Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
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 women born in the 1950s who were affected by pension age changes are compensated.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government decided over 25 years ago that it was going to make the State Pension age the same for men and women as a long-overdue move towards gender equality. Raising State Pension age in line with life expectancy changes has been the policy of successive administrations over many years.
In the Judicial Review on changes to State Pension age, both the High Court and Court of Appeal have supported the actions of the DWP, under successive governments dating back to 1995, finding we acted entirely lawfully and did not discriminate on any grounds.
There is no plan to compensate anyone affected by State Pension age legislation that Parliament has enacted.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to reduce levels of poverty in people that are of pension age.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to action to alleviate levels of pensioner poverty. The overall trend in the percentage of pensioners living in poverty is a dramatic improvement over recent decades. Relative pensioner poverty rates (before housing costs) have halved since 1990. For the year 2019/20 there were 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty (both before and after housing costs) than in 2009/10. Material Deprivation, an alternative way of measuring poverty, is at an all-time low of 6% of pensioners.
Since 2010, the Government has increased the full yearly value of the basic State Pension by over £2,050 in cash terms. Around 1.4 million pensioners also receive some £5 billion of Pension Credit, which tops up their retirement income and is a passport to other financial help such as support with housing costs, council tax, heating bills and a free TV licence for those over 75. Around 70 per cent of eligible pensioners already receive the main Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit but we want all eligible pensioners to claim it. That’s why on 16 June as part of a media day of action on Pension Credit, DWP joined forces with Age UK as well as the BBC to help reach, via national and local media, older people who may be reticent about claiming it. We have also set up a working group made up of a range of stakeholders who have an interest in pensioners’ financial wellbeing to look at other opportunities and channels to get information about Pension Credit to pensioners and their family members.
In addition to these current measures, for future pensioners there is also auto-enrolment into workplace pensions, which has transformed pension saving for millions of workers. Furthermore, our 50 Plus: Choices agenda aims to maximise the labour market opportunities for people to earn and save for longer.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, (a) what assessment she has made of the potential merits for increasing the earnings limit for Carer’s Allowance, and (b) for what reason the earnings limit for Carer’s Allowance did not increase in line with CPI in April 2021.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Carer’s Allowance has an earnings limit which permits carers to undertake some part-time work if they are able to do so. We know that some carers are keen to maintain contact with the labour market to benefit from greater financial independence and social interaction, so we want to encourage carers to combine some paid work with their caring duties wherever possible.
The Carer’s Allowance earnings limit is not linked to the number of hours worked or the level of “minimum wage” payments. There is no statutory requirement to review the earnings limit each year or to link it to some other factor. A number of factors are taken into account when looking at the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit to decide whether an increase is warranted and affordable, including changes to wages and work incentives and the position of the public finances.
The earnings limit has increased by nearly a third since 2010 (from £100 to £128 net earnings per week), reflecting an increase in average earnings in recent years. These increases have helped ensure that the earnings limit has maintained its value. The earnings limit did not rise in April 2021 because it wasn’t considered appropriate to increase it due to the uncertainty of the economic climate and the impact on earnings growth.
The department has been undertaking research which will touch on carers employment and potential barriers to them working. We will look at the findings from the research and other evidence and arguments with an open mind, and would consider changes to the way the earnings limit is calculated if they were deemed to be necessary and affordable.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support is in place to assist (a) people and (b) people with mental health difficulties with financial management and guidance on budgeting in cases where a large back payment has been awarded.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
When a large back payment is made there are a number of mechanisms in place to support a customer, including those who may be vulnerable. These mechanisms depend on the legislative framework within the product line, and include payments being split between the customer and a third party with the customer’s consent, payments being paid in full to a third party who will support the customer to manage the payment, or paying smaller amounts staggered over a period of time.
For example, within Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit, where we identify that there may be an impact on the health, safety and wellbeing of a customer when they receive an arrears payment or a payment outside of their usual payment cycle, we work with the customer to understand their needs and help them to identify and access appropriate support.
This financial management support may include utilising the support of the Department’s Advanced Customer Support Senior Leaders and signposting customers to external organisations. These organisations include the Money Advice Service, Money Advice Trust, Citizens Advice or the customer’s own support worker, to ensure they are supported with the management of these funds.
We also offer budgeting support to customers receiving their regular benefits entitlement. In UC a referral process is in place where a need for Personal Budgeting Support is identified; this includes referral to online information, or a personal appointment by phone or in person to discuss a customer’s individual requirements. In some cases, an Alternative Payment Arrangement is agreed - where for example, payments are made more frequently or directly to a landlord to support claimants with longer term budgeting problems.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of an increase to carer’s allowance.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The proposed table of benefits / pension rates for 2021/22, including Carer’s Allowance, was published on 4 December 2020 in the House Library, following the Secretary of State’s annual review of benefit rates. Since 2010, the rate of Carer’s Allowance has increased from £53.90 to £67.25 a week, meaning around an additional £700 a year for carers. Between 2020/21 and 2025/26 real terms expenditure on Carer’s Allowance is forecast to increase by nearly a third (around £1 billion). By 2025/26, the Government is forecast to spend just over £4bn a year on Carer’s Allowance.
As of August 2020, there were 2,158 carers in the Huddersfield constituency that were claiming Carer’s Allowance, of which 1,667 were in receipt of Carer’s Allowance while 495 had an underlying entitlement to it (which can passport to carer premiums). In 2019/20 we spent approximately £5.7 million on Carer’s Allowance there.
Information on the number of people claiming Carer’s Allowance by Parliamentary constituency is published and available at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk
Guidance for users is available at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html
The latest information on benefit expenditure by parliamentary constituency including Carer’s Allowance is also published and available at:
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
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 introducing a vehicle access scheme specifically for people who have been diagnosed with severe autism.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government provides support to individuals faced with disabilities or long-term health conditions by way of the provision of Disability Benefits. The over-arching objective with mobility allowances is to enable individuals to overcome their personal barriers to mobility and independence that they face as a result of their disability. The current system allows eligible individuals to spend their allowance in whichever way they choose that best supports their individual needs. For some people this means accessing the Motability Scheme, administered by Motability Operations under contract to Motability the charity, and for others it could mean funding taxis, purchasing a vehicle or funding other support to enable them to make a journey.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions her Department has had with Motability Operations Ltd on reviewing the eligibility for the Motability scheme.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Motability and Motability Operations are independent from Government. Motability Operations is responsible for the operational delivery of the Motability Scheme, and is accountable to Motability the charity. Whilst the Department is responsible for the disability benefits that provide a passport to the Motability scheme, and works closely with Motability, responsibility for the terms and administration of the Scheme sits with Motability and its Board of Governors.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to reduce the taper rate of universal credit during the covid-19 outbreak to help alleviate staff shortages.
Answered by Will Quince
Throughout the pandemic this Government has continued to support the lowest-paid families by targeting our support to those most in need by raising the national living wage, spending hundreds of billions to safeguard jobs, boosting welfare support by billions and introducing the £170m Covid Winter Grant Scheme. It has also pledged to put an extra £1.7 billion a year into Work Allowances by 2023/24, increasing them by £1,040 a year for working parents and disabled claimants.
There are currently no plans to reduce the Universal Credit taper rate. This Government has already made significant investment to reduce it from 65% to 63% in 2017.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that all parents have access to infant formula at food banks.
Answered by Will Quince
Foodbanks are independent, charitable organisations and the Department for Work and Pensions does not have any role in their operation. Decisions about which donations to accept and make available to food bank users are therefore a matter for food bank providers.
Healthy Start vouchers support pregnant women or those with children under four who are on a low income with the cost of milk (including infant formula), fruit and vegetables helping to boost children’s long-term health. The weekly value of these vouchers will increase from £3.10 to £4.25 from next April.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
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 drivers of heavy goods vehicles are sufficiently protected from poor air quality.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates work-related health and safety in Great Britain. Employers, including Local Authorities (LAs), have existing duties under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 to manage health risks where workers may be exposed to hazardous substances as a result of work. The Regulations are supported by Workplace Exposure Limits (WELS) for substances hazardous to health. These will inform an employer’s assessment and management of risk from exhaust emissions and pollutants such as Nitrogen Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide that can give rise to Occupational Lung Diseases (OLD).
Low emissions vehicles have only recently become available and HSE is aware that a number of LAs are assessing their economic and environmental benefits. HSE’s remit does not include environmental pollution and HSE does not incentivize or encourage transition to low-emission vehicles. The responsibility for air quality is a devolved matter. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has responsibility for meeting limits in England and co-ordinates assessment and air quality plans for the UK as a whole.
Tackling OLDs as a result of exposure to hazardous substances at work is one of HSE’s health priorities. HSE works with a broad range of stakeholders including trade associations, employers, trade unions, third sector and professional bodies to reduce the incidence rate of OLDs.