Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many veterans have been identified as Universal Credit claimants since the introduction of the new DWP marker.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) started collecting data on the Armed Forces status of Universal Credit (UC) claimants in Great Britain (GB) in April 2021. At first only new claimants were asked about their Armed Forces status. From June 2021 onwards, other UC claimants reporting changes in their work and earnings have also been able to report their status. From July 2021 onwards, UC agents have also been able to record claimants’ Armed Forces status if they are told about this via other means such as journal messages, face-to-face meetings or by telephone.
It should be noted that Armed forces status is self-reported by claimants and is not verified by the Ministry of Defence or Office for Veterans’ Affairs. A claimant’s status can be recorded as “currently serving”, “served in the past”, “not served” or “prefer not to say”.
By 14th March 2024, an armed forces status of “served in the past” had been recorded for approximately 110,000 claimants with UC claims for which a statement had been generated. This figure includes some people who are no longer on the UC caseload, some who had a nil payment claim and some who subsequently reported a different armed forces status, e.g. “currently serving”. It should be noted that the available data does not allow a comprehensive estimate of the total number of UC claimants who are, or have been, veterans.
Notes:
1. The figure provided is for Great Britain. Data is not collected on the Armed Forces status of UC claimants in Northern Ireland.
2. The figure provided has been rounded to the nearest ten thousand.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
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 reduce the number of veterans receiving PIP.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is intended to provide a contribution towards the extra costs of people with long-term health conditions and disabilities and is available irrespective of their past or current employment. The benefit is non means–tested, non-contributory and thus paid regardless of any income or savings. It can be paid at one of eight rates depending on the level of the individual’s needs.
Entitlement to PIP is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself. Individuals can be affected in different ways by the same condition and so the outcome of a PIP claim depends very much on individual circumstances. Where a claimant’s needs change they may see a higher or lower award or lose entitlement altogether.
As PIP is needs-based and paid in the terms outlined above, we have no initiatives which are targeted at veterans.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
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 active personnel on Universal Credit.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Serving armed forces personnel can claim Universal Credit in exactly the same way as any other citizen. Any entitlement will depend on a number of factors, including earnings and any other income; capital; constitution of household; and housing costs.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many veterans received Carer’s Allowance in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not collected and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many veterans were PIP claimants in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not collected and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many veterans received Housing Benefit in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As previously stated, veteran status is supplied voluntarily by claimants therefore the information requested is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of collecting data on the number of veterans living in garrison towns that claim (a) PIP and (b) Universal Credit.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As the hon. Member is aware, the department already collects information on those members of the armed forces community, including veterans, receiving Universal Credit. This information is not required and is provided voluntarily by the claimants.
On Personal Independence Payment, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 13 March 2024 to question UIN 16600.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2024, to Question 16599 on Universal Credit: Armed Forces, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of verifying the self-reported armed forces status of universal credit claimants.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department has no plans to change the self-reported armed forces status for universal credit claimants. Our general approach is to trust the information provided to us by individuals and it is unclear what benefits checking this information would bring, particularly as it may place additional burdens on the claimants and departments concerned.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of veterans on Universal Credit.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 6 February 2024 to PQ11939.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many veterans received Pension Credit in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not collected and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.