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1185252

registered interest
date	16/03/2020
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	Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to protect sick, elderly or disabled people in receipt of (a) employment support allowance, (b) personal independence payment and (c) universal credit from having to attend mandatory assessments or appointments in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	30000
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">From 17<sup>th</sup> March, we suspended all face-to-face assessments for health and disability benefits. For existing claimants, we have also automatically extended awards and suspended any new review or reassessment activity, except where claimants notify us of changes to their needs that may result in an increase to their award. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">We have temporarily suspended the requirement for face-to-face Jobcentre Plus appointments for all claimants in Universal Credit, Job Seekers’ Allowance (JSA), Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Income Support. This means that claimants are not expected to contact their Jobcentre Plus while this temporary suspension is in place. They will continue to receive benefits as normal and they will not be sanctioned for not taking part in interviews with Jobcentres.</ins></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 19/03/2020 17:45:25 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:02:18 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson previous answer version 13583 answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1183173

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
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	Sick Leave: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they are giving to employers of people in insecure employment including (1) people on zero-hours contracts, (2) self-employed individuals working for organisations as if they were employees, and (3) people in similar precarious circumstances where it is not possible to claim statutory sickness benefit, in situations where people are advised to self-isolate due to contracting COVID-19, experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or having been in contact with cases of COVID-19; and what advice they are giving to people in such circumstances.
tabling member printed	Lord Greaves
uin	HL2265
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2020 answer text <p>As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 20/03/2020 12:13:15 question first ministerially corrected 30/04/2020 16:47:49 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott previous answer version 13683 answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	2569 label Biography information for Lord Greaves

1181994

registered interest
date	02/03/2020
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	Means-tested Benefits: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether people self-isolating due to possible covid-19 infection will be exempted from conditionality requirements for means-tested benefits.
tabling member constituency	Alyn and Deeside
tabling member printed	Mark Tami
uin	23556
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">Claimants who are self-isolating as a result of Covid-19 will have their mandatory work search and work availability requirements removed to account for a period of sickness.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">Other work-related requirements outside of this will be tailored to take into consideration the claimant’s capability and circumstances and can be conducted over the phone or through digital formats, making them realistic and achievable.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">The decision to apply a sanction will continue to be considered on a case by case basis. However, conditionality requirements will be relaxed to ensure we do not punish those who take reasonable steps to protect themselves and others, including self-isolation, in the event of Covid-19 outbreak</del>.</p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Claimants who are self-isolating as a result of Covid-19 will have their mandatory work search and work availability requirements switched off during that period.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Any work-related requirements outside of this will be tailored to take into consideration the claimant’s capability and circumstances, can be conducted over the phone or through digital formats and ensure they are realistic and achievable. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 05/03/2020 14:18:58 question first ministerially corrected 06/03/2020 14:37:46 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies previous answer version 10460 answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1383 label Biography information for Mark Tami

1171008

registered interest
date	15/01/2020
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	Employment and Support Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what savings have accrued to the public purse under the £30 reduction for claimants of employment and support allowance in the work-related activity group in each month since that reduction was implemented.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	3794
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">There are no savings from the removal of the Employment and Support Allowance Work Related Activity Component for new claims from April 2017.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">This change enabled the Department to recycle money into providing practical support that will make a significant difference to the life chances of those in the Work-Related Activity Group. We have invested £330m over 4 years with £100m available in 2020/21 and will support those with limited capability for work to move towards and into suitable employment.</del></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em>The information requested on the savings accrued from the removal of the Work Related Activity Component (WRAC) is not available. It would incur disproportionate cost to calculate any actual net savings from the removal of the WRAC. </em></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em> </em></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em>When the WRAC was removed we made a clear commitment to instead provide practical support that will make a significant difference to the life chances of those in the Work-Related Activity Group. We have been investing an additional £330m over 4 years to support those with limited capability for work to move towards and into suitable employment. </em></ins></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 20/01/2020 15:00:20 question first ministerially corrected 24/01/2020 14:36:26 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson previous answer version 1615 answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1170672

registered interest
date	14/01/2020
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	Local Housing Allowance: Young People
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 introducing secondary legislation to include people aged under 25 in the shared accommodation rate exemption for homeless people.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	3266
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2020 answer text <p>There is an exemption from the shared accommodation rate for those aged 25-34 who have previously spent 3 months<ins class="ministerial">,</ins> <del class="ministerial">(</del>which doesn’t have to be continuous<del class="ministerial">)</del> <ins class="ministerial">,</ins> in a homeless hostel/hostels specialising in rehabilitation and resettlement. There are no current plans to make legislative changes to extend this exemption to those under the age of 25 but as with all our policies, this will continue to be kept under review.</p><p> </p><p>For individuals who may require more support and whose circumstances may make it difficult for them to share accommodation, Discretionary Housing Payments are available.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 20/01/2020 15:06:33 question first ministerially corrected 20/01/2020 15:57:26 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 1620 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1166820

registered interest
date	28/10/2019
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	Affordable Housing: Scotland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the affordability of the housing market in Scotland for families in receipt of benefits.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
uin	6486
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">The Secretary of State is required to make an annual assessment of LHA rates, which will be completed by the end of 2019.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The proportion of Scottish private market rents that are at or below the LHA rate, by room entitlement, is set out below. This is based on rent officer data and the 2019/20 LHA rates published here <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-lha-rates-applicable-from-april-2019-to-march-2020" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-lha-rates-applicable-from-april-2019-to-march-2020</a>.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Shared room</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1 bedroom</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2 bedroom</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">3 bedroom</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">4+ bedroom</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">14%</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">22%</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">17%</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">18%</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">17%</ins></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 05/11/2019 16:57:02 question first ministerially corrected 05/11/2019 17:42:41 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 4444 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1144170

registered interest
date	03/09/2019
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	Poverty
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government why the objectives listed in the departmental plan for the Department for Work and Pensions makes no reference to (1) reducing poverty, and (2) the Sustainable Development Goal on poverty.
tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
uin	HL17658
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">As clearly set out in the Government’s published response to the Voluntary National Review of the Sustainable Development Goal 1, we are committed to delivering a sustainable, long-term solution to reducing poverty through welfare reforms that ensure that the benefits system works with the tax system and the labour market to support employment and higher pay. There is clear evidence that full-time work dramatically reduces the risk of poverty for working families; for example, there is only a 7% chance of a child being in poverty (relative, after housing costs) if both parents work full-time compared with 66% for children in (two-parent) families with only part-time work. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><ins class="ministerial"><ins class="ministerial">Although not directly referenced, our approach to reducing poverty is already reflected in our Single Departmental Plan which sets out how we plan to achieve our key strategic objectives including delivering an effective labour market strategy that boosts employment among under-represented and disadvantaged groups and facilitating progression; and consolidating the delivery of Universal Credit so that it works for everyone.</ins></ins></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><ins class="ministerial"><ins class="ministerial"><ins class="ministerial"><ins class="ministerial">Universal Credit, at the heart of our reforms, has already shown that it is more effective in getting people into work than the legacy benefits it replaces. Nine months into a UC claim, 40% of claimants are working for an employer in a paid role, compared with only 23% at the start of their claim. This is a key approach to provide a sustainable solution to reducing poverty.</ins></ins></ins></ins></ins></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 09/09/2019 15:42:45 question first ministerially corrected 03/10/2019 13:26:53 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott previous answer version 134986 answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett