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1249813

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
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: Mental Health
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to respond to the report by the University of Glasgow and the Health Foundation, Mental health, welfare conditionality and employment support: Policy recommendations and key findings, published in October.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL10042
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2020 answer text <p>The University of Glasgow and the Health Foundation’s report offers useful insights. We take these issues seriously and will consider the recommendations and key findings alongside the work on the forthcoming Health and Disability Support Green Paper, which will explore how the welfare system can better meet the needs of disabled people and people with health conditions. Improving employment support will be a key theme of the Green Paper.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 18/11/2020 14:40:43 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1171351

registered interest
date	16/01/2020
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	Social Security Benefits: Mental Health
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 her Department has made of the mental health of claimants during the assessment process for (a) personal independent payment, (b) employment and support allowance and (c) universal credit; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Wallasey
tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
uin	4305
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2020 answer text <p>We recognise that attending a Personal Independence Payment assessment or Work Capability Assessment for Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance can be a stressful experience and that is why we do not carry out face-to-face assessments where there is enough existing evidence to determine benefit entitlement. Assessing claims on solely paper-based evidence avoids face-to-face assessments.</p><p>The assessment of mental, cognitive and intellectual function is an integral part of all these assessments and all Health Professionals have undergone comprehensive training in the functional assessment of disability and mental health conditions. Before attending a face-to-face assessment, claimants are given the opportunity to alert their assessment provider of any additional requirements they may have and the providers will meet any reasonable requests.</p><p>In addition, Mental Function Champions support Health Professionals by providing additional expertise about mental health, cognitive, developmental and learning disabilities and can be referred to at any time during the assessment process.</p><p>Furthermore, companions or advocates may play an active role in helping claimants answer questions where the claimant or Health Professional wishes them to do so. This may be particularly important where the claimant has a mental, cognitive or intellectual impairment.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 21/01/2020 15:40:19 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

997765

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	Social Security Benefits: Mental Health
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 26 October 2018 to Question 182841 on Social Security Benefits: Mental Health, what the safeguards are that were referred to in that Answer.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
uin	185633
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2018 answer text <p>All colleagues within DWP are required to understand, comply with and take appropriate action when dealing with individuals who may need additional support to enable them to access DWP Benefits and use our services. Guidance is clearly signposted within Cross Benefit Operational Instructions and is also available to front line operational colleagues through training programmes, Mental Health First Aiders (within ESA product lines) and within Customer Service A-Z instructions that are available to Telephony officers and staff within front line operational processing centres within the Working age Directorate. In addition, where an officer of the DWP is concerned that a customer has declared or may declare an intention to harm or kill themselves, the DWP has a specific action plan in place across the Working Age Directorate that supports the member of staff to understand their role in dealing with such threats.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 05/11/2018 17:07:10 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens

997768

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	Social Security Benefits: Mental Health
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 26 October 2018 to Question 182841 on Social Security Benefits: Mental Health, what metrics her Department is using to measure the success of those safeguards.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
uin	185634
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2018 answer text <p>There are specific markers used within DWP Working Age Directorate systems that identify where a customer has declared a mental health condition or requires additional support. The marker information will help to target support where it is most needed, keep all staff informed in transferring information and reduce the need to obtain this information again. These markers are tracked through the customer’s journey to ensure safeguarding procedures are followed, but we do not record and report data on these cases against any measurable success criteria. This is currently being reviewed by the Department.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 05/11/2018 17:11:53 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens

993633

registered interest
date	23/10/2018
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: Mental Health
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 (a) made an assessment and (b) commissioned any reviews of the effect on people's mental health of participation in the social security system.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
uin	182841
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2018 answer text <p>The Department recognises that many of those claiming benefits are particularly vulnerable and we continue to explore ways to improve the customer journey, especially for those with mental health conditions, and have safeguards in place to ensure that people are supported throughout the process.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 26/10/2018 13:28:02 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens

846863

registered interest
date	22/02/2018
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: Mental Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what level of training is offered to decision-makers in his Department on better understanding the mental health situation of claimants.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Hallam
tabling member printed	Jared O'Mara
uin	129037
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2018 answer text <p>The DWP provides role specific training which allows decision makers to reach decisions using a wide range of evidence, and in accordance with the relevant law. They work closely with Health Care Professionals, who undertake medical assessments and supply medical information and evidence to enable a decision to be reached.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 01/03/2018 16:01:27 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4661 label Biography information for Jared O'Mara

753730

registered interest
date	18/07/2017
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: Mental Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of (a) benefit sanctions, (b) the benefits cap and (c) the benefits freeze on the mental health of benefit claimants; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Worsley and Eccles South
tabling member printed	Barbara Keeley
uin	5995
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/07/2017 answer text <p>No assessment specifically has been made on the impact of benefit sanctions and the benefit freeze on claimants’ with mental health. We are committed to supporting those who cannot work, and those with additional needs. Decision Makers take all the claimant’s individual circumstances, including any health conditions or disabilities, and any evidence of good cause into account before making a decision. Benefits for the additional costs of disability, and for carers, are exempt from the benefit freeze and will continue to be up-rated in the usual way</p><p> </p><p>The evaluation of the original benefit cap found that capped households were 41% more likely to go into work than similar uncapped households. Encouraging more households to move into work would also help increase the household’s income and improve their well-being. Research shows for people without work, re-employment leads to improvement in health and well-being whereas further unemployment leads to deterioration. We therefore expect the reduction of the benefit cap to have a positive impact on households moving into work.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 26/07/2017 09:31:56 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	1588 label Biography information for Barbara Keeley

748324

registered interest
date	04/07/2017
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: Mental Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to improve the understanding of mental health among personal independence payment and employment and support allowance assessors.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
uin	2949
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2017 answer text <p>Health Professionals (HPs) receive training on how to identify the impact of mental health conditions on claimants. This is followed by on-going professional training and support which continues for the duration of their employment in the role.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, Mental Health Champions support HPs by providing additional expertise about mental health, cognitive, developmental and learning disabilities and can be referred to at any time during the assessment process.</p><p> </p><p>HPs make every attempt to obtain the best evidence available to assist them in undertaking the assessment. This includes accessing evidence from Community Mental Health Teams, psychologists, psychiatrists and other medical professionals.</p><p> </p><p>Health Assessment Providers frequently engage with medical experts, charities and relevant stakeholders to strengthen review and update training programmes for all their assessment staff.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 10/07/2017 11:01:02 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

455777

registered interest
date	26/02/2016
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: Mental Health
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 implications for his policies of the recommendations on employment support and the housing benefit cap on page 81 of the Mental Health Taskforce report, published in February 2016; and what steps he plans to take to implement those recommendations.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Wavertree
tabling member printed	Luciana Berger
uin	28770
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2016 answer text <p>We welcome the Mental Health Taskforce Report, which sets out how important employment can be in supporting people with mental health conditions, and how to improve current services. We have already gone some way to implementing the recommendation on employment and are improving support by developing a new Work and Health programme, which will be providing employment support to claimants with a health condition or disability and the very long term unemployed. We are investing £43 million in a range of trials to develop our evidence base on what works for those with mental health conditions; and investing in increasing employment support in therapy services. The Prime Minister also recently announced over £50m investment to more than double the number of employment advisors in IAPT services, so that they are linked in to every talking therapy service in the country.</p><p>We will publish a White Paper later this year that will set out reforms to improve support for people with health conditions and disabilities, including exploring the roles of employers, to further reduce the disability employment gap and promote integration across health and employment.</p><p>We work closely with the supported housing sector to ensure they are supported as effectively as possible, and highly value the work they do. As part of this we have commissioned an evidence review of supported housing. The results of this research will determine our future policy development and any appropriate exemptions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 02/03/2016 17:22:34 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4036 label Biography information for Luciana Berger

421198

registered interest
date	13/10/2015
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: Mental Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what processes and procedures are in place when benefit claimants report having suicidal thoughts.
tabling member constituency	Pontypridd
tabling member printed	Owen Smith
uin	11775
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2015 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) takes seriously any declarations of intention to attempt suicide or self harm that are made by its customers. There is a clear, detailed action plan that staff must follow if a customer declares an intention to kill or harm themselves. DWP also provides guidance to help its staff deal with these incidents. The policy, procedures and guidance are reviewed regularly to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives and to identify areas for improvement.</p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel question first answered 16/10/2015 13:07:53 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
tabling member	4042 label Biography information for Owen Smith