Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the department's answer to questions 36174 and 33781, how many Universal Credit claimants with limited capability for work and work-related activity were reported as having the condition Mental Health Problem, and where Mental Health Problem was their only condition within the ICD10 group Mental and Behavioural Disorders (F00 - F99).
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
Publicly available information on health conditions reported by Universal Credit claimants with limited capability for work and work-related activity is available here at: uc-health-tables.ods. UC Work Capability Assessment decisions by outcome and medical condition are in Table 5.
Asked by: Imogen Walker (Labour - Hamilton and Clyde Valley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to protect pension savers in Hamilton and Clyde Valley constituency from pension scams.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Government works closely with regulators, industry and law enforcement partners to monitor emerging scam risks, identify new threats and ensure that appropriate protections are in place for pension savers.
The Conditions for Pension Transfers Regulations form a key element of those protections. Providing important safeguards against pension scams by enabling trustees and scheme managers to pause or prevent a transfer where there are indicators that the transfer may present a risk.
Earlier this year, the Government consulted on reforms to the regulations following concerns about the potential misuse of Small Self-Administered Schemes. Having carefully considered the responses received, we have today published our response, outlining a targeted package of measures to address identified risks, improve existing safeguards, and enhance protections for pension savers. The Government Response is available at the following link: Government response to the public consultation on proposals to amend the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Conditions for Transfers) Regulations 2021 - GOV.UK
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government why recruitment to the Connect to Work programme fell short of its target in its first year; and what steps they are taking to address the shortfall.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
2025/26 was a mobilisation year for Connect to Work. The programme is delivered by Mayors and local authorities across England and Wales and roll out has been led by their own timetables. Data published in September 2026 (the latest published statistics), show starts accelerating with, for example, 15,000 starts in the four months between March and June 2026.
By end June 2026 around 25,000 people had started on the programme and more than 4,100 had moved into employment. This is specialist, voluntary support for disabled people and those with health conditions or individuals with complex non-health barriers who face significant barriers to work, and we fully expect outcomes to grow as more participants complete their journey into employment.
Our focus is on helping local areas set up and run high quality, well-integrated Connect to Work services that help people get into and stay in employment that is right for them. We regularly review progress with Connect to Work areas and continue to support delivery through specialist support, webinars, communities of practice and performance-related action plans.
Asked by: Baroness Stedman-Scott (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Minimum Income Floor on claimants with fluctuating incomes.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Universal Credit for self-employed individuals aims to encourage sustainable work choices and support self-employment where it is a realistic route to financial self-sufficiency.
If a self-employed Universal Credit customer reports a loss to the Department, the value of the loss is offset against future earnings so it will be considered in the calculation of the Universal Credit award. Losses can also be carried forward and will be offset against earnings until the loss is used up or until the customer ceases self-employment.
The Minimum Income Floor (MIF) is designed to encourage low-earning customers to increase their earnings and grow their business. The level of the Minimum Income Floor is equivalent to what a person in employed work in similar circumstances to the self-employed individual could expect to earn at the National Minimum Wage for their age. The MIF can be tailored specifically for customers’ individual circumstances, including for health conditions and caring responsibilities. It is set using the number of hours the customer can reasonably be expected to work which is a maximum of 35 hours for individuals with no limitations on their expected working hours.
The Department’s review of Universal Credit is currently considering how effectively the benefit supports self-employed people.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Jobcentres the Department has closed for a) 2022, b) 2023, c) 2024, d) 2025 and e) 2026.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department keeps its estate under regular review to ensure it continues to support the delivery of services and provides value for money for the taxpayer.
The number of Jobcentres closed by the Department in each of the years requested is set out in the table below.
Summary by Calendar Year
Year | Number of Sites |
2022 | 1 |
2023 | 7 |
2024 | 0 |
2025 | 2 |
2026 | 2 |
Total | 12 |
Where Jobcentres have closed, the Department has sought to minimise disruption to customers and staff, including through the use of alternative nearby sites where appropriate.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
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 contribution of the hospitality sector in providing accessible routes into employment, skills development and long-term careers for young people.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
With around one million young people not in education, employment and training, this Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. The Government is investing an additional £2.5 billion by 2029 into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy, supporting almost one million young people and creating up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.
A central part of the Youth Guarantee is working with employers to create more opportunities for young people. DWP is working with UKHospitality and leading hospitality employers to create more opportunities for young people to enter employment and develop the skills and experience they need to progress in work. Hospitality businesses including Whitbread, McDonald’s, Nando’s, Marriott, Compass, Burger King and Wagamama have committed to providing over 100,000 jobs for 18 to 24-year-olds who are not in employment, education or training by the end of Parliament.
These opportunities will be delivered through direct recruitment and a hospitality training programme providing disadvantaged young people with sector-specific experience, a guaranteed interview and a Hospitality Skills Passport, which certifies that participants have the skills needed to succeed in the sector. Hospitality businesses will also offer learning opportunities through DWP’s work experience programme, providing two to four weeks of hands-on experience with hospitality employers, alongside workplace support and interview experience.
DWP also supports routes into the sector through hospitality Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), which provide pre-employment training designed to equip jobseekers with the skills needed for hospitality roles, alongside work experience and a guaranteed job interview. In collaboration with UKHospitality, the Destination Hospitality SWAP pilot has been extended to 22 SWAPs in 16 areas across England and Scotland.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on supporting workforce participation among young people through entry-level roles in the hospitality sector.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
With around one million young people not in education, employment and training, this Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. The Government is investing an additional £2.5 billion by 2029 into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy, supporting almost one million young people and creating up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.
A central part of the Youth Guarantee is working with employers to create more opportunities for young people. DWP is working with UKHospitality and leading hospitality employers to create more opportunities for young people to enter employment and develop the skills and experience they need to progress in work. Hospitality businesses including Whitbread, McDonald’s, Nando’s, Marriott, Compass, Burger King and Wagamama have committed to providing over 100,000 jobs for 18 to 24-year-olds who are not in employment, education or training by the end of Parliament.
These opportunities will be delivered through direct recruitment and a hospitality training programme providing disadvantaged young people with sector-specific experience, a guaranteed interview and a Hospitality Skills Passport, which certifies that participants have the skills needed to succeed in the sector. Hospitality businesses will also offer learning opportunities through DWP’s work experience programme, providing two to four weeks of hands-on experience with hospitality employers, alongside workplace support and interview experience.
DWP also supports routes into the sector through hospitality Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), which provide pre-employment training designed to equip jobseekers with the skills needed for hospitality roles, alongside work experience and a guaranteed job interview. In collaboration with UKHospitality, the Destination Hospitality SWAP pilot has been extended to 22 SWAPs in 16 areas across England and Scotland.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has considered potential alternatives to the mixed-aged couples’ rule introduced in 2019.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The social security system is designed around the principle that people below State Pension age should be supported through the working-age benefit system until both partners reach State Pension age. The Government has no plans to change this. This approach enables the working-age partner to continue accessing employment support, including tailored support for older workers, disabled people and carers, while saving for their future retirement.
Where the younger partner is unable to work, for example because of a health condition or caring responsibilities, Universal Credit provides additional protections and support, with work-related requirements tailored to individual circumstances.
Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on disabled people and families of engaging simultaneously with multiple benefit, employment support, local authority and assessment processes; and whether he plans to develop a cross-government strategy to reduce administrative duplication and improve coordination between public services for people with complex needs.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Government recognises that it can sometimes be difficult for disabled people and their families to navigate the complexities of the welfare system. Making it easier will be a key consideration as we take forward reform following the Timms review, Alan Milburn’s work on young people not in education, employment or training and Baroness Casey’s review of adult social care.
We are already looking to modernise Health & Disability benefits over the longer term such as through the Health Transformation Programme which is transforming the entire Personal Independence Payment (PIP) service. This includes a simpler application process, including a digital option, improved evidence gathering and a more tailored journey for customers.
A wish to avoid multiple, overlapping assessments for disabled people has been a topic discussed by the Steering Group for the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment. The Review will report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions this autumn.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will provide a date for when his department will publish the Timms review.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Timms review will report its final recommendations in November 2026.