Asked by: Michelle Donelan (Conservative - Chippenham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what communications his Department had with people receiving personal independence payments to inform them of the potential changes to their benefits before announcing those changes.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
As confirmed by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State in his statement to the House on 21 March, the proposed changes to PIP will not be going ahead.
We spend around £50bn every year on benefits alone to support people with disabilities or health conditions, with spending on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) having increased by more than £3 billion since 2010. The government is committed to talking to disabled people, their representatives, healthcare professionals and employers to ensure the welfare system works better with the health and social care systems and provides help and support to those who need it most.
Asked by: Michelle Donelan (Conservative - Chippenham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department offers businesses to encourage them to employ people with additional needs.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
The Government is committed to ensuring that all disabled people have the opportunity to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations. Work is an important part of this, which is why in our manifesto we committed to halving the disability employment gap.
Disability Confident works with an increasing number of employers to promote the benefits of employing disabled people, encouraging good practice, challenging prejudicial attitudes and helping to ensure that disabled people have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.
Access to Work provides support above and beyond employers’ reasonable adjustments. Every year, Access to Work supports tens of thousands of disabled workers to enter or retain employment and progress in their careers.
Asked by: Michelle Donelan (Conservative - Chippenham)
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 give disabled people individual and tailored support and assistance to help them gain employment.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
We are rolling out the new Work Coach model across Jobcentre Plus, with the focus on providing support tailored to the individual.
Unemployed disabled people may also receive support from a number of programmes, including:
Additionally, a disabled person who is applying for a new job or who needs support in their existing job may be eligible for Access to Work. This is a discretionary grant scheme for personalised in-work support. We are currently trialling the operation of personal budgets in Access to Work.