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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 26 Mar 2018
Oral Answers to Questions

"7. What assessment she has made of trends in the number of in-work households living in poverty. ..."
Laura Smith - View Speech

View all Laura Smith (Lab - Crewe and Nantwich) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 26 Mar 2018
Oral Answers to Questions

"Even though they are in work, many families in my constituency of Crewe and Nantwich are struggling to feed their children. That suggests that work is no longer an escape route out of poverty. The Institute for Fiscal Studies predicts that child poverty will increase from the 4.1 million recorded …..."
Laura Smith - View Speech

View all Laura Smith (Lab - Crewe and Nantwich) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Written Question
Attendance Allowance
Thursday 1st March 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, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of replacing the six-month qualifying period for attendance allowance with a supporting statement from a medical professional confirming a long-term disability.

Answered by Sarah Newton

Entitlement to Attendance Allowance is based on the on-going need for frequent personal care and attention, or supervision to ensure personal safety, rather than on the individual’s medical condition. The six-month qualifying period helps establish that the disability and the resulting care or supervision needs are of a long-term nature, and ensures the benefit goes to those for whom it is intended. The Government believes the current long-standing rules of a six month qualifying period are working well.

Severely disabled people do not always have to wait for six months from the date of their claim before they become entitled to the benefit. The Decision Maker will always look at whether, and for how long, the severely disabled person has required the necessary level of care or supervision before the date of claim, and consider whether some or all of the qualifying period has already been completed.

For people who have a progressive disease and are not expected to live longer than another six months, there is no requirement to meet the 6 month qualifying period.

Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 31 Jan 2018
Personal Independence Payments

"It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hosie.

Let us imagine how anxious someone must feel, knowing that they have to sit through an interrogation process that will deem whether they are quite disabled enough to be eligible for a helping hand. Not only does that person …..."
Laura Smith - View Speech

View all Laura Smith (Lab - Crewe and Nantwich) contributions to the debate on: Personal Independence Payments
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 31 Jan 2018
Personal Independence Payments

"I am sorry, but I must get through my speech; I am conscious of the time.

George was assessed by Atos on 1 June 2017. He is now going through the process of appeal, but the timescale is being put further and further back and he still does not have …..."
Laura Smith - View Speech

View all Laura Smith (Lab - Crewe and Nantwich) contributions to the debate on: Personal Independence Payments
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 22 Jan 2018
Financial Guidance and Claims Bill [Lords]

"It is an honour to follow the hon. Member for Redditch (Rachel Maclean).

Even though my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol North West (Darren Jones) has left the Chamber, I thank him for his very honest speech. I, too, remember the anxiety that filled my childhood home when the …..."
Laura Smith - View Speech

View all Laura Smith (Lab - Crewe and Nantwich) contributions to the debate on: Financial Guidance and Claims Bill [Lords]
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 22 Jan 2018
Financial Guidance and Claims Bill [Lords]

"No, sorry.

The town of Crewe, in my constituency, has in recent years been identified as one of the most indebted places in our country. The problem has not gone away. Last year, statistics published by the Money Advice Service suggested that average consumer debt per person in Crewe was …..."
Laura Smith - View Speech

View all Laura Smith (Lab - Crewe and Nantwich) contributions to the debate on: Financial Guidance and Claims Bill [Lords]
Written Question
Personal Independence Payment
Friday 19th 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 has taken to make the PIP application process more user-friendly for severely disabled people.

Answered by Sarah Newton

The Department is continually working to improve the claimant journey for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for all claimants including those severely disabled. We have recently conducted a review of all claimant communications, as explained in the Government’s response to the second independent review of the PIP assessment carried out by Paul Gray. The response can be accessed from here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-pip-assessment-second-independent-review-government-response.

Improvements we have made include introducing the Video Relay Service for those with communication difficulties who use British Sign Language (BSL) so they are able to communicate with the Department more easily and also ‘Next Generation Text’ (NGT) for Deaf or hard of hearing claimants unable to use BSL or those unable to speak.

For vulnerable claimants with no support available and who may not be able to engage with the claim process due to reduced mental capacity may be able to receive a visit from a DWP Visiting Officer to help them complete the PIP claim form.

Where there is sufficient evidence available, a decision on entitlement to PIP can be made without the need for a face-to-face assessment with a Healthcare Professional. If a claimant is invited to attend an assessment and has difficulties travelling due to a severe disability they can discuss with the assessment provider to arrange potential rescheduling or have a home visit if they are unable to travel.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 18 Dec 2017
Oral Answers to Questions

"16. What assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of spending on social security for working households since 2015. ..."
Laura Smith - View Speech

View all Laura Smith (Lab - Crewe and Nantwich) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 18 Dec 2017
Oral Answers to Questions

"With 8 million people living in poverty in working households and 28% of my constituents earning below the voluntary living wage, what action is the Secretary of State taking to address labour market inequalities with low-paid, low-skilled and insecure work?..."
Laura Smith - View Speech

View all Laura Smith (Lab - Crewe and Nantwich) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions