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1000260

registered interest
date	02/11/2018
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, for what reason the taper that is applied to wages is not applied to pensions in relation to universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	187333
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>The taper is the rate at which Universal Credit is reduced to take account of earnings. It is specifically for in work claimants and linked to earnings to incentivise work, and those in work to earn more. Universal Credit has a single taper of 63 per cent so payments reduce in a transparent and predictable way as earnings increase. Universal Credit is a means tested benefit, and income other than earnings, such as pensions, is taken fully into account in the assessment of Universal Credit. This is consistent with how legacy means tested benefits such as Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support treat pension income. Therefore it would not be consistent to extend the earnings taper to pensions income and doing so would also undermine the incentives to work for people of working age.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 12/11/2018 18:05:06 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1000268

registered interest
date	02/11/2018
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: Females
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 1 November 2018 to Question 185131 on Independent Case Examiner, if she will publish that same information for complaints by women on the equalisation of the state pension age.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Ged Killen
uin	187381
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>Individual departments have set up complaints procedures. That approach has not changed under Labour 1997-2010 or successive governments. The DWP has a two tier complaints process which considers formal complaints about our service<strong>. </strong>Once a complainant has exhausted the DWP complaint process they are signposted to the Independent Case Examiner’s Office if they are dissatisfied with the final response to their complaint.</p><p>The Independent Case Examiner is independent, and discusses complaints. The Independent Case Examiner is appointed under contract to adjudicate on escalated complaints about the DWP, and its contracted service providers, in cases where the complainant has exhausted the relevant internal complaints process and remains dissatisfied. If a complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome of an I Independent Case Examiner investigation (or the service provided by the Independent Case Examiner) they can ask their Member of Parliament to escalate their complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.</p><p>The table below provides details of the number of complaints concerning the equalisation of women’s state pension age, that have been (a) received; (b) accepted for investigation and (c) resolved by the Independent Case Examiner in each month since January 2017 (we have interpreted (c) as a request for the number of concluded complaint examinations).</p><p>At the end of October 2018, there were 865 such cases awaiting a decision on whether the complaint could be accepted for investigation, which explains the drop in the number of cases accepted for investigation since April 2018.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Month</p></td><td><p>Complaints received</p></td><td><p>Complaints accepted for investigation</p></td><td><p>Concluded complaint examinations</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2017</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2017</p></td><td><p>26</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2017</p></td><td><p>211</p></td><td><p>187</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2017</p></td><td><p>172</p></td><td><p>157</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2017</p></td><td><p>171</p></td><td><p>148</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2017</p></td><td><p>144</p></td><td><p>124</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2017</p></td><td><p>222</p></td><td><p>185</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2017</p></td><td><p>290</p></td><td><p>243</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2017</p></td><td><p>297</p></td><td><p>232</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2017</p></td><td><p>418</p></td><td><p>338</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 2017</p></td><td><p>320</p></td><td><p>265</p></td><td><p>6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>December 2017</p></td><td><p>222</p></td><td><p>177</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2018</p></td><td><p>314</p></td><td><p>254</p></td><td><p>11</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2018</p></td><td><p>240</p></td><td><p>210</p></td><td><p>28</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2018</p></td><td><p>171</p></td><td><p>132</p></td><td><p>16</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2018</p></td><td><p>196</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>11</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2018</p></td><td><p>159</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2018</p></td><td><p>147</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>30</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2018</p></td><td><p>131</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>13</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2018</p></td><td><p>108</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2018</p></td><td><p>101</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2018</p></td><td><p>119</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 12/11/2018 14:57:29 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

998921

registered interest
date	31/10/2018
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: Contracts
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 23 October (HL10674), whether they include in supplier contracts a specific requirement that they do nothing to harm public confidence in the person of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions; and if so, whether this is a new policy, and when it was introduced.
tabling member printed	Lord Myners
uin	HL11170
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>Contractual provisions that impose obligations on suppliers not to harm the reputation of the purchasing authority or otherwise bring it into disrepute are not new policy, such provisions are well-established and widely used in both the public and private sector and are transparent throughout the tendering process. These provisions ensure that contractors adhere to good working practices and governance, for example by ensuring they do not break employment law or use dangerous, unfair or unethical practices which may bring the Authority into disrepute or harm public confidence. Such provisions do not stop any contract holders or affiliates from criticising any specific government department, government policy or politicians.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 12/11/2018 16:51:13 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	3869 label Biography information for Lord Myners

998929

registered interest
date	31/10/2018
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: Disability
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how the additional funding announced in the Budget will be used to support disabled claimants in their transition to Universal Credit.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL11177
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2018 answer text <p>At Autumn Budget 2018 we announced that payment of income related legacy benefits (Income Support, income related Employment and Support Allowance and income based Jobseeker’s Allowance) will continue for two weeks after a claim for Universal Credit has been made. This change will support vulnerable claimants financially when moving to Universal Credit. From April 2019, the amount people with disabilities (and also households with children) can earn before their Universal Credit award begins to be withdrawn – the Work Allowance – will be increased by £1000, meaning they can keep an extra £630 per year.</p><p> </p><p>Earlier this year we announced transitional payments for former recipients of Severe Disability Premium (SDP), and protections for those who are receiving SDP as part of their existing benefit entitlement. Claimants will now only move to Universal Credit under managed migration with transitional protection. Those who have already moved to Universal Credit will receive transitional protection back-dated to the start of their Universal Credit claim and will also receive on-going monthly payments. The regulations that include these provisions are currently before Parliament for scrutiny and approval. Universal Credit provides a higher level of support for the most severely disabled people than the benefit it replaces, worth up to £328.32 per month.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 14/11/2018 17:56:31 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

998930

registered interest
date	31/10/2018
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 process they plan to use to identify vulnerable claimants who will require additional support to transition to Universal Credit.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL11178
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2018 answer text <p>We are committed to delivering managed migration in a way which supports claimants. In 2019, we will have a preparation period before testing and refining our approach with no more than 10,000 claimants from July 2019, to ensure it supports claimants onto Universal Credit, before we take on larger volumes in 2020.</p><p> </p><p>As part of this, we are engaging with claimants, charities, experts and other stakeholders, on the design, making sure that it works for everyone and building in safeguards to ensure that vulnerable claimants are fully supported. To complete managed migration successfully, we will continue to engage with key stakeholders, experts and claimants throughout the process.</p><p> </p><p>As announced at the Autumn Budget 2018 we will put an extra £1.7bn a year into work allowances, increasing them by £1,000 a year, resulting in 2.4m families keeping substantially more of their earnings before the earnings taper applies. Furthermore, it was announced that payment of Income Support and the income related elements of Employment and Support Allowance and Jobseeker’s Allowance will continue for two weeks after a claim for Universal Credit has been made, effective from July 2020, benefitting 1.1 million households. Claimants will therefore receive one two week run-on payment when being migrated to Universal Credit. This builds upon the similar two week run-on of Housing Benefit that was announced at Autumn Budget 2017, and which was introduced in April this year.</p><p> </p><p>We have also improved how our work coaches and case workers view the claimant’s Universal Credit account so they clearly know when a claimant is vulnerable and what support they may need.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 14/11/2018 16:52:38 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

998932

registered interest
date	31/10/2018
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 whether legacy benefits provided to claimants transitioning to Universal Credit will come to an end within a fixed time period.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
uin	HL11179
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2018 answer text <p>We are working collaboratively to ensure that managed migration works for everyone, building in safeguards so that all claimants are fully supported and that we cater for the diverse needs of the different claimant groups, including the most vulnerable, moving to Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>Using feedback on the draft regulations we have made a change to the regulations, laid in Parliament on 5 November, which propose to give claimants a minimum of three months to make a claim for Universal Credit and set no maximum period in which a claim must be made. With unlimited flexibility to extend claim periods we will work with representative groups to produce guidance that will ensure adequate support for each individual claimant’s needs.</p><p>In the Autumn Budget 2018 we also announced a further £4.5bn package of support across the next five years. This includes a £1bn package of changes, providing 2 additional weeks of DWP legacy benefits for those moved onto Universal Credit – a one-off non-repayable sum that will provide claimants with extra money during the period before they receive their first Universal Credit payment.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 14/11/2018 17:09:04 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

997762

registered interest
date	30/10/2018
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: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of disabled people who previously received a disability premium that have been migrated onto universal credit without transitional protections.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
uin	185631
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2018 answer text <p>We are not currently migrating any claimants from legacy benefits to Universal Credit. Claimants only move from existing benefits to Universal Credit through natural migration when they experience a significant change in their circumstances that triggers a new claim to benefit. Their entitlement is then calculated on the rules of their new benefit. This is a long-established principle which we maintain for Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>Subject to Parliamentary approval of the Managed Migration regulations, we will be spending £3.1 billion on transitional protections to ensure that no one loses out at the point of transition. This includes those currently receiving Severe Disability Premium (SDP). These regulations will prevent these claimants from moving over before the managed migration process, and provide financial protection for those who have already moved over.</p><p> </p><p>We do not hold data on all disabled people receiving all disability premiums that have moved onto Universal Credit; however, published data shows that of the 42,000 people who were on Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and started a claim on Universal Credit Full Service within one month of closing their claim between May 2015 and February 2018, 15,000 were on ESA (Income Related) with Enhanced Disability Premium (EDP) and/or SDP. Of those, 1,000 were in receipt of SDP only, 11,000 in receipt of EDP only and 3,000 in receipt of EDP and SDP.</p><p> </p><p>This is published here:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/714479/ad-hoc-statistics-income-related-employment-and-support-allowance-february-2018.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/714479/ad-hoc-statistics-income-related-employment-and-support-allowance-february-2018.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 20/12/2018 12:03:36 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton previous answer version 83317 answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens

997365

registered interest
date	29/10/2018
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	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 working people in receipt of top up benefits are resident in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) in each region of the UK and (c) in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Ashfield
tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
uin	184954
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2018 answer text <p>The numbers of in work families receiving tax credits are in table 1.1 of the Child and Working Tax Credits statistics: finalised annual awards - 2016 to 2017 published by HMRC can be accessed at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720570/Main_publication_-_final_tables.xlsx" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720570/Main_publication_-_final_tables.xlsx</a></p><p> </p><p>Geographical breakdowns including constituency level figures are available at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720739/Main_geographical_-_final_tables.xlsx" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720739/Main_geographical_-_final_tables.xlsx</a></p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit and Housing Benefit statistics for Great Britain are regularly published and the latest statistics for September 2018 and May 2018 respectively can be accessed at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance for users is available at:</p><p><a href="https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p><p> </p><p>The information available for the number of employed individuals that are in receipt of Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance in May 2018 in geographical areas of Great Britain can be found in the following table.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 10/12/2018 18:17:56 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma attachment 1 file name People Table 184954.docx title Working people in receipt of IS, JSA or ESA previous answer version 82637 answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

992670

registered interest
date	22/10/2018
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, if she will extend universal credit transitional protection to people (a) whose eligibility for support has recently changed, (b) living in temporary and supported accommodation and (c) affected by the benefit cap.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North East
tabling member printed	Mr Paul Sweeney
uin	182223
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2018 answer text <p>Natural migration to Universal Credit occurs when a claimant experiences a change in their circumstances and they are required to make a new claim to Universal Credit. This new award is calculated based on claimants’ new circumstances, which ensures they are paid the correct amount. As such, they are not eligible for transitional protection which is designed to ensure that those moved without a change in circumstances do not lose out financially.</p><p> </p><p>The Universal Credit (Managed Migration) 2018 regulations which have been laid before Parliament ensure that those living in temporary and supported accommodation will have access to transitional protection if they are managed migrated. These claimants will remain in receipt of their existing Housing Benefit while they continue to live in this form of accommodation and, therefore, no support paid for housing will be taken into account when considering if transitional protection should be awarded. This transitional protection is dependent on the Managed Migration regulations receiving Parliamentary approval.</p><p> </p><p>When claimants are migrated to Universal Credit the comparison of total legacy benefit and Universal Credit will be calculated once the benefit cap has been applied to both amounts. The benefit cap rules continue to apply so Universal Credit claimants will not receive above the level of the benefit cap unless they meet one of the exemption criteria. Households who are exempt from the Benefit Cap, including those who earn at least £542 a month, will be unaffected.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 03/12/2018 16:02:20 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4642 label Biography information for Mr Paul Sweeney

992737

registered interest
date	22/10/2018
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 she has made of the potential merits of creating a work allowance for second earners as part of universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
tabling member printed	Neil Gray
uin	182256
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2018 answer text <p>We have not made an assessment.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit targets resources towards reducing the number of workless households, by increasing the incentive for at least one member of the household to enter work. Compared to children from working families, children who grow up in workless families are almost twice as likely to not reach the expected attainment level at all stages of their education, and are also more likely to be workless themselves in adult life. Helping at least one person into work could help break the cycle of worklessness in a family.</p><p> </p><p>As announced at Autumn Budget 2018, on 29 October 2018, work allowances will be increased by £1000 a year from April 2019. This increase for working parents and people with disabilities, means 2.4 million households will be up to £630 better off per year, in a package worth £1.7bn by 2023/24.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 11/12/2018 10:28:12 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4365 label Biography information for Neil Gray