Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many PIP claimants had (a) an award with a mobility component, (b) a mobility component (i) removed and (ii) reduced following a (A) decision and (B) reassessment and (c) an active Motability agreement (1) terminated and (2) not renewed since January 2024.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The figures requested have been provided in the attached tables. Regarding part (b), PIP claimants do not undergo reassessments, but they do have award reviews. Therefore, figures have been provided for the most recent decision made during the award reviews of claims (after mandatory reconsiderations and appeals have been completed).
Notes:
- Values have been rounded to the nearest 10.
- Figures provided are for claimants under DWP Policy Ownership (England, Wales or Abroad).
- Figures include both Normal Rules and Special Rules for End of Life claimants.
- A claimant's most recent award decision post-reconsideration or appeal at an award review was used to determine whether their mobility award had been reduced/removed.
- Despite a contract with Motability having ended, a claimant may make a new contract in the future.
- A Motability contract is considered to have ended if it has reached the natural end of its term. A Motability contract is considered to have been terminated if it was ended early for another reason.
- Motability contracts are terminated for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to, voluntary termination, claimant death, a change in entitlement, imprisonment, or moving abroad.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department plans to respond to correspondence from the Hon. Member for Newton Abbot sent on 19 August 2025, case ref MW09609.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
A reply was sent to Martin Wrigley MP by the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability on 22 October 2025.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what changes to the Access to Work scheme have been made during this parliamentary session.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No changes have been made to Access to Work policy, and we will announce any changes prior to them being implemented. We will be reviewing all aspects of the Scheme now that the consultation has closed and the collaboration committees have been completed.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot of 26 August 2025 with case reference MW09650.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
A reply was sent to the hon. Member by the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, on behalf of the Secretary of State, on 17 October 2025.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to fund the access to work programme for the rest of this parliament.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are pleased to confirm continued funding for the Access to Work Scheme, which helps disabled people and those with health conditions to stay and remain in the workplace. Funding has been secured to continue the scheme for the entire Spending Review period. Following the close of the Pathways to Work Green Paper consultation at the end of June, we are considering all responses to the consultation and will set out our plans in due course. We will be reviewing all aspects of the Scheme now that the consultation has closed. We are continuing to work closely with stakeholders, and in particular disabled people and their representatives, on all aspects of our proposals.
In addition to the consultation itself, we also established ‘collaboration committees’ that brought groups, including disabled people and other experts, to inform the design of the support we offer.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing carers to retain their national insurance contribution credits during temporary absences of the person they are a carer for.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Carers in receipt of Carers Allowance (CA) are awarded class 1 National Insurance credits. If there is a break in care that lasts up to 12 weeks, carers in receipt of CA are awarded class 3 National Insurance credits. These credits protect their State Pension and help with access to certain working age benefits.
Carers in receipt of the Universal Credit Carer Element or Carer’s Credit receive class 3 National Insurance credits, including during a break in care, which protects their State Pension in later life.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
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 carers continue to receive national insurance contribution credits during temporary leaves of absence for the person they are a carer for.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Carers in receipt of Carers Allowance (CA) are awarded class 1 National Insurance credits. If there is a break in care that lasts up to 12 weeks, carers in receipt of CA are awarded class 3 National Insurance credits. These credits protect their State Pension and help with access to certain working age benefits.
Carers in receipt of the Universal Credit Carer Element or Carer’s Credit receive class 3 National Insurance credits, including during a break in care, which protects their State Pension in later life.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2025 to Question 73088 on Department for Work and Pensions: Telephone Services, what assessment she made of the potential impact of the DWP MP Hotline not answering casework calls.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are aware of previous technical issues on our UC regional MP hotlines. Since the introduction of a single UC national MP hotline this issue has now been resolved.
We have also seen a significant increase in correspondence coming into the Department over the last 6 months. To reduce timescales in responding to MP correspondence, we are in the process of putting additional resources into our complaints and correspondence teams.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2025 to Question 73088, what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for replies to MP Correspondance.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are aware of previous technical issues on our UC regional MP hotlines. Since the introduction of a single UC national MP hotline this issue has now been resolved.
We have also seen a significant increase in correspondence coming into the Department over the last 6 months. To reduce timescales in responding to MP correspondence, we are in the process of putting additional resources into our complaints and correspondence teams.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to respond to the email from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot sent on 24 July 2025.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
A reply was sent to the hon. Member by the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, on behalf of the Secretary of State, on 17 September 2025.