Asked by: Bob Stewart (Conservative - Beckenham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to increase Support for Mortgage Payments to reflect interest rate rises.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) is calculated using a standard interest rate that is based on the Bank of England’s monthly published average mortgage rate.
Any increase in SMI payments will occur when the Bank of England’s average monthly mortgage rate differs from the standard rate by 0.5 percentage points or more.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Conservative - Beckenham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her Department's policy to target early advice on benefit entitlements to (a) sufferers of Alzheimer's disease and memory loss-related illnesses and (b) their families and carers.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
There is no specific policy covering the service offer for people suffering from or impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. However, it is DWP Policy to ensure customers who may be vulnerable or who have additional support needs, including those with Alzheimer's disease, are offered extra help and advice about claiming DWP benefits. This is regularly updated through Gov.uk.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Conservative - Beckenham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to simplify the benefit claims process for (a) claimants with Alzheimer's disease and other memory loss related illnesses and (b) their families and carers.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
There is no specific policy covering the service offer for people suffering from or impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. However, it is DWP Policy to ensure customers who may be vulnerable or who have additional support needs, including those with Alzheimer's disease, are offered extra help and advice about claiming DWP benefits. This is regularly updated through Gov.uk.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Conservative - Beckenham)
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 benefit application procedures on (a) claimants with Alzheimer's disease and memory loss related illnesses and (b) their family and carers.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
There is no specific policy covering the service offer for people suffering from or impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. However, it is DWP Policy to ensure customers who may be vulnerable or who have additional support needs, including those with Alzheimer's disease, are offered extra help and advice about claiming DWP benefits. This is regularly updated through Gov.uk.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Conservative - Beckenham)
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 merits of having a designated person in job centres and social security offices to provide information to claimants with Alzheimer's disease and memory loss-related illnesses and their carers.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
DWP is committed to providing the best possible support for all our claimants, including the most vulnerable in society. We are continuously reviewing and improving the service for vulnerable people, including its claims processes, to ensure that it is accessible and responsive to their needs.
Work coaches undergo a comprehensive learning journey which equips them with the tools, skills and behaviours required to support claimants with a range of disabilities and health conditions. This includes tailoring the support we provide to the needs of the customer, and the disabilities and health conditions they present with, and also extends to signposting to expert partner organisations for further support. Where the claimant is unable to attend the job centre due to their disability or health condition, we are able to offer a home visit from a DWP Visiting Officer.