Asked by: Eilidh Whiteford (Scottish National Party - Banff and Buchan)
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 effect of changes in the level of inflation on the value of social security benefits in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
We know that work is the best route out of poverty. That is why the Government has introduced welfare reforms – such as those included in the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 to increase work incentives and reduce welfare dependency. These reforms are working.
We now have the lowest rate of unemployment in over a decade, and the lowest number of workless households since records began. Millions of people are taking home more of what they earn thanks to this Government’s actions to lower taxes and introduce the National Living Wage. This has helped give lower earners their fastest pay rise in 20 years.
Asked by: Eilidh Whiteford (Scottish National Party - Banff and Buchan)
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 effect of changes in the level of inflation on working age benefit claimants in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
We know that work is the best route out of poverty. That is why the Government has introduced welfare reforms – such as those included in the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 to increase work incentives and reduce welfare dependency. These reforms are working.
We now have the lowest rate of unemployment in over a decade, and the lowest number of workless households since records began. Millions of people are taking home more of what they earn thanks to this Government’s actions to lower taxes and introduce the National Living Wage. This has helped give lower earners their fastest pay rise in 20 years.
Asked by: Eilidh Whiteford (Scottish National Party - Banff and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much will accrue to the Exchequer from the decision not to increase benefit payments for four years.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
I refer the Member for Banff and Buchan to the impact assessment of the benefit rate freeze that was published alongside the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 - http://www.parliament.uk/documents/impact-assessments/IA15-006C.pdf
Asked by: Eilidh Whiteford (Scottish National Party - Banff and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support and assistance the Government provides to families which experience reductions in their income as a result of the six-week waiting period for receipt of their first universal credit payment.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Advances of Universal Credit are available if claimants need financial support before they receive their first payment. Advances can be up to 50% of the household’s monthly entitlement.
In addition, there are various forms of Alternative Payment Arrangement available. These are designed to address various aspects of financial difficulty, including a direct payment of housing costs to the landlord, more frequent than monthly payments and split payments within a household in certain circumstances.
At the initial meeting with a new claimant, the Department’s Work Coaches will assess the claimant’s financial situation and determine if there is a need for Personal Budgeting Support. If there is, the claimant can be referred to a range of free services including the Money Advice Service and locally provided support. The Work Coach can also consider whether the criteria for an Alternative Payment Arrangement are met.
Asked by: Eilidh Whiteford (Scottish National Party - Banff and Buchan)
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 people aged under 21 who will be affected by the proposed removal of the housing benefit element of universal credit.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Current estimates suggest that 10,000 people will be affected by the policy by 2020/21.
Asked by: Eilidh Whiteford (Scottish National Party - Banff and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Government has spent on housing benefit for people aged under 21 in each local authority area in each year since 2007.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The requested age breakdown of Housing Benefit expenditure is only available for financial years from 2011/12 onwards. The available information is in the attached table.
Asked by: Eilidh Whiteford (Scottish National Party - Banff and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to publish legislative proposals on removing the housing benefit element of universal credit for 18 to 21 year-olds.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Details of the regulations will be published when they are laid in early 2017.
Asked by: Eilidh Whiteford (Scottish National Party - Banff and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the estimated average annual cost to the public purse will be of removing the housing benefit element of universal credit from 18 to 21 year-olds.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Current estimates suggest that the removal of the housing costs element of universal credit from 18 to 21 year olds will save £95 million over the course of the current Parliament.
Asked by: Eilidh Whiteford (Scottish National Party - Banff and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants in each constituency in Scotland have been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for (a) one year, (b) two years and (c) five years.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The information available for the number of Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants by Parliamentary Constituency and duration is published and can be found at:
https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp
Guidance for users is available at:
https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp
Asked by: Eilidh Whiteford (Scottish National Party - Banff and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will provide details of the contracts that his Department has with the technology company SCC.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Department does not hold any direct contracts with the technology company SCC. It has however tendered services from SCC via the Crown Commercial Service.