Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of applications to delay migration from tax credits to universal credit have been granted in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The following table provides information on the number of extension requests granted. The data relating to the proportion of people who requested an extension and then were granted an extension cannot be provided because it is not held centrally.
Tax Credit claimants | ||
| Migration Notices sent to individuals | of which, extension to Migration Notice period granted |
Month Migration Notice sent |
| |
Jan-23 | 520 | 10 |
Feb-23 | 960 | 10 |
Mar-23 | 1,000 | 10 |
Apr-23 | 4,950 | 60 |
May-23 | 12,880 | 170 |
Jun-23 | 23,180 | 250 |
Jul-23 | 26,970 | 220 |
Aug-23 | 44,500 | 380 |
Sep-23 | 39,410 | 100 |
Notes:
Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10
‘..’ indicates nil or negligible
Migration notices are included only until the end of September to allow households to have reached their deadline, in line with published official statistics to December 2023
Source: Move to Universal Credit operation system
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing an opt-out option for members of pension schemes with safeguarded benefits who are required to take advice under section 48 of the Pension Schemes Act 2015.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The overarching objective of the advice requirement is to ensure that members understand the financial implications of transferring to a scheme with flexible benefits. The process enables a clear view of the choices available to the individual and the longer term risks attached to accessing flexible benefits.
The government has to consider the needs of all pension savers regardless of their individual circumstances and it believes that enabling members to make informed investment decisions will yield greater long term financial stability for the individual. It is not therefore policy to introduce an opt out option to this part of the transfer process.
In forming this view, DWP has engaged with pensions industry bodies, the regulators and consumer groups to review The Pension Schemes Act 2015 (Transitional Provisions and Appropriate Independent Advice) Regulations 2017. The review considered how the advice requirement is working in practice and if there are any unintended consequences. A report of the review was published in June 2023 and is available on gov.uk.
Whilst the report concluded that the existing measures remain appropriate and effective, the department will continue to work closely with HMT and FCA to consider changes to the regulations that will improve the transfer process whilst ensuring that members continue to receive an appropriate level of protection and support.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to tackle the potential impact of poor health outcomes on economic activity.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Long-term sickness is now the most common reason for economic inactivity among the working age population. To step up our focus on tackling rising economic inactivity due to long-term sickness, we announced a further wide-reaching package at the Spring Budget to support disabled people and people with health conditions to work.
New investment includes:
o Expanding additional work coach support, an existing programme to provide disabled people and people with health conditions with increased one-to-one personalised support from their work coach to help them move towards, and into, work.
o Introducing Universal Support, a new supported employment programme for eligible inactive people (disabled people and people with health conditions and additional barriers to employment), matching participants with open market jobs and funding support and training.
o Piloting the WorkWell Partnerships Programme to provide integrated work and health support for disabled people and people with health conditions who want help to remain in, return to, or take up, work. The programme will be locally led, bringing together the NHS, local authorities and other partners, in collaboration with jobcentres.
o Launching two Occupational Health consultations – one focused on occupational health tax incentives and one on ways to boost UK occupational health coverage.
o Introducing employment advisors in Musculoskeletal Conditions (MSK) services in England, helping individuals with MSK conditions to return to, or remain in, employment.
These initiatives build on wider announcements at the 2023 Spring Budget, including the publication of the Health and Disability White Paper and greater investment in mental health and musculoskeletal condition services which are the two leading causes of economic inactivity due to long term sickness.
The Government already has a range of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay, and succeed in, work. These include increasing Work Coach support in Jobcentres; Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres; the Work and Health Programme and Intensive Personalised Employment Support; Access to Work grants; Disability Confident; the Support with Employee Health and Disability Service; and work to further join up employment and health systems, including Employment Advice in NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
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 increase statutory sick pay this autumn.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Government has already increased Statutory Sick Pay this year as part of the annual uprating exercise in April 2023. This was in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which has been the default inflation measure for the Government’s statutory annual review of benefits since 2011.
The Secretary of State is required by law to undertake a review of benefits and pensions annually. This review will commence shortly and the outcome will be announced in the Autumn in the usual way.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2022 to Question 101751 on Children: Maintenance, whether his Department (a) has launched and (b) plans to launch a review into using gross income to calculate child maintenance.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government’s response to the Independent Review of CMS’s handling of domestic abuse cases announced our intentions to look again at the child maintenance calculation to ensure it is fit for purpose and fair for both parents in light of societal changes since it was last looked at. The review is ongoing, and any changes would require changes to primary legislation and will be brought forward in the usual way. Any changes will always be made according to the best interests of children.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
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 (a) increasing the rate of statutory sick pay, (b) abolishing the lower earnings limit and (c) extending the 28 weeks cap for people living with (i) cystic fibrosis and (ii) other long term conditions.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) provides a measure of earnings replacement to employees when they are sick or incapable of work. Employers are required to pay it at the legal minimum rate for up to 28 weeks per period of absence. Many employers decide to pay more, and for longer, through Occupational Sick Pay.
If an individual who is suffering from a long-term health condition requires further financial support while off work sick, for example, where their income is reduced while on Statutory Sick Pay, they may be able to claim Universal Credit depending on their personal circumstances. Where they are not eligible, for example, because they earn below the Lower Earnings Limit, they may also be able to claim New Style Employment and Support Allowance.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a sick pay scheme for the self-employed.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid for by employers and there is no mechanism to include the self-employed in SSP.
The Government does have a wider safety net to ensure self-employed people are supported through the welfare system. Where an individual’s income is reduced while off work sick and they require further financial support, they may be able to claim Universal Credit and new style Employment and Support Allowance, depending on their personal circumstances.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing people in receipt of statutory sick pay living with (a) cystic fibrosis and (b) other long term conditions to have phased returns to work.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Health is Everyone’s Business (2019) consulted on a broad package of measures related to the work and health agenda. This included some proposals related to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) such as making it more flexible to support phased returns to work.
In the response to the consultation (2021), the Government stated this was not the right time to introduce changes to the sick pay system, but that we are continuing to keep the SSP system under review.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether carers approaching state pension age who will lose their entitlement to Carer's Allowance are automatically directed to claim Pension Credit..
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Carer’s Allowance aims to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time employment, in order to provide regular and substantial care for a severely disabled person.
For those over the age of retirement, the State Pension is intended to replace income when work ceases. It has been a long-held feature of the UK’s benefit system under successive governments that, where someone is entitled to two benefits for the same contingency, then whilst there may be entitlement to both benefits, only one will be paid to prevent duplicate financial provision for the same need. We have no plans to change these arrangements.
Where underlying entitlement of Carer’s Allowance occurs (all entitlement conditions are met, but the overlapping benefit rule prevents payment), additional financial support may already be available through Pension Credit, notably including the additional amount payable to carers in Pension Credit. This additional amount is currently £42.75 a week and 108,000 people are receiving it. It is paid to recognise the additional contribution and responsibilities associated with caring and means that lower income pensioners with caring responsibilities can receive more than other lower income recipients of Pension Credit. If a pensioner’s income is above the limit for Pension Credit, he or she may still be able to receive Housing Benefit.
Since April 2022, the Government has undertaken a substantial and sustained communications campaign to raise awareness of Pension Credit and promote its take-up, including extensive advertising in regional and national newspapers, on social media, on the radio and on TV. The department also includes information in the leaflet that accompanies the annual uprating letters to pensioners drawing attention to the availability of Pension Credit and encouraging them to check their eligibility and make a claim.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of providing additional financial support to carers in receipt of the State Pension.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Carer’s Allowance aims to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time employment, in order to provide regular and substantial care for a severely disabled person.
For those over the age of retirement, the State Pension is intended to replace income when work ceases. It has been a long-held feature of the UK’s benefit system under successive governments that, where someone is entitled to two benefits for the same contingency, then whilst there may be entitlement to both benefits, only one will be paid to prevent duplicate financial provision for the same need. We have no plans to change these arrangements.
Where underlying entitlement of Carer’s Allowance occurs (all entitlement conditions are met, but the overlapping benefit rule prevents payment), additional financial support may already be available through Pension Credit, notably including the additional amount payable to carers in Pension Credit. This additional amount is currently £42.75 a week and 108,000 people are receiving it. It is paid to recognise the additional contribution and responsibilities associated with caring and means that lower income pensioners with caring responsibilities can receive more than other lower income recipients of Pension Credit. If a pensioner’s income is above the limit for Pension Credit, he or she may still be able to receive Housing Benefit.
Since April 2022, the Government has undertaken a substantial and sustained communications campaign to raise awareness of Pension Credit and promote its take-up, including extensive advertising in regional and national newspapers, on social media, on the radio and on TV. The department also includes information in the leaflet that accompanies the annual uprating letters to pensioners drawing attention to the availability of Pension Credit and encouraging them to check their eligibility and make a claim.