Written Question
Thursday 17th July 2014
Asked by:
Anne Begg (Labour - Aberdeen South)
Question
to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to ensure that kinship carers with children aged under 18 are exempted from conditionality requirements; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Esther McVey
Where work-related requirements do apply, work coaches should already take account of a person's caring responsibilities and the particular circumstances of kinship carers who have older children – for example, ensuring that the work coach considers the impact of any Residence Orders or Special Guardianship Orders on a claimant's capacity to look and be available for work.
Written Question
Thursday 17th July 2014
Asked by:
Anne Begg (Labour - Aberdeen South)
Question
to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of kinship carers who are subject to conditionality requirements under job seeker's allowance.
Answered by Esther McVey
The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Written Question
Thursday 17th July 2014
Asked by:
Anne Begg (Labour - Aberdeen South)
Question
to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of kinship carers in receipt of employment support allowance.
Answered by Esther McVey
The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Written Question
Thursday 17th July 2014
Asked by:
Anne Begg (Labour - Aberdeen South)
Question
to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of kinship carers who are (a) affected by the under-occupancy penalty and (b) in receipt of discretionary housing payments.
Answered by Esther McVey
The information requested is not available.
Local authorities administer discretionary housing payments. Decisions are based on claimants' individual circumstances. This may include consideration of the specific circumstances that have led to the need for a kinship carer. DWP guidance recommends that local authorities give priority to foster and kinship carers (in Scotland) in allocating discretionary housing payments if more than one extra bedroom is required. Regulations already allow an additional bedroom for foster and kinship (in Scotland) carers.
Speech in Westminster Hall - Thu 10 Jul 2014
Jobcentre Plus
"I have less than a minute to respond. I pay tribute to the hard-working Jobcentre Plus staff; they do their core ventures well, work in difficult and ever-changing circumstances and they are at the front line, having to take a lot of the criticism of Government policies, which they are …..."Anne Begg - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Thu 10 Jul 2014
Jobcentre Plus
"I am delighted to lead this debate on the report by the Select Committee on Work and Pensions, “The role of Jobcentre Plus in the reformed welfare system”. It is a bit of a mouthful, but the report contains a lot of interesting things. We published it at the end …..."Anne Begg - View Speech
View all Anne Begg (Lab - Aberdeen South) contributions to the debate on: Jobcentre Plus
Speech in Westminster Hall - Thu 10 Jul 2014
Jobcentre Plus
"I am not sure whether I can shed any more light on that than my right hon. Friend. Perhaps the Minister can reply. Certainly, in our briefings with the DWP and relevant officials, they have suggested that the Government are trying to work something out, but that they believe either …..."Anne Begg - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Thu 10 Jul 2014
Jobcentre Plus
"We have been consistent in requesting that the Department introduce a classification tool, so the Select Committee has certainly been convinced of the efficacy of such a tool, and 70% seems not too bad. I think the figure ranged between 50% and 70%, but that is better than nothing. At …..."Anne Begg - View Speech
View all Anne Begg (Lab - Aberdeen South) contributions to the debate on: Jobcentre Plus
Speech in Westminster Hall - Thu 10 Jul 2014
Jobcentre Plus
"Indeed; that was one of the things we pointed out in our report. We drew particular attention to it in our more recent report on the implementation of universal credit, which was debated in the Chamber on Monday—that is two reports in a week, showing that we are a really …..."Anne Begg - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Thu 10 Jul 2014
Jobcentre Plus
"I think people would be surprised to learn that Jobcentre Plus does not routinely record the reason why someone leaves benefit. As far as JCP is concerned, because the primary focus is on benefit off-flows, the important thing is that the person is no longer on a job-seeking benefit. However, …..."Anne Begg - View Speech
View all Anne Begg (Lab - Aberdeen South) contributions to the debate on: Jobcentre Plus