Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 23 November 2020 to Question 116496, on Universal Credit: Coronavirus, what the revised timeframe is for the universal credit managed migration pilot in Harrogate.
Answered by Will Quince
The Pilot remains suspended as the Department continues to focus on delivering its part of the Government’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019 allow the Department to pilot moving claimants to Universal Credit from legacy benefits. Prior to its suspension, the emphasis of the pilot was not to focus on the number of people moved, but to assist with developing the design of the Move to UC service and its processes, to provide the best possible support for claimants who are moved to Universal Credit.
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the minimum number of people is that will be involved in the universal credit managed migration pilot in Harrogate before it ends.
Answered by Will Quince
The Pilot remains suspended as the Department continues to focus on delivering its part of the Government’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019 allow the Department to pilot moving claimants to Universal Credit from legacy benefits. Prior to its suspension, the emphasis of the pilot was not to focus on the number of people moved, but to assist with developing the design of the Move to UC service and its processes, to provide the best possible support for claimants who are moved to Universal Credit.
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will reintroduce the suspension of work-related conditionality and sanctions for the January 2021 covid-19 lockdown period.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are no plans to reintroduce the suspension of conditionality and related sanctions for the January 2021 lockdown. Work Coaches will continue to work with claimants to ensure claimant commitments are reasonable for claimants’ circumstances, and allows them to continue to adhere to Covid-19 public health advice.
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department’s staff can retrospectively correct information posted on a claimant’s universal credit journal without including an acknowledgement of the Department’s error.
Answered by Will Quince
Work Coaches and Case Managers are prevented from amending or deleting Universal Credit journal entries made by a claimant.
Staff members can retrospectively amend information they have posted to the Universal Credit journal, however claimants should receive an explanation to justify the amendment.
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what impact assessment has been carried out for increasing the state pension age of prison officers to 68.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Pensions Act 2007 increased State Pension age to 68 between 2044-46.
A general Regulatory Impact Assessment was conducted for the Pension Act 2007. It did not look at specific professions.
Government committed in legislation to undertake a review of State Pension age every six years, which means that the statutory deadline for the publication of the next Government review is 2023.
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people living in Airdrie and Shotts constituency had a Pension Wise guidance appointment by telephone or in person in the period from (a) 1 April 2019 to (b) 31 March 2020.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Money and Pensions Service publishes data on pension wise appointments across 2019-2020 here:
https://moneyandpensionsservice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Pension-Wise-Service-Evaluation-report-2019-2020.pdf and notes there were over 97k face to face and around 62k telephone appointments.
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people living in the Strathclyde region had a Pension Wise guidance appointment by telephone or in person in the period from (a) April 2019 to (b) March 2020.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Money and Pensions Service publishes data on pension wise appointments across 2019-2020 here:
https://moneyandpensionsservice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Pension-Wise-Service-Evaluation-report-2019-2020.pdf and notes there were over 97k face to face and around 62k telephone appointments.
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people living in Scotland had a Pension Wise guidance appointment (a) by telephone and (b) in person in the period from (i) April 2019 and (ii) March 2020.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Money and Pensions Service publishes data on pension wise appointments across 2019-2020 here:
https://moneyandpensionsservice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Pension-Wise-Service-Evaluation-report-2019-2020.pdf and notes there were over 97k face to face and around 62k telephone appointments.
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department blocks payments for social security benefit claimants requiring a habitual residence test; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As part of the eligibility criteria for income related benefits claimants need to have a legal right to reside and factual habitual residence. When eligibility needs to be determined, evidence is gathered and an assessment made through the Habitual Residence Test.