Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
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 impact of the recent cost of living increases on people claiming Personal Independence Payments.
Answered by Chloe Smith
In response to the increase in the costs of living, around six million people who receive a non-means-tested disability benefit will receive a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150, including those in receipt of Personal Independence Payment. This is only one part of the government’s £15bn package of support and sits alongside Cost of Living Payments of up to £650 for means-tested benefits recipients, the first instalments of which are currently being made, payments to those eligible for Winter Fuel Payments and the extension of the Household Support Fund. This is on top of the £22bn the government has already announced to support households with the cost of living.
In addition to specific targeted support, disabled people may also benefit from previously announced measures to help people tackle the cost of living, including:
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) men and (b) women have begun Kickstart scheme placements.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
An initial assessment of a sample of the first 20,000 claimants who started a Kickstart job placement from the commencement of the scheme up to 6th May 2021, found that 51% were male and 49% were female. The Department for Work and Pensions will be monitoring and evaluating the Kickstart scheme throughout its implementation, and will continue to evaluate the longer term outcomes for Kickstart participants after they have completed their six-month job placements. This will include an examination of the demographic make-up of participants, including gender.
Although care is taken when processing and analysing Kickstart applications, referrals and starts, the data collected might be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system which has been developed quickly. The management information presented here has not been subjected to the usual standard of quality assurance associated with official statistics, but is provided in the interests of transparency. Work is ongoing to improve the quality of information available for the programme.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
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 implications for its policies of the findings of the Pension Credit report from Independent Age.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No such assessment has been made.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on financial support for people in receipt of the state pension.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with the Chancellor on a range of issues. The Government is committed to ensuring that older people are able to live with the dignity and respect they deserve and the State Pension is the foundation of state support for older people. It is supported by further measures for older people, which include the provision of free bus passes, free prescriptions, Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of eligible people have claimed pension credit in Erith and Thamesmead constituency.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As at May 2020, 2,501 households claimed Pension Credit in Erith and Thamesmead.
Information requested on the proportion of eligible people who claim Pension Credit figure is only available at the Great Britain level: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-2018-to-2019
This information is published and available at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk Guidance for using Stat-Xplore is available at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on setting and monitoring cross-Government objectives on supporting young unemployed people during the current economic situation.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
My Department works closely with a range of partners including local authorities, key stakeholders and colleagues in other Government Departments - including the Department for Education, Department for Media, Culture and Sport and HMT - to set common objectives on how we deal with the future challenges around youth employment and monitor how we are providing support.
From September 2020 we started the implementation of the new DWP Youth Offer for all 18 to 24 year olds. This includes the introduction of our Youth Employment Programme, during which young people will be referred to the most appropriate support. We have also implemented DWP Youth Hubs and DWP Youth Employability Coaches.
We have launched the Kickstart Scheme, dedicated to helping those young people at risk of long term unemployment develop their skills and experience through thousands of 6-month job placements.
We will continue to monitor our policies and processes to ensure young unemployed people are effectively supported during this unprecedented time.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has provide financial assistance to clinically vulnerable people in the event that their place of work remains open but they are unable to attend that place work as a result of health concerns during the period of new national covid-19 lockdown from 5 November 2020.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
BEIS Safer Workplaces guidance advises that workers who can work effectively from home should do so over the winter. If an individual cannot work from home, clinically vulnerable individuals can still attend their workplace as their workplace should be COVID-secure. Employers are required to take steps to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace.
Those who are clinically extremely vulnerable will previously have received a letter from the NHS or their GP informing them of this and may have been advised to shield in the past. Individuals who receive a notification that they need to shield should not go in to work if they are unable to work from home.
Employees who are clinically extremely vulnerable can be furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and remain eligible for New Style Employment and Support Allowance, subject to the wider eligibility criteria. Where they are not furloughed, and they cannot work from home, they may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from their employer.
Where an individual’s income is reduced while off work sick and they require further financial support, they may be able to receive Universal Credit, depending on their personal circumstances.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
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 providing statutory sick pay to foster carers during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) provides a minimum level of income for employees when they are off work sick, or deemed incapable of work. It is paid in full by employers. To receive SSP from their employer, individuals must meet all SSP eligibility conditions, including being classed as an employee.
SSP is just one part of the government’s safety net and the support to people in times of need during the pandemic. Where an individual’s income is reduced while off work sick or self-isolating, for example where they are not eligible for SSP, and they require further financial support they may be able to claim Universal Credit and new style Employment and Support Allowance, depending on individual circumstances. Working people on low incomes who are required to remain at home by NHS Test and Trace to help stop the spread of the virus and cannot work from home can also now receive £500.
Background
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance her Department is providing to people with covid-19 symptoms who are required to self-isolate and do not qualify for statutory sick pay in (a) Erith and Thamesmead constituency and (b) England.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The guidance given to customers is dependent on their own personal circumstances. They will be signposted to the most relevant benefit.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
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 effect of the easing of covid-19 lockdown restrictions on disabled people.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to supporting disabled people affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. We continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on disabled people using existing and new data sources.
The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work has had discussions with charities, disabled people's organisations and individuals to understand the range of experiences disabled people have had during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the support needed as lockdown restrictions are eased.
The Government is ensuring that disabled people continue to have access to accessible communications, updated guidance, including workplace and transport related guidance, as well as other support during the Covid-19 outbreak. All equality and discrimination laws and obligations continue to apply during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Cabinet Office Disability Unit continues to work with disability stakeholders and across Government Departments to ensure that the needs of disabled people are considered in the UK Government’s response to COVID-19.