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1662254

	registered interest
	date	20/09/2023
	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	Young People: Cost of Living and Mental Health
	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 report by The Prince's Trust and LADbible Gen Z: Redefining Dream Jobs, published on 19 September; in particular, the finding that 57 per cent of young people surveyed had lowered their long-term aspirations over the last two years due to concerns about mental health and the increased cost of living.
	tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL10385
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/09/2023 answer text <p>Whilst we are yet to make a detailed assessment of this specific report, the Department for Work and Pensions recognises the value of research and insight from key stakeholders including The Prince’s Trust to enable us to better understand the challenges faced by young people and the impact this has on their behaviour and motivations. We consider a broad range of perspectives when designing polices to better support young people, ranging from our regular engagement with youth stakeholder organisations like The Prince’s Trust and Youth Employment Group, to the Department’s own commissioned research and regularly speaking directly with young people themselves.</p><p> </p><p>The Youth Offer provides individually tailored Work Coach support for 16-24-year olds on Universal Credit to help them find work. Eligibility for the Youth Offer has, as of the 25<sup>th</sup> September 2023, been expanded to include young people on Universal Credit who are not currently searching for work, including young parents and carers. This means that an additional 33,500 young people will be able to access the Youth Offer in order to progress in employment.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 25/09/2023 14:25:34 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1660990

	registered interest
	date	15/09/2023
	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	Department for Work and Pensions: Policy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which minister in their Department is responsible for overseeing work on long term strategic challenges; and how many officials work in roles focused on horizon scanning and long term priorities.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	199815
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/09/2023 answer text <p>As Chair of the Departmental Board, the Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing work on long-term strategic challenges. The Chair is responsible for ensuring the Board – comprising of the Ministerial Team, the Executive Team and senior non-executive members from outside of government – gives sufficient attention to horizon scanning for emerging issues, monitoring performance and overseeing the management of risks.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Department’s Outcome Delivery Plan sets out how we plan to deliver outcomes for customers in the short term – responding at pace to emerging risks – and the long term regardless of current events. The priorities set out in the Plan include maximising employment and in-work progression, improving people’s quality of life and delivering excellent services for citizens and taxpayers.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Horizon scanning and upholding long-term priorities is a core aspect of all policymaking and planning undertaken across the Department. Therefore, specifying which officials work in roles focused on the short or long term is prohibitively complex and expensive, and it is not possible to answer this aspect of the question.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 25/09/2023 16:36:29 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1660991

	registered interest
	date	15/09/2023
	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	Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities report entitled Inquiry concerning the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland carried out by the Committee under article 6 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention, published in 2016, what steps his Department have taken to respond to that reports findings.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	199816
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2023 answer text <p>This Government is committed to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and to improving the lives of disabled people.</p><p> </p><p>Our latest response to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was submitted in 2022, and published on GOV.UK with accessible formats in December 2022. This report and previous ones can be found here (Link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disabled-peoples-rights-uk-2022-follow-up-report-to-uncrpd-2016-inquiry" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disabled-peoples-rights-uk-2022-follow-up-report-to-uncrpd-2016-inquiry</a> (opens in a new tab)).</p><p> </p><p>UK Government representatives will provide further information on the UK’s progress, as agreed by the Committee, at a hearing at the Committee’s session in March 2024.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 22/09/2023 11:16:11 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1661058

	registered interest
	date	15/09/2023
	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	Universal Credit: Cost of Living
	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 take steps to ensure that Universal Credit is sufficient to cover average (a) food, (b) housing and (c) energy costs.
	tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
	tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	199751
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/09/2023 answer text <p>Benefit rates and the Local Housing Allowance are reviewed annually by the Secretary of State.</p><p> </p><p>In April 2023, State pensions and benefits, including Universal Credit, were up rated by 10.1%, in line with the increase in the Consumer Prices Index in the year to September 2022.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants in receipt of housing support living in the social rented sector have their eligible rent paid in full, unless the level of housing support is reduced because of their income or savings, contributions from non-dependants, or limited by the benefit cap or the removal of the spare room subsidy.</p><p> </p><p>For private renters, the Local Housing Allowance determines the maximum housing support for tenants. Local Housing Allowance rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas. However, in 2020 the Government spent almost £1 billion increasing Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30<sup>th</sup> percentile of market rents. This significant investment has been maintained, ensuring that everyone who benefited continues to do so.</p><p> </p><p>The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and has announced support to households to help with higher bills worth £94 billion across 2022-23 and 2023-24, one of the largest household support packages in Europe.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 25/09/2023 09:09:33 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley

1661059

	registered interest
	date	15/09/2023
	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	Universal Credit: Cost of Living
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of Universal Credit for meeting average (a) food and (b) fuel costs.
	tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
	tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	199752
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/09/2023 answer text <p>In April 2023, State pensions and benefits were up rated by 10.1%, in line with the increase in the Consumer Prices Index in the year to September 2022.</p><p> </p><p>With regard to the adequacy of Universal Credit, the current rates of income-related benefits such as Universal Credit do not represent a minimum requirement, and are not described as such in legislation or Government literature. The Government specifies the rates which are applicable to different benefits, and these may vary according to claimants' circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and has announced support to households to help with higher bills worth £94 billion across 2022-23 and 2023-24, one of the largest household support packages in Europe.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 25/09/2023 10:14:18 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley

1660867

	registered interest
	date	14/09/2023
	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	Carers: Finance
	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 improve financial support for people caring full-time for multiple individuals with disabilities and (b) other full-time carers.
	tabling member constituency	South Staffordshire
	tabling member printed	Sir Gavin Williamson
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	199587
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society, including pensioners and those with disabilities.</p><p>Carer’s Allowance is not means-tested and is not based on National Insurance contributions. Its principal purpose is to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time work in order to provide regular care for a severely disabled person. The main qualifying condition is that the carer is providing at least 35 hours of care to somebody in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit, and that no-one else is providing such care to that person.</p><p>Carer’s Allowance is therefore not a payment for providing a care service, so only one payment is made even if a carer is caring for more than one severely disabled person.</p><p>In addition to Carer’s Allowance, carers on low incomes can claim income-related benefits, such as Universal Credit and Pension Credit. These benefits can be paid to carers at a higher rate than those without caring responsibilities through the carer element and the additional amount for carers respectively. Currently, the Universal Credit carer element is £185.86 per monthly assessment period. The additional amount for carers in Pension Credit is £42.75 a week.</p><p> </p><p>Around 550,000 (May 2023 data) carer households on Universal Credit can receive around an additional £2,230 a year through the carer element. The Government has chosen to focus extra support on those carers who need it most.</p><p> </p><p>The Government keeps the qualifying conditions for Carer’s Allowance under review, but has no plans to amend them at this time.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 199589 question first answered 19/09/2023 15:14:09 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4108 label Biography information for Sir Gavin Williamson

1660869

	registered interest
	date	14/09/2023
	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	Carer's Allowance
	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 make it his policy to provide additional Carer’s Allowance for people caring for more than one person.
	tabling member constituency	South Staffordshire
	tabling member printed	Sir Gavin Williamson
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	199589
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society, including pensioners and those with disabilities.</p><p>Carer’s Allowance is not means-tested and is not based on National Insurance contributions. Its principal purpose is to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time work in order to provide regular care for a severely disabled person. The main qualifying condition is that the carer is providing at least 35 hours of care to somebody in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit, and that no-one else is providing such care to that person.</p><p>Carer’s Allowance is therefore not a payment for providing a care service, so only one payment is made even if a carer is caring for more than one severely disabled person.</p><p>In addition to Carer’s Allowance, carers on low incomes can claim income-related benefits, such as Universal Credit and Pension Credit. These benefits can be paid to carers at a higher rate than those without caring responsibilities through the carer element and the additional amount for carers respectively. Currently, the Universal Credit carer element is £185.86 per monthly assessment period. The additional amount for carers in Pension Credit is £42.75 a week.</p><p> </p><p>Around 550,000 (May 2023 data) carer households on Universal Credit can receive around an additional £2,230 a year through the carer element. The Government has chosen to focus extra support on those carers who need it most.</p><p> </p><p>The Government keeps the qualifying conditions for Carer’s Allowance under review, but has no plans to amend them at this time.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 199587 question first answered 19/09/2023 15:14:09 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4108 label Biography information for Sir Gavin Williamson

1660416

	registered interest
	date	13/09/2023
	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	Universal Credit: Students
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that students with long-term health conditions are able to access the financial support to which they are entitled; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of deducting loans that cover maintenance from Universal Credit on the income of affected students.
	tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
	tabling member printed	Catherine West
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	199393
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2023 answer text <p>Students, including disabled students and those with health conditions, access fees and living costs support for their higher education courses through various loans and grants funded through the student support system. It is important that UC does not duplicate this support, which is designed for the needs of students unlike the social security system. This includes support which recognises a person’s disability, such as the Disabled Students Allowance for those in higher education and discretionary bursaries and grants if undertaking further education. Disabled students also have access to discretionary Hardship Funds which are made available by universities and colleges.</p><p>It is important that Universal Credit does not duplicate this support. A condition of entitlement for Universal Credit is that the claimant must not be in education, which excludes most students. There is an exception where a person has already been determined to have limited capability for work before entering education and is entitled to a qualifying disability benefit, such as Personal Independence Payment. The rules for this exception are designed to encourage those already claiming Universal Credit because of disability or ill health to take up education that may help them into work in the future.</p><p> </p><p>Treatment of student income under Universal Credit broadly mirrors that in income related Employment and Support Allowance, Housing Benefit, Income Support and income-based Jobseekers Allowance which safeguards fairness whilst also ensuring simplification of the benefit system. If an eligible student makes a claim to Universal Credit we take into account, as income, any financial support which provides for the student's basic maintenance, such as student maintenance loans and grants. We do not take into account student income which covers additional costs, such as loans for tuition fees and books. The first £110 of any student maintenance loan or grant paid to meet living costs is not taken into account in each monthly Assessment Period where benefits are calculated. Over a typical 9 or 10 month academic year claimants are able to keep between £990-£1100 more of their Universal Credit award. The intention behind this is to help students with any added costs of books, equipment and travel which may be incurred whilst studying or training.</p><p>Whilst it is acknowledged that maintenance loans are to be paid back, if they were not treated as income and were ignored this would result in Universal Credit (and most legacy benefits) duplicating support already provided through the student finance system.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 18/09/2023 12:01:01 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

1660496

	registered interest
	date	13/09/2023
	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	Carer's Allowance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to (a) review and (b) amend the carer's allowance.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
	tabling member printed	Dan Carden
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	199443
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society, including pensioners and those with disabilities.</p><p> </p><p>The benefit system supports unpaid carers primarily through Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Carer’s Allowance. The first two are payable to carers on low incomes who are respectively below or above State Pension age. They are means-tested and can be paid at a higher rate than to those without caring responsibilities through the Universal Credit carer element (currently £185.86 per monthly assessment period in addition to the standard allowance) or the additional amount for carers in Pension Credit (currently £42.75 a week in addition to the standard minimum guarantee).</p><p> </p><p>Carer’s Allowance is not means-tested and is not based on National Insurance contributions. Its principal purpose is to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time work in order to provide regular care for a severely disabled person. The main qualifying condition is that the carer is providing at least 35 hours of care to somebody in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit, and that no-one else is providing such care to that person. This has been the approach of successive governments and reflects wider social policy aims, as well as issues of affordability.</p><p> </p><p>Nearly 60% of carers on low incomes who are of working age and on Carer’s Allowance claim an income-related means-tested benefit. More than 8 million households on means-tested benefits received Cost of Living Payments of up to £650 in 2022, and more than 8 million households will receive up to £900 in Cost of Living Payments in 2023/24. All pensioner households will also receive the £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment. Carers who are themselves disabled may also receive the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment, as will the people for whom they provide care. Overall, the Government is providing total support of over £94bn over 2022-23 and 2023-24 to help households and individuals with the rising cost of bills. For people who require additional support, the Household Support Fund will continue until March 2024. This year-long extension allows local authorities in England to continue to provide discretionary support with the significantly rising cost of living to those most in need. The devolved administrations will receive consequential funding.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government keeps the qualifying conditions for Carer’s Allowance under review, but has no plans to amend them at this time.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 199444 199463 question first answered 19/09/2023 14:28:58 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4651 label Biography information for Dan Carden

1660497

	registered interest
	date	13/09/2023
	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	Carers: Cost of Living
	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 full-time carers receive adequate financial support, in the context of rises in the cost of living.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
	tabling member printed	Dan Carden
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	199444
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society, including pensioners and those with disabilities.</p><p> </p><p>The benefit system supports unpaid carers primarily through Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Carer’s Allowance. The first two are payable to carers on low incomes who are respectively below or above State Pension age. They are means-tested and can be paid at a higher rate than to those without caring responsibilities through the Universal Credit carer element (currently £185.86 per monthly assessment period in addition to the standard allowance) or the additional amount for carers in Pension Credit (currently £42.75 a week in addition to the standard minimum guarantee).</p><p> </p><p>Carer’s Allowance is not means-tested and is not based on National Insurance contributions. Its principal purpose is to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time work in order to provide regular care for a severely disabled person. The main qualifying condition is that the carer is providing at least 35 hours of care to somebody in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit, and that no-one else is providing such care to that person. This has been the approach of successive governments and reflects wider social policy aims, as well as issues of affordability.</p><p> </p><p>Nearly 60% of carers on low incomes who are of working age and on Carer’s Allowance claim an income-related means-tested benefit. More than 8 million households on means-tested benefits received Cost of Living Payments of up to £650 in 2022, and more than 8 million households will receive up to £900 in Cost of Living Payments in 2023/24. All pensioner households will also receive the £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment. Carers who are themselves disabled may also receive the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment, as will the people for whom they provide care. Overall, the Government is providing total support of over £94bn over 2022-23 and 2023-24 to help households and individuals with the rising cost of bills. For people who require additional support, the Household Support Fund will continue until March 2024. This year-long extension allows local authorities in England to continue to provide discretionary support with the significantly rising cost of living to those most in need. The devolved administrations will receive consequential funding.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government keeps the qualifying conditions for Carer’s Allowance under review, but has no plans to amend them at this time.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 199443 199463 question first answered 19/09/2023 14:28:58 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4651 label Biography information for Dan Carden