Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she has had with her Australian counterpart on the potential merits of a reciprocal social security agreement with the UK covering the uprating of pensions.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Secretary of State has not had any recent discussions on this issue with the Government of Australia.
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
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 potential merits of the Canadian Government’s request for a reciprocal social security agreement with the UK covering the uprating of pensions.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Department for Work and Pensions plans to respond shortly on this issue.
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to amend the 36 week eligibility requirement for Support for Mortgage Interest payments to support people struggling with mortgage payments due to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The Department has no plans to amend the qualifying period for Support for Mortgage Interest.
Home owners struggling with mortgage repayments because of COVID-19 should contact their lender as soon as possible to discuss what support might be available.
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
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 resume assessments for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit claims during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Our priority throughout this health emergency continues to be to protect the public and staff, while ensuring people get the benefits they are entitled to quickly and safely. Reviews and reassessments remain suspended while we review what activity we can gradually start reintroducing in line with the latest public health advice. We will confirm next steps as soon as possible.
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department are taking to ensure that no claimant for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit loses out due to delays in assessment due to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
I can reassure you that IIDB is being treated with the same priority as other benefits and we are working closely with our stakeholders to restart assessments safely as soon as possible. Once face-to-face assessments are recommenced and cases progressed, awards will be backdated to the date of claim to ensure no one is underpaid. In the meantime, for claimants with the most serious or terminal conditions, claims continue to be processed and decisions made as normal. We are actively considering how to deal with those cases not currently being processed.
Reassessment case awards have been extended to ensure that payments continue unhindered on those cases. Any deteriorations in condition which would have meant an increase in award, will be backdated once face-to-face assessments recommence, to ensure that no one is underpaid.
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is her Department’s policy for Jobcentre staff not to refer individuals to Trussell Trust foodbanks.
Answered by Will Quince
Under long-standing national guidance issued to all Jobcentres, staff can signpost benefit claimants to a local food bank provided all sources of formal support have been considered.
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
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 cost to the public purse of employment support allowance back-payments owed to claimants.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Latest published forecasts of arrears owed to ESA claimants underpaid on conversion from Incapacity Benefit are available here:
The most recent published information on arrears already paid to claimants affected by underpayments on conversion from Incapacity Benefit is available here:
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
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 cost to the public purse of personal independence back-payments owed to claimants.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.