Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
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 impact of changes to the State Pension age on women born in the 1950s in Morley and Outwood constituency.
Answered by Paul Maynard
We do not hold regional figures on the impact of changes to State Pension age.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman report into the changes to Women’s State Pension Age, published on 21 March 2024, if he will bring forward proposals for a compensation scheme by 23 July 2024.
Answered by Paul Maynard
In laying the report before Parliament at the end of March, the Ombudsman has brought matters to the attention of this House. A further update to the House will be provided once the report's findings have been fully considered. This work is ongoing.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department issues to public bodies on non-disclosure agreements requested by commercial enterprises as a condition of (a) access and (b) investigation for (i) health and safety at work and other (ii) issues; and what oversight there is of such agreements.
Answered by Paul Maynard
We have not been able to trace any such guidance being issued by the Department for Work & Pensions and no oversight is provided in relation to such agreements.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are eligible for the state pension in (a) Morley and Outwood constituency and (b) West Yorkshire.
Answered by Laura Trott - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
In the quarter ending February 2022 the State Pension caseload in Morley and Outwood constituency was 17,826.
In the quarter ending February 2022 the State Pension caseload in the following Local Authorities was:
Bradford | 77,153 |
Calderdale | 37,118 |
Kirklees | 72,053 |
Leeds | 118,932 |
Wakefield | 62,935 |
Source: DWP benefits statistics: August 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
These figures do not include people who are deferring their State Pension.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to promote Pension Credit uptake among those who are eligible but do not claim that credit in Morley and Outwood constituency.
Answered by Guy Opperman
On 17 May, DWP Ministers hosted a roundtable event attended by a range of stakeholders who have an interest in pensioners’ financial wellbeing, to explore opportunities on getting information about Pension Credit to pensioners and their family members. A subsequent working group meeting between DWP officials and stakeholders was held on 22 June to explore taking this work forward.
The Government wants to make sure that all eligible pensioners across Great Britain, including the Morley and Outwood constituency, claim the Pension Credit to which they are rightly entitled. DWP continues to use multiple ways to reach those who can claim. On 16 June, DWP joined forces with Age UK, Len Goodman, Rustie Lee and the BBC to help reach those who may be reticent about claiming Pension Credit. The aim was to renew our efforts to raise awareness of Pension Credit, encouraging people to check their eligibility and make a claim.
We have recently updated our online toolkit which provides a range of ideas and support which stakeholders can use with their customers to encourage take-up of Pension Credit. Two new videos specifically target key messages aimed at pensioners as well as their family members and friends.
Our Pension Credit pages on gov.uk have recently been updated, drawing attention to how Pension Credit can provide extra money as well as a range of other help for pensioners who get it. The online claim facility we introduced last year, further enables family, friends and organisations to help pensioners make a claim.
This year, over 11 million pensioners in Great Britain received messaging about Pension Credit with their annual State Pension up-rating letter which also highlighted that an award of Pension Credit can mean being eligible for other benefits such as Housing Benefit or a free over-75 TV licence.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department has taken to make businesses aware that they can join the Kickstart Scheme, without the threshold of a minimum 30 jobs.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The removal of the 30 minimum jobs threshold was announced by the Secretary of State on 25 January. The announcement was featured in the national press and we engaged with key stakeholders to disseminate the message throughout their employer networks.
The Department for Work and Pensions continues to actively engage with employers of all sizes to promote applications and interest in the Kickstart Scheme. Ministers are personally engaging with employers to encourage new applications.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what further steps her Department plans to take to promote the Kickstart scheme throughout West Yorkshire.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The Department for Work and Pensions continues to actively engage with employers of all sizes to promote applications and interest in the Kickstart Scheme. Ministers are personally engaging with employers to encourage new applications.
We continue to work with key stakeholders to ensure that Kickstart is offered across Great Britain and in a wide range of sectors. Through our Engagement Strategy we are focussing on targeted promotional activities working through a mix of place-based partners (such as local authorities and mayoral combined authorities) as well as trade bodies representing specific sectors.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
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 people who are considering changing careers as a result of the covid-19.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
Through our Plan for Jobs, the department is providing broad ranging support for all jobseekers who want to change career or employment sector, including those who are looking for work as a result of Covid 19. Currently, support includes Job Finding Support (JFS), Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPS) and Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS). In addition, the Restart programme is due to launch later this year, furthering support options.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to tackle unemployment in Morley and Outwood constituency as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The department is increasing unemployment support for people in all areas of the country, including Morley and Outwood, through the Plan for Jobs package. Kickstart and Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS) were recently launched with the Job Finding Support Service to follow. In addition, 13,500 extra Jobcentre Work Coaches are being recruited to support claimants to find or re-enter employment.