Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Spring Budget 2023, HC1183, published on 15 March 2023, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the complement of FTE Work Coaches required by his Department to meet the policy decision on additional Work Coach time for Incapacity Benefits claimants.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Work Coaches are vital to getting people into jobs and supporting people to earn more. They are central to a number of the measures announced at Budget, including stepping up Jobcentre support for parents, disabled people and people with health conditions.
We are reviewing our internal plans to ensure we grow our capacity appropriately and effectively, this will include further recruitment to support delivery of these measures.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Spring Budget 2023, HC1183, published on 15 March 2023, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the complement of FTE Work Coaches required by his Department to meet the policy decision to remove the couples Administrative Earnings Threshold.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Work Coaches are vital to getting people into jobs and supporting people to earn more. They are central to a number of the measures announced at Budget, including stepping up Jobcentre support for parents, disabled people and people with health conditions.
We are reviewing our internal plans to ensure we grow our capacity appropriately and effectively, this will include further recruitment to support delivery of these measures.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Spring Budget 2023, HC1183, published on 15 March 2023, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the complement of FTE Work Coaches required by his Department to meet the policy decision to increase the individual Administrative Earnings Threshold from the equivalent of 15 hours at National Living Wage to 18 hours.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Work Coaches are vital to getting people into jobs and supporting people to earn more. They are central to a number of the measures announced at Budget, including stepping up Jobcentre support for parents, disabled people and people with health conditions.
We are reviewing our internal plans to ensure we grow our capacity appropriately and effectively, this will include further recruitment to support delivery of these measures.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time was for access to work funding applications to be considered in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Access to Work average wait times, from application to a decision being made, for February 2023, was 58 working days.
Please note that the data supplied is derived from unpublished management information, which was collected for internal departmental use only, and have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. They should therefore be treated with caution.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 4.146 of the Spring Budget 2023, HC1183, published on 15 March 2023, whether an equality impact assessment of the proposed change to the Administrative Earnings Threshold has been conducted.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Yes.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what date the longest outstanding access to work funding application was submitted to his Department.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The longest outstanding Access to Work application was received on 19h January 2022. This application is currently on hold at the request of the customer to allow them time to gather information to support the application.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what matters were assessed by the latest statutory review of the benefit cap levels as set out in Section 96A subsection (3) paragraph (b) of the Welfare Reform Act 2012.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State took into account evidence and statistics held in the department, the views of stakeholders, the wider economic climate, public funds and the circumstances of capped households were also considered. At the new levels the cap will continue to incentivise work, particularly at a time of high vacancies.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 March 2023 to Question 157005 on Universal Credit: Disqualification, when his Department last made an assessment of the effectiveness of the deterrent effect of benefit sanctions on Universal Credit claimants who have been subject to repeat adverse sanction decisions.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We have made no such assessment.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the Equality Analysis of the changes made to the Administrative Earnings Threshold for Universal Credit which came into force in (a) September 2022 and (b) January 2023.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has completed an Equality Analysis for both of the changes made to the Administrative Earnings Threshold.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the Equality Analysis of the changes made to the Benefit Cap due to come into force on 1 April 2023.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State has complied with his duties under the Equality Act 2010 in respect of the statutory review of the benefit cap levels and the changes that will come into force from 1 April 2023.