Department for Work and Pensions

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department it administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers.



Secretary of State

 Portrait

Pat McFadden
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Shadow Ministers / Spokeperson
Liberal Democrat
Lord Palmer of Childs Hill (LD - Life peer)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Work and Pensions)
Steve Darling (LD - Torbay)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Work and Pensions)

Conservative
Helen Whately (Con - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Scottish National Party
Kirsty Blackman (SNP - Aberdeen North)
Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Work and Pensions)

Green Party
Siân Berry (Green - Brighton Pavilion)
Green Spokesperson (Work and Pensions)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con - Excepted Hereditary)
Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
Baroness Stedman-Scott (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Mark Garnier (Con - Wyre Forest)
Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Work and Pensions)
Ministers of State
Stephen Timms (Lab - East Ham)
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Baroness Sherlock (Lab - Life peer)
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab - Life peer)
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Diana Johnson (Lab - Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham)
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Andrew Western (Lab - Stretford and Urmston)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Torsten Bell (Lab - Swansea West)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Tuesday 28th April 2026
Pension Schemes Bill
Commons Chamber
Select Committee Inquiry
Thursday 29th January 2026
Realising potential: Delivering the Child Poverty Strategy

Members of the Education and Work and Pensions Select Committees have decided to undertake an inquiry that will consider how …

Written Answers
Wednesday 29th April 2026
Workplace Pensions: Increases
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the number of …
Secondary Legislation
Monday 27th April 2026
Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Decisions and Appeals) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
These Regulations amend Part 3 of the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Decisions …
Bills
Thursday 8th January 2026
Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Act 2026
A Bill to Make provision to remove the two child limit on the child element of universal credit.
Dept. Publications
Wednesday 29th April 2026
17:00

Department for Work and Pensions Commons Appearances

Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs

Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:
  • Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
  • Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
  • Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.

Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue

Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.

Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
Apr. 27
Oral Questions
May. 13
Urgent Questions
Apr. 20
Written Statements
Apr. 21
Westminster Hall
Mar. 19
Adjournment Debate
View All Department for Work and Pensions Commons Contibutions

Bills currently before Parliament

Department for Work and Pensions does not have Bills currently before Parliament


Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament


A Bill to make provision about pension schemes; and for connected purposes.

Commons Completed
Lords Completed
Royal Assent

Last Event - Consideration Of Lords
Tuesday 28th April 2026
(Read Debate)
Next Event - Royal Assent
Wednesday 29th April 2026

A Bill to Make provision to remove the two child limit on the child element of universal credit.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 18th March 2026 and was enacted into law.


A Bill to make provision about the prevention of fraud against public authorities and the making of erroneous payments by public authorities; about the recovery of money paid by public authorities as a result of fraud or error; and for connected purposes.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 2nd December 2025 and was enacted into law.


Make provision to alter the rates of the standard allowance, limited capability for work element and limited capability for work and work-related activity element of universal credit and the rates of income-related employment and support allowance.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 3rd September 2025 and was enacted into law.

Department for Work and Pensions - Secondary Legislation

These Regulations amend Part 3 of the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/381).
These Regulations amend the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/376) (“the UC Regulations 2013”), the Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/377) (“the PIP Regulations 2013”) and the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/379) (“the ESA Regulations 2013”).
View All Department for Work and Pensions Secondary Legislation

Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Trending Petitions
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6,965 Signatures
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Petitions with most signatures
Petition Open
50,829 Signatures
(9,127 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
35,536 Signatures
(1,232 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
6,965 Signatures
(556 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
5,089 Signatures
(16 in the last 7 days)
Petition Debates Contributed
161,788
Petition Closed
21 May 2025
closed 11 months, 1 week ago

We call on the Government to fairly compensate WASPI women affected by the increases to their State Pension age and the associated failings in DWP communications.

Statutory maternity and paternity pay is £4.99 per hour for a full-time worker on 37.5 hours per week - approximately 59% less than the 2024 National Living Wage of £12.21 per hour for workers aged 21+, which has been set out to ensure a basic standard of living.

View All Department for Work and Pensions Petitions

Departmental Select Committee

Work and Pensions Committee

Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.

At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.

Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.


11 Members of the Work and Pensions Committee
Debbie Abrahams Portrait
Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 11th September 2024
Amanda Hack Portrait
Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Damien Egan Portrait
Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Johanna Baxter Portrait
Johanna Baxter (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 21st October 2024
John Milne Portrait
John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Steve Darling Portrait
Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Peter Bedford Portrait
Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Joy Morrissey Portrait
Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 21st October 2025
Lee Barron Portrait
Lee Barron (Labour - Corby and East Northamptonshire)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 27th October 2025
David Baines Portrait
David Baines (Labour - St Helens North)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 27th October 2025
Rushanara Ali Portrait
Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Stepney)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 27th October 2025
Work and Pensions Committee: Previous Inquiries
Money and Pensions Service Pension stewardship and COP26 PIP and ESA Assessments DWP's response to the coronavirus outbreak Work of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Universal Credit: the wait for a first payment Plan for Jobs and employment support The sale and acquisition of BHS inquiry DWP’s preparations for changes in the world of work Protecting pension savers – five years on from the pension freedoms: Pension scams Progress with child maintenance reforms Update on auto-enrolment and a range of current pensions issues Fraud and error in the benefits system Employment and Support Allowance and Work Capability Assessments Progress with Personal Independence Payment implementation 2014 Employment support for disabled people: Access to Work One-off evidence session on pension reforms Benefit delivery inquiry Welfare to work inquiry Pension freedom guidance and advice inquiry Tax credit reforms inquiry Local welfare safety net inquiry In-work progression in Universal Credit inquiry Understanding the new State Pension inquiry Bereavement benefits inquiry Pre-appointment hearing for the Pensions Ombudsman Progress with automatic enrolment and pension reforms Financial scrutiny of the Department for Work and Pensions Benefit sanctions policy beyond the Oakley review Progress with disability and incapacity benefit reforms Universal Credit Work Programme: the experience of different user groups Youth unemployment and the Government’s Youth Contract EU Pensions Policy White Paper on Universal Credit Automatic enrolment in workplace pensions and National Employment Savings Trust Governance and best practice in workplace pensions Role of Jobcentre Plus in the reformed welfare system Support for housing costs in the reformed welfare system School holiday poverty inquiry The work of The Pensions Regulator inquiry Executive pensions inquiry Spending Review inquiry Support for the bereaved Universal Credit and Survival Sex: sex in exchange for meeting survival needs inquiry No DSS: discrimination against benefit claimants in the housing sector inquiry Benefit freeze Overpayments of Carer's Allowance Ongoing work on DWP priorities and performance inquiry Charging for pension transfer advice inquiry Pension auto-enrolment: update inquiry Universal Credit Project Assessment Reviews inquiry Carillion joint inquiry Assistive technology inquiry Pre-appointment scrutiny of the Chair of the Social Security Advisory Committee Defined benefit pensions white paper inquiry The future of the European Social Fund inquiry Two-child benefit limit inquiry Welfare safety net inquiry Benefit cap inquiry Pension costs and transparency inquiry Disability employment inquiry Concentrix and tax credits inquiry Child Maintenance Service inquiry Employment opportunities for young people inquiry Intergenerational fairness inquiry Pensions automatic enrolment inquiry Early drawing of state pension inquiry Recent pensions policy developments The Future of Jobcentre Plus inquiry Support for ex-offenders inquiry Disability employment gap inquiry Pension Protection Fund and Pensions Regulator inquiry Personal Independence Payment inquiry Citizen's income inquiry Victims of modern slavery inquiry DWP Annual Report and Accounts inquiry Self-employment and the gig economy inquiry Benefit cap inquiry Brexit and labour market policy inquiry Universal Credit update inquiry Universal Credit inquiry PIP and ESA Assessments inquiry Pension freedom and choice inquiry Defined benefit pension schemes Access to work cap on support grants inquiry Collective defined contribution pension schemes inquiry Support for carers inquiry The cost of living Children in poverty: Child Maintenance Service Defined benefit pensions with liability driven investments Benefit levels in the UK Defined benefit pension schemes Cost of living support payments Disability employment gap Health and Safety Executive Safeguarding vulnerable claimants Norton pension schemes and the Fraud Compensation Fund Statutory Sick Pay Disability employment Devolution of employment support Pensioner poverty – challenges and mitigations Get Britain Working – Reforming Jobcentres Get Britain Working: Pathways to Work Employment support for disabled people Child Maintenance Service Transition to State Pension age Youth employment, education and training Children in poverty: Measurement and targets Realising potential: Delivering the Child Poverty Strategy Welfare policy in Northern Ireland Assistive technology Benefit cap Benefit sanctions Collective defined contribution pension schemes Defined benefit pensions white paper inquiry Disability employment The future of the European Social Fund inquiry Executive pensions Universal Credit Universal Credit - In-work progression Pension costs and transparency Spending Review Welfare safety net Charging for pension transfer advice Overpayments of Carer's Allowance Pension auto-enrolment: update No DSS: discrimination against benefit claimants in the housing sector Benefit freeze Support for the bereaved The work of The Pensions Regulator Motability Ongoing work on DWP priorities and performance Pension freedom and choice PIP and ESA Assessments School holiday poverty Support for carers Two-child benefit limit Universal Credit and Survival Sex

50 most recent Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department

23rd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether employment and apprenticeship reforms announced on 16 March 2026 include measures to reduce the number of young men not in education, employment or training.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Andrew Western
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
23rd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to publish gender‑disaggregated monitoring data on the potential impact of the 200,000‑job employment and apprenticeship programme announced on 16 March 2026 on the number of men not in education, employment or training.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Andrew Western
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
23rd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking with the Secretary of State for (a) Education and (b) Business and Trade to reduce the number of young men not in education, employment or training.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Andrew Western
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
23rd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of disparities in rates of males and females not being in education, employment or training on boys and young men.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Andrew Western
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
23rd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that boys and young men receive targeted support to improve education, employment and training outcomes.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Andrew Western
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to require pension schemes to provide clearer advance notification to members when established policies on discretionary increases are (a) changed and (b) withdrawn.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
22nd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what role the Pensions Regulator plays in overseeing decisions where discretionary increases are declined despite scheme affordability; and whether that role will be expanded.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
22nd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the number of defined benefit pension schemes in surplus where discretionary increases have been proposed by trustees but not implemented due to employer refusal.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
22nd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to review the legislative framework governing employer consent requirements in relation to discretionary increases in defined benefit pension schemes.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
23rd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Personal Independence Payment assessment process on the mental health of people with cystic fibrosis.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) timeliness and (b) accuracy of death notifications across Government systems.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Andrew Western
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to answer Question 123304 from the hon. Member for Faversham and Mid Kent.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to answer Question 123305 from the hon. Member for Faversham and Mid Kent.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
23rd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Access to Work scheme in supporting disabled people to (a) enter and (b) remain in employment.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the evidential basis is for changes to the Access to Work awards.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
16th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with a Personal Independence Payment special rules award have reached the end of their 3-year award period and have had their benefits award reviewed.

I refer the Rt Hon member to my previous answers.

For Question UIN 127998, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 April 2026 to Question UIN 126117.

For Question UIN 127999, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 April 2026 to Question UIN 126116.

For Question UIN 128000, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 April 2026 to Question UIN 126114.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
16th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many current Personal Independence Payment recipients that have been assessed at a Personal Independence Payment assessment as having a terminal condition are in receipt of a fixed-term award; and what is the average length of these fixed-term awards.

I refer the Rt Hon member to my previous answers.

For Question UIN 127998, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 April 2026 to Question UIN 126117.

For Question UIN 127999, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 April 2026 to Question UIN 126116.

For Question UIN 128000, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 April 2026 to Question UIN 126114.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
16th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in the last year for which information is available how many Personal Independence Payment Recipients who are in receipt of the Enhanced component of both Daily Living and Mobility died (a) in total and (b) who accessed PIP under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness route.

I refer the Rt Hon member to my previous answers.

For Question UIN 127998, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 April 2026 to Question UIN 126117.

For Question UIN 127999, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 April 2026 to Question UIN 126116.

For Question UIN 128000, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 April 2026 to Question UIN 126114.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
21st Apr 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support people with health conditions into work.

We know that work can support health and wellbeing, so we want everyone who can to get work and get on in work as far as possible. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key.

We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives that join up employment and health systems such as WorkWell and Employment Advisers in Talking Therapies. Existing measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants and Connect to Work. We continue to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme.

In our Pathways to Work Green Paper we set out our Pathways to Work offer, backed by £1 billion a year of new funding by the end of the decade. We are building towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and people with health conditions on out of work benefits, building on existing initiatives.

In November 2025, Sir Charlie Mayfield published the Keep Britain Working Review, setting out recommendations to help employers create healthier, more inclusive workplaces and to reshape how Government works with employers to improve work and health outcomes. We are now working with volunteer employers, providers and regions through a Vanguard Phase to test and refine approaches that support disabled people and people with long‑term physical and mental health conditions to thrive in work. This includes developing effective stay-in-work and return-to-work practices, strengthening prevention, and building the evidence needed to spread good practice so that disabled workers and workers with long-term health conditions receive the support they need to remain in employment successfully.

The 10 Year Health Plan builds on existing work to better integrate health with employment support and incentivise greater cross-system collaboration, recognising good work is good for health. The Plan states our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. It outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.

Baroness Sherlock
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
21st Apr 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support people with disabilities into work.

We know that work can support health and wellbeing, so we want everyone who can to get work and get on in work as far as possible. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key.

We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives that join up employment and health systems such as WorkWell and Employment Advisers in Talking Therapies. Existing measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants and Connect to Work. We continue to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme.

In our Pathways to Work Green Paper we set out our Pathways to Work offer, backed by £1 billion a year of new funding by the end of the decade. We are building towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and people with health conditions on out of work benefits, building on existing initiatives.

In November 2025, Sir Charlie Mayfield published the Keep Britain Working Review, setting out recommendations to help employers create healthier, more inclusive workplaces and to reshape how Government works with employers to improve work and health outcomes. We are now working with volunteer employers, providers and regions through a Vanguard Phase to test and refine approaches that support disabled people and people with long‑term physical and mental health conditions to thrive in work. This includes developing effective stay-in-work and return-to-work practices, strengthening prevention, and building the evidence needed to spread good practice so that disabled workers and workers with long-term health conditions receive the support they need to remain in employment successfully.

The 10 Year Health Plan builds on existing work to better integrate health with employment support and incentivise greater cross-system collaboration, recognising good work is good for health. The Plan states our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. It outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.

Baroness Sherlock
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
21st Apr 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase employment support for people receiving sickness benefits.

We know that work can support health and wellbeing, so we want everyone who can to get work and get on in work as far as possible. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key.

We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives that join up employment and health systems such as WorkWell and Employment Advisers in Talking Therapies. Existing measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants and Connect to Work. We continue to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme.

In our Pathways to Work Green Paper we set out our Pathways to Work offer, backed by £1 billion a year of new funding by the end of the decade. We are building towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and people with health conditions on out of work benefits, building on existing initiatives.

In November 2025, Sir Charlie Mayfield published the Keep Britain Working Review, setting out recommendations to help employers create healthier, more inclusive workplaces and to reshape how Government works with employers to improve work and health outcomes. We are now working with volunteer employers, providers and regions through a Vanguard Phase to test and refine approaches that support disabled people and people with long‑term physical and mental health conditions to thrive in work. This includes developing effective stay-in-work and return-to-work practices, strengthening prevention, and building the evidence needed to spread good practice so that disabled workers and workers with long-term health conditions receive the support they need to remain in employment successfully.

The 10 Year Health Plan builds on existing work to better integrate health with employment support and incentivise greater cross-system collaboration, recognising good work is good for health. The Plan states our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. It outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.

Baroness Sherlock
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
27th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish a copy of the (a) written and (b) SMS correspondence sent to people when the Department requires further information to reassess their Carer's Allowance case.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
27th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the two outstanding recommendations from the Independent Review into Carer’s Allowance Overpayments which have not been accepted by his Department.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
27th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to provide an update on the progress in the implementation of his Department's response to the Independent Review into Carer’s Allowance Overpayments to the (a) Public Accounts and (b) Work and Pensions Committees.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
27th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that UK apprenticeships include industrial energy auditing.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Andrew Western
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
14th Apr 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), what steps they have taken in the past year to meet their legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation concerning work and pensions should be brought into force.

Policy teams within the Department for Work and Pensions are responsible for ensuring effective legislative practice within their area, including the management of uncommenced legislation, and considering when to bring forward commencement orders. Where needed, they work closely with lawyers and our central legislative strategy team. This work is undertaken alongside established postlegislative scrutiny processes.

Baroness Sherlock
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
27th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he has assessed the potential impact of the freeze on Local Housing Allowance on levels of poverty among older private renters.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
27th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing a process to allow Atomic Energy Authority Technology pension scheme closed section members to leave the Pension Protection Fund and re-join a public sector pension scheme, including the UK Atomic Energy Authority scheme.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
27th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues on AEAT pension arrangements.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
27th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has considered requesting that the Government Actuary’s Department publish the calculations behind the sum transferred to the AEAT pension scheme at the time of privatisation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
10th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in receipt of Universal Credit have a total gross household income, including earnings and other income, within the (a) £0–£20,000, (b) £20,001–£40,000, (c) £40,001–£60,000, (d) £60,001–£80,000, (e) £80,001–£100,000, (f) £100,001–£120,000, (g) £120,001–£140,000 and (h) £140,000+ band.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of menopause symptoms on women’s labour market participation.

The Department has conducted a literature review to collate evidence on women’s employment and menopause, which was published in July 2025: Menopause in the Workplace Literature Review - GOV.UK

The economic costs of the menopause on the labour market has been estimated by the following study: Womens health economics investing in the 51 per cent

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to include variables relating to companion animal ownership in a) future labour market and b) household surveys.

I refer my Hon. friend to the answer I gave on 13th April to PQ 122869.

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has undertaken any joint work with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to assess the a) societal and b) economic impact of companion animal ownership.

I refer my Hon. friend to the answer I gave on 13th April to PQ 122869.

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to undertake research into the potential impact of companion animal ownership on a) labour market participation, b) productivity and c) flexible working.

I refer my Hon. friend to the answer I gave on 13th April to PQ 122869.

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) informal caregiving responsibilities and (b) companion animal care on labour market participation.

I refer my Hon. friend to the answer I gave on 13th April to PQ 122869.

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of migraines as a driver of health related economic activity.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on the 30 March 2026 to Question UIN 122660.

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
23rd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of age restrictions on Level 7 apprenticeships on (i.) the future skills needs of employers; (ii.) on learners both currently and in the future who plan to stair case up levels of apprenticeships to complete a L7 apprenticeship; and (iii.) access to professional services jobs.

I refer the hon. Member for Torbay to the answer of 16 March 2026 to Question 115133.

Andrew Western
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
23rd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department provides to Personal Independence Payment assessors on assessing people with cystic fibrosis, including the range of symptoms associated with the condition.

The department is committed to ensuring that individuals with cystic fibrosis receive high-quality and accurate Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments.

All health professionals (HPs) carrying out PIP assessments receive comprehensive training in disability analysis, with a clear focus on understanding the functional effects of a claimant’s condition rather than the diagnosis itself.

To support this approach, the department provides assessment suppliers with core training and guidance materials on the varying symptoms of cystic fibrosis. These materials include clinical background information and detail the potential functional impacts of the condition, enabling HPs to deliver informed, consistent and accurate assessments.

In addition, all training and guidance materials are currently subject to a comprehensive review and update programme. A dedicated team is overseeing this work to ensure alignment with national best practice helping to ensure that guidance remains accurate, relevant and up to date.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
21st Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the interaction between Universal Credit and student finance results in appropriate support for eligible students.

Students are generally expected to access support for tuition fees and living costs through the student support system. This means most full‑time students are not usually eligible for Universal Credit, unless they fall into specified exception groups (e.g. disabled students, students with children, some young people without parental support).

Students who are eligible for Universal Credit have their maintenance loans treated as income for the purpose of Universal Credit. The student support system is designed to meet their living cost needs during study.

Tuition fee loans are disregarded in the calculation of a Universal Credit award, along with grants such as those recognising a disability or for childcare costs. Any Special Support Loan/Grant is also disregarded in these calculations.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
10th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have been assessed at a Personal Independence Payment assessment as having a terminal condition; how many of those people were in receipt of a fixed-term award; and what was the length of these fixed-term awards in each of the latest 12 months for which data is available.

The Department does not collect information centrally for analysis about whether a claimant’s condition is terminal. However, claimants claiming under the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL) are terminally ill and we can provide information about their awards. A PIP claimant is currently regarded as being end of life if they “suffer from a progressive disease, and the person’s death in consequence of that disease can reasonably be expected within 12 months.” [S.82 Welfare Reform Act 2012]

Claims by people with end of life are fast tracked – currently 3 days for new claimants; in the last five years to January 2026, 99% of special rule claims were successful, excluding withdrawn claims. The majority of awards are made for 3 years. The three-year awards given to SREL claims strikes a balance that recognises making a prognosis is not an exact science.

Someone already in receipt of PIP under the normal rules, where there is a wide variety of award lengths, can report a change in their circumstances that they are now terminally ill. This change of circumstances is similarly fast tracked.

The tables below detail the number or SREL claimant assessments for PIP over the last 12 months and fixed-term awards for SREL claimants for the same period.

Table 1: Volume of SREL claimant assessments over time

Volume

Feb-25

1,500

Mar-25

1,500

Apr-25

1,190

May-25

1,470

Jun-25

1,870

Jul-25

1,540

Aug-25

1,480

Sep-25

1,510

Oct-25

1,720

Nov-25

1,430

Dec-25

1,390

Jan-26

1,570

Table 2: Volume of SREL fixed-term awards by duration

Less than 1 year

1 year to less than 2 years

2 years to less than 3 years

3 years to less than 4 years

4 years to less than 5 years

5 or more years

Total

Feb-25

10

X

20

1,220

0

10

1,260

Mar-25

10

X

30

1,170

0

X

1,210

Apr-25

10

X

20

970

X

10

1,010

May-25

10

X

30

1,140

0

20

1,200

Jun-25

20

X

40

1,470

X

10

1,540

Jul-25

20

X

20

1,220

0

10

1,270

Aug-25

10

10

10

1,200

X

10

1,230

Sep-25

10

X

10

1,230

X

20

1,260

Oct-25

10

X

10

1,400

X

10

1,440

Nov-25

10

X

10

1,130

X

X

1,160

Dec-25

10

10

20

1,110

X

X

1,150

Jan-26

10

X

20

1,260

0

X

1,300

Total

130

30

240

14,510

10

100

15,020

Notes:

- Values have been rounded to the nearest 10. Where a value is less than 5 but not 0 it has been replaced by an X for disclosure control.

- Figures are for claimants under DWP Policy Ownership (England, Wales and Abroad) and exclude claimants where PIP has been devolved to the Scottish Government in Scotland or The Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
15th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what consideration his Department makes of trends in the costs of essential goods and services when setting the basic rate of Universal Credit during the uprating process.

The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) estimates how the prices of goods and services bought by households rise or fall and is used as an indication of inflation in Universal Credit uprating. Last year, The Secretary of State increased most working age benefits across Great Britain for 2026/27 by 3.8% in line with CPI in the year to September 2025.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate has his Department has made of how many individuals who receive Personal Independence Payments use this income to cover (a) rent (b) other housing costs, and (c) transport to and from work.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a non‑means‑tested benefit intended as a contribution towards extra costs arising from a long‑term health condition or disability, and recipients are free to use it in the way that best meets their individual needs. The Department does not routinely collect data on how PIP is spent.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been done as to the potential impact on employment prospects for under 22s who will no longer receive the health element of Universal Credit.

I refer my Hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 2 March 2026 in response to Question UIN 114204.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Minimum Income Floor for self‑employed Universal Credit claimants with caring responsibilities.

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.

The Minimum Income Floor is designed to encourage low-earning customers to increase their earnings and grow their business. The level of the Minimum Income Floor is calculated using the number of hours per week that a customer is expected to work, tailored specifically to customers individual circumstances, including for health conditions and caring responsibilities. It is set at a maximum of 35 hours for individuals with no limitations on their expected working hours.

To align with the offer of 30 hours of free childcare for working parents, self-employed individuals with children aged 3-12 typically have their Minimum Income Floor set using a maximum of 30 hours per week.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
10th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the requirement to pay childcare costs in advance prior to reimbursement through Universal Credit on levels of employment; and what steps she is taking to support affected families.

The Office for Budget Responsibility, in their Spring 2023 and October 2024 Economic and Fiscal Outlook, published their economic impacts of various policy measures, including childcare. These can be found here: The economic effects of policy measures - Office for Budget Responsibility, Monitoring and evaluating the supply-side effects of policy measures - Office for Budget Responsibility.

Parents who need help with their upfront childcare costs to move into work or increase their working hours may be eligible for support from the Flexible Support Fund.

The Flexible Support Fund’s Upfront Childcare Costs can be used to pay 100% of the upfront costs of up to one month of childcare. This is designed to ensure that any costs that the Universal Credit customer incurs in relation to childcare when starting work or increasing their hours is not a barrier to taking up this work.

We are streamlining the process and extending eligibility to parents returning from parental leave to improve access to upfront childcare support. We will also extend eligibility to parents returning from parental leave to ease the difficult transition back to work.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether migraine has been considered as part of cross government efforts to improve workforce participation among people with long term conditions.

Good work is good for health, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work when they can including people who suffer from migraine. In our Pathways to Work Green Paper we set out our Pathways to Work offer, backed by £1 billion a year of new funding by the end of the decade.

Disabled people are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support for every individual is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Existing measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants. Our Supported Employment programme, Connect to Work, is supporting disabled people, people with health conditions and people with complex barriers to employment across England and Wales.

DEAs in the Jobcentres supporting the constituency hold in-depth Work Ability conversations that focus on strengths, suitable work options, workplace adjustments and confidence building.

Our Pathways to Work support offer will ensure a coherent and navigable offer of support, building on and bringing together initiatives such as Connect to Work, WorkWell and local Trailblazers. We are building towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and people with health conditions on out of work benefits. We anticipate that the Pathways to Work offer, once fully rolled out, will include a support conversation to identify support needs and signpost to services, one-to-one caseworker support, periodic engagement and an offer of specialist long-term work, health and skills support.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will set out the support for disabled workers whose reconsideration Access to Work Scheme request is refused.

The support that a customer will receive from Access to Work is dependent upon their needs and circumstances at the time they make an application or award renewal. Case managers will use the current guidance to ensure Access to Work principles are considered when making a decision on support.

Separate to the Access to Work scheme, we have a range of specialist initiatives to support disabled individuals, including those that join up employment and health systems.

Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, and WorkWell.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
13th Apr 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has considered introducing an online system for Personal Independence Payment claimants to report a change in circumstances, in line with other Government departments that offer digital self-service options; and if he will make an assessment of the potential benefits of such a system for accessibility, efficiency, and user experience.

The Health Transformation Programme is transforming the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) service to improve efficiency, accessibility, and user experience, build trust in our decisions, and support people to enter or remain in work.

Customers can access an online service to submit their health information after calling us to start their claim and this is already available to over 90% of new PIP customers. This is benefiting customers by removing postage times and increasing accessibility.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)