Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of Government programmes on the employment prospects of the over-60s.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The department is supporting people of all ages back in to work. The Government’s recently announced Plan for Jobs provides new funding to ensure more people, including older workers, get tailored Jobcentre Plus support to help them find work and to build the skills they need to get into work. This includes £895m to double the number of Work Coaches in Jobcentre Plus by March 2021; a £150m increase in the Flexible Support Fund which will also boost the capacity of the Rapid Response Service to help those facing redundancy move into other jobs; £40m for a new online support service will provide tailored one-to-one job finding support to the recently unemployed.
The Government also aims to triple the number of sector-based work academy programme placements, supporting unemployed claimants of all ages through training and work experience to find a job. A further £95m will expand the Work and Health programme to offer new support to those who have been made unemployed.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance her Department has published for employers to support employees suffering from the long-term effects of covid-19.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Research into the long-term health symptoms and impacts of COVID-19 is ongoing. However, it is clear that for some of those who have survived, the virus and the treatment they have received to combat it will have a lasting impact on their health.
Employers have particular responsibilities towards disabled workers including making reasonable adjustments to avoid disabled workers being put at a disadvantage. DWP’s new Employer Help site provides advice on employment of disabled people, explaining how Access to Work and Disability Confident can help businesses to ensure their practices are fair and inclusive.
The law is clear: to discriminate directly, or indirectly, against anyone because of a protected characteristic such as age, sex or disability, race or ethnicity is unlawful. All equality and discrimination laws and obligations continue to apply during the coronavirus pandemic.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
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 claimants suffering from long-term effects of covid-19 can access appropriate welfare support.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN:78723.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department’s review of how the welfare system works for people with a terminal illness includes issues relating to universal credit for terminally ill people.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
In July 2019, the then DWP Secretary of State announced an in-depth evaluation of how the benefits system supports people nearing the end of their life and those with the most severe conditions.
The evaluation included three strands of research:
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether there has been a reduction in Special Rules for Terminal Illness claims for universal credit as a result of her Department's change to the online application question on terminal illness in May 2019; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Data exists in the system that would require matching across a number of data sets, which is a substantial piece of work. The required information is therefore not all readily available to analysts in a format that would enable them to undertake the analysis and quality assure the figures, to answer this PQ in the timescales.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
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 a future jobs fund to assist with job creation in (a) Tameside and (b) Stockport.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
DWP is engaging cross-government to understand supply & demand across the labour market throughout and beyond the COVID-19 crisis.
We are in discussions with other Government Departments and a range of stakeholders to explore all options to ensure the right support is in place for individuals who have been adversely impacted by COVID that will meet the needs of the individual as well as local priorities.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to publish the findings of the review into how the benefits system supports people nearing the end of their life and those with severe conditions, announced on 11 July 2019.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
I refer the Rt.Hon./hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 May 2020 to Question UIN 41931:
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
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 lowering the retirement age for part-time female workers that are carers for (a) older people and (b) family members with disabilities.
Answered by Guy Opperman
Since the removal of the Default Retirement Age in 2011, there is no formal retirement age, and people are encouraged to work for as long as they wish and are able. This will ensure as people live longer healthier lives that they can build the income they need for a secure future.
We are aware that the time people leave the labour market will differ between individuals, and will be affected by a host of factors, including health, caring responsibilities and other factors. It would be impossible to take account of all factors in setting the State Pension age.
In the Government’s 2016 State Pension age Review, Independent Reviewer John Cridland, concluded that disadvantaged groups should be assisted through the working age benefit system rather than through changes to the State Pension age.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what provisions her Department has in place to support people who lose their motability vehicle for a prescribed period due to changes in their benefits.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Department worked closely with Motability to develop an extensive £175 million transitional support package when PIP was first introduced. This provides support to people who have not been awarded the enhanced mobility component upon reassessment from DLA to PIP and as a result lose their Motability scheme vehicle. This is paid for by the Motability charity, at no cost to the taxpayer.
Claimants who are reassessed from DLA to PIP and joined the Motability scheme before 1 January 2014 can keep their vehicle for up to 3 months after finding out their claim is unsuccessful and are offered a one-off payment of between £1,000 and £2,000. If a claimant is appealing the decision made on their DLA to PIP reassessment, they are offered a 26- week lease extension and a smaller one-off payment. In addition, claimants have the option to buy their old Scheme vehicle, and can obtain help to adapt any new, non- scheme vehicle.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many meetings she has held with external stakeholders on the rates of state pension since her appointment.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Secretary of State has not had any meetings with stakeholders on the rates of the state pension since her appointment. The Government engages with a wide range of stakeholders about pension rates, and the Secretary of State reviews these rates annually.