Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of enabling local authorities access to up-to-date Universal Credit claimant data for all claimants in their area.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recognises the benefits of further Universal Credit data sharing with Local Authorities to support vulnerable citizens.
DWP is working on a project to do exactly this, and aims to have delivered a test version to a small group of LAs by Spring 2026. Subject to this test being successful, we will roll this out to all LAs during the rest of 2026.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of claims made to the Health and Safety Executive that are subsequently referred by the HSE to local authorities for resolution.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Health and Safety at Work Act establishes a co-regulatory partnership between the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities (LAs). This co-regulatory partnership sees HSE and LAs working closely to ensure consistent enforcement of health and safety legislation.
The Enforcing Authority Regulations (EA Regulations) 1989 determine allocation of enforcement responsibility. LAs are responsible for enforcing health and safety requirements at 65% of business premises in Great Britain, which employ 46% of the national workforce. In general, LAs are the enforcing authority for retail, wholesale distribution and warehousing, hotel and catering premises, offices, and the consumer/leisure industries. HSE has the policy lead for all other sectors, and enforcement responsibilities for those sectors that traditionally have higher hazards/risks, e.g. factories, construction, agriculture, and off-shore industries.
Regulation 5 of the EA Regulations allows enforcement responsibility for any premises or any activity carried on there, to be transferred from HSE to the LA or vice versa. A transfer may be made only by agreement between the two enforcing authorities involved. The number of transfers under Regulation 5 from HSE to LAs show no discernible trend.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of claims for Child Disability Living Allowance were decided within the target timeframe of 45 working days in (a) 2024 and (b) so far in 2025.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The most recent information on processing times for Disability Living Allowance for children was published in the DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK (ARA) on 22nd July 2024. This shows that in 2023/24 DWP cleared 3.5% of Disability Living Allowance for children claims within the planned 40 working day timescale. The next publication of the ARA will include the percentage of claims processed in the Financial Year 2024 to 2025, which is due for publication in the summer.
Although, DWP has seen improvements in processing times across many service lines during 2023-24, continued high demand has meant that the Department’s ability to process claims consistently in a timely manner across all its services has come under considerable pressure, with performance remaining below standard in some areas including in Child DLA where demand has increased in recent years and is significantly higher than pre-pandemic volumes. During 2020-21 DWP deferred reviewing existing cases to focus on processing new claims. Since then, the high volumes of both new claims and the deferred renewal work has resulted in longer processing times. Additional resources have been deployed and cases are being cleared in date order to ensure fair customer service.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish information on success rates for (a) Mandatory Reconsideration of decisions on Child Disability Living Allowance (DLA) applications and (b) Tribunals relating to decisions on Child DLA applications.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is unable to provide the specific information requested on Mandatory Reconsiderations for Child Disability Living Allowance (DLA) applications. We hold data on Mandatory Reconsiderations, but only for the combined elements of those undertaken on "applications" (new claims) and those undertaken on changes in circumstance. The data does not split out the two to enable us to report to you the applications element only.
In regards to Tribunal outcomes, His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service are responsible for publication of statistics.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will ensure that Mandatory Reconsiderations relating to decisions on Child Disability Living Allowance claims are dealt with within 28 days.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In law there is no time limit within which a Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) decision must be made. This reflects the overarching policy that the focus should be on making the right decision and not the speed of clearance. Decisions should be made without delay, but if the decision maker considers that more time is needed to gather or consider evidence, they must give themselves that time to ensure they are confident that the decision made is correct. The department is also recruiting decision makers to increase the resources available for DLA-C MR cases.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance her Department has issued to staff on (a) contacting and (b) assessing benefits claims for (i) victims and (ii) survivors of domestic violence and economic abuse.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
All staff have access to regularly reviewed guidance products which includes information on contacting and assessing benefit claims for victims and survivors of domestic and economic abuse.
For broader support, we will signpost claimants to gov.uk to enable them to get the help and advice they need.
The most relevant UC Guidance is attached (059. Domestic abuse-Guidance V28.0)
The relevant Working Age Operational Instructions are also attached (Domestic Abuse and Victims of domestic abuse).
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help ensure that people in (a) low-paid and (b) insecure work receive an adequate income in retirement.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The new State Pension has been designed to provide a foundation for private saving, supported through Automatic Enrolment (AE). The new State Pension improves State Pension outcomes for those who often did less well under the previous system, including those on low incomes. Alongside qualifying through work or self-employment, there is also a wide range of National Insurance credits available, ensuring people can achieve the best possible State Pension outcome.
We have made a commitment to the Triple Lock throughout this Parliament which will mean spending on people’s State Pensions is forecast to rise by over £31 billion. As a result, over 12 million pensioners will receive up to £1,900 a year more by the end of the Parliament. Pension Credit also provides a means-tested safety-net for those on low-incomes in retirement.
AE has succeeded in transforming retirement saving with over 11 million employees having been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension since 2012. AE has been a particular success for lower earners with participation for eligible employees earning between £10,000 and £20,000 in the private sector, increasing from 17% in 2012 to 75% in 2023. However, we know we need to do even more to build on the success of AE in getting people into saving by ensuring security in retirement for all.
The first phase of our review is focused on investment and growth with the twin objectives of increasing investment in the UK and delivering improved returns for savers. In November 2024 we published the interim report of this review with consultations on unlocking the UK pensions market for growth and reforming the Local Government Pension Scheme. These consultations closed in January, and we expect to provide our response in Spring 2025.
However, it is also important that we then consider the broader question of adequacy and how to build on the success of AE to ensure that people are saving enough for retirement. Therefore, the second phase of the review will in due course look at further steps to improve pension outcomes, and pension adequacy for all.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she plans to take to ensure that reform of regulations for accessing surplus in defined benefit pension schemes help improve economic growth.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Trustees will continue to be at the heart of decision making. Working with employers, they will consider how best to use DB scheme surplus to benefit members and employers. More flexibility can fuel growth, provide benefits for the economy and ensure members remain protected. The Government will set out further details in its response to the Options for Defined Benefit schemes consultation this Spring.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the Child Maintenance Service to (a) increase protections for the victims of domestic abuse and (b) to prevent the withholding or artificial reduction of child maintenance payments being used as a form of economic abuse.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
A consultation on proposed reforms to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) was published by the previous Government on 8 May 2024. This included:
This follows the Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Act receiving royal assent in July 2023. The consultation was extended by this Government at the end of July and ran until 30 September 2024. We are currently analysing the responses we have received, and the Government will publish a response in due course.
CMS Domestic Abuse training has been updated with input from external stakeholders and wider DWP to ensure caseworkers recognise and respond safely and appropriately to customers who are experiencing domestic abuse or are survivors of domestic abuse. This package includes an understanding of abuse, including economic abuse, and, of course, given the context, covers post separation abuse.
The CMS will use its strong enforcement powers to pursue those who willfully avoid their financial obligations to their children. Cases involving complex income can be investigated by the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU). This is a specialist team which can request information from financial institutions (such as banks, investment companies and mortgage companies) to check the accuracy of information the CMS is given.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what reforms to disability benefits she plans to introduce in 2025; when each reform will be implemented; and whether she plans to publish any further consultations on planned reforms.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government is committed to reforming the system of health and disability benefits so that it promotes and enables employment among as many people as possible.
We are working to develop proposals for health and disability reform in the months ahead and will set them out in a Green Paper ahead of the Spring Statement. This will launch a public consultation on the proposals. This Government is committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people at the heart of all that we do, so we will consult on these proposals, where appropriate, with disabled people and representative organisations.