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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 06 Feb 2019
Pensions Dashboard

"I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving way, and I congratulate him on securing the debate. I entirely agree that it is a very good idea to have all this information in one place, but does he agree that there must be appropriate regulatory compliance concerning the way …..."
Nick Thomas-Symonds - View Speech

View all Nick Thomas-Symonds (Lab - Torfaen) contributions to the debate on: Pensions Dashboard
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 15 Jan 2019
Recognition of Fibromyalgia as a Disability

"I warmly congratulate my hon. Friend on securing the debate. His use of the word “invisible” was telling. Besides raising awareness, is not the debate about getting to the stage where fibromyalgia is diagnosed more easily?..."
Nick Thomas-Symonds - View Speech

View all Nick Thomas-Symonds (Lab - Torfaen) contributions to the debate on: Recognition of Fibromyalgia as a Disability
Written Question
Universal Credit
Friday 16th November 2018

Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)

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 ensure that a claimant will not receive less money in benefits as a result of moving to universal credit under the managed migration process.

Answered by Lord Sharma

Welfare claimants whose circumstances remain the same will not see their benefit entitlement reduced as a direct result of being moved on to Universal Credit through managed migration, as they will receive transitional protection. This will ensure that claimants who are managed migrated will have total entitlement to Universal Credit that is at least as great had been their total entitlement to existing benefits at the point they are migrated, so safeguarding their benefit entitlement until their circumstances change.

Claimants whose entitlement is less in Universal Credit than their legacy entitlement will receive transitional protection to ensure their benefit allowance remains the same at the point of transition. The other claimants who are migrated onto Universal Credit as part of managed migration will receive the same or an increased entitlement as they receive on legacy benefits.

Additionally, we have announced that Tax Credits claimants with capital in excess of the £16,000 capital threshold will now receive a 12-month grace period during which they can receive transitional protection if eligible.

We have also announced that, from 16 January 2019, we will prevent those claimants who are, or have been within the past month entitled to an award of an existing benefit that includes a Severe Disability Premium (SDP), from naturally migrating to Universal Credit following a change of circumstances. These claimants will continue to receive the relevant legacy benefit(s) appropriate to their change of circumstance and will only move to Universal Credit via managed migration (and therefore be eligible to transitional protection), safeguarding their existing benefit entitlement.

We will also provide both an on-going monthly payment to eligible claimants who have already lost the SDP as a consequence of moving to Universal Credit and an additional monthly payment to cover the period since they moved. Eligibility for these payments will depend on a number of criteria being satisfied, which include whether the basic qualifying conditions for SDP continue to be met.

Written Question
Pensions: Consumer Information
Thursday 8th November 2018

Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to consult on proposals for mandatory participation in pensions dashboards by pension providers.

Answered by Guy Opperman

As set out in the Autumn Budget, The DWP will consult on the detailed design for pensions dashboards, and on how an industry-led approach could harness innovation while protecting consumers. As part of the consultation, due to be published shortly, the DWP will explore how to maximise the participation of pension schemes.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 05 Nov 2018
Universal Credit

"The full service roll-out of universal credit began in my constituency in July last year. People who are moving from legacy benefits on to universal credit are being made worse off. How on earth can a system incentivise work if it is making people in work poorer?..."
Nick Thomas-Symonds - View Speech

View all Nick Thomas-Symonds (Lab - Torfaen) contributions to the debate on: Universal Credit
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 17 Oct 2018
Universal Credit

"Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the real issues is that, under this migration system, people who are in work are becoming worse off? How on earth can a system encourage work when it makes people in work worse off?..."
Nick Thomas-Symonds - View Speech

View all Nick Thomas-Symonds (Lab - Torfaen) contributions to the debate on: Universal Credit
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 05 Sep 2018
Equalities Legislation: Guide Dogs

"I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this important debate. I concur with what he says about the expense of litigation and the other options available. Is not raising awareness about the Equality Act 2010 a far better option in trying to ensure that the law is enforced?..."
Nick Thomas-Symonds - View Speech

View all Nick Thomas-Symonds (Lab - Torfaen) contributions to the debate on: Equalities Legislation: Guide Dogs
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 11 Jul 2018
ESA: People with Motor Neurone Disease

"I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing the debate. I join him in thanking the campaigners, because the employment and support allowance application and reassessment systems just are not suitable for people with motor neurone disease. Will he join me in congratulating those who campaign locally? Torfaen lost its former …..."
Nick Thomas-Symonds - View Speech

View all Nick Thomas-Symonds (Lab - Torfaen) contributions to the debate on: ESA: People with Motor Neurone Disease
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 09 May 2018
DWP Offices Closures: Merthyr Tydfil

"I have a very similar situation in Cwmbran town centre, as Cwmbran pension centre makes that type of contribution. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is economically illiterate to take such jobs out of local economies across the valleys?..."
Nick Thomas-Symonds - View Speech

View all Nick Thomas-Symonds (Lab - Torfaen) contributions to the debate on: DWP Offices Closures: Merthyr Tydfil
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 09 May 2018
DWP Offices Closures: Merthyr Tydfil

"To highlight the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Newport East (Jessica Morden), I have constituents who commute to Sovereign House in Newport who will now face disrupted travel from having to go so much further to Treforest, rather than down the road to Newport...."
Nick Thomas-Symonds - View Speech

View all Nick Thomas-Symonds (Lab - Torfaen) contributions to the debate on: DWP Offices Closures: Merthyr Tydfil