Damian Hinds: DWP: All Documents

Written Question

Unemployment Benefits

Friday 14th February 2020

Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)

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 trend in the ratio of unemployment benefit recipients, including job seeker's allowance and universal credit to ILO-definition unemployment in the last five years.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

Over the last five years, the ratio between the Alternative Claimant Count (ACC) measure of claimant unemployment[1], and the ONS official measure of unemployment (based on the International Labour Organisation’s definition of unemployment)[2], has increased. This is shown in the table below and chart attached.

	ACC: claimant unemployment level (thousands)	ONS National Statistic: unemployment level (thousands)	Ratio: ACC / Unemployment
Aug-14	1,545	2,044	0.76
Aug-15	1,299	1,838	0.71
Aug-16	1,219	1,691	0.72
Aug-17	1,194	1,500	0.80
Aug-18	1,195	1,446	0.83
Aug-19	1,263	1,374	0.92

The two measures of unemployment should not be expected to match:

Some individuals who are unemployed according to the ACC measure of claimant unemployment may be working but with low earnings (and thus would continue to receive support). They would then be included in the ACC measure of claimant unemployment but not the ONS official measure of unemployment.
Some individuals who are unemployed according to the ONS official measure may not be eligible for means-tested support, or may not wish to claim the support available. They would then be included in the ONS official measure of unemployment but not the ACC measure of claimant unemployment.

The tables below show how the ratio between the two measures of unemployment has varied over the last five years, for different ages, genders and regions. The variation by previous occupation is not available.

Age	ACC: claimant unemployment level (thousands)		ONS National Statistic: unemployment level (thousands)		Ratio: ACC / Unemployment
Age	Aug-14	Aug-19	Aug-14	Aug-19	Aug-14	Aug-19
16-24	284	210	830	570	0.34	0.37
25-34	388	322	411	263	0.94	1.22
35-49	490	398	474	263	1.03	1.52
50+	384	334	339	278	1.13	1.20

Gender	ACC: claimant unemployment level (thousands)		ONS National Statistic: unemployment level (thousands)		Ratio: ACC / Unemployment
Gender	Aug-14	Aug-19	Aug-14	Aug-19	Aug-14	Aug-19
Men	844	672	1,125	764	0.75	0.88
Women	702	591	919	609	0.76	0.97

Region	ACC: claimant unemployment level (thousands)		ONS National Statistic: unemployment level (thousands)		Ratio: ACC / Unemployment
Region	Aug-14	Aug-19	Aug-14	Aug-19	Aug-14	Aug-19
NE	89	75	122	77	0.73	0.97
NW	191	167	223	166	0.86	1.01
Y&H	163	119	207	116	0.79	1.02
E Mids	107	83	139	113	0.77	0.73
W Mids	170	147	205	124	0.83	1.18
East	113	91	164	113	0.69	0.81
London	251	206	302	233	0.83	0.88
SE	141	122	216	156	0.65	0.78
SW	90	75	135	80	0.67	0.94
Wales	85	63	104	59	0.81	1.06
Scotland	144	115	174	113	0.83	1.02

For nearly all of the categories (with the exception of East Midlands), the ratio of ‘ACC claimant unemployment’ to ‘ONS official unemployment’ has increased between 2014 and 2019. This is predominantly due to a decrease in the ONS official measure of unemployment.

[1] Alterative Claimant Count: Provides a consistent measure of claimant unemployed by modelling what the Claimant Count would have been had Universal Credit been fully rolled-out.

[2] ILO-definition of unemployment: Individuals without a job who have been actively seeking work within the last four weeks, and are available to start work within the next two weeks.

Written Question

Unemployment Benefits

Friday 14th February 2020

Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of variations in the ratio of unemployment benefit recipients, including job seeker's allowance and universal credit to ILO-definition unemployment by (a) age group, (b) region, (c) previous occupation and (d) other segmentation in the last five years.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

	ACC: claimant unemployment level (thousands)	ONS National Statistic: unemployment level (thousands)	Ratio: ACC / Unemployment
Aug-14	1,545	2,044	0.76
Aug-15	1,299	1,838	0.71
Aug-16	1,219	1,691	0.72
Aug-17	1,194	1,500	0.80
Aug-18	1,195	1,446	0.83
Aug-19	1,263	1,374	0.92

The two measures of unemployment should not be expected to match:

Some individuals who are unemployed according to the ACC measure of claimant unemployment may be working but with low earnings (and thus would continue to receive support). They would then be included in the ACC measure of claimant unemployment but not the ONS official measure of unemployment.
Some individuals who are unemployed according to the ONS official measure may not be eligible for means-tested support, or may not wish to claim the support available. They would then be included in the ONS official measure of unemployment but not the ACC measure of claimant unemployment.

Age	ACC: claimant unemployment level (thousands)		ONS National Statistic: unemployment level (thousands)		Ratio: ACC / Unemployment
Age	Aug-14	Aug-19	Aug-14	Aug-19	Aug-14	Aug-19
16-24	284	210	830	570	0.34	0.37
25-34	388	322	411	263	0.94	1.22
35-49	490	398	474	263	1.03	1.52
50+	384	334	339	278	1.13	1.20

Gender	ACC: claimant unemployment level (thousands)		ONS National Statistic: unemployment level (thousands)		Ratio: ACC / Unemployment
Gender	Aug-14	Aug-19	Aug-14	Aug-19	Aug-14	Aug-19
Men	844	672	1,125	764	0.75	0.88
Women	702	591	919	609	0.76	0.97

Region	ACC: claimant unemployment level (thousands)		ONS National Statistic: unemployment level (thousands)		Ratio: ACC / Unemployment
Region	Aug-14	Aug-19	Aug-14	Aug-19	Aug-14	Aug-19
NE	89	75	122	77	0.73	0.97
NW	191	167	223	166	0.86	1.01
Y&H	163	119	207	116	0.79	1.02
E Mids	107	83	139	113	0.77	0.73
W Mids	170	147	205	124	0.83	1.18
East	113	91	164	113	0.69	0.81
London	251	206	302	233	0.83	0.88
SE	141	122	216	156	0.65	0.78
SW	90	75	135	80	0.67	0.94
Wales	85	63	104	59	0.81	1.06
Scotland	144	115	174	113	0.83	1.02

[1] Alterative Claimant Count: Provides a consistent measure of claimant unemployed by modelling what the Claimant Count would have been had Universal Credit been fully rolled-out.

[2] ILO-definition of unemployment: Individuals without a job who have been actively seeking work within the last four weeks, and are available to start work within the next two weeks.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 04 Feb 2020
Universal Credit: Delayed Roll-Out

"I welcome my hon. Friend’s clarification of the need for this reforecasting. May I invite him to restate the Government’s total commitment to a universal credit arrangement that simplifies the system? It means dealing with one Department rather than three, it combines six benefits into one, it helps people to …..."
Damian Hinds - View Speech

View all Damian Hinds (Con - East Hampshire) contributions to the debate on: Universal Credit: Delayed Roll-Out

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 27 Jan 2020
Oral Answers to Questions

"UC smooths the transition into work and it smooths progression in work. Since it became the default benefit for newly unemployed people, we have had month after month after month of positive employment news. Is it not bizarre that Opposition Members want to scrap that system and return to the …..."
Damian Hinds - View Speech

View all Damian Hinds (Con - East Hampshire) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions

Written Question

Universal Credit

Tuesday 21st January 2020

Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the timeframe for each category of recipients of (a) legacy benefits and (b) tax credits that will be migrated to universal credit.

Answered by Will Quince

Universal Credit is now available in every Jobcentre across the country, with a caseload of 2.7 million claimants, growing every month. This means more claimants than ever accessing the additional support and flexibilities it offers.

Currently, most people move to Universal Credit because they have had a significant change in their circumstances which would previously have led them to make a new claim to a legacy benefit. Claimant circumstances within the legacy benefit system are diverse and interact with a range of benefits in different ways. Eligibility for Universal Credit is dependent on individuals’ circumstances, the specific nature of the change and rules for access to legacy benefits.

The Move to Universal Credit pilot commenced, as scheduled, in the area served by Harrogate Jobcentre in July 2019.

The Department has already committed to updating Parliament and stakeholders on progress. We expect to provide our first update in the Spring. We will also set out an evaluation strategy, developed in consultation with stakeholders, before coming to Parliament in the Autumn with the findings and our proposals for the next phase of the delivery of Universal Credit.

Written Question

Employment and Support Allowance: Telephone Services

Tuesday 5th November 2019

Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2019 to Question 198, what steps she is taking to improve telephone waiting times for the employment and support allowance telephone helpline.

Answered by Justin Tomlinson

As a Department we regularly review the resource required to meet the demand on our telephony channels. Our aim is to provide our customers with the prompt service they deserve but at times high call volumes can have an impact on the service we provide - which may result in some of our customers experiencing extended wait times.

Following a recent review, plans are in place for additional staffing to be deployed to handle Employment and Support Allowance calls and following this, we anticipate wait times to reduce.

Written Question

Universal Credit: Prisoners' Release

Monday 28th October 2019

Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Government has made of the (a) ease and (b) effectiveness of mechanisms for prisoners applying for universal credit prior to release from custody.

Answered by Will Quince

The Department is committed to providing personalised support for all claimants. This support extends to those who are in prison, with dedicated Prison Work Coaches, who are available to support prisoners to complete their benefit claims and proceed to payment as quickly as possible, and to help them to understand what early work search activities might be helpful for them.

DWP and MoJ have been working together to understand the potential barriers to a smooth transition from prison leaving to Universal Credit for those who wish to claim it. This includes, for example, exploring the use of prison documentation as proof of identity for Universal Credit claims where that would help speed the claim. Initial work to test different approaches to supporting prison leavers showed few additional results and low take-up of the support on offer, although the support of a work coach, where it was taken up, was shown to be beneficial in terms of making a claim quickly.

Written Question

Employment and Support Allowance: Telephone Services

Monday 21st October 2019

Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time has been for calls to the Employment Support Allowance helpline in each month since October 2018.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

The average wait time for calls to the Employment Support Allowance helpline in each month from October 2018 to September 2019 is shown in the table below in the format of hours:minutes:seconds.

	Average Wait Time
October 2018	00:11:30
November 2018	00:12:44
December 2018	00:21:36
January 2019	00:20:06
February 2019	00:20:47
March 2019	00:18:31
April 2019	00:29:56
May 2019	00:23:15
June 2019	00:17:29
July 2019	00:26:51
August 2019	00:26:17
September 2019	00:24:42

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 13 Mar 2018
Universal Credit

"There are sometimes days when Ministers have to come to this House to defend difficult decisions that have had to be made, but this is not one of those days. Today, we are talking about increasing spending and widening eligibility. I would never dream of accusing any Member on either …..."
Damian Hinds - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 13 Mar 2018
Universal Credit

"I have heard the concerns about the timing, and I can confirm that, following the hon. Lady’s representations, we will be able to keep the voucher scheme open to new entrants for a further six months.

Tax-free childcare will mean that more people become eligible, regardless of their employer and …..."
Damian Hinds - View Speech

View all Damian Hinds (Con - East Hampshire) contributions to the debate on: Universal Credit