Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to integrate employer guidance and information on dyslexia friendly recruitment processes into his Department's disability confident programme.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Disability Confident Scheme encourages employers to create inclusive workplaces for those with long-term health conditions, including neurodivergent people such as those with dyslexia, to get into work and succeed in work. The scheme helps employers develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to attract, recruit, retain and develop disabled employees, while providing access to guidance and practical resources to support inclusive employment practices.
Employers can already access a range of support through GOV.UK, including guidance on employing disabled people and people with health conditions [Employing disabled people and people with health conditions - GOV.UK]. This includes information on supporting people with dyslexia and other hidden disabilities throughout recruitment and employment. The Disability Confident Line Manager Guide also provides practical advice on supporting employees with specific disabilities, long-term health conditions and learning difficulties, including dyslexia [Recruiting, managing and developing disabled people: a practical guide for managers - GOV.UK].
We recognise that employers may benefit from additional practical support to build disability-inclusive workplaces. As part of our programme of reform for the Disability Confident Scheme, we are improving the guidance and resources available to employers. This will provide clearer, more practical information on inclusive recruitment, workplace adjustments, and supporting disabled and neurodivergent people, including those with dyslexia. These reforms will strengthen the support available to employers while maintaining Disability Confident as a voluntary scheme that helps organisations become more inclusive and accessible.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of levels of Local Housing Allowance on a) poverty b) homelessness among Universal Credit claimants in Dewsbury and Batley.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions reviewed Local Housing Allowance (LHA) and announced that rates would be maintained at their current levels for 2026/27. Factors like rent levels and poverty at a national level were considered against the fiscal context and the level of housing support that Government provides overall. Data is not available at the requested level, so we are unable to provide estimates on this basis.
The causes of homelessness are multi-faceted and often complex and they interact dynamically. DWP continues to work closely with Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government to make sure interactions with homelessness are considered.
Renters facing a shortfall in meeting their housing costs can apply for discretionary support from local authorities.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department monitors the amount of food waste generated by its offices each month.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Yes, the DWP does monitor the amount of food waste generated across the estate on a site-by-site monthly basis with the data being provided by its facilities management company.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions has his Department held with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regarding the feasibility of each of the options for Local Government Reorganisation in Cambridgeshire.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department engages regularly with colleagues across Government on a range of matters, including Local Government Reorganisation. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not routinely disclosed.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to engage with the Northern Ireland Executive on his departmental priorities.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Northern Ireland Act 1998 places a duty on Ministers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland to consult one another with a view to securing, to the extent agreed between them, single systems of social security, child support and pensions across the UK.
To support this duty, DWP Ministers and officials maintain close and constructive relationships and remain in regular communication with their counterparts in Northern Ireland, principally the Department for Communities (DfC) and the Department for the Economy.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many 18 to 24-year-olds are eligible for the Jobs Guarantee in each rollout area.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Jobs Guarantee scheme will begin national rollout from November and will be available to all eligible 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. National rollout of the scheme will be delivered in 25 areas across Great Britain and is expected to support more than 90,000 young people over the next three years, contributing to this government’s long-term ambition to increase employment and reduce long-term youth unemployment.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has undertaken a review into the reasons for the time taken to resolve correspondence from hon. Members; and if he will establish an expedited triage process for severe financial hardship cases.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions recognises the important role that Members of Parliament play in supporting their constituents and is committed to responding to parliamentary casework enquiries as quickly as possible.
DWP continually monitors performance against its service standards and reviews operational processes to identify opportunities to improve the timeliness and quality of responses to correspondence from Members of Parliament. This includes monitoring volumes of enquiries, operational pressures and factors affecting response times.
The Department recognises that response times to parliamentary casework enquiries have been affected by increased volumes and the complexity of cases requiring detailed investigation. To address this, the Department has deployed additional resources to correspondence teams, prioritised the reduction of backlogs, strengthened performance monitoring, introduced enhanced senior oversight and improved case management processes and continues to monitor performance against the 15-working-day response target and take action to improve timeliness.
The Department aims to respond to complaints and correspondence enquiries within 15 working days or, where a case will take longer than 15 working days to resolve, agree a resolution plan with the customer. This is particularly relevant where cases are complex and require detailed investigation. A resolution plan is a clear outline of how the Department will address and resolve the issues raised. It sets out the actions to be taken, who is responsible, and the expected timescales for completing those actions.
DWP recognises that some enquiries relate to vulnerable claimants, including those experiencing financial hardship. Existing arrangements, including dedicated MP correspondence channels and MP hotlines, enable urgent cases to be escalated and prioritised where there is evidence of immediate need or risk.
No specific assessment has been made of the financial or mental health impacts arising from delays in responding to parliamentary casework enquiries. However, the Department is committed to supporting vulnerable customers and seeks to ensure that claimants continue to have access to the benefits, services, and support to which they are entitled while enquiries are being considered.
The Department continues to review its correspondence handling arrangements to ensure that parliamentary enquiries are dealt with as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken to respond to parliamentary casework enquiries on vulnerable benefit claimants.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions recognises the important role that Members of Parliament play in supporting their constituents and is committed to responding to parliamentary casework enquiries as quickly as possible.
DWP continually monitors performance against its service standards and reviews operational processes to identify opportunities to improve the timeliness and quality of responses to correspondence from Members of Parliament. This includes monitoring volumes of enquiries, operational pressures and factors affecting response times.
The Department recognises that response times to parliamentary casework enquiries have been affected by increased volumes and the complexity of cases requiring detailed investigation. To address this, the Department has deployed additional resources to correspondence teams, prioritised the reduction of backlogs, strengthened performance monitoring, introduced enhanced senior oversight and improved case management processes and continues to monitor performance against the 15-working-day response target and take action to improve timeliness.
The Department aims to respond to complaints and correspondence enquiries within 15 working days or, where a case will take longer than 15 working days to resolve, agree a resolution plan with the customer. This is particularly relevant where cases are complex and require detailed investigation. A resolution plan is a clear outline of how the Department will address and resolve the issues raised. It sets out the actions to be taken, who is responsible, and the expected timescales for completing those actions.
DWP recognises that some enquiries relate to vulnerable claimants, including those experiencing financial hardship. Existing arrangements, including dedicated MP correspondence channels and MP hotlines, enable urgent cases to be escalated and prioritised where there is evidence of immediate need or risk.
No specific assessment has been made of the financial or mental health impacts arising from delays in responding to parliamentary casework enquiries. However, the Department is committed to supporting vulnerable customers and seeks to ensure that claimants continue to have access to the benefits, services, and support to which they are entitled while enquiries are being considered.
The Department continues to review its correspondence handling arrangements to ensure that parliamentary enquiries are dealt with as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an estimate of the number of hours spent (a) responding to and (b) preparing for Westminster Hall Debates by (i) government ministers, (ii) civil servants and (iii) special advisers in his Department for each parliamentary session for which the information is available.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 17 July 2026 to Question UIN 17480.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what review his Department has undertaken into the underlying causes of persistent delays in resolving MP correspondence; and if he will establish an expedited triage process for severe financial hardship cases.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions recognises the important role that Members of Parliament play in supporting their constituents and is committed to responding to parliamentary casework enquiries as quickly as possible.
DWP continually monitors performance against its service standards and reviews operational processes to identify opportunities to improve the timeliness and quality of responses to correspondence from Members of Parliament. This includes monitoring volumes of enquiries, operational pressures and factors affecting response times.
The Department recognises that response times to parliamentary casework enquiries have been affected by increased volumes and the complexity of cases requiring detailed investigation. To address this, the Department has deployed additional resources to correspondence teams, prioritised the reduction of backlogs, strengthened performance monitoring, introduced enhanced senior oversight and improved case management processes and continues to monitor performance against the 15-working-day response target and take action to improve timeliness.
The Department aims to respond to complaints and correspondence enquiries within 15 working days or, where a case will take longer than 15 working days to resolve, agree a resolution plan with the customer. This is particularly relevant where cases are complex and require detailed investigation. A resolution plan is a clear outline of how the Department will address and resolve the issues raised. It sets out the actions to be taken, who is responsible, and the expected timescales for completing those actions.
DWP recognises that some enquiries relate to vulnerable claimants, including those experiencing financial hardship. Existing arrangements, including dedicated MP correspondence channels and MP hotlines, enable urgent cases to be escalated and prioritised where there is evidence of immediate need or risk.
No specific assessment has been made of the financial or mental health impacts arising from delays in responding to parliamentary casework enquiries. However, the Department is committed to supporting vulnerable customers and seeks to ensure that claimants continue to have access to the benefits, services, and support to which they are entitled while enquiries are being considered.
The Department continues to review its correspondence handling arrangements to ensure that parliamentary enquiries are dealt with as effectively and efficiently as possible.