Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason Disability Living Allowance (DLA) ceases with immediate effect upon the death of a child; what assessment her Department has undertaken on the child mortality rate of child applicants to DLA; and if the Government will take steps to support parents of a child in receipt of DLA with funeral costs following the death of that child.
Answered by Chloe Smith
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children is an extra-costs benefit available to those under the age of 16 who, due to a disability or health condition have mobility issues and/or have needs which are substantially in excess of a child the same age without the disability or health condition. It is not an income replacement benefit. It is non-contributory and not means tested or subject to taxation and is therefore payable to eligible children regardless of the family’s income. As it is paid as a contribution towards the extra costs that arise as a result of a long-term health condition or disability, entitlement therefore ceases following the death of the disabled child.
However, entitlement to Carer's Allowance can continue for up to eight weeks following the death of the disabled person who was being cared for. The normal Carer's Allowance entitlement rules continue to apply during this eight-week run-on. The eight-week run-on helps carers who have recently been bereaved by giving them some time to adapt to their new circumstances.
The Children’s Funeral Fund for England can help to pay for some of the costs of a funeral for a child under 18 or a baby stillborn after the 24th week of pregnancy. In addition, the means tested Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment may be able to offer up to £1000 of additional support for other funeral expenses for eligible customers.
We currently do not hold data on mortality rates of child applicants to DLA.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made on the impact of not uprating benefits in line with inflation on levels of child poverty in Lancaster and Fleetwood.
Answered by David Rutley
No such assessment has been made. The Government is up-rating benefits in line with inflation. The Secretary of State undertakes an annual review of benefits and pensions with reference to the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). All benefit up-rating since April 1987 has been based on the increase in the relevant price inflation index in the 12 months to the previous September. The relevant benefits are increasing by 3.1% from April.
The latest statistics on the number and proportion of children who are in low income families by local area, covering the six years, 2014/15 to 2019/20, can be found in the annual publication: Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).
This Government is committed to reducing poverty and supporting low-income families, and believes work is the best route out of poverty. Our approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment – particularly where it is full-time – in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
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 impact of not uprating benefits in line with inflation on the incomes of households in receipt of universal credit, in the context of the end of the £20 weekly uplift.
Answered by David Rutley
The Secretary of State undertakes an annual review of benefits and pensions based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation in the year to September. All benefit up-rating since April 1987 has been based on the increase in the relevant price inflation index in the 12 months to the previous September.
The Government is providing £12 billion of support with the cost of living, with help targeted at working families, low-income households and the most vulnerable. A further £9 billion has been announced to protect against the impact of rising global energy prices.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
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 cumulative impact on the living standards of households in receipt of universal credit of (a) not up-rating benefits in line with inflation, (b) the end to the £20 weekly uplift to universal credit and (c) the rise in living costs.
Answered by David Rutley
No assessment of the cumulative impact of these measures has been made.
The Government is uprating Universal Credit in line with inflation. The Secretary of State undertakes an annual review of benefits and pensions with reference to the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). All benefit up-rating since April 1987 has been based on the increase in the relevant price inflation index in the 12 months to the previous September. The relevant benefits are increasing by 3.1% from April.
The Government is providing £12 billion of support to ease cost of living pressures, with help targeted at working families, low-income households and the most vulnerable. A further £9 billion has been announced to protect against the impact of rising global energy prices.
Since 2010 the Government has regularly published cumulative analysis of the impacts of its tax, welfare and public spending policies on households. The most recent assessment was published at Budget 2021. It showed that, in 2021/22, the poorest 60% of households will receive more in public spending than they contribute in tax. And households in the lowest income decile will receive more than £4 in public spending for every £1 they pay in tax on average.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
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 Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency.
Answered by Chloe Smith
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19th January to question number 104377.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to support people unable to work as a result of having long covid.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The DWP offers financial support through Universal Credit and New Style Employment and Support Allowance for people affected by the pandemic, including those with long-COVID, if they satisfy eligibility criteria. In addition, people with long-COVID may be eligible to Personal Independence Payment.
Employers are legally required to pay Statutory Sick Pay to eligible employees who are off work sick including where sickness absence is due to long-COVID. Some employers may also decide to pay more, and for longer, through Occupational Sick Pay.
Furthermore, the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC), who advise the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions regarding Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB), are investigating whether long-COVID can be prescribed as an occupational disease for the purposes of IIDB.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
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 length of time between people reaching State Pension age and receiving their first State Pension payment in each of the last three months.
Answered by Guy Opperman
DWP is aware that a small number of new State Pension claims have been subject to delays in receiving payment.
The Department is working hard to clear the current backlog, many of which have accrued since the Covid Pandemic.
We are prioritising overdue payments and payments that are imminent within the next few weeks. Normal service will be resumed by the end of October 2021.
Claimants don’t need to act, we have identified the cases and will process them as soon as possible.