Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support after the death of a terminally ill child parents who were not in work while caring for that child.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Any individual whose caring responsibilities cease because the person they are caring for has died, will receive an 8 week continuation of Carer’s Allowance, and where applicable a continuation of Income Support and any other benefit premiums that have been awarded as a result of the caring responsibility. There will also be an 8 week continuation of Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit (where applicable) paid. The 8 week continuation of benefit is designed to allow an individual to make any arrangements and or claims to benefit to ensure that they are not placed in financial hardship. If an individual is claiming Universal Credit that would otherwise stop following a bereavement they will, in some circumstances, receive a Bereavement run-on of up to three months.
We will also make easements for mandatory work related requirements for a period following the death of a child where the claimant was the child’s parent.
Where entitlement to the current benefit ceases or a new claim is required, the Department for Work and Pensions will support the individual to make a claim to the appropriate benefit.
In addition, the Government recently announced the establishment of the Children’s Funeral Fund for England. Under this scheme, bereaved parents will no longer have to meet the costs of a burial or cremation. Bereaved parents on qualifying benefits may also receive a Funeral Expenses Payment to help towards the cost of a funeral. Interest-free Social Fund Budgeting Loans are also available for funeral costs.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of people currently not in work following the death of a child for whom they were a long-term carer.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Although no statistics are kept on claims from former long-term carers of now deceased children, the benefit system does support people in such circumstances.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of replacing the six-month qualifying period for attendance allowance with a supporting statement from a medical professional confirming a long-term disability.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Entitlement to Attendance Allowance is based on the on-going need for frequent personal care and attention, or supervision to ensure personal safety, rather than on the individual’s medical condition. The six-month qualifying period helps establish that the disability and the resulting care or supervision needs are of a long-term nature, and ensures the benefit goes to those for whom it is intended. The Government believes the current long-standing rules of a six month qualifying period are working well.
Severely disabled people do not always have to wait for six months from the date of their claim before they become entitled to the benefit. The Decision Maker will always look at whether, and for how long, the severely disabled person has required the necessary level of care or supervision before the date of claim, and consider whether some or all of the qualifying period has already been completed.
For people who have a progressive disease and are not expected to live longer than another six months, there is no requirement to meet the 6 month qualifying period.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she has taken to make the PIP application process more user-friendly for severely disabled people.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Department is continually working to improve the claimant journey for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for all claimants including those severely disabled. We have recently conducted a review of all claimant communications, as explained in the Government’s response to the second independent review of the PIP assessment carried out by Paul Gray. The response can be accessed from here:
Improvements we have made include introducing the Video Relay Service for those with communication difficulties who use British Sign Language (BSL) so they are able to communicate with the Department more easily and also ‘Next Generation Text’ (NGT) for Deaf or hard of hearing claimants unable to use BSL or those unable to speak.
For vulnerable claimants with no support available and who may not be able to engage with the claim process due to reduced mental capacity may be able to receive a visit from a DWP Visiting Officer to help them complete the PIP claim form.
Where there is sufficient evidence available, a decision on entitlement to PIP can be made without the need for a face-to-face assessment with a Healthcare Professional. If a claimant is invited to attend an assessment and has difficulties travelling due to a severe disability they can discuss with the assessment provider to arrange potential rescheduling or have a home visit if they are unable to travel.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to ensure that visually impaired job applicants are guaranteed adequate magnification facilities on workplace computers, and that they are not discriminated against in job application processes.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Under the Equality Act (2010), employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for employees who have a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. When a disabled person thinks they might have been treated unfairly and want further advice, they should contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service here: https://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/
Most, if not all, computer operating systems have screen magnification options built into their Accessibility settings. Physical screen magnifying equipment is not usually expensive and may well fall within the scope of a reasonable adjustment. However, if there are any instances where expensive specialist screen magnification equipment is required for an employee or a job applicant, it may be possible for Access to Work (ATW) to support its provision.
Access to Work is a demand-led, discretionary grant scheme which provides practical and financial support with the additional costs faced by individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job. The scheme does not replace the duty an employer has under the Equality Act to make reasonable adjustments. Instead it provides support that is over and above that which is a reasonable adjustment. More information about Access to Work can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work.
We are promoting the skills and talents of disabled people and those with long term health conditions to employers through the Disability Confident Scheme. The Scheme focuses on the role of employers, who have a crucial role to play in ensuring disabled people are recruited, retained and developed in their careers. We are also using Disability Confident to disseminate information about employers’ responsibilities and the support available for both employers and individuals. You can find out more about Disability Confident here: https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the Government's policy is on compensating people affected by the clawback feature of the Midland Bank pension scheme.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Such arrangements are not a DWP matter. It is a decision for employers and trustees to operate “clawback” or “integrated” pension scheme arrangements.
There are no plans to legislate to compel schemes to withdraw an integration arrangement. Any retrospective change would impose significant additional unplanned costs. Pension scheme rules on the calculation of benefits are many and varied, and must remain a matter for employers and scheme trustees to decide.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
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 unfreezing local housing allowance.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
There are no plans to lift the four year Local Housing Allowance (LHA) freeze before April 2020.
The Government recognises however that the impact of this measure varies across the country, especially in areas of high rental growth and therefore recycles 30 per cent of the savings from the LHA Freeze to create Targeted Affordability funding. This funding is used to increase LHA rates in areas where local rents have diverged the most. For example in 2017/18 48 LHA rates have been increased by 3 per cent. Further Targeted Affordability Funding will be made available in 2018/19 and 2019/20.
In addition since 2011, the Government has provided around £900 million in Discretionary Housing Payments to local authorities (LAs) to protect vulnerable claimants and support households affected by different welfare reforms including the freeze to LHA rates.