Asked by: Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
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 merits of using the Crisis and Resilience Fund to encourage local authorities to provide essential furniture and white goods items to those living in furniture poverty.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
My Department has actively engaged with stakeholders on the design of the Crisis and Resilience Fund through a structured co-design process involving a representative group of local authorities, third-party organisations and academics. We are considering all feedback received through this process, and we plan to publish guidance in January 2026.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to expand Health Accelerators beyond the three funded areas.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
NHS Health and Growth Accelerators are testing a novel approach where local NHS systems - Northeast North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), South Yorkshire ICB and West Yorkshire ICB - are held accountable for the impact they have on people’s work status. The NHS 10-year plan for England states that if the Accelerators are successful, we will expect all ICBs to establish specific and measurable outcome targets on their contribution to reducing economic inactivity and unemployment based on this model. In order to embed the Accelerator model, we will work closely with ICBs to set their outcome target and will expect ICBs to seek the closest possible collaboration with local government partners - including mayors and strategic health authorities in particular - so that citizens benefit from a seamless work, health and skills offer in their area.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with (a) asylum seeker status, (b) refused asylum seeker status and (c) no lawful immigration status are in receipt of benefit support; and what the annual cost of that support is.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
People without valid UK immigration status are prohibited from accessing public funds benefits, including asylum seekers and those refused asylum in the UK. People with a pending asylum application may be able to claim asylum support provided by the Home Office, which is separate to the mainstream welfare system.
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, with reference to the report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation entitled Guarantee our Essentials: reforming Universal Credit to ensure we can all afford the essentials in hard time, published on 4 March 2025, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an essentials guarantee for welfare recipients.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to question 86529, what proportion of EU hazard classifications adopted since 1 January 2021 have received (a) no mandatory classification and (b) a different mandatory classification in GB Classification, Labelling and Packaging.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Since 2021, the mandatory classification and labelling of 232 chemicals have been formally adopted by the EU. In Great Britain (GB), the mandatory classification and labelling of 206 chemicals have been formally adopted, over the same period with the remaining 26 chemicals due to be adopted by GB in June 2026.
Of the 232 chemicals formally adopted by the EU, the GB MCL classification has diverged from the EU classification for 29 chemicals, which is about 12%.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department will explore making Access to Work awards portable between jobs.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Customers with an existing Access to Work (AtW) grant must make a new application if they have a new job. This is because the support needed in the new job must be assessed, along with contacting the new employer, who has responsibilities for providing reasonable adjustments. The employer must also understand their role in approving the customer's claims for support used from their AtW grant and and purchasing any equipment a customer cannot transfer from their previous job.
Applications from customers starting a new job are prioritised for allocation to a Case Manager – the customer needs to submit their application before they start their new job – they can apply up to 12 weeks before the start date of the new job.
Customers can use a Health Adjustment Passport to help inform their new employer of the support they have had in past jobs, such as reasonable adjustments they have had and support funded by AtW. A customer can share the passport with the AtW Case Manager allocated to their case and where appropriate this would negate the need for a new workplace assessment.
In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of AtW and how to improve the scheme so that it helps more disabled people in work. We are reviewing all aspects of AtW as we develop plans for reform following the conclusion of the consultation.
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, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of excess winter deaths.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
A very wide range of factors impact changes in mortality – and details of excess deaths can be found across several sets of government statistics. Causes are multiple – including cold homes, fuel poverty, respiratory infections, and pressures on health and social care systems, and as such, multiple government departments offer relevant support.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) leads on winter preparedness measures each year and on public health strategies; The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) addresses energy affordability and housing efficiency through schemes such as the Warm Home Discount and Warm Homes Plan, which help reduce cold exposure and fuel poverty; and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) provides financial support to vulnerable households through a range of pensions, benefits and payments. Together these measures work to mitigate risks associated with cold temperatures.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Health and Safety Executive plans to publish (a) next steps and its formal response to the consultation on proposals for changing GB CLP and GB BPR and (b) draft legislation to enact those proposals.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) response to the Chemicals Legislative Reform Proposals consultation, which took place from 23 June 2025 to 18 August 2025, is expected to be published in early 2026 subject to Ministerial approval.
The consultation set out HSE’s proposals to reform three pieces of chemicals legislation: Great Britain Biocidal Products Regulation (GB BPR); Great Britain Classification, Labelling and Packaging (GB CLP); and Great Britain Prior Informed Consent for the export and import of hazardous chemicals (GB PIC).
The approach to chemicals reforms and policy will be set out in full in the consultation response alongside how HSE plans to legislate to implement any changes. This will include consideration of using the powers in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Department has made of the adequacy of the time taken to process applications to purchase voluntary National Insurance contributions through the International Pensions Centre before the April 2025 deadline.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department continually monitors processing times, including allocating additional resources and streamlining processes where possible and working collaboratively with HMRC.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Department will consider backdating State Pension increases in cases where delays were caused by administrative issues.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Any arrears will be backdated to the date on which the individual made their payment to HMRC.