Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training on the fluctuating conditions of muscular dystrophy is provided to assessors of (a) personal independence payment, (b) universal credit and (c) employment support allowance.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
All health professionals carrying out assessments are clinically qualified and registered practitioners in their own field. DWP requires health professionals to have a broad training in disability analysis as well as awareness training in specific conditions, which includes Muscular Dystrophy. While preparing to undertake an assessment, health professionals have access to a range of resources as well as experienced clinicians to support them in assessing individuals with conditions that they may not be familiar with. Additionally, assessment providers engage with medical experts, charities and relevant stakeholders to strengthen their training programmes.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department has taken help claimants with muscular dystrophy complete forms for (a) personal independence payment, (b) universal credit and (c) employment support allowance.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
PIP claims are assessed on the basis of functional need rather than health condition.
UC and ESA do not categorise referrals for a Work Capability Assessment by condition. Information on how a health condition affects their ability to perform everyday tasks is gathered by asking claimants to complete UC50/ESA50 (Limited Capability for Work Questionnaire).
In PIP, UC and ESA there are no specific claims processes designed for individual health conditions such as muscular dystrophy however the Department takes seriously the need to support vulnerable claimants with form completion as follows:
a) For PIP
As part of the PIP New Claims processes all customers, including those with muscular dystrophy, are asked if they have the support they need to make their claim and complete the application process. Claimants are offered additional support where appropriate and this is noted on their records to ensure they continue to receive the support they need throughout the PIP process.
b) For UC
If a claimant needs help with the completion of the UC50 there is help available from the Health Assessment Advisory Service.
We want the application process for Universal Credit to be as quick and easy as possible to ensure that claimants receive their money at the earliest opportunity. Comprehensive support is available to claimants to use our digital service, however we recognise there will be occasions when people are unable to make or maintain their claim online, so telephone support is available.
Universal Credit has been designed with a diverse range of claimants in mind and in these instances where digital access is not possible, information normally available through a claimant’s online account will be communicated in an alternative format, which is best suited to an individual’s circumstances. The initial verification can include a home visit to support a claimant with making their claim and completing any other administrative tasks required to ensure that they receive the correct payment.
Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland have supported over 200,000 individuals through ‘Help to Claim’ since April 2019, offering tailored and practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim up to receiving their first full correct payment on time. ‘Help to Claim’ is available online, on the phone and face-to-face in locations including Jobcentres and Citizen’s Advice Bureaux.
c) For ESA
For new claims to ESA, assistance with form completion takes place over the telephone. For New Style ESA claims, Visiting Officer support is available to help complete claim forms if this cannot be done through support from family, friends and 3rd parties or via support from a Work Coach in the Jobcentre.
If a claimant needs help with the completion of the ESA50 there is help available from the Health Assessment Advisory Service - if the claimant is deemed vulnerable we can consider requesting support by means of a DWP Visiting Officer.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether there are financial provisions in place for (a) agency workers, (b) people on temporary contracts and (c) other employees who do not receive statutory sick pay in the event that their employers ask them to stay away from the workplace due to coronavirus concerns.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Those whose employers ask them to stay away from the workplace due to coronavirus concerns, who do not qualify for Statutory Sick Pay, may be able to claim Universal Credit and/or new-style Employment and Support Allowance. Those who do qualify for Statutory Sick Pay will not be eligible for new-style Employment and Support Allowance but may still qualify for Universal Credit depending on their circumstances.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
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 encourage private businesses to be more accessible to people with disabilities.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has made a commitment to publish a new National Strategy for Disabled People in 2020, focusing on removing barriers to ensure disabled people can lead a life of opportunity and fully participate in British society.
Business has a vital role to play in making its products and services more accessible. In support of that objective, I have appointed 18 Sector Champions to use their influential status and leadership to drive change across in individual business sectors. The sectors currently covered are Advertising, Banking, Broadcast Media, Gaming, Hotels, Leisure (Physical Activity), Live Music, Retail, Tourism, Transport - Airports, Buses and Trains, Arts and Culture, Insurance, Technology, Countryside and Heritage, Web Accessibility, Brand and Design, and Products and Spaces. In addition, the Retail Forum was established to improve accessibility and inclusion of its premises and services for disabled people.
The Government is also working to support people with disabilities who are in work or wish to work. Over 16,000 employers have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme, which provides employers with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to attract, recruit, retain and develop disabled people in the workplace. The Access to Work scheme offers a discretionary grant of up to £59,200 per year for in-work support above the level of reasonable adjustments for people whose disability or health condition affects the way they do their job.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
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 implications for his policies of the findings of the February 2020 Joseph Rowntree Foundation report entitled UK Poverty 2019-2020 that 56 per cent of people living in poverty were also in a working household in 2018; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Will Quince
There is clear evidence about the importance of work in tackling poverty now and in the future. For example, a child growing up in a home where all adults are working is around 5 times less likely to be in poverty than a child in a household where nobody works. The majority of people in in-work poverty either work solely part-time, are the single earner in a couple, or are full-time self-employed.
Delivering a sustainable long-term solution to poverty means building a strong economy and ensuring that the benefit system works with the tax system and the labour market to support employment and higher pay. There are over 1 million fewer workless households compared with 2010, with around 730,000 fewer children in workless households, and over 3.8 million more people have entered work, averaging around 1,000 people a day. Around three-quarters of the growth in employment since 2010 has been in full-time work. Our unemployment rate is now less than half the Euro area average. Around three-quarters of the growth in employment since 2010 has been in full-time work, substantially reducing the risk of poverty.
Joseph Rowntree Foundation reported that Universal Credit is likely to help an extra 300,000 members of working families out of poverty.
Universal Credit is designed to help people move into work faster, stay in work longer and spend more time looking to increase their earnings. It provides more financial help with childcare costs (eligible claimants are able to claim up to 85 per cent of their childcare costs, compared to 70% on the legacy system), a dedicated Work Coach, and removes the 16-hour ‘cliff edge’ for those who are working. We are confident that, as UC reaches more working families, we will see more people working full-time and ultimately achieving independence from the State.
We will continue to reform the welfare system so that it promotes work as the most effective route out of poverty and is fairer towards those who receive it and the taxpayers who pay for it. We also want to identify opportunities to create a highly productive workforce, improving progression prospects for the lowest paid people so everyone has the right skills to meet the UK’s future demand. That is why we are delivering a significant programme of research and testing to build the evidence of how to overcome the obstacles that people face so that they can improve their earnings and career prospects.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
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 recording all calls from benefits claimants to ensure that complaints can be followed up.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department acknowledges the merit and does record inbound calls to DWP’s helplines in order to make improvements to service and follow-up on any complaints received.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the recent report by Macmillan Cancer Support, Cancer - A costly diagnosis? Stories of the financial impact of cancer, if she will take steps to help mitigate the financial effect of a cancer diagnosis on patients and their families.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department takes seriously the need to support vulnerable claimants. We are committed to ensuring that people who have cancer are treated with the utmost sensitivity and care when making a claim to Universal Credit. Overall we are spending £55 billion a year on benefits to support disabled people and people with health conditions. That’s a record high and up £10 billion in real terms since 2010.
For instance, in terms of the support we provide, the UC50 questionnaire incorporates a 'light touch' evidence gathering process for cancer patients, and makes clear that Clinical Nurse Specialists and consultants can provide information on the form, therefore making the claim and assessment process simpler for people with cancer. This ensures the Department can make accurate and timely payments of Universal Credit.
Staff delivering Universal Credit undergo a comprehensive learning journey designed to equip them with the tools, skills and behaviours required to provide a high quality service to all claimants, including those who have cancer and other serious health conditions. Colleagues receive on-going learning in their roles and have access to Universal Credit guidance which is refreshed at regular intervals.
It is important to ensure those affected by cancer receive the most appropriate support and we have worked closely with many representative organisations to improve the WCA process for those affected. From January 2013, the categories of cancer treatments under which a claimant can be treated as having limited capability for work-related activity (LCWRA) have been expanded to include individuals who are awaiting, receiving, or recovering from treatment by way of chemotherapy irrespective of route, and radiotherapy. Although there is no automatic award, in these cases, there is a presumption that the claimant has LCWRA, subject to suitable evidence being provided by a professional such as a GP, oncologist or clinical nurse specialist.
Work coaches personalise the support they provide for each claimant based on individual need and circumstance, including the offer of home visits or postal signing where appropriate. Local jobcentres have the flexibility to work alongside organisations to help meet the needs of their communities, helping our most vulnerable, at risk, claimants to access the support they need. We also work with organisations to produce guides on specific vulnerabilities.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disability living allowance claimants who applied for personal independence payments after their 16th birthday were unsuccessful in their claims.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There were 49,110 Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claimants who applied to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) after their 16th birthday and had their claim disallowed at initial decision. This is compared to 77,150 who had their claim awarded at initial decision. Both figures are for initial decisions made between the introduction of PIP in April 2013 and 31st January 2019.
Source: PIP ADS
Notes:
Data is for initial decisions only and do not take into account the results of Mandatory Reconsiderations or Appeals.
Disallowances are recorded under the following categories: “Disallowed Pre-referral to the AP”*, “Disallowed pre-referral to the AP – due to non-return of Part 2 within the time limit”*, Disallowed – Failed Assessment” and “Disallowed – Failed to Attend Assessment”.
Data does not include claimants who registered a claim but voluntarily withdrew their claim during the claim process.
PIP data includes normal rules and special rules for the terminally ill claimants.
Data has been rounded to the nearest 10.
Figures are for Great Britain only.
*AP = assessment provider
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which minister in her Department authorised the recent universal credit campaign in the Metro newspaper in May 2019.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
We are the biggest Government Department with a day to day operation on which around 22 million citizens depend. We have a responsibility to advertise Universal Credit and have been doing so for some time. This helps ensure people understand the benefits they may be entitled to and that they have the information they need when it comes to making a claim.
The Department has a responsibility to ensure claimants do not miss out on their full entitlements and to encourage people to make their claim as quickly as possible.
To identify complaint cases concerning the Universal Credit campaign in the Metro newspaper would require every complaint case to be examined. So, this data could only be collated at a disproportionate cost to the Department.
In November 2018 Ministers agreed to the principle of national media partnership. The specific Metro campaign was taken forward by Departmental officials. Ministers agreed the content of the launch products.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to rectify any potentially misleading messages on universal credit published in the Metro newspaper in May 2019.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
We are the biggest Government Department with a day to day operation on which around 22 million citizens depend. We have a responsibility to advertise Universal Credit and have been doing so for some time. This helps ensure people understand the benefits they may be entitled to and that they have the information they need when it comes to making a claim.
The Department has a responsibility to ensure claimants do not miss out on their full entitlements and to encourage people to make their claim as quickly as possible.
To identify complaint cases concerning the Universal Credit campaign in the Metro newspaper would require every complaint case to be examined. So, this data could only be collated at a disproportionate cost to the Department.
In November 2018 Ministers agreed to the principle of national media partnership. The specific Metro campaign was taken forward by Departmental officials. Ministers agreed the content of the launch products.