Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the hardship experienced by universal credit claimants who have their early wage payment towards the end of one month counted by HMRC as a second wage payment in a single universal credit assessment period and therefore do not receive universal credit for that period, whether changes will be made to tackle that inflexibility; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Sharma
Universal Credit seeks to take earnings into account in a way that is fair and transparent. The amount of Universal Credit paid reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household each monthly assessment period, including any earnings reported by the employer during that assessment period. Monthly reporting allows Universal Credit to be adjusted on a monthly basis, which ensures that if a claimant’s income falls, they will not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit.
On 7 June we also announced that we propose to re-award claimants’ transitional protection that has ceased owing to short-term increases in earnings within an assessment period, if they make a new claim to Universal Credit within three months of when they received the additional payment. The written statement can be accessed at: https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-06-07/HCWS745/
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department provides to people with autism in relation to personal independence payment assessments.
Answered by Sarah Newton
When we identify a claimant requires additional support we have a process to ensure that this is provided. We recognise that attending any face-to-face assessment can be a stressful experience for some people, which is why we do not carry out face-to-face consultations where there is enough existing evidence to determine benefit entitlement. If a face-to-face consultation is required, we encourage claimants to take a companion, for example a carer, friend, or family member, to their consultation for support. It is recognised that information given by a companion can be useful, particularly in cases where the claimant may lack insight into their condition, understate the challenges they face or have difficulty communicating.
Where a claimant does not return their PIP claim form, we will still ask our Assessment Providers to make contact and gather evidence and / or invite the claimant for an assessment.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made on the number of personal independence payment assessment decisions that have been overturned at tribunals.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The number of appeals for PIP cleared at hearing where the appeal decision was in favour of the claimant can be found in Table SSCS.3 of the quarterly bulletin “Tribunals and gender recognition certificate statistics quarterly – October to December 2017”.
It is important to note that appeals figures in this data can relate to a number of processes in the claimant journey and not solely assessment decisions.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made on the number of personal independence cases that have been rejected at the mandatory reconsideration stage.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The volumes of disposal types at the mandatory reconsideration stage broken down by month for Personal Independence Payment can be found in Table 7b of the quarterly bulletin “Personal Independence Payment: April 2013 to January 2018”.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-january-2018
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support after the death of a terminally ill child parents who were not in work while caring for that child.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Any individual whose caring responsibilities cease because the person they are caring for has died, will receive an 8 week continuation of Carer’s Allowance, and where applicable a continuation of Income Support and any other benefit premiums that have been awarded as a result of the caring responsibility. There will also be an 8 week continuation of Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit (where applicable) paid. The 8 week continuation of benefit is designed to allow an individual to make any arrangements and or claims to benefit to ensure that they are not placed in financial hardship. If an individual is claiming Universal Credit that would otherwise stop following a bereavement they will, in some circumstances, receive a Bereavement run-on of up to three months.
We will also make easements for mandatory work related requirements for a period following the death of a child where the claimant was the child’s parent.
Where entitlement to the current benefit ceases or a new claim is required, the Department for Work and Pensions will support the individual to make a claim to the appropriate benefit.
In addition, the Government recently announced the establishment of the Children’s Funeral Fund for England. Under this scheme, bereaved parents will no longer have to meet the costs of a burial or cremation. Bereaved parents on qualifying benefits may also receive a Funeral Expenses Payment to help towards the cost of a funeral. Interest-free Social Fund Budgeting Loans are also available for funeral costs.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of people currently not in work following the death of a child for whom they were a long-term carer.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Although no statistics are kept on claims from former long-term carers of now deceased children, the benefit system does support people in such circumstances.