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1693411

registered interest
date	04/03/2024
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	Housing Benefit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department spent on housing benefits in the last financial year; and how much of that was spent on housing provided by (a) local authorities, (b) other social housing providers and (c) private sector landlords.
tabling member constituency	Darlington
tabling member printed	Peter Gibson
uin	16827
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2024 answer text <p>In 2022/23 the Department spent £28.97 billion on Housing Benefit and Universal Credit Housing Element combined.</p><p> </p><p>£15.00 billion was spent on Housing Benefit and £13.97 billion was spent on Universal Credit Housing Element. The quoted Housing Benefit expenditure excludes expenditure funded by Local Authorities.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Housing Benefit expenditure by tenure in 2022/23:</p><p> </p><ol><li>£4.05 billion spent on Local Authority accommodation.</li><li>£7.17 billion spent on accommodation provided by Registered Social Landlords.</li><li>£3.78 billion spent on private rented sector accommodation.</li></ol><p> </p><p>Universal Credit Housing Element expenditure by tenure in 2022/23:</p><p> </p><ol><li>£7.20 billion spent on <strong>social rented sector accommodation</strong>. The available data does not allow us to breakdown expenditure on social rented sector into accommodation provided by (a) local authorities and (b) other social housing providers.</li><li>Available data does not allow us to split out expenditure on accommodation provided by (b) other social housing providers.</li><li>£5.95 billion spent on private rented sector accommodation.</li><li>£0.83 billion spent on other/unknown tenancy types.</li></ol><p> </p><ol><li>The expenditure figures include only amounts subsidised by the Department for Work and Pension and do not include housing expenditure funded by local authorities.</li><li>Figures may not sum due to rounding.</li></ol> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 12/03/2024 17:02:43 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4754 label Biography information for Peter Gibson

1650522

registered interest
date	05/07/2023
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	Local Housing Allowance
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 increasing local housing allowance rates.
tabling member constituency	Darlington
tabling member printed	Peter Gibson
uin	192679
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2023 answer text <p>The Local Housing Allowance policy is reviewed annually by the Secretary of State. The Department monitors average rents and housing support levels provided to claimants to assess the impact of the policy and the merits of any potential changes prior to a fiscal event.</p><p> </p><p>In 2020 we spent almost £1 billion increasing LHA 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. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas.</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 £1.6 billion in DHP funding to local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 10/07/2023 15:19:34 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4754 label Biography information for Peter Gibson

1642126

registered interest
date	06/06/2023
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	Travellers: Ethnic Groups
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 collect ethnicity data on Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.
tabling member constituency	Darlington
tabling member printed	Peter Gibson
uin	188131
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2023 answer text <p>The Department follows the Government Statistical Service (GSS) <a href="https://gss.civilservice.gov.uk/policy-store/ethnicity/" target="_blank">harmonised standard</a> for ethnicity classification. The harmonised standard currently uses the ethnic groups from the 2011 Census but is being reviewed by the GSS harmonisation team who published their <a href="https://analysisfunction.civilservice.gov.uk/policy-store/review-of-ethnicity-harmonised-standard-initial-findings/" target="_blank">initial findings</a> in March 2023.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 13/06/2023 12:53:45 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4754 label Biography information for Peter Gibson

1544458

registered interest
date	22/11/2022
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: Terminal Illnesses
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance he has provided to Job Centres on the replacement of the DS1500 form for terminally ill people with the SR1 form.
tabling member constituency	Darlington
tabling member printed	Peter Gibson
uin	93644
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2022 answer text <p>All DWP internal processes and supporting guidance have been updated to reflect the introduction of the SR1 form to support claims made under the 12-month Special Rules for End of Life eligibility criteria.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 30/11/2022 13:30:57 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4754 label Biography information for Peter Gibson

1544459

registered interest
date	22/11/2022
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: Terminal Illnesses
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether information submitted by a medical professional to his Department regarding claimants with terminal illness can be shared with a third party without the claimant's consent.
tabling member constituency	Darlington
tabling member printed	Peter Gibson
uin	93645
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2022 answer text <p>Claims made under the Special Rules for End of Life are in most cases supported by a short medical evidence form called the DS1500 or SR1, provided by a relevant clinician.</p><p> </p><p>This information can be provided directly to DWP by the claimant’s clinician. DWP may share medical evidence with its commissioned assessment providers so they can advise whether the claimant meets the ‘Special Rules’ eligibility criteria. The DWP would not share medical evidence outside of these secure channels. A third party acting on behalf of the ‘Special Rules’ claimant may ask the claimant’s clinician if they can receive a copy. For PIP, DLA and AA, any person representing the patient can make a third party claim on their behalf. For UC and ESA, only an appointee or a person who has power of attorney can make a third-party claim on the patient’s behalf.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 30/11/2022 13:27:53 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4754 label Biography information for Peter Gibson

1544460

registered interest
date	22/11/2022
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: 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 there is a facility for a third party to submit an SR1 form on behalf of a claimant.
tabling member constituency	Darlington
tabling member printed	Peter Gibson
uin	93646
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2022 answer text <p>The SR1 form can only be completed by a registered clinician such as; a GP, a hospital consultant, a specialty doctor, a hospice doctor, a senior specialist nurse (such as clinical nurse specialist, advanced nurse practitioner or similar).</p><p> </p><p>Registered clinicians can return the SR1 form directly to the DWP by email or by post. Alternatively, the claimant can return a completed SR1 by post to the relevant address provided on the form.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 30/11/2022 13:12:09 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4754 label Biography information for Peter Gibson

1470278

registered interest
date	14/06/2022
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	Employment: Languages
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to provide support into employment that is appropriate to skills and language capabilities for (a) Afghans, (b) Ukranians and (c) Hong Kongers.
tabling member constituency	Darlington
tabling member printed	Peter Gibson
uin	18059
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2022 answer text <p>Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches are trained to consider a person's circumstances and to tailor support according to their individual needs. Staff complete claimant awareness training that covers a wide range of claimant circumstances and have access to information on services and support available in their local area for claimants who have complex needs, including referral to English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) if appropriate. Communications have been delivered to all sites to ensure our staff are aware of any specific support available for those individuals following events in Afghanistan, Ukraine and Hong Kong.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 21/06/2022 12:22:55 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4754 label Biography information for Peter Gibson

1452230

registered interest
date	17/03/2022
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	Sector-based Work Academy Programme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many sector-based work academies have taken place in each (a) country and (b) region of the UK since that programme began.
tabling member constituency	Darlington
tabling member printed	Peter Gibson
uin	142083
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2022 answer text <p>Sector-based Work Academies were first launched in August 2011 in England and January 2012 in Scotland. Regular statistical releases on sector-based work academies, covering participation by those on legacy unemployment benefits, began in 2011 and ended in 2017. These statistics can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/employment-schemes-work-experience-sector-based-work-academy-and-skills-conditionality-starts-to-november-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/employment-schemes-work-experience-sector-based-work-academy-and-skills-conditionality-starts-to-november-2017</a></p><p> </p><p>The scheme was relaunched as ‘SWAP’ in July 2020 as part of the government’s Plan for Jobs. Data for the financial years 2020/21 and 2021/22 shows that as of 13<sup>th</sup> March 2022, there was a total of 146,480 starts to a Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP). The breakdown of these starts by nation and region is displayed in the following tables:</p><p> </p><p>Table 1: SWAP starts by nation</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Nation</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Starts FY 2020/21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Starts FY 2021/22 – to 13<sup>th</sup> March</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total Starts</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>England</p></td><td><p>58,310</p></td><td><p>74,460</p></td><td><p>132,770</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Scotland</p></td><td><p>6,120</p></td><td><p>7,000</p></td><td><p>13,120</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Unknown</p></td><td><p>60</p></td><td><p>520</p></td><td><p>580</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>64,500</p></td><td><p>81,980</p></td><td><p>146,480</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Table 2: SWAP starts by region</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Region</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Starts FY 2020/21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Starts FY 2021/22 – to 13<sup>th</sup> March</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total Starts</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>West Midlands</p></td><td><p>5,000</p></td><td><p>6,920</p></td><td><p>11,920</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Central, East &amp; North Scotland</p></td><td><p>4,340</p></td><td><p>4,670</p></td><td><p>9,010</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South &amp; West Scotland</p></td><td><p>1,780</p></td><td><p>2,330</p></td><td><p>4,110</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London &amp; Essex</p></td><td><p>12,950</p></td><td><p>19,510</p></td><td><p>32,470</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North &amp; East Midlands</p></td><td><p>7,800</p></td><td><p>9,650</p></td><td><p>17,450</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North Central</p></td><td><p>6,960</p></td><td><p>8,530</p></td><td><p>15,490</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North East</p></td><td><p>5,550</p></td><td><p>5,880</p></td><td><p>11,430</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>5,340</p></td><td><p>6,620</p></td><td><p>11,960</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South East</p></td><td><p>8,200</p></td><td><p>10,650</p></td><td><p>18,860</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South West</p></td><td><p>6,510</p></td><td><p>6,690</p></td><td><p>13,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Unknown</p></td><td><p>60</p></td><td><p>520</p></td><td><p>580</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>64,500</p></td><td><p>81,980</p></td><td><p>146,480</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><em>Note on above: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10; components may not sum due to rounding. These figures reflect the number of starts by claimants in receipt of Universal Credit (UC), Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Income Support (IS). </em></p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 21/03/2022 10:56:57 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4754 label Biography information for Peter Gibson

1355531

registered interest
date	14/09/2021
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	Universal Credit: Lone Parents
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support single parents in receipt of universal credit with young children to find work that fits around their childcare needs.
tabling member constituency	Darlington
tabling member printed	Peter Gibson
uin	49281
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2021 answer text <p>Under Universal Credit, working families can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month</p><p> </p><p>The UC childcare aligns with the wider government childcare offer. This includes the free childcare offer which provides 15 hours a week of free childcare in England for all 3 and 4 year olds and disadvantaged 2 year olds, doubling for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds to 30 hours a week. The UC childcare cost element can be used to top up a claimant's eligible free childcare hours if more hours are worked and childcare is required. This means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work.</p><p> </p><p>Additional safeguards apply during this period and any work-related expectations will be limited to a maximum of 16 hours per week whilst they are caring for a pre-school age child.</p><p> </p><p>To assist single parents with making necessary childcare arrangements, work coaches can reduce the maximum time the claimant is expected to spend travelling to and from work. All Work-related requirements will be tailored according to the claimant’s capability and personal circumstances, to ensure they are realistic and achievable.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 15/10/2021 09:58:26 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4754 label Biography information for Peter Gibson

1233351

registered interest
date	10/09/2020
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: Darlington
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support people transitioning from legacy benefits to universal credit in Darlington constituency.
tabling member constituency	Darlington
tabling member printed	Peter Gibson
uin	88398
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2020 answer text <p>We currently spend over £95 billion a year on working age benefits including Universal Credit and remain committed to supporting the most vulnerable in society.</p><p> </p><p>Recent changes to Universal Credit include temporarily increasing the standard allowance by up to £1,040 per year and increasing the Local Housing Allowance rates, including the Shared Accommodation element, so that it covers the lowest 30% of local market rents benefiting over one million households by £600 a year on average.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Department has delivered a number of improvements to support claimants during their first assessment period, such as removing waiting days and paying those claimants moving from Housing Benefit on to Universal Credit a two week ‘transitional housing payment’. Since July 2020, an additional two-week run has been introduced to assist eligible claimants moving from Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance (IR) and Jobseeker’s Allowance (IB). Advance payments are available so nobody has to wait five weeks for payment.</p><p> </p><p>We are also doubling the number of work coaches across our network of jobcentres, from 13,500 to 27,000, so that every jobseeker receives tailored support to get back on their feet, build skills and move into work</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that some people will need extra help to successfully establish a claim to Universal Credit. Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland, have supported in excess of 250,000 individuals through ‘Help to Claim’ since April 2019, offering tailored and practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim and up to receiving their first full correct payment on time. ‘Help to Claim’ is funded by the Department and is available online, on the phone and face-to-face in locations including Jobcentres and Citizen’s Advice offices.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 17/09/2020 16:08:07 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4754 label Biography information for Peter Gibson