Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to provide advice to farmers on the potential dangers of mixing slurry.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has responsibility for the regulation of health and safety standards on Great Britain’s farms and has published guidance to farmers on the risks associated with managing slurry on farms at www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais9.pdf. HSE has also worked with the farming industry’s Farm Safety Partnership to highlight how the dangers of mixing slurry can be managed. Information is available on the National Farmers Union website at https://www.nfuonline.com/farm-safety-think-slurry-v10/.
Research has been carried out by HSE to inform practical control strategies. The findings will inform future revisions of the guidance and will be shared with the farming industry through the Farm Safety Partnerships.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has set targets for the performance of personal independence payment assessors.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided by my predecessor to Written Question 182085.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps are taken to monitor and review the performance of health assessors whose decisions are often reviewed or appealed successfully.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
The Department is committed to ensuring individuals receive high quality, objective and accurate assessments.
It is to be noted that Health Professionals are not responsible for the benefit decision, this activity remains within the Department’s authority. The role of the Health Professional is to conduct a functional assessment that focuses on the effects of a health condition or impairment on a claimant’s daily life.
We continue to work extensively with providers to make improvements to guidance, training and supplier audit procedures, in order to ensure the quality of the services is continuously improved.
All elements of the providers’ performance are monitored including the requirements for the quality of assessments, which are assessed through independent audit, with feedback provided to the provider.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of personal independence payment assessment decisions were appealed in 2017-18.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Of the 715,800 initial Personal Independence Payment (PIP) decisions made in 2017-18 in Great Britain where an assessment was completed, 10 per cent have been appealed.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will create a new disability element within the universal credit system to replace the disability premiums available within employment support allowance.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
The Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) (SDP Gateway) Amendment Regulations 2019 prevents legacy claimants who are in receipt of the Severe Disability Premium from moving to Universal Credit if they experience a change in circumstances, until they are moved by the Department. This ensures that these claimants will not be moved onto Universal Credit until transitional protections are available, thereby safeguarding their existing benefit entitlement.
The Severe Disability Premium claimant group has very specific characteristics including substantial care needs, with most having severe disabilities that would limit their ability to work quite significantly.
The draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019, which are currently before the House, provide for transitional protections for claimants who are moved onto Universal Credit by the Department, without experiencing a change in circumstances, ensuring no-one loses out at the point of transition.
Universal Credit does not replicate the Severe Disability Premium and other disability premiums, which has allowed us to target additional support to a wider group and create a more streamlined system.
The right levels of support to eligible Universal Credit claimants can be provided through two rates of payments, reflecting the current ESA components. The Universal Credit rate for the most severely disabled people, the limited capability for work and work related activity (LCWRA) addition is £328.32 per month, much higher than the equivalent rate for the Employment and Support Allowance support group which is £163.15 per month, and will result in many more people being better off on Universal Credit.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will extend protections to ensure no disabled person receiving a disability premium within employment support allowance has to transition to universal credit via natural migration.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
The Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) (SDP Gateway) Amendment Regulations 2019 prevents legacy claimants who are in receipt of the Severe Disability Premium from moving to Universal Credit if they experience a change in circumstances, until they are moved by the Department. This ensures that these claimants will not be moved onto Universal Credit until transitional protections are available, thereby safeguarding their existing benefit entitlement.
The Severe Disability Premium claimant group has very specific characteristics including substantial care needs, with most having severe disabilities that would limit their ability to work quite significantly.
The draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019, which are currently before the House, provide for transitional protections for claimants who are moved onto Universal Credit by the Department, without experiencing a change in circumstances, ensuring no-one loses out at the point of transition.
Universal Credit does not replicate the Severe Disability Premium and other disability premiums, which has allowed us to target additional support to a wider group and create a more streamlined system.
The right levels of support to eligible Universal Credit claimants can be provided through two rates of payments, reflecting the current ESA components. The Universal Credit rate for the most severely disabled people, the limited capability for work and work related activity (LCWRA) addition is £328.32 per month, much higher than the equivalent rate for the Employment and Support Allowance support group which is £163.15 per month, and will result in many more people being better off on Universal Credit.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
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 ensure that personal independence payment assessments address the full range of extra costs faced by disabled people.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a more modern, dynamic and fairer benefit than its predecessor, Disability Living Allowance (DLA), designed to focus support on those experiencing the greatest barriers to living independently. DLA had not been fundamentally reformed since it was introduced over 25 years ago and it lacked some of the basic checks and reviews that are integral to most other State-funded support.
Built on rules developed for disability benefits created in the 1970s, DLA was also a product of its time, focusing primarily on physical disabilities, whereas we now have a better understanding of the needs of individuals with mental health conditions, learning difficulties, and sensory impairments like blindness. Understanding of conditions like autism has also changed measurably. That is why we introduced PIP. Reform of DLA had long been overdue and the benefit had to be changed to better support disabled people to lead independent lives as they want to today. PIP provides an opportunity to better target support for disabled people and to enable them to lead full, active and independent lives.
At the core of the benefit’s design is the principle that awards of the benefit should be made according to a claimant’s overall level of need; entitlement being assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability. It is intended to act as a contribution
towards the extra costs that arise as a result of a long-term health condition or disability. We take all feedback regarding the benefit and assessment process seriously; and we remain committed to continuous improvements and working closely with claimants and
representative organisations.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Scope report entitled Disability Price Tag 2019, what steps she is taking to reduce the extra costs faced by disabled people.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
The Department provides a range of benefits to reduce the financial pressure on disabled people and those with long term health conditions. Local Authorities and the National Health Service provide a wide range of additional services.
Since 2010, spending on extra-costs disability benefits has increased by £5billion in real terms. These benefits have been increased with inflation and were protected from the benefit freeze.
In addition, we are working closely with private industry to better recognise the needs of disabled people and ensure they are fully included in society. Initiatives led by the Department, such as Sector Champions, and those led by the private sector and supported by the Department, such as Purple Tuesday, aim to work with businesses to recognise the benefits of ensuring they are accessible and inclusive for disabled people.
As I have recently announced, we plan to commission independent research to better understand the needs of disabled people and how health and disability benefits can better support them.