Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of claim decisions for Scottish claimants of (a) employment and support allowance and (b) personal independence payments were upheld at appeal in each of the last four quarters for which information is available.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The table below shows the number of appeals registered in Scotland against Personal Independence Payment (PIP) decisions (new claims and reassessments for Disability Living Allowance (DLA)) and how many and what proportion of them, expressed as a percentage of appeals registered (whether heard or not), resulted in no change of award amount for the claimant.
Quarter | Appeals registered | Award amount changed | Award amount did not change | Proportion of appeals that had no change to award amount |
Apr 15 - Jun 15 | 1,950 | 930 | 1,020 | 52% |
Jul 15 - Sep-15 | 1,670 | 840 | 830 | 50% |
Oct 15 - Dec-15 | 1,710 | 790 | 920 | 54% |
Jan 16 - Mar-16 | 1,960 | 940 | 1,030 | 52% |
Notes to figures:
Information for Employment Support Allowance Fit for Work decisions only, is as follows
Period 1.10.2008 to 30.9.2015 (for claims started within that period)
Appealed decisions upheld: 45,400
Appealed decisions overturned: 36,700
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many outstanding (a) employment and support allowance and (b) personal independence payment assessments for Scottish claimants there were in each of the last four quarters for which information is available.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The numbers of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) initial work capability assessments (WCAs) still in progress in Scotland in the last four quarters for which information is available are as follows:
Quarter | Total In Progress |
Ending 29 February 2016 | 36,900 |
Ending 31 May 2016 | 54,800 |
Ending 31 August 2016 | 59,600 |
Ending 30 November 2016 | 64,800 |
Source: Data is derived from administrative data held by the DWP and assessment data provided by the healthcare provider.
Outstanding WCA referrals in Scotland reduced between March 2015 (the start of CHDA contract) and December 2015 with the subsequent increase in outstanding referrals being in part due to the reintroduction of re-referrals from December 2015.
The numbers of Personal Independence Payment cases still in progress with the assessment provider in Scotland in the last four quarters for which information is available are as follows:
Quarter | Total In Progress |
Ending 31 January 2016 | 13,200 |
Ending 30 April 2016 | 12,100 |
Ending 31 July 2016 | 8,100 |
Ending 31 October 2016 | 6,600 |
Source: Data taken from the PIP computer system’s management information
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of assessment reports conducted by contractors for Scottish claimants of (a) employment and support allowance and (b) personal independence payments were carried out by a qualified doctor in each of the last four quarters for which information is available.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
All healthcare professionals undertaking assessments on behalf of the Department are registered practitioners (occupational therapists, nurses, doctors, physiotherapists and paramedics) who have met requirements around training, post-qualification experience and competence.
The number of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) face to face assessments completed by healthcare professionals in Scotland was:
Quarter | Total Assessments | By Doctors |
December 2015 to February 2016 | 13,242 | 2,051 (15.48%) |
March 2016 to May 2016 | 14,299 | 2,064 (14.43%) |
June 2016 to August 2016 | 15,479 | 2,039 (13.17%) |
September 2016 to November 2016 | 16,397 | 2,539 (15.48%) |
(Source: Data provided by CHDA)
None of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments in Scotland were completed by a qualified doctor. The Department does not require or specify that PIP assessments are carried out by doctors.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2016 to Question 55219, for what reason he has not made an assessment of trends in the incidence of pension fraud in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK since the introduction of the pension freedoms announced in the Budget 2014.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Data on reports of pension scams is collected via Action Fraud. However, the government, working with the City of London Police and other partners as part of Project Bloom, is aware that many scams in the UK, and the true extent of associated losses, go un-reported. The true extent of losses may also only become apparent some time after the initial report and increases in fraud reports could be due to a number of factors, for example increased industry reporting or rising awareness amongst the public due to high profile information campaigns.
The Government takes the issue of pension scams very seriously, which is why, on 5 December 2016 we launched a public consultation on a package of measures aimed at tackling pension scams. This included a proposed definition of pension fraud to allow better monitoring and data collection on pension scams.
The Government will continue to work closely with the City of London Police and other Project Bloom partners to help local forces and other agencies raise awareness on pension scams and encourage more people to report scamming activity and losses.
The table below breaks down the location of the victim of reported pension scams collated by Action Fraud over the last two financial years.
Location of victims of reported pension scams | Financial year 2014/15 | Financial year 2015/16 to date |
Scotland | 27 | 17 |
Rest of the UK | 921 | 446 |
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Scotland claiming (a) disability living allowance and (b) carer's allowance have been affected by the 84-day rule in each of the last three years.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
We estimate that at any point in time fewer than 10 individuals in Scotland would have been affected by the 84 day hospital suspension rule in Disability Living Allowance (DLA). Similarly, the number of Carers affected in Scotland is also estimated to have been fewer than 10 at any point in time.
The Department has amended the DLA regulations so that children in receipt of DLA who enter hospital no longer have their payments suspended if their hospital stay exceeds 84 days. Similar changes have also been made in the Personal Independence Payment regulations, meaning that anyone who enters hospital before their 18th birthday no longer has their payments suspended as a result of their hospital stay.
Carers of children in hospital can continue to receive Carer’s Allowance after the 84 day point providing they meet the Carer’s Allowance conditions, including providing care for at least 35 hours a week.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the incidence of pension fraud in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK since the introduction of the pension freedoms announced in the Budget 2014.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The government takes the threat of pension scams very seriously, and is committed to protecting people by helping them to avoid putting their money into scams and by pursuing fraudsters wherever possible.
It is for this reason that the Government established Project Bloom, a multi-department, multi-agency group of officials to help co-ordinate action to tackle scams, monitor trends and share intelligence on emerging threats. Members include the National Crime Agency, police forces, Pension Wise, regulators and key Government departments.
However, the government recognises that more needs to be done. We have heard the concerns raised that the pension freedoms may make people more vulnerable to scams involving their pension savings and that is why we have taken positive action and announced, at autumn statement, that we will consult on a package of measures aimed at tackling 3 different areas of pensions scams:
The intention is that the consultation will be launched before Christmas; and next steps will be announced at Budget 2017
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Scottish households his Department has contacted on the reduction in the benefit cap; what the average change in income is to each Scottish household affected by the lower camp; and what the overall cumulative change is to household incomes in Scotland resulting from the lower cap.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Claimants in a household potentially affected by the cap were notified in advance and the estimated number of households affected by the lower cap in Scotland is available in the latest Impact Assessment published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/548741/welfare-reform-and-work-act-impact-assessment-for-the-benefit-cap.pdf
It is estimated that the income of each Scottish household affected by the lower cap will be reduced by an average of £67 per week, and that the total reduction in the income of all Scottish households affected by the lower cap is estimated to be £350,000 per week.
Notes:
The benefit cap will be lowered from 7th November from £26,000 to £20,000, except in London where it will be lowered to £23,000 (a lower cap applies to single adult households). To help ensure Local Authorities are able to protect the most vulnerable Housing Benefit claimants and to support households adjusting to our welfare reforms, the Government will provide £870m funding for Discretionary Housing Payments over the next 5 years from 2016/17. Information about this and other measures to ease the transition for families affected by this policy change is included in the latest impact assessment at the link above.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
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) average individual change and (b) cumulative change of Scottish residents who will have their incomes affected by changes to the UK state pension.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The Department cannot model the impact of the new State Pension at a regional or country specific level. Impacts for the whole of Great Britain can be found at:
The Department has promoted awareness of State Pension changes in England, Wales and Scotland through a communications campaign since November 2014, which has included advertisements in newspapers, online and on radio.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Scottish residents will have their incomes affected by changes to the state pension; and whether all those people have been contacted to inform them of the effect of such changes.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The Department cannot model the impact of the new State Pension at a regional or country specific level. Impacts for the whole of Great Britain can be found at:
The Department has promoted awareness of State Pension changes in England, Wales and Scotland through a communications campaign since November 2014, which has included advertisements in newspapers, online and on radio.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions the Government has held with the Pensions Regulator on section 75 employer debt in pension funds.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The regulation of work-based pension schemes, including the funding regime is a matter for the independent Pensions Regulator. The Secretary of State and I regularly meet with the Regulator about a variety of matters, including section 75.