Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the implications for its policies of trends in the level of take-up of benefits by pensioners; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that eligible older people are (a) aware of and (b) able to access their entitlements.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government wants all pensioners to get the support to which they are entitled. That is why we have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign. The campaign included adverts on television, radio, social media such as Facebook and Instagram, on YouTube, on advertising screens, including on GP and Post Office screens as well as in the press.
Our drive to increase Pension Credit take up has successfully boosted applications. The latest applications and awards statistics were published on 29 May and are available at: Pension Credit applications and awards: May 2025. The statistics show that the Department received over 285,000 applications since 29 July 2024 and made almost 60,000 extra awards on the comparable period the previous year.
The latest phase of the Pension Credit campaign which started on 29 May will run for six weeks with promotion across print, radio and social media. Targeted promotional messaging is also planned for Carers Week (9th – 15th June).
Since February, the Department has been writing to all pensioners who make a new claim for Housing Benefit and who appear to be entitled to Pension Credit – directly targeting this group and encouraging them to make a claim.
For State Pensions, the Department writes to customers about four months prior to their State Pension age, inviting a claim to State Pension. The letter signposts the customer to claim online – which is the quickest and easiest way to claim. It also includes the telephone number so customers can also claim over the telephone or request a paper claim form.
Claims for Attendance Allowance are primarily made by post. Customers can print the claim form or contact the freephone Attendance Allowance helpline to request a claim form. A claim can also be made online at: www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/how-to-claim. The Department is currently testing this new digital claim process as a part of its wider service modernisation plans with the aim of providing a streamlined alternative in addition to the current paper application form.
Information and advice about pensioner benefits and entitlements may be available from a range of outlets including Jobcentre Plus offices, DWP and other helplines, Gov.uk and other internet sites, local authorities, Citizens Advice and welfare benefit offices, Social Services, voluntary organisations, such as, Age UK and MacMillan, public libraries, health clinics, doctors' surgeries and health visitors.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department is taking steps to (a) review and (b) simplify the process for pensioners to access the benefits they are entitled to.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
DWP is actively reviewing and simplifying the process for pensioners to access the benefits they are entitled to. This includes the ability to apply by various means—digital, paper, or telephony. We are also shifting towards a more integrated approach where our agents can advise and support customers across multiple benefits, rather than being trained in just one pension-related benefit.
To enhance accessibility, we provide various support options, including assistance from agents and third-party organisations, home visits for those unable to complete forms, and services for customers who are deaf or unable to speak on the phone. For the most vulnerable individuals, additional support is available through the Visiting Service and Jobcentres, which offer face-to-face assistance and referrals to specialist support when needed.
I always welcome suggestions for what more we can do to ensure more pensioners get the Support they are entitled to.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) long-term funding for and (b) targeted support on (i) levels of (i) cardiovascular disease and (ii) associated health inequalities.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to tackling the biggest killers, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). To deliver on the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% in the next 10 years, we are working closely with NHS England to understand both the scale of the challenge and the opportunities for progress across the prevention, treatment, and management of CVD and associated health inequalities.
We are providing targeted support through recent changes to the Quality and Outcomes Framework in 2025/26, where £198 million has been repurposed to target CVD prevention. Knowing that prevention is better than treatment, we have also raised the upper threshold of CVD indicators in order to stimulate performance gains and improve CVD outcomes for patients.
Furthermore, the Government continues to invest in the NHS Health Check programme, a core component of England’s CVD prevention programme, and in the development of the new NHS Health Check Online service. By providing a more convenient, accessible services, we will free up primary care capacity to target resources towards underserved groups.
The Government has committed to develop a 10-Year Health Plan to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future, expected to be published in summer 2025.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department provides to British nationals entering the al-Aqsa compound in East Jerusalem.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Haram Al-Sharif / Temple Mount and Jerusalem hold particular significance for many groups around the globe, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. We value Jordan's important role as custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem. The UK is committed to working with all parties to maintain calm, avoid provocation and uphold the status quo to ensure the safety and the security of the Al Haram Al Sharif / Temple Mount and all who worship there. British nationals should inform themselves of the risks in a country by following Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Travel Advice.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate she has made of the number of eligible pensioners not claiming Pension Credit; and what steps her Department is taking to increase take-up, in the context of Winter Fuel Payment eligibility.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The most recent estimate of Pension Credit take-up covers the financial year 2022/23 and is available at: Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2023 - GOV.UK
The Government wants all pensioners to get the support to which they are rightly entitled. That is why we have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign, which included adverts on Television, radio, social media such as Facebook and Instagram, on YouTube, on advertising screens, including on GP and Post Office screens as well as in the press. Around 11 million pensioners will have also recently received a leaflet promoting Pension Credit along with their State Pension uprating letter.
The latest Pension Credit applications and awards statistics were published on 27 February and are available at: Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK The statistics show that the Department received 235,000 Pension Credit applications in the 30 weeks since the Winter Fuel Payment announcement – an 81% increase on the comparable period in 2023/24 and made 117,800 new Pension Credit awards – a 64% increase or 45,800 extra awards on the comparable period in 2023/24.
We are now writing to all pensioners who make a new claim for Housing Benefit and who appear to be entitled to Pension Credit – directly targeting this group and encouraging them to make a claim. In the longer term, we will be bringing together the administration of Pension Credit and Housing Benefit, so that pensioners receive both Housing Benefit and any Pension Credit that they are entitled to.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed disability benefit reforms on people with (a) post-traumatic stress disorder, (b) bipolar disorder, (c) severe depression and (d) other mental health conditions; and what steps she is taking to ensure that entitlement to support will reflect the level of need.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.
A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
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 help reduce the proportion of Personal Independence Payment decisions that are overturned on appeal; and what recent assessment she has made of the accuracy of initial Personal Independence Payment assessments.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It is our aim to make the right decision as early as possible in the claim journey. To support this, we have made improvements to our decision-making processes to help ensure people get the support they are entitled to without needing to appeal. This includes giving Decision Makers additional time to proactively contact customers if they think additional evidence may support the claim.
We recognise that the overturn rate at appeal is high. This is why we are continuing to learn from appeal outcomes. We regularly gather feedback on appeals from Presenting Officers who attend tribunals.
We are committed to ensuring individuals receive a high standard and accurate assessment. We want every report to reflect a high-quality functional assessment that the department can use to make their benefit entitlement decisions. This is a priority for the department, and we work extensively with assessment suppliers to make improvements to guidance, training, and audit procedures to ensure a quality service.
Suppliers are monitored against a range of measures to improve the accuracy of the advice they provide. A high standard is maintained through an independent audit function that continually monitors performance and provides feedback to its suppliers.
Independent audit refers to a comprehensive check of the elements of the assessment, including the evidence collection, further evidence provided, and the assessment report completed by the health professional. The check is completed against a set of guidelines to ensure a consistent approach is taken. This ensures that assessment reports are fit for purpose, clinically justified and sound, and provide sufficient information for the department to make an informed decision on entitlement to benefit.
We outlined our commitment to improving the PIP assessment in the recently launched Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper. We will take action to get the basics right and improve the experience for people who use the system of health and disability benefits. This includes recording health assessments as standard to build greater trust in the system. The aim is to create greater transparency, using recordings as a learning opportunity to consider potential improvements to the quality of the assessment process.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of granting regulatory powers to the UK Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute; and whether such powers could include oversight of frontier AI models, safety testing, and enforcement mechanisms.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government is clear in its ambition to bring forward legislation which allows us to safely realise the enormous benefits and opportunities of the most powerful AI systems for years to come. The government is continuing to refine its proposals and will launch a public consultation in due course.
As part of its plans to boost AI security, the government is committed to supporting and growing the AI Security Institute.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the potential for artificial intelligence policy to support inclusive economic growth and safeguard good work.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
AI is at the heart of the Government’s plans to kickstart economic growth and improve public services.
Earlier this year the Prime Minister announced the AI Opportunities Action Plan - a roadmap setting out how we will achieve our AI ambitions by laying the foundations for AI growth, driving adoption and building UK capability at the frontier.
The Secretary of State has had discussions with Cabinet ministers, including with the Secretary of State for the Department for Business and Trade, regarding how the Government can maximise the potential of AI.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that access to the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme will continue for all those who need it.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to tackling the burden of diabetes in England and to reducing the variation in access to diabetes prevention services across the country.
A central mission of the Government is to build a health and care system fit for the future. To achieve this, it is crucial that we tackle preventable ill health, such as diabetes, by ensuring those at risk of developing, or already living with the disease, are identified, and can in turn be effectively treated.
We are continuing to deliver the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, which is highly effective for those who attend. More than 840,000 people have been supported through this programme, and it has been found to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 37%, compared to those who did not attend.