Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many internal process reviews her Department has (a) started and (b) completed on incidences of (i) death or (ii) serious harm between (A) July 2019 and June 2020, (B) July 2020 and June 2021 and (C) July 2021 and June 2022.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The attached table shows the Internal Process Reviews (IPR) information requested:
| July 2019 to June 2020 | July 2020 to June 2021 | July 2021 to June 2022 |
IPR Started - Death | 43 | 59 | 38 |
IPR Started - Serious Harm | 3 | 19 | 17 |
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IPR Completed - Death | 39 | 40 | 41 |
IPR Completed - Serious Harm | 3 | 12 | 16 |
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* Death includes the categories death, alleged suicide and confirmed suicide. | |||
** Serious Harm includes the categories self-harm, serious harm, attempted suicide and ‘other’. | |||
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which (a) organisations and (b) individuals have been approached to join the Extra Costs Taskforce; and if she will prioritise organisations that are led by disabled people for membership of that taskforce.
Answered by Chloe Smith
Delivery of the Extra Costs Taskforce has been paused at the request of the Secretary of State Work and Pensions, while permission is sought to appeal the High Court's declaration in Binder vs Secretary of State Work and Pensions.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when her Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to introduce a 12 month eligibility definition for fast-track access to Personal Independence Payments, Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Department is committed to improving the way the benefits system supports people nearing the end of their life and announced its intention to make changes in this area, in July 2021. The Department has made changes to Universal Credit and Employment Support Allowance regulations to replace the current 6-month rule for determining who can claim under the Special Rules with a 12-month, end of life approach. These will come into force on 4th April. Similar changes will also be made to Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance as soon as possible, when Parliamentary time allows.