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Written Question
Universal Credit
Thursday 19th January 2017

Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to ensure that universal credit claimants have access to IT skills training in order to comply with his Department's claimant commitment.

Answered by Damian Hinds

Work Coaches assess claimants’ digital capability at their initial work search interview and, where help is needed, they can refer claimants for Assisted Digital and Digital Inclusion Support. These services are offered as part of the Universal Support package which provides additional assistance to build claimants’ confidence and competence with IT, enabling them to manage their Universal Credit account online, as well as accessing on-line job search facilities and training to comply with their Claimant Commitment.

Our research shows that, in June 2016, 99.7 per cent of submissions of information to support claims and 90.0 per cent of reported changes of circumstances were completed by claimants using the UC full service online system.

All jobcentres across the country have Wi-Fi and computers available for claimants to access the internet. Claimants who are unable to manage their claim online can receive telephone and face to face support.


Written Question
Universal Credit
Thursday 19th January 2017

Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to ensure that universal credit claimants have access to IT facilities in order to comply with his Department's claimant commitment.

Answered by Damian Hinds

Work Coaches assess claimants’ digital capability at their initial work search interview and, where help is needed, they can refer claimants for Assisted Digital and Digital Inclusion Support. These services are offered as part of the Universal Support package which provides additional assistance to build claimants’ confidence and competence with IT, enabling them to manage their Universal Credit account online, as well as accessing on-line job search facilities and training to comply with their Claimant Commitment.

Our research shows that, in June 2016, 99.7 per cent of submissions of information to support claims and 90.0 per cent of reported changes of circumstances were completed by claimants using the UC full service online system.

All jobcentres across the country have Wi-Fi and computers available for claimants to access the internet. Claimants who are unable to manage their claim online can receive telephone and face to face support.


Written Question
Universal Credit
Thursday 19th January 2017

Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that universal credit claimants have access to IT skills training in order to help them comply with the claimant commitment.

Answered by Damian Hinds

Work Coaches assess claimants’ digital capability at their initial work search interview and, where help is needed, they can refer claimants for Assisted Digital and Digital Inclusion Support. These services are offered as part of the Universal Support package which provides additional assistance to build claimants’ confidence and competence with IT, enabling them to manage their Universal Credit account online, as well as accessing on-line job search facilities and training to comply with their Claimant Commitment.

Our research shows that, in June 2016, 99.7 per cent of submissions of information to support claims and 90.0 per cent of reported changes of circumstances were completed by claimants using the UC full service online system.

All jobcentres across the country have Wi-Fi and computers available for claimants to access the internet. Claimants who are unable to manage their claim online can receive telephone and face to face support.


Written Question
Universal Credit
Thursday 19th January 2017

Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that universal credit claimants have access to IT facilities in order to help them comply with the claimant commitment.

Answered by Damian Hinds

Work Coaches assess claimants’ digital capability at their initial work search interview and, where help is needed, they can refer claimants for Assisted Digital and Digital Inclusion Support. These services are offered as part of the Universal Support package which provides additional assistance to build claimants’ confidence and competence with IT, enabling them to manage their Universal Credit account online, as well as accessing on-line job search facilities and training to comply with their Claimant Commitment.

Our research shows that, in June 2016, 99.7 per cent of submissions of information to support claims and 90.0 per cent of reported changes of circumstances were completed by claimants using the UC full service online system.

All jobcentres across the country have Wi-Fi and computers available for claimants to access the internet. Claimants who are unable to manage their claim online can receive telephone and face to face support.


Written Question
Attendance Allowance: Terminal Illnesses
Thursday 20th October 2016

Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2016 to Question 44899, if he will make readily available the number of people who applied for attendance allowance under the special rules for people with terminal illness in each of the last five years (a) before and (b) during the consultation on the devolution of attendance allowance.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt

The consultation “Self-sufficient local government: 100% business rates retention” published by the Department for Communities and Local Government sought views on a range of options for devolving new responsibilities to local government including more responsibility for caring for older people.

The feedback from that consultation which closed on 26 September is currently being analysed and a response will be published in due course. The Government would undertake a further consultation, including any required impact assessment if any changes were to be proposed in relation to Attendance Allowance.

Information on claims awarded under the special rules for people with terminal illness is available from the DWP Tabulation Tool: http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/tabtool.html.


Written Question
Attendance Allowance
Monday 17th October 2016

Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2016 to Question 44901, if he will make the advertising costs of attendance allowance readily available either (a) during or (b) after the consultation on the devolution of attendance allowance.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt

The consultation “Self-sufficient local government: 100% business rates retention” published by the Department for Communities and Local Government sought views on a range of options for devolving new responsibilities to local government including more responsibility for caring for older people.

The feedback from that consultation which closed on 26 September is currently being analysed and a response will be published in due course.

The Government would undertake a further consultation, accompanied by a relevant impact assessment, if any changes were to be proposed in relation to Attendance Allowance.

The information on administrative costs related to Attendance Allowance is collected by DWP but is not currently available for the financial year 2015-16.

The information requested on applications is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Information on claims awarded under the special rules for people with terminal illness is available from the DWP Tabulation Tool: http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/tabtool.html.


Written Question
Attendance Allowance
Monday 17th October 2016

Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2016 to Question 44898, if he will make it his policy to collect the total administrative costs related to attendance allowance in 2015-16 (a) during the consultation and (b) after the consultation on the devolution of attendance allowance.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt

The consultation “Self-sufficient local government: 100% business rates retention” published by the Department for Communities and Local Government sought views on a range of options for devolving new responsibilities to local government including more responsibility for caring for older people.

The feedback from that consultation which closed on 26 September is currently being analysed and a response will be published in due course.

The Government would undertake a further consultation, accompanied by a relevant impact assessment, if any changes were to be proposed in relation to Attendance Allowance.

The information on administrative costs related to Attendance Allowance is collected by DWP but is not currently available for the financial year 2015-16.

The information requested on applications is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Information on claims awarded under the special rules for people with terminal illness is available from the DWP Tabulation Tool: http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/tabtool.html.


Written Question
Attendance Allowance: Cancer
Monday 17th October 2016

Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2016 to Question 44900, if he will publish the number of people with cancer who applied for attendance allowance under the special rules for people with terminal illness in each of the last five years either (a) during or (b) after the consultation on the devolution of attendance allowance.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt

The consultation “Self-sufficient local government: 100% business rates retention” published by the Department for Communities and Local Government sought views on a range of options for devolving new responsibilities to local government including more responsibility for caring for older people.

The feedback from that consultation which closed on 26 September is currently being analysed and a response will be published in due course.

The Government would undertake a further consultation, accompanied by a relevant impact assessment, if any changes were to be proposed in relation to Attendance Allowance.

The information on administrative costs related to Attendance Allowance is collected by DWP but is not currently available for the financial year 2015-16.

The information requested on applications is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Information on claims awarded under the special rules for people with terminal illness is available from the DWP Tabulation Tool: http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/tabtool.html.


Written Question
Attendance Allowance: Cancer
Thursday 8th September 2016

Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with cancer applied for attendance allowance under the special rules for people with terminal illness in each of the last five years.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt

The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Information on claims awarded under the special rules for people with terminal illness is available from the DWP Tabulation Tool: http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/tabtool.html.


Written Question
Attendance Allowance
Thursday 8th September 2016

Asked by: Jamie Reed (Labour - Copeland)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent on advertising the attendance allowance scheme in 2015-16.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt

2015/16 advertising costs for the Attendance Allowance scheme are not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.