Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in the UK are not claiming what value of each benefit and pension entitlement; and what proportion of each benefit and pension entitlement is unclaimed.
Answered by Priti Patel - Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
In February 2012 the Department for Work and Pensions published the report “Income Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up in 2009-10”. The full report can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the two year freeze on benefit levels on (a) young adults, (b) pregnant women, (c) couples with children, (d) formerly looked after children, (e) veterans and (f) disabled people; and what estimate he has made of the real terms effect on the levels of each type of benefit of that freeze.
Answered by Priti Patel - Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
The Government takes into account likely impacts as part of its policy development process and will publish an impact assessment in due course.
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to ensure planned changes to entitlements to housing benefit and local housing allowance do not adversely affect (a) young adults, (b) formerly looked after children, (c) pregnant women, (d) couples with children, (e) veterans and (f) disabled people.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Any changes to Housing Benefit policy will be subject to a full policy equality assessment to ascertain the impacts on protected groups and ensure compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Scotland are not claiming what value of each benefit and pension entitlement; what proportion of each benefit and pension entitlement is unclaimed by claimants in Scotland; and if he will take steps to transfer the value of unclaimed benefits and pension entitlements to the Scottish Government.
Answered by Priti Patel - Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
Estimates of benefit take-up are not available at geographies below Great Britain. This is due to the size of the survey sample they are based on and methods used to generate robust national figures.
Following a consultation at July 2012 on the future on the “Income Related Benefits: Estimates for Take-Up” National Statistics series, DWP are planning to publish Experimental Statistics on benefit take-up rates. Further details are available here:
In February 2012 the Department for Work and Pensions published the report “Income Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up in 2009-10”. The full report can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of reducing the benefits cap to £23,000 per annum on (a) young adults, (b) pregnant women, (c) couples with children, (d) veterans and (e) disabled people; and how many households in each of those groups will be affected by that reduction.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
We will publish a full Impact Assessment in due course.
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure all people entitled to benefits and not claiming those benefits are identified and assisted in claiming those benefits.
Answered by Priti Patel - Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 February 2015 to Question UIN 223115.
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to ensure planned changes to entitlements to housing benefit and local housing allowance do not adversely affect (a) young adults, (b) formerly looked after children, (c) pregnant women, (d) couples with children, (e) veterans and (f) disabled people.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Any changes to Housing Benefit policy will be subject to a full policy equality assessment to ascertain the impacts on protected groups and ensure compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will commission an independent review of the benefit sanctions system.
Answered by Priti Patel - Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 03 June 2015 to Question UIN 170
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to suspend benefit sanctions for families with children and for people suffering from mental ill health.
Answered by Priti Patel - Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on the 5 June 2015 to Question UIN 176.
Asked by: Paul Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to abolish the two-week waiting period before claimants who are designated as not vulnerable may receive a hardship payment.
Answered by Priti Patel - Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on the 9 June 2015 to Question UIN 1243.