Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of not providing supplementary fuel payments to people who receive Contributory Employment and Support Allowance on those claimants.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Winter Fuel Payments are an age-related payment payable to those who have reached state pension age. The payment provides reassurance to older customers that Government help is available during the winter months to help with their energy bills. This winter 2022/23 winter fuel payments will be increased by £300 and households with someone of state pension age and under 80 will receive £500 and households with someone aged 80 or over will receive £600.
Cold Weather Payments are made to people in receipt of certain income-related benefits. People who receive contribution-based benefits, such as contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance, are not eligible for Cold Weather Payments. This is because the Cold Weather Payment scheme was specifically designed to target the most vulnerable people in society, by providing help with additional heating costs during periods of severe weather. The Government firmly believes that the fairest way of managing this is by linking eligibility to income-related benefits, as this ensures that public funds are used in the most effective way possible.
Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the sufficiency of legacy benefits in supporting constituents with rising fuel costs and costs of living; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of backdating the £20 uplift to those who were ineligible.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The uplift to Universal Credit was a temporary measure. We have no plans to complete an assessment of backdating it.
Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of financial support available to people who operate and require the use of medical equipment within their homes.
Answered by Chloe Smith
We are committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions to realise their potential and live independently. Dedicated financial support for equipment at home is available to some disabled people and can be explored through Apply for equipment for your home if you're disabled - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) or Financial help if you're disabled - GOV.UK.
The Department recognises the extra costs disabled people can face in their everyday lives. Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment are intended to help with these extra costs. Claimants are able to use their benefit according to their own priorities. These benefits are tax-free, non-contributory and are uprated annually in line with inflation. They are paid in addition to other benefits which someone may be able to receive.
Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to respond to the urgent matter from the hon. Member for Falkirk of 21 July 2021, CMS ref 121026584364 on a constituent.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A response was sent to the Hon Member on the 23 July 2021.
Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to ensure that her Department responds to the letter dated 11 May 2021 to the Minister for Disabled People regarding a constituent of the hon. Member for Falkirk, ref NY043775B, before that constituent's personal independence payment tribunal deadline of 2 July 2021.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A reply was sent to the hon. Member on behalf of the Minister for Disabled People on 18 June.
Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paying parents who receive income from rental property being required to pay more in child maintenance payments as a result of changes in the calculation of their gross income, if she will make a make an assessment of (a) the equity of that policy, (b) the effect of those changes on the amount affected individuals are required to pay and (b) the effect on paying parents affected by those circumstances.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We believe that both parents have a financial responsibility to contribute towards the cost of bringing up their child. The calculation represents an amount of money that is broadly similar to the amount that a paying parent would spend on the child if they were still living with them.
Variations of a Child Maintenance calculation can be requested on grounds of unearned income; such as rental income from property or land, where the paying parent receives unearned income of at least £2,500 a year. This amount is then included in the gross income figure used to calculate the amount of maintenance owed.
As landlords can claim tax relief for certain costs linked to their properties, the rental income used in the calculation is usually net of HMRC allowable expenses (i.e. mortgages, maintenance of the property, rent, ground rent and service charges).
The Service runs through broad rules set out in child support legislation. The statutory scheme aims to provide the best overall outcome and protect the welfare of all of its clients.
Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to ensure that the Child Maintenance Service provides additional financial support to people affected by parental alienation as a form of domestic abuse.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service's responsibility is limited to maintenance payments. There are no plans for the Child Maintenance Service to provide additional financial support to people affected by parental alienation as a form of domestic abuse.
The Government takes the issue of domestic abuse seriously. The Child Maintenance Service will continue to monitor the service offered to clients who have experienced domestic abuse.
Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
What steps she is taking to ensure that her Department’s response to the covid-19 outbreak does not disadvantage women.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is committed to ensuring that the services and benefits it offers works for everyone including women, as we tackle the Covid 19 crisis. This Government has invested over £6.5bn in strengthening the safety net overall, including making changes to the benefits system to ensure claimants receive the support they need. Notably Universal Credit claimants, and people receiving Working Tax Credits, are receiving an increase in the standard rate of up to £1040 per year for the next 12 months, additional to the uprating announced in November 2019.
Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants have also been increased.
Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2019 to Question 237797 on Work Capability Assessments, what performance is monitored at assessment-centre level; and what proportion of SC12 and SC13 targets were met for each year that Maximus held the contract.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The department monitors Assessment Centre level performance on waiting times (SC12), claimants sent home unseen (SC13) and recent performance trends. Whilst we are able to produce much longer performance trends, the information required to do so is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The proportion of SC12 and SC13 targets that were met for each year that Maximus has held the contract are shown in the table below: -
Contract Period | Number of months target was met in each year |
|
| SC12 | SC13 |
Year 1 (Mar 2015- Feb 2016) | 10 | 4 |
Year 2 (Mar 2016- Feb 2017) | 3 | 6 |
Year 3 (Mar 2017- Feb 2018) | 1 | 1 |
Year 4 (Mar 2018- Feb 2019) | 1 | 7 |
**Data extracted from the monthly Performance Monitoring reports
The attached annex (annex A) contains a breakdown of each contract year, showing for each month whether target SC12 and SC13 were met.
We are continuing to work closely with the supplier to improve waiting times for more claimants.
Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2019 to Question 237797 on Work Capability Assessments, what proportion of SC12 and SC13 targets were met by Maximus since the start of the contract, at (a) Stirling assessment centre, (b) the top three and (c) bottom three achieving centres.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
SC12 and SC13 are national targets. We do not have contractual targets for individual assessment centres. Disproportionate costs would apply to answer this question, assuming the national target levels were applied by assessment centre, as the information is not readily available.