Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to waive the habitual residency test for jobseeker's allowance claimants when the claimant has lived abroad because of a parent being posted as a memember of the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Esther McVey
It has always been the case that any UK national who has left the country for an extended period must satisfy the habitual residence test.
We are aware of concerns raised about the impact on returning UK nationals and are in the process of amending regulations to exempt from the three month residence requirement, members of the armed forces who have been posted abroad, Crown servants who have been posted abroad and others who had paid certain types of UK national insurance contributions during their absence abroad.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress he has made in helping people with disabilities to access work through the employment and support allowance programme; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Esther McVey
Jobcentre Work Coaches offer Employment and Support Allowance claimants tailored support from day one of their claim, which includes work experience, skills provision, job search support and access to a range of opportunities available through the Flexible Support Fund.
ESA claimants also have the option of accessing the Work Programme at any point after their Work Capability Assessment for help in getting tailored support provided by contracted providers.
Key findings from the Jobcentre Plus Offer evaluation show that the implementation and delivery of the JCP Offer has been successful. The findings are being used to ensure that we continue to improve our services for all claimants.
Furthermore the DHES set out a vision for a more personalised offer with better integration of services at local level and making better use of high quality small-scale specialist provision. The Department is currently exploring the feasibility of trialling this approach. This includes looking at the role of specialist advisors.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on ensuring that people claiming benefits receive medical treatment that has been identified as enabling them to return to work; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mike Penning
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has not had any recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Health on this subject.