can without hindering our ability to detect fraud and protect data.</p><p> </p><p>The PIC also explains that DWP does not use artificial intelligence to replace human judgement to determine or deny a payment to a claimant. We will only use data for lawful purposes.</p><p> </p><p>The <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023/dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023" target="_blank">DWP annual report and accounts 2022 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a> also makes mention of audits covering data management and artificial intelligence.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 13/09/2023 13:26:40 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1658474

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2023
	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	Child Maintenance Service: Fees and Charges
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to review the four per cent fees charged to receiving parents in the Child Maintenance Service.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Stedman-Scott
	uin	HL9913
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2023 answer text <p>There are no plans to abolish the four per cent collection charge for receiving parents. This charge only applies to the collect and pay service and is intended to provide a parent with an incentive to use the direct pay service which has no ongoing fees.</p><p> </p><p>The collection charge for the receiving parent is deducted only when maintenance is paid, with no money owed to the Child Maintenance Service if maintenance is not paid. These charges contribute to the cost of running an expensive service, which remains subsidised by the taxpayer.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 15/09/2023 12:48:10 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott

1658469

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2023
	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	State Retirement Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) proportion, and (2) number of (a) male, and (b) female, retirees do not receive the full pre-2016 and post-2016 state pension.
	tabling member printed	Lord Sikka
	uin	HL9908
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2023 answer text <p>During 2019, a new DWP computer system called “Get Your State Pension” (GYSP) came online to handle State Pension claims. The GYSP system is now handling a sizeable proportion of new claims.</p><p> </p><p>The department has not yet been able to include GYSP system data in our published statistics for State Pension and the number of GYSP cases are too high to allow us to continue to publish State Pension data on Stat-Xplore. We have been providing GYSP estimates based on payment systems data and as a temporary measure, State Pension statistics are being published via data tables only. The latest release in August 2023 contains State Pensions estimates for the quarters to February 2023.</p><p> </p><p>A biannual release of supplementary tables to show State Pension deferment increments and proportions of beneficiaries receiving a full amount was suspended. This release is normally based on a 5 per cent sample of the legacy computer system. Given the absence of GYSP data, the figures are affected by the same issues as described above. The latest available time period for these figures is for September 2020 and can be found in the DWP benefits statistics published in May 2021 on gov.uk.</p><p> </p><p>We are developing new statistical datasets to properly represent both computer systems. Once we have quality assured the new data it will be published on Stat-Xplore, including a refresh of historical data using the best data available.</p><p> </p><p>For more information on these developments, see the State Pension section of the ‘Background information note: DWP benefits statistical summary’ published on gov.uk.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 14/09/2023 12:42:33 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4885 label Biography information for Lord Sikka

1658468

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2023
	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	State Retirement Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish a table showing the median pre-2016 and post-2016 state pension currently paid to (1) men, and (2) women.
	tabling member printed	Lord Sikka
	uin	HL9907
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2023 answer text <p>The department currently publishes the mean weekly amount of the pre-2016 State Pension and the new State Pension paid to men and women, and this can be found in Table 11 of the latest tables which were published in August 2023 on gov.uk. There are no plans to publish the median weekly amount however we will periodically review this as the new State Pension caseload continues to grow.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 14/09/2023 12:45:35 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4885 label Biography information for Lord Sikka

1676139

	registered interest
	date	06/12/2023
	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	Access to Work Programme
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government why autism is defined as a disability in some application forms for help from the Access to Work scheme and not in other cases.
	tabling member printed	Lord Touhig
	uin	HL958
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2023 answer text <p>To apply for Access to Work customers must complete an application either online or over the phone. The application is the same no matter how they complete it. Customers are asked to describe their condition in their own words and how it impacts their work. The application form does not list or ask about any specific conditions. This supports the principle that Access to Work is tailored to each customer’s disability and support need.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 13/12/2023 12:59:37 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig

1676138

	registered interest
	date	06/12/2023
	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	Access to Work Programme
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many employment support providers have received support from the Access to Work scheme in each of the past five years.
	tabling member printed	Lord Touhig
	uin	HL957
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2023 answer text <p>We do not routinely collect data on the funding provided directly to employment support providers. Access to Work funding is, in most cases, paid directly to the customer, unless the customer requests that the funding is paid directly to an employment support provider.</p><p> </p><p>Access to work has recruited additional staff to ensure a high level of customer service. The digital payments portal was introduced in June 2023 and is available for all customers that choose to claim online.</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work has received significant increase in payment claims over the last year and have recruited new staff to meet the increased demand and reduce the time it takes to make payments<strong>.</strong></p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL954 HL955 question first answered 14/12/2023 16:33:25 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig

1676137

	registered interest
	date	06/12/2023
	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	Access to Work Programme: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether the budget for the Access to Work scheme has been underspent, and if so, by how much, in each of the past five years.
	tabling member printed	Lord Touhig
	uin	HL956
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>Access to Work grant expenditure has been underspent against budget in three of the past five years.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>18/19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>19/20</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>20/21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>21/22</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>22/23</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Budget (mid-year adjusted)</p></td><td><p>117.1</p></td><td><p>145.3</p></td><td><p>108.6</p></td><td><p>151.9</p></td><td><p>178.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Full year outturn</p></td><td><p>124.5</p></td><td><p>146.8</p></td><td><p>104.5</p></td><td><p>146.5</p></td><td><p>177.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>(Over) / Underspend</p></td><td><p><strong>(7.4)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>(1.4)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>4.1</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>5.5</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>1.0</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Other than years impacted by the Pandemic, the grant expenditure has increased year on year.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 20/12/2023 16:44:18 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig

1676136

	registered interest
	date	06/12/2023
	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	Access to Work Programme: Administrative Delays
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any delays, and the reasons for such delays, in paying funds to employment support providers who have successfully applied for help from the Access to Work scheme.
	tabling member printed	Lord Touhig
	uin	HL955
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2023 answer text <p>We do not routinely collect data on the funding provided directly to employment support providers. Access to Work funding is, in most cases, paid directly to the customer, unless the customer requests that the funding is paid directly to an employment support provider.</p><p> </p><p>Access to work has recruited additional staff to ensure a high level of customer service. The digital payments portal was introduced in June 2023 and is available for all customers that choose to claim online.</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work has received significant increase in payment claims over the last year and have recruited new staff to meet the increased demand and reduce the time it takes to make payments<strong>.</strong></p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL954 HL957 question first answered 14/12/2023 16:33:25 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig

1676135

	registered interest
	date	06/12/2023
	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	Access to Work Programme
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what is the estimated average time span from application to payment for employment support providers seeking help from the Access to Work scheme.
	tabling member printed	Lord Touhig
	uin	HL954
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2023 answer text <p>We do not routinely collect data on the funding provided directly to employment support providers. Access to Work funding is, in most cases, paid directly to the customer, unless the customer requests that the funding is paid directly to an employment support provider.</p><p> </p><p>Access to work has recruited additional staff to ensure a high level of customer service. The digital payments portal was introduced in June 2023 and is available for all customers that choose to claim online.</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work has received significant increase in payment claims over the last year and have recruited new staff to meet the increased demand and reduce the time it takes to make payments<strong>.</strong></p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie grouped question UIN HL955 HL957 question first answered 14/12/2023 16:33:25 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig

1674989

	registered interest
	date	04/12/2023
	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	Local Housing Allowance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential benefits of ending the freeze in Local Housing Allowance rates before April 2024.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford
	uin	HL809
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2023 answer text <p>As announced by the Chancellor in the recent Autumn Statement, the Government will be investing £1.2 billion in 24/25 increasing LHA rates to the 30th percentile of local market rents. This is a significant investment of over £7 billion over the next five years.</p><p> </p><p>Secondary legislation is required for this increase, which will be laid in January and will come into force by 31st January 2024. This allows the Department for Work and Pensions and local authorities sufficient time to implement the rates from April 2024 and ensure claimants are paid accurately. Increases to other benefits also apply from April 2024 onwards.</p><p> </p><p>For those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs and need further support Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. Since 2011 the Government has provided nearly £1.7 billion in DHP funding to local authorities.</p><p><em> </em></p><p>Since October 2021, Government has provided over £2 billion to local authorities in England via the Household Support Fund (HSF) for them to provide discretionary support with the cost of essentials to those most in need. As with all government spending in England, the HSF has led to consequential increases in Barnett funding, which the Devolved Administrations can spend at their discretion.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 12/12/2023 13:43:21 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4922 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford