Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason great aunts and great uncles may not claim Specified Adult Childcare Credits; and if he will publish his Department’s rationale for the eligibility criteria for those Credits.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Prior to the introduction of SACC in 2011, a consultation was undertaken (15/10/2010 to 26/11/2010) seeking views. The Government response to the consultation, including the original consultation itself, can be found by visiting www.gov.uk/government/consultations/national-insurance-credits-changes.
Specified Adult Childcare Credits (SACC) were introduced to recognise the contribution that family members make by providing childcare and enabling the primary carer to work. The policy intention was to make as many family members as possible eligible to claim SACC whilst being consistent that the child and adult be related by blood or parental relationship.
While understanding that caring relationships vary widely between families, the position taken with the definition of a “family member” is consistent across several pieces of legislation. Great Aunts and Uncles do not fall under this definition.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will reconsider her plans to close 41 of her Department's processing sites, as announced in March 2022.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department has too much estate. There is currently capacity for over 158,000 people across the Department’s estate, against a requirement for space for approximately 90,000. We therefore need to reduce our estates capacity, while retaining our national footprint. The Department’s plans for transformational change will support delivery of the Government priorities for getting people back into employment, deliver long-term savings and meet Government modernisation commitments. Reshaping how, when and where the Department works, will result in a smaller, greener and better estate.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claimants have been asked to pose with photos of street signs and the day's local newspaper to establish their identity.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Asking claimants to upload photographs is a targeted approach to verify evidence in cases where we have intelligence to suggest there is a medium to high risk of fraud.
We do not hold exact figures on the number of cases where photographs have been requested with prescribed background settings, but I can confirm that this only affects a very small proportion of claimants.
This approach is proving to be an effective measure in our efforts to identify and stop fraudulent claims. With overall benefit fraud costing the taxpayer £6.3bn in 2020/21, taking appropriate preventative action is the right thing to do.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to raise awareness of bereavement support payment in order to increase uptake of that benefit.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Bereavement Support Payments (BSP) can provide vital support for those who are eligible to receive them and our communications are directly targeted at this group. The department staff, including those in Jobcentres, are trained to ensure correct support is offered to all customers and can assist with the process of applying for BSP as we appreciate applications are made at a difficult time.
We also produced a step by step guide to help bereaved people understand what to do after a death. It provides information on where to get help, which agencies to approach and which benefits they may be able to claim; while also signposting them to GOV.UK for the latest information. We have improved the information available on GOV.UK about BSP and Funeral Expenses Payment and are continually exploring ways to join up Bereavement Services and the Cross-Government Tell Us Once service.
We continue to promote BSP to relevant external stakeholders through regular meetings, newsletters and ministerial engagement.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new applications for universal credit have been received since 23 March 2020; how many of those claims resulted in an existing legacy benefit claim ending, and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that no recipient of legacy benefits is financially disadvantaged as a result of making a new application for universal credit.
Answered by Will Quince
It has always been the case that, where claimants’ circumstances change significantly, their entitlement will be recalculated based on a new set of rules under a new benefit.
Throughout the coronavirus outbreak, DWP’s communications team has reacted quickly and across multiple platforms and mediums to help as many people as possible navigate the range of new and existing financial support available from the Government. This includes launching a new microsite within the “Understanding Universal Credit” website to help people understand the eligibility criteria of different support schemes and benefits and the interaction between the different support offers. Since this new content was launched in early March, it has received over 1.8 million page views.
The Department continually makes improvements to the UC service in response to feedback and user research. Therefore, on 3 June we introduced a check-through box to remind claimants to check their eligibility before making a claim and to remind them that legacy benefits will cease when the UC claim is submitted and that they will not be able to return to them in the future, even if the claimant is not entitled to UC.
DWP cannot advise individual claimants whether they would be better off moving to UC or remaining on legacy benefits. For this reason, prospective claimants are signposted to independent benefits calculators on GOV.UK.
From 22 July 2020, a two-week run on of Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance (IR) and Jobseeker’s Allowance (IB) will be available for all claimants whose claim to UC ends entitlement to these benefits to provide additional support for claimants moving to UC. This is in addition to the Transition to UC Housing Payment, a two-week extension of Housing Benefit, that is already in place.
Data surrounding Universal Credit caseload growth at national, regional and constituency level is published at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk
Guidance for users is available at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html
The latest Management Information on declarations to Universal Credit was published on 16 June 2020. It can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-declarations-claims-and-advances-management-information
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to respond to Question 30815 of 17 March 2020 from the hon. Member for Edinburgh East.
Answered by Will Quince
Students who do not ordinarily have entitlement to Universal Credit (UC) and who receive a maintenance loan or grant through the student finance system, will continue to be able to draw upon this financial support until the end of this academic year.
Those who do not receive student finance and who would ordinarily not have entitlement to UC, such as those undertaking a part-time course which would otherwise not be considered as compatible with the requirements for them to look for and be available for work, will have entitlement to UC. We have disapplied UC and both legacy and new style JSA work preparation, work search and availability requirements and related sanctions. This will initially be for a three-month period. After three months, consideration will be given as to whether a further extension is required.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) full time students and (b) other people who are not entitled to social security but who are not able to work due to the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on their employment.
Answered by Will Quince
Students who do not ordinarily have entitlement to Universal Credit (UC) and who receive a maintenance loan or grant through the student finance system, will continue to be able to draw upon this financial support until the end of this academic year.
Those who do not receive student finance and who would ordinarily not have entitlement to UC, such as those undertaking a part-time course which would otherwise not be considered as compatible with the requirements for them to look for and be available for work, will have entitlement to UC. We have disapplied UC and both legacy and new style JSA work preparation, work search and availability requirements and related sanctions. This will initially be for a three-month period. After three months, consideration will be given as to whether a further extension is required.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has in place to protect people working (a) freelance and (b) without a contract whose work is reduced or ended as a result of the effect of covid-19 on the business they work for.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Chancellor has announced a Self-Employed Income Support Scheme that will help millions of people across the UK, with those eligible receiving a cash grant worth 80% of their average monthly trading profit over the last three years. This covers 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment.
The scheme brings parity with the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, whereby the Government committed to pay up to £2,500 each month in wages of employed workers who are furloughed during the outbreak.
We have also temporarily relaxed the application of the Minimum Income Floor (MIF) for all self-employed claimants affected by the economic impact of COVID-19 to ensure that the self-employed can access UC at a more generous rate.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department will take to (a) identify and (b) support people with mental health problems during the migration to universal credit.
Answered by Will Quince
Our processes to move claimants over to Universal Credit will be co-designed with stakeholders, to ensure that we have listened and understood claimants’ experiences – we want a process that works well for everyone. The Managed Migration regulations provide the flexibility and fail-safes to protect vulnerable claimants. We are not moving everyone at once and we are designing a process to ensure a smooth transition with continuous support.
Universal Credit provides unprecedented personalised support for people by simplifying benefits. People receive tailored support through work coaches, who know each person’s case.
Work Coaches are trained to support claimants with mental health conditions and identify those who need support when transitioning to Universal Credit. The Department has developed an enhanced mental health training programme, which has been delivered to all work coaches, as well as other colleagues who may benefit from it, such as case managers and team leaders. We have also enhanced the role of the Disability Employment Advisers, who are actively providing advice and guidance on what works for claimants with disabilities, including those with mental health issues.
Additionally, a commitment was made for monthly transitional payments to be made to eligible former Severe Disability Payment claimants who have already moved to Universal Credit due to a change in circumstances and to provide a lump sum arrears payment, where appropriate. This includes those who suffer from severe mental health conditions.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of universal credit (a) are classed as vulnerable and (b) have a mental health condition.
Answered by Will Quince
The data requested is not available.
Health conditions are not categorised into either physical and mental conditions. Vulnerabilities can include a range of complex needs and differing personal circumstances and so there is no definitive definition of the term vulnerable.
We do however publish the breakdown of Universal Credit claimants with different work related requirements. This is available at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/login.xhtml
Guidance for users is available at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html
We have listened to feedback on how we can improve Universal Credit to support our claimants and acted quickly, making improvements such as extending advances, removing waiting days, and introducing housing benefit run on. These changes are giving support to those who need it most, whilst at the same time helping people get into work faster.