Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people in poverty as a result of the rule preventing mixed-age couples from claiming pension-age benefits until the youngest partner reaches State Pension age.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Ensuring that individuals can get into, progress and stay in work is important in helping them to continue saving for their own retirement and contribute to the wider economy.
The requirement for mixed age couples to seek financial support from the working-age social security system until both members of the couple reach State Pension Age ensures that, once in receipt of Universal Credit, the younger partner can access the same employment support that is available for customers below State Pension Age including dedicated employment support for customers over the age of 50. The pension-age partner is placed in the no-work related requirements group.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2026 to Written Question UIN 106823, if he will (a) collect and analyse data on the extent of refusal, increase and reduction of Access to Work awards at renewal and (b) make an assessment of the potential impact of that data on Disabled people’s ability to maintain work and careers.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department has a broad analytical programme of work on Access to Work which includes quantitative analysis of data, qualitative research, and production of official statistics. This programme is reviewed regularly to ensure it remains relevant and helps to build understanding of the functioning of the scheme.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how often Access to Work awards for blind and partially sighted customers are reviewed for compliance with the EHRC Code of Practice.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Access to Work (AtW) awards, including those made to blind and partially sighted customers, are managed through standard casework processes, which include appropriate Service Assurance checks to ensure decisions comply with AtW guidance and principles.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether eligible (a) prospective claimants not currently in receipt of Universal Credit and (b) existing Universal Credit claimants who do not receive the health element would be entitled to the rate of the health element of Universal Credit in force before 6 April 2026 where an application for that element is received by the Department for Work and Pensions on or before 5 April 2026, including in cases where eligibility is confirmed, a Work Capability Assessment is completed, or a decision on entitlement is made on or after 6 April 2026.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance (Rates of Allowances) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 were laid in Parliament on 9 February 2026. The Regulations provide further detail on the application of the Universal Credit Act 2025 including the definition of a pre-6 April 2026 claimant confirming that claimants who declare a health condition or disability on or before 5 April 2026 and are found to have limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) will receive the higher rate of LCWRA. This applies even if their decision on entitlement is made on or after 6 April 2026.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to increase public awareness of the availability of free advice from independent providers on claiming welfare benefits; and if he will make an assessment on the potential merits of a public engagement campaign on this topic.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Free help and support in applying for Universal Credit is available from Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland. Free help and support for claiming other DWP benefits is widely available, including on GOV.UK, from the Department itself, and from organisations such as Age UK. There is no need for claimants to pay for advice and support with benefit applications.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to increase the benefit cap.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There is a statutory obligation to review the levels of the benefit cap at least once every five years. They were last reviewed in November 2022 and, as such, a further review is required by November 2027. This will happen at the appropriate time as determined by the Secretary of State.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of pausing deductions being taken from Carer's Allowance payments as a result of earnings-related overpayments while the Department reassesses those cases.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We have been clear that the Sayce review into earnings related Carer’s Allowance overpayments was not a substitute for legal proceedings. The report’s findings do not prejudice business-as-usual activity by DWP. The department must balance fairness for unpaid carers and its duty to taxpayers.
The department’s guidance on averaging earnings, for those with fluctuating earnings, did not accurately reflect the legislation between 2015 and summer 2025. We are, in response, planning a reassessment exercise. Overpayment recovery work will continue during the reassessment exercise. Should reassessment lead to an amended decision in an individual case, we will adjust entitlement to Carer’s Allowance and take the appropriate action depending on the customer’s circumstances. We will set out more details about the reassessment exercise in the coming weeks.
For anyone who has had an overpayment, DWP’s Debt Management Service is available to discuss their repayment terms.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local authorities are aware of the interaction between new tax liabilities for pre-2016 pensioners and the calculation of means-tested benefits.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The assessment of entitlement to Housing Benefit and Local Council Tax Support takes into account a person’s net income plus the value of any DWP benefits they receive.
Taxation is a matter for HMRC. It treats pension income, whether State or occupational, in the same way as other taxable income. However, the Chancellor has said that over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax.
The government will set out more detail in due course.
No new guidance has been issued to local authorities on this matter.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 91715, how many claimants were awarded a payment under the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme in each financial year since 1993-94.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure pensioners issued with simple assessment tax demands are advised to contact their local authority to reassess their entitlement to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The assessment of entitlement to Housing Benefit and Local Council Tax Support takes into account a person’s net income plus the value of any DWP benefits they receive.
Taxation is a matter for HMRC. It treats pension income, whether State or occupational, in the same way as other taxable income. However, the Chancellor has said that over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax.
The government will set out more detail in due course.
No new guidance has been issued to local authorities on this matter.