Asked by: Conor McGinn (Independent - St Helens North)
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 (a) number of families in receipt of universal credit in St Helens North from April 2018 and (b) proportion who will receive their full payment within six weeks of universal credit rollout.
Answered by Damian Hinds
A) The information is not currently available as it will be new claims only.
B) The data published on 15 September 2017 shows that, nationally, 81% of new full service claims received their first payment in full and on time. The published data can be found here. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/universal-credit-payment-timeliness-january-to-june-2017
Asked by: Conor McGinn (Independent - St Helens North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many job centres will close to the public before the lease on their premises expires in the next three years.
Answered by Damian Hinds
This information is commercially sensitive.
However the Word document attached lists the jobcentres that are due to move their services to other sites and to close by 31 March 2018. Exact dates for these sites are still being agreed but closures will be through a phased approach.
We are taking a phased approach to the closure of these Jobcentres because there are a significant number of activities that need to take place to move people, our customers and caseloads to the importing Jobcentre. In phasing this work in this way, we can minimise the risk of any disruption to vital services. For the vast majority of DWP offices there will be no change in location. Where we are closing a site, we will take all possible precautions to minimise disruption for customers.
This will mean that the DWP will be able to offer a more efficient service, while delivering good value for the taxpayer and saving over £140 million a year for the next 10 years.
Asked by: Conor McGinn (Independent - St Helens North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to announce a decision on the future of Newton-le-Willows job centre.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The Department intends to confirm its plans for the DWP estate, including Newton-le-Willows Jobcentre, soon and will make a statement in due course.
Asked by: Conor McGinn (Independent - St Helens North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect that a Local Housing Allowance cap will have on other services provided by local authorities.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
To date no assessment has been made of the effect of a Local Housing Allowance cap that will be introduced in the social rented sector from 2019 on other services provided by local authorities as the policy has not been finalised.
Asked by: Conor McGinn (Independent - St Helens North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of implementing the Local Housing Allowance cap.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Local Housing Allowance rates will be introduced into the social rented sector in April 2019. We estimate that this policy will save the Exchequer £235 million in 2019/20.
Asked by: Conor McGinn (Independent - St Helens North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much top-up funding will be provided to each local authority following the introduction of the Local Housing Allowance cap.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The information requested is not available. We have recently completed a joint DWP/DCLG consultation on the supported housing model with commissioners and providers, developers and investors, residents and those who represent their views. The new model outlined in our consultation will enable local authorities to assess their provision by utilising their local knowledge to drive transparency, quality and value for money from their service providers.
Asked by: Conor McGinn (Independent - St Helens North)
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 number of 18 to 21 year olds in (a) St Helens North constituency, (b) Merseyside and (c) the UK who will be affected by the recent Universal Credit (Housing Costs Element for claimants aged 18 to 21) (Amendment) Regulations 2017.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Department estimates that, nationally, 5,000 people will be affected in the first year with 10,000 a year affected in steady state. No estimates have been made at more localised levels.
Asked by: Conor McGinn (Independent - St Helens North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have accessed services at Newton-le-Willows Jobcentre in each year since 2010.
Answered by Damian Hinds
We are unable to provide exact figures of people who have accessed services at Newton-le-Willows Jobcentre, as the extent to which they are required to attend will vary, depending upon the specific requirements of the benefit they receive. The purpose of the equality analysis is to help establish how many people are likely to be affected by the proposal.
Asked by: Conor McGinn (Independent - St Helens North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in which postcodes are covered by Newton-le-Willows Jobcentre.
Answered by Damian Hinds
Newton le Willows covers the WA12 postcode area. There are currently 213 JSA claimants, 105 ESA, 71 IS and 185 UC claimants on caseloads at this office.
Asked by: Conor McGinn (Independent - St Helens North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff of his Department are employed at Newton-le-Willows Jobcentre.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
At 31 December 2016 the Department for Work and Pensions employed four staff at Newton-le-Willows Jobcentre.