Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason claimants who have an appointed representative are unable to access the same online Access to Work portal as other claimants; what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of this on disabled people who require appointee support; and whether his Department has assessed the compatibility of these arrangements under the Equality Act 2010 including for reasonable adjustments.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Access to Work online service has been designed to enable customers to manage their claims securely following identity verification using GOV.UK One Login. At present, the service does not support appointees accessing or submitting claims on behalf of customers. This is because the current service relies on individual identity verification to protect customers' personal information and maintain the security and integrity of the claims process, using GOV.UK One Login.
DWP is committed to ensuring Access to Work services are accessible to all customers. Customers can apply for Access to Work support and renew existing awards through the online service, which has been developed in line with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 and is fully compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard.
Recognising that some customers may be unable to use the online service, alternative channels remain available. Customers can contact Access to Work by telephone and, for those who are unable to hear or speak on the phone, Relay UK is available as an alternative communication route.
The Department keeps its services under review and is committed to meeting accessibility and reasonable adjustment requirements that are considered as part of the design and delivery of Access to Work services.
Digital work is currently planned to commence during the second half of financial year 2027-28 to explore the barriers preventing appointees from accessing the online service and to identify potential options for enabling appointee access in the future, while maintaining appropriate security and identity assurance standards.
Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason claimants who have an appointed representative are unable to access the same online Access to Work portal as other claimants; what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of this restriction on disabled people who require appointee support.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Access to Work online service has been designed to enable customers to manage their claims securely following identity verification using GOV.UK One Login. At present, the service does not support appointees accessing or submitting claims on behalf of customers. This is because the current service relies on individual identity verification to protect customers' personal information and maintain the security and integrity of the claims process, using GOV.UK One Login.
DWP is committed to ensuring Access to Work services are accessible to all customers. Customers can apply for Access to Work support and renew existing awards through the online service, which has been developed in line with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 and is fully compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard.
Recognising that some customers may be unable to use the online service, alternative channels remain available. Customers can contact Access to Work by telephone and, for those who are unable to hear or speak on the phone, Relay UK is available as an alternative communication route.
The Department keeps its services under review and is committed to meeting accessibility and reasonable adjustment requirements that are considered as part of the design and delivery of Access to Work services.
Digital work is currently planned to commence during the second half of financial year 2027-28 to explore the barriers preventing appointees from accessing the online service and to identify potential options for enabling appointee access in the future, while maintaining appropriate security and identity assurance standards.
Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
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 enable appointees to (a) access the online Access to Work portal directly and (b) provide a permanent and accessible digital submission route for claimants who cannot use the portal.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Access to Work online service has been designed to enable customers to manage their claims securely following identity verification using GOV.UK One Login. At present, the service does not support appointees accessing or submitting claims on behalf of customers. This is because the current service relies on individual identity verification to protect customers' personal information and maintain the security and integrity of the claims process, using GOV.UK One Login.
DWP is committed to ensuring Access to Work services are accessible to all customers. Customers can apply for Access to Work support and renew existing awards through the online service, which has been developed in line with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 and is fully compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard.
Recognising that some customers may be unable to use the online service, alternative channels remain available. Customers can contact Access to Work by telephone and, for those who are unable to hear or speak on the phone, Relay UK is available as an alternative communication route.
The Department keeps its services under review and is committed to meeting accessibility and reasonable adjustment requirements that are considered as part of the design and delivery of Access to Work services.
Digital work is currently planned to commence during the second half of financial year 2027-28 to explore the barriers preventing appointees from accessing the online service and to identify potential options for enabling appointee access in the future, while maintaining appropriate security and identity assurance standards.
Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of recent trends in the level of hygiene poverty.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Tackling poverty in all forms, from reducing mass dependence on emergency food parcels to ensuring people can afford essentials like hygiene products, is a priority for this government.
We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty, but too many people are being denied the security and dignity that comes with being in good work. The Get Britain Working White Paper, published on 26 November, sets out how we will reform employment support, backed by a £240 million investment to target, and tackle the root causes of unemployment and inactivity, and better join up health skills and employment support based on the needs of local communities.
This vital work comes alongside the announcements made at the Autumn budget which delivers an increase to the National Living Wage of 6.7% to £12.21 for eligible workers aged 21 and over, and a rise in the 18-20 National Minimum Wage of 16.3% to £10.00 per hour. This is a record increase and is the first step in the government’s plan to create a single adult rate for eligible workers.
We also announced that we are introducing a Fair Repayment Rate for deductions made from a UC award, allowing customers to prioritise their most severe third-party debts and retain more of their benefit award to budget for essentials. Reducing the cap to 15% will benefit 1.2 million households by £420pa on average.
These steps come alongside the £1 billion, including Barnett impact, that will be invested to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) in England by a full year until 31 March 2026, and to maintain Discretionary Housing Payments in England and Wales. The Household Support Fund can be used, in England, to provide support with food, energy, water and wider essentials including hygiene products.
Asked by: Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people have experienced hygiene poverty in (a) England, (b) Cumbria and (c) Carlisle constituency in each of the last five years.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Tackling poverty in all forms, from reducing mass dependence on emergency food parcels to ensuring people can afford essentials like hygiene products, is a priority for this government.
We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty, but too many people are being denied the security and dignity that comes with being in good work. The Get Britain Working White Paper, published on 26 November, sets out how we will reform employment support, backed by a £240 million investment to target, and tackle the root causes of unemployment and inactivity, and better join up health skills and employment support based on the needs of local communities.
This vital work comes alongside the announcements made at the Autumn budget which delivers an increase to the National Living Wage of 6.7% to £12.21 for eligible workers aged 21 and over, and a rise in the 18-20 National Minimum Wage of 16.3% to £10.00 per hour. This is a record increase and is the first step in the government’s plan to create a single adult rate for eligible workers.
We also announced that we are introducing a Fair Repayment Rate for deductions made from a UC award, allowing customers to prioritise their most severe third-party debts and retain more of their benefit award to budget for essentials. Reducing the cap to 15% will benefit 1.2 million households by £420pa on average.
These steps come alongside the £1 billion, including Barnett impact, that will be invested to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) in England by a full year until 31 March 2026, and to maintain Discretionary Housing Payments in England and Wales. The Household Support Fund can be used, in England, to provide support with food, energy, water and wider essentials including hygiene products.