All face to face appointments have been suspended so that jobcentres are closed to the public except for in exceptional circumstances to minimise risk to the public and staff. Gov.uk already contains information and guidance for people who are being made redundant. This information has been updated as appropriate to inform the public that face to face appointments are currently not required.<\/p>
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In addition, the pages that contain information about claiming benefits have been updated to say that customers do not need to attend interviews at the moment because of Covid-19, and that DWP will contact them should we require more information to enable us to process their claim.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4513", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mims Davies"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Sussex"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mims Davies"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-04-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1187112/answer/previousversion/16486", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4513", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mims Davies"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Sussex"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mims Davies"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-04-24T13:53:04.397Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-03-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Redundancy: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has plans to publish guidance for people that have been made redundant as a result of covid-19 on the JobCentre Plus website in order to promote social distancing by reducing attendance at job centres.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4243", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Jarvis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Jarvis"} ], "type" : "http://data.parliament.uk/schema/parl#WrittenParliamentaryQuestion", "uin" : "33536"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1187114", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1187114/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department takes seriously the need to support claimants during the COVID-19 outbreak, and wants Universal Credit to be easy to access. It is designed to be a \u2018digital-first\u2019 service, ensuring we make best use of technology to deliver a modern and effective working-age welfare system. This allows our staff to concentrate on those people who require additional support through different channels.<\/p>
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Although the Department offers comprehensive support for claimants to use our digital service, there will be occasions when people are unable to make their claim online, so telephone applications can be accepted through the Freephone Universal Credit Helpline.<\/p>
<\/p>
Jobcentres are currently closed to claimants, except for the most complex cases where help can only be delivered face-to-face. As a consequence, new Universal Credit claimants will have their identity verified by telephone through the use of biographical questions generated by information already held by the Department.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-04-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1187114/answer/previousversion/16487", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-04-22T13:04:37.723Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-03-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, what plans her Department has to change the process of applying for universal credit for people who cannot apply online so that claimants do not have to take proof of identity into their local JobCentre.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4243", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Jarvis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Jarvis"} ], "type" : "http://data.parliament.uk/schema/parl#WrittenParliamentaryQuestion", "uin" : "33537"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1190110", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1190110/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The information requested is not readily available at constituency level and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-04-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "39586"} , {"_value" : "39602"} , {"_value" : "39716"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-04-29T15:47:34.843Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-04-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit: Sheffield City Region"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants had their applications for universal credit (a) approved and (b) rejected in the (i) Sheffield City Region and (ii) Barnsley Central constituency since 1 March 2020.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4243", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Jarvis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Jarvis"} ], "type" : "http://data.parliament.uk/schema/parl#WrittenParliamentaryQuestion", "uin" : "39601"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1190111", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1190111/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The information requested is not readily available at constituency level and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-04-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "39586"} , {"_value" : "39601"} , {"_value" : "39716"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-04-29T15:47:34.9Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-04-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit: Sheffield City Region"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claimants had their applications for an advance on their first payment (a) approved and (b) rejected in the (i) Sheffield City Region and (ii) Barnsley Central constituency since 1 March 2020.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4243", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Jarvis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Jarvis"} ], "type" : "http://data.parliament.uk/schema/parl#WrittenParliamentaryQuestion", "uin" : "39602"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1190996", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1190996/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
.Where a posthumous claim is made for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, any relevant medical evidence will be considered to help determine eligibility for benefit. The dependants of the deceased may submit supporting evidence they feel is relevant, including medical evidence which suggests a diagnosis, even where this is not confirmed. In addition, healthcare professionals will contact the deceased\u2019s GP or hospital specialist, to obtain further evidence if this is required, as part of their assessment of the claim.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4105", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justin Tomlinson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Swindon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Justin Tomlinson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-05-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-05-04T15:13:42.097Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-04-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of the suspension of post-mortems on patients with suspected cases of industrial chest disease following the outbreak of covid-19 on the ability of the families of those patients to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4243", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Jarvis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Jarvis"} ], "type" : "http://data.parliament.uk/schema/parl#WrittenParliamentaryQuestion", "uin" : "41045"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1196798", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1196798/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The independent Office for National Statistics\u2019 latest estimate of unemployment and employment can be found at;<\/p>