Asked by: Alberto Costa (Conservative - South Leicestershire)
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 requiring (a) pension companies to hold a consultation when considering closing a defined benefit pension scheme and (b) independent assessment of the potential closure of such a scheme.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The legal requirements for employers on certain changes to occupational pension schemes are detailed in The Pensions Act of 2004. This states that larger employers with 50 or more workers are required to consult with affected members or their representatives about proposed significant changes to their pension scheme, including closure, before implementing the change.
These requirements ensure that scheme members are aware of the change and the impact on their future pension, and that they have an opportunity to comment. The Pensions Regulator provides information for employers on closing a pension scheme to new members or future accruals and winding up a scheme at their website including detailed regulatory guidance and can be found at https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/employers/managing-a-scheme/closing-your-scheme.
Asked by: Alberto Costa (Conservative - South Leicestershire)
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 assist people in receipt of benefits by expanding access to social tariffs offered by telecommunication companies.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
DWP is working with DCMS to encourage Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to expand eligibility for broadband social tariffs to all claimants in receipt of Universal Credit and other means-tested benefits.
We have developed an Application Programme Interface (API) service, which allows ISPs to verify, with the customers’ permission, if they are in receipt of an eligible benefit for the broadband social tariffs.
DWP is working with Ofcom to raise awareness of this important Help for Households initiative amongst claimants and staff in Jobcentres, Universal Credit Service Centres, and Pensions Centres.
Asked by: Alberto Costa (Conservative - South Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to review the level of state pension received by British nationals living overseas.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The UK State Pension is payable worldwide and annual index-linked increases (up-rating) are paid where there is a legal requirement to do so. For example, in countries where we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating. This policy is longstanding and has been supported by successive post-war Governments and Parliaments for over 70 years.
The government doesn’t intend to change long standing policy.
Asked by: Alberto Costa (Conservative - South Leicestershire)
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 merits of extending the Kickstart scheme to allow smaller businesses to take on fewer than 30 new workers under the scheme.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Companies looking to recruit fewer than 30 Kickstart applicants are still able to benefit from Kickstart by bidding for placements via an intermediary organisation. Intermediaries can gather employers keen to offer Kickstart jobs to make a collective bid of 30 or more vacancies. Smaller employers will have support from the intermediary to create high quality roles and additional support so that young people get the most out of their placement. This also reduces the administrative burden falling on the small employer. The department has received significant interest from a wide range of bodies including local authorities, charities and trade/industry bodies looking to become intermediaries.
Asked by: Alberto Costa (Conservative - South Leicestershire)
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 ensure that child maintenance payments are being reviewed on a regular basis.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Child maintenance calculations are reviewed annually using income information from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), meaning they stay up to date, and the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) does not need to rely on clients to report changes in their circumstances. However, a parent can report a change of circumstances at any time, if the income information received is not representative of the individual’s current earnings. The CMS will consider re-assessing their current earnings, if found to be 25 per cent different from the figure received from HMRC.
Asked by: Alberto Costa (Conservative - South Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support her Department is providing to low-income families to help towards the cost of funerals during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government provides support to bereaved families in a number of ways. The Funeral Expenses Payments scheme provides a significant contribution towards the cost of a simple, respectful funeral arranged by recipients of certain income based benefits or tax credits. The scheme pays necessary burial and cremation costs in full, as defined by legislation, plus up to £1000 for other expenses such as the cost of a coffin, church and funeral director fees, which was increased from £700 on 8 April. Scotland has a similar scheme, the Funeral Support Payment scheme. Support for funeral costs for all young people under 18 is provided by the Children’s Funeral Fund for England, with similar schemes in Scotland and Wales. Interest-free Social Fund Budgeting Loans and Universal Credit Budgeting Advances can also be used for funeral expenses. Further financial support is available through Bereavement Support Payments which help working age people whose spouse or civil partner dies.
Asked by: Alberto Costa (Conservative - South Leicestershire)
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 effect of increasing the national living wage on people's potential to exceed the weekly income limit for carer's allowance.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
We are proud of the National Living Wage and the significant increases the Government has been able to make to it. Universal Credit flexes to take increased earnings into account. Carer’s Allowance has a weekly earnings rule.
Subject to Parliamentary approval, this will increase from £123 to £128 net a week from April 2020, in line with average earnings growth.
The Department is to undertake research into carers employment and potential barriers to working. We will look at the findings from the research and other evidence with an open mind when the level of the earnings limit is next considered.