Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what methods his Department will use to contact people receiving legacy benefits as part of the managed migration to universal credit.
Answered by Will Quince
The initial approach is based on using existing relationships that the Department or our partners have with legacy benefit claimants. We are initially identifying claimants for the pilot from those that currently attend the Jobcentre for meetings, in order for Work Coaches to build on existing relationships to prepare claimants to move and to support them through the process. We will establish whether someone is ready to move and explore how we can move them effectively across to Universal Credit (UC).
Since the introduction of UC, claimants have been supported by a more flexible approach regarding contact, with much greater use of digital and telephone channels. This enables claimants to continue to engage with the Department, receive appropriate support and satisfy the conditions of their personalised Claimant Commitment without having to always attend an appointment in person. This approach provides the ability to change or adapt our plans to make sure it is working, and to support vulnerable claimants and those in unusual circumstances.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that workers who have been quarantined or who have self-quarantined as a result of covid-19 receive the sick leave to which they are entitled.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
We will introduce, as part of the Department of Health’s emergency Bill, provisions for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) to be made from day 1 in relation to Covid-19.
We will set out full details when the emergency legislation is published.
Employers have been urged to make sure they use their discretion and respect the medical need to self-isolate in making decisions about sick pay.
SSP is a legal minimum and we encourage all employers to make these day-1 payments immediately.
We will work with employers and workers to ensure they’re supported to do the right thing, look after their staff and each other, and use their discretion to make the right decisions to protect public health.