Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of families subject to the household benefit cap are blended families.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to question 98653, whether the Department will release the number of people with multiple sclerosis who are in the Work Related Activity Group.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There were fewer than five people with multiple sclerosis as their primary condition who were claiming contributory Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) in May 2025. Statistical disclosure control has been applied by rounding to the nearest 10 to avoid the release of confidential data. People claiming income-related Employment and Support Allowance are currently moving across to Universal Credit.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with multiple sclerosis on contributory Employment and Support Allowance are in the (i) Support Group and (ii) Work-Related Activity Group.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The following table shows the volume of people with multiple sclerosis as their primary condition who were claiming contributory Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) by Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) and Support Group (SG) in May 2025.
| Volume |
WRAG | .. |
SG | 13,700 |
Notes:
- Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
- The data supplied is based on bespoke analysis of departmental datasets and has not been certified as National Statistics or Official Statistics.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to increase the availability of the test digital service for applicants for (a) the Personal Independence Payment and (b) other benefits in (i) Horsham constituency and (ii) other areas.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are enabling customers to complete parts of their application online, as announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper. We are also planning to increase the number of face-to-face assessments.
We are transforming the way in which DWP delivers services, including the provision of online and self-serve options, while protecting and improving other channels.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to work with the (a) Department of Health and Social Care, (b) Department of Education, (c) Carers Trust and (d) other organisations to ensure young adult carers can receive support through the Youth Guarantee.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is determined to provide carers of all ages with the recognition and support they deserve. Ministers from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), and the Department for Education (DfE) have convened twice this year to discuss support for unpaid carers and consider opportunities to provide further recognition and support. My Right Hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security and Disability has met with Carers Trust on several occasions, and the department will continue to work collaboratively with groups representing and supporting carers.
DWP and DfE are launching a Youth Guarantee to ensure young people aged 18-21 can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship, or help to find work. As part of the Youth Guarantee we are working with Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSA) to deliver 8 Trailblazers in England which are testing different approaches to identifying, engaging, and supporting young people who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET. MSAs have developed their approaches with consideration to young people in their locality who need more support. As we set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper our Youth Guarantee will meet the needs of those facing disadvantages, including disadvantages related to unpaid caregiving.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many carers aged 18 to 21 receive (a) Universal Credit and Carer's Allowance and (b) the carer element of Universal Credit but not Carer's Allowance in England.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Data from February 2025 shows that there were 15,872 people aged 18-21 who received Universal Credit and Carer’s Allowance in England. The source for this figure is the benefit combinations dataset on Stat-Xplore.
The department does not hold data on how many carers aged 18-21 in England receive UC and Carer’s Element but not Carer’s Allowance and to provide this would be at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to ensure that the Timms Review includes workstreams on the potential impact of (a) illness fluctuations, (b) invisible symptoms and (c) mobility on the PIP assessment process.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Timms Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them and other experts to ensure that expertise from a wide range of perspectives is drawn upon. This means the Government will share ownership and responsibility for how the Review runs and what it recommends.
We are currently working through how to best co-produce the Review, taking into account the feedback from extensive stakeholder engagement over the summer. I anticipate it will be led by a core leadership group of around a dozen people, the majority of whom will be disabled people.
Through co-production, it will be for this core leadership group – building from the Terms of Reference – to set the Review’s strategic direction, priorities and workplan. The Review will invite input from a wide range of perspectives. I will share more details about our approach to the Review, and recruitment of its leadership group, shortly.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to include people with lived experience of (a) fluctuating conditions, (b) invisible symptoms and (c) challenges with mobility in the membership of the core group overseeing the Timms Review.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Timms Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them and other experts to ensure that expertise from a wide range of perspectives is drawn upon. This means the Government will share ownership and responsibility for how the Review runs and what it recommends.
We are currently working through how to best co-produce the Review, taking into account the feedback from extensive stakeholder engagement over the summer. I anticipate it will be led by a core leadership group of around a dozen people, the majority of whom will be disabled people.
Through co-production, it will be for this core leadership group – building from the Terms of Reference – to set the Review’s strategic direction, priorities and workplan. The Review will invite input from a wide range of perspectives. I will share more details about our approach to the Review, and recruitment of its leadership group, shortly.