Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Pension Schemes Act 2015 (Transitional Provisions and Appropriate Independent Advice) 2015 Post Implementation Review, published on 4 April 2023, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the conclusions of that review.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The underpinning policy intent behind these regulations and objectives was to ensure members with safeguarded benefits understood the level of security in retirement provided by such benefits and what the member would lose if they were to exchange them for benefits that can be accessed flexibly.
The Post Implementation Review highlighted that the existing measures remain appropriate and effective. We have however identified that there may be issues with the structure and application of the regulations.
We are currently conducting further work with the Pensions Regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, and His Majesty’s Treasury to consider if there are possible changes that maintain protection for members and continue to ensure that the intent of the policy is not undermined.
We will be sharing the outcome of this work in due course.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department holds information on the number of households that (a) are affected by the two-child limit and (b) have accessed support from the Household Support Fund since that fund was established.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government publishes annual statistics releases related to the operation of the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children. Statistics related to the period up to April 2023 were published in July 2023 and can be accessed at Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit claimants: statistics related to the policy to provide support for a maximum of 2 children, April 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Household Support Fund management information has been published and can be found here:
Household Support Fund 2 management information: 1 April to 30 September 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Household Support Fund management information: 6 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department’s publication entitled Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit claimants: statistics related to the policy to provide support for a maximum of 2 children, April 2023, published on 13 July 2023, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the finding that 59% of the households impacted by the two-child limit are in work.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No such assessment has been made.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential correlation between the (a) proportion of children living in households affected by the two-child limit and (b) levels of child poverty.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to reducing poverty, including child poverty, and supporting low-income families. We will spend around £276bn through the welfare system in Great Britain in 2023/24 including around £124bn on people of working age and children.
From April 2023, we uprated benefit rates and State Pensions by 10.1% and, subject to Parliamentary approval, working-age benefits will rise by 6.7% from April 2024, in line with inflation.
Our approach to tackling poverty is based on clear evidence that parents in work, particularly where its full time, reduces the risk of poverty. In the financial year 2021 to 2022, children living in households where all adults work were around five times less likely to be in absolute poverty after housing costs than those living in workless households.
In 2021/22 there were 1.7 million fewer people in absolute poverty after housing costs than in 2009/10, including 400,000 fewer children.
No such assessment of the potential correlation between the proportion of children living in households affected by the two-child limit and levels of child poverty has been made.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 3.25 of the Autumn Statement 2023, CP 977, whether additional benefits includes NHS dental provision.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Claimants in receipt of Universal Credit can access passported benefits, such as help to pay for NHS dental treatment and NHS prescriptions.
As part of the Autumn Statement, we announced the intention to close the claim of those who have been disengaged for 6-months or more, where they are in receipt of a nil Universal Credit award following a sanction decision. If entitlement to passported benefits is reliant solely on a Universal Credit claim to establish eligibility, that eligibility will cease if the Universal Credit claim is closed. Claimants may however still be entitled to access passported benefits through other means.
Where a claimant has failed to comply with a mandatory work-related requirement, they have the opportunity to provide good reason before a sanction decision is made. Claimants receive an automated UC journal message which: informs them of the failure, prompts them to provide a reason, and encourages them to re-engage. Additionally, there is a digital nudge at 6 weeks following the decision where the claimant remains disengaged. Where disengaged continues, the claimant will receive a further notification at month 5 informing them of the claim closure intention and prompting them to re-engage or to inform us of any new circumstances which may impact this.
We will not be closing the claims of anyone with a known vulnerability or the claim of those in receipt of other Universal Credit elements, such as the housing, child, or disability element.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to publish a response to the call for evidence entitled Helping savers understand their pension choices, updated on 11 July 2023.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Helping savers understand their pension choices consultation closed on the 5 September 2023.
Government will analyse and consider the responses received after the closing date and will publish our response as soon as is practical after this.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to raise awareness of options for accessing defined contribution pension savings under the Pension Schemes Act (2015).
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government is committed to ensuring that people have the support and information they need to make informed choices about their financial future. The Government ensures everyone has access to free impartial pension guidance through the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS).
The Stronger Nudge to pensions guidance regulations, which came into force on 1 June 2022, ensures no-one will be able to access their savings through pension freedoms without having received Pension Wise guidance or opted out of receiving it. As part of the application process, schemes offer to book a Pension Wise appointment for individuals, supporting them to access the right guidance at the right time. This is likely to be one of the reasons for 16% more Pension Wise appointments attended between July 2022 and March 2023 than in the same period in 2021/22.
The midlife MOT is supporting people in their 40s, 50s and 60s to plan their next career move and better prepare for later life by taking stock of their finances, skills and health. We are delivering this through three different channels, providing free online support; face to face to eligible Universal Credit claimants; and to employees via our private sector pilot.
The Department is currently reviewing responses to our recent ‘Helping savers understand their pension choices’ call for evidence around the support and information savers need when accessing their pensions. We will respond to this in due course.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the adequacy of statutory sick pay for people working in the social care sector who are required to self isolate with covid-19.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
No such discussions have taken place. Most care workers are employed by private sector providers who set their pay and terms and conditions.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact that the total amount deducted from Universal Credit is having on families living in poverty in City of Durham constituency.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No assessment has been made.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for Personal Independence Payment reassessment claims.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
We are committed to ensuring people can access financial support through Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in a timely manner. We prioritise new claims, while ensuring claimants awaiting award reviews remain in payment until we can make a decision.
We always aim to make an award review decision as quickly as possible, considering the need to review all available evidence, including that from the claimant.
In addition, and in order to improve the service across all PIP activities, we are also:
Claimants are asked to contact us if their condition changes so their review can be looked at more quickly.