Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of personal independence payment claims are auto-extended on more than one occasion due to a backlog of claims being processed by assessment providers, such that an assessment cannot be undertaken within the first period of auto-extension.
Answered by Chloe Smith
To protect PIP customers, we have developed an automated Digital solution which essentially extends the current award for cases where there is a risk that the claim will fall out of payment.
As we see continuing high demand for PIP new claims, customers are currently waiting longer than expected to have their claim reviewed, which has led to some awards being extended more than once.
The information requested on multiple extensions, however, is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of mandatory reconsideration requests for personal independence payments were found in favour of claimants, for those claimants resident in Poplar and Limehouse constituency in (a) 2019, (b) 2020 and (c) 2021.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The proportions of mandatory reconsiderations requests for PIP found to be in favour of claimants in the Poplar and Limehouse constituency is available on Stat-Xplore: : https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/. In particular, you may be interested in the ‘PIP MR Clearances’ table, which, under ‘Westminster Parliamentary Constituency’ you can select Poplar and Limehouse and ‘MR Decision’ will give you the breakdown of the MR decisions.
Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
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 changes in the level of the cost of processing mandatory reconsiderations of claimants on the number of requests being processed.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The number of forecasted MRs processed each month is based on the number of forecasted MRs received each month. The forecast methodology of the numbers of MRs received each month varies from benefit to benefit. Broadly, analysts use factors such as claim rate, caseload, historical MR rates, and decision outcomes e.g. disallowed cases. Analysts review these factors at each forecasting round to improve the quality of forecasts.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of universal credit claims that were initially found to have failed the habitual residence test had those decisions overturned at (a) Mandatory Reconsideration Stage, (b) First-Tier Tribunal, and (c) prior to a Tribunal hearing but having submitted a request to open an appeal.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Detailed information on Universal Credit Mandatory Reconsiderations (MRs) is available from Feb-19 onwards.
| Percentage as a proportion of claimants with a failed HRT |
Requested an MR after failed HRT | 7 |
Decision changed at MR | 2 |
Appeal lapsed before tribunal | less than 1 |
Appeal overturned original decision at tribunal | less than 1 |
GB only
An overturned appeal is where the DWP decision is revised in favour of the customer at a tribunal hearing.
This information is based on HRT (Habitual Residence Test) decisions from Feb 2019 to June 2021, for Great Britain only, and MR and appeals decisions to the end of September 2021. The figures do not include MRs or appeals made about other aspects of these UC claims.
A lapsed appeal is where DWP changed the decision, in the customer’s favour, after an appeal was lodged, but before it was heard at a tribunal hearing.
A number of appeals lodged concerning an HRT decision during this time have not yet been heard by a tribunal, so these figures may rise slightly. In addition, while most appeals are lodged within a month of the MR decision, it is possible for appeals to be lodged with good reason beyond this time.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help ensure that those who are unable to access universal credit due to failing the habitual residence test are appropriately signposted to alternative forms of (a) financial and (b) crisis support and advice.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Customers who fail to satisfy the Habitual Residence Test are advised of appeal rights within the decision notification letter they receive. The letter also reminds them of their right to submit a Mandatory Reconsideration, which will be reviewed by another Decision Maker in our Disputes Resolution Team.
Customers who contact the Department or Jobcentres for further assistance are directed to local support services available. If they are deemed to be extremely vulnerable, a referral is made to our local Advanced Customer Service Senior Leaders team, who have greater local knowledge of support available for customers in need.
All complex decisions for the Habitual Residence Test will be escalated to specialist Decision Makers, who go through specific training on making Habitual Residence Test decisions. These decisions are subject to rigorous quality standards.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of people who have been affected by the underpayment of benefits after transitioning from incapacity benefit to employment and support allowance in Poplar and Limehouse constituency.
Answered by Chloe Smith
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19th January to question number 104377.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
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 accessibility of employment support available to Poplar and Limehouse constituents in the context of the closure of the Poplar Job Centre.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The new site is located near to Poplar Jobcentre and has excellent transport links.
Work Coaches can advise claimants in such circumstances.
If an individual has a disability, caring responsibilities, children or any other reason for needing support Jobcentre Work Coaches will discuss and offer support to people based on their individual circumstances this also includes limited or no access to the internet at home, for which claimants can request to attend a local Jobcentre. Work Coaches will continue to offer employment support to people in Poplar and Limehouse.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the closure of Poplar Job Centre on benefit claimants with no or limited access to the internet at home.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The new site is located near to Poplar Jobcentre and has excellent transport links.
Work Coaches can advise claimants in such circumstances.
If an individual has a disability, caring responsibilities, children or any other reason for needing support Jobcentre Work Coaches will discuss and offer support to people based on their individual circumstances this also includes limited or no access to the internet at home, for which claimants can request to attend a local Jobcentre. Work Coaches will continue to offer employment support to people in Poplar and Limehouse.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the closure of Poplar Job Centre on claimants with (a) disabilities, (b) caring responsibilities and (c) children.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The new site is located near to Poplar Jobcentre and has excellent transport links.
Work Coaches can advise claimants in such circumstances.
If an individual has a disability, caring responsibilities, children or any other reason for needing support Jobcentre Work Coaches will discuss and offer support to people based on their individual circumstances this also includes limited or no access to the internet at home, for which claimants can request to attend a local Jobcentre. Work Coaches will continue to offer employment support to people in Poplar and Limehouse.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
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 increased cost of travel for benefit claimants who will no longer be able to access a Job Centre Plus within Poplar and Limehouse constituency.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The new site is located near to Poplar Jobcentre and has excellent transport links.
Work Coaches can advise claimants in such circumstances.
If an individual has a disability, caring responsibilities, children or any other reason for needing support Jobcentre Work Coaches will discuss and offer support to people based on their individual circumstances this also includes limited or no access to the internet at home, for which claimants can request to attend a local Jobcentre. Work Coaches will continue to offer employment support to people in Poplar and Limehouse.