Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-UK EU nationals (a) are in receipt of universal credit and (b) will be in receipt of universal credit in each of the next 10 years.
Answered by Lord Sharma
The nationality and immigration status of claimants is not currently recorded on benefit payment systems.
However, the Department for Work and Pensions has published statistics on working age benefit recipients by nationality at point of National Insurance Number (NINO) registration. This information is known as “Nationality at point of National Insurance Number registration of DWP benefit claimants” and is included in the “Statistical Bulletin on Nationality at point of National Insurance Number registration of DWP working age benefit recipients: data to November 2017”, available at:
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to encourage (a) large employers and (b) SME employers to recruit disabled employees.
Answered by Sarah Newton
This Government is committed to supporting disabled people to reach their potential. We are engaging with employers through the Disability Confident scheme, which was developed by disabled people, employers and disability organisations to encourage employers to think differently about disability and to take action to improve how they attract, recruit and develop disabled employees.
The Disability Confident Business Leaders Group (BLG), comprising senior leaders from significant British businesses across all sectors, is helping to increase engagement with employers. The group promotes the business benefits of disability employment and works with DWP officials to identify any changes or developments that will improve the effectiveness of the scheme.
DWP is working with a range of stakeholders, including members of the Business Leaders Group and Professional Advisers Group, to drive sign-up to Disability Confident. Through employer-focused events, we are targeting employers of all size and sector and are working with MPs in their constituencies to encourage local community sign-up. We are also working with MPs around the country to arrange local events to get them as employers, and businesses in their constituencies, signed up.
Over 7,500 employers are currently signed up to Disability Confident, of whom over 2,000 are large employers and 5,500 are SMEs.
Over 2,800 employers have completed their self-assessment to become Disability Confident Employers (Level 2). These include organisations ranging in size from large multi nationals to local employers, including private businesses, colleges, sports clubs, NHS trusts and social enterprises. All main government Departments are at Level 3 (Disability Confident Leader) and over 80% of Local Authorities are Disability Confident.
In addition, the department has instigated a requirement that all contractors for major contracts (exceeding £10 million in value) must have achieved Disability Confident Leader Status. DWP will work with its other suppliers to encourage them to become Disability Confident.
Crown Commercial Services are developing a Public Procurement Notice on disability and employment. This will provide guidance on the work and health agenda, on the Stevenson/Farmer Core and Enhanced Standards on mental health, and it will identify how to encourage suppliers to sign up to Disability Confident.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
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 the disability employment gap; and what information her Department holds on the disability employment gap by (a) condition and (b) type of disability.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Evidence shows that the disability employment gap is narrowing, although we are determined to see further improvements, so that everyone who can work is given the right support and opportunities to do so.
Table 1 shows the gap in employment rates between working age disabled and non-disabled people, based on the estimates published by ONS on the website at the following link:
Table 1: Employment rates for disabled and non-disabled people aged 16-64, Q2 2013 – Q2 2017
| Disabled employment rate (%) | Non-disabled employment rate (%) | Gap |
2013 | 43.6 | 76.8 | 33.1 |
2014 | 44.9 | 78.4 | 33.5 |
2015 | 45.9 | 79.2 | 33.3 |
2016 | 47.9 | 80.1 | 32.2 |
2017 | 49.2 | 80.6 | 31.3 |
Source: Labour Force Survey
Notes:
Table 2 shows how employment rates for disabled people with different health conditions or broad types of disability compare to that of non-disabled people.
Table 2: Employment rate of disabled people by health condition, Q2 (April to June) 2017
| Disabled employment rate (%) | Total number of people |
Problems or disabilities (including arthritis or rheumatism) connected with arms or hands | 53.7 | 458 |
Problems or disabilities (including arthritis or rheumatism) connected with legs or feet | 56.5 | 765 |
Problems or disabilities (including arthritis or rheumatism) connected with back or neck | 56.4 | 1,036 |
Difficulty in seeing | 54.9 | 85 |
Difficulty in hearing | 62.3 | 65 |
Speech impediment | - | - |
Severe disfigurements, skin conditions, allergies | 64.0 | 82 |
Chest or breathing problems, asthma, bronchitis | 54.4 | 433 |
Heart, blood pressure or blood circulation problems | 49.1 | 412 |
Stomach, liver kidney or digestive problems | 60.3 | 361 |
Diabetes | 55.0 | 259 |
Depression, bad nerves or anxiety | 46.3 | 1,068 |
Epilepsy | 28.0 | 92 |
Severe or specific learning difficulties (mental handicap) | 16.8 | 184 |
Mental illness, or suffer from phobia, panics or other nervous disorders | 27.1 | 476 |
Progressive illness not included elsewhere (e.g. cancer, multiple sclerosis, symptomatic HIV, Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy) | 37.7 | 416 |
Other health problems or disabilities | 52.5 | 810 |
| ||
Any mental health main condition | 40.3 | 1,544 |
Any musculoskeletal main condition | 55.9 | 2,259 |
Any mental health main condition or musculoskeletal main condition | 49.6 | 3,803 |
| ||
Total disabled | 49.2 | 7,097 |
Total non-disabled | 80.6 | 33,792 |
Source: Labour Force Survey
Notes:
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on ensuring that all people with pre-payment meters who are eligible for the winter fuel payment have that payment applied automatically.
Answered by Guy Opperman
Winter Fuel Payments are cash payments based on age and residence, and are not means tested. Most payments are made automatically between November and December based on information held by my Department; payments can also be claimed via Gov.uk.
In addition, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and my Department work with energy companies to deliver discounts to energy bills through the Warm Home Discount Scheme. This provides an annual discount of £140 on the electricity bills of over 2 million low-income households. It is available to households in receipt of certain means-tested benefits whose energy supplier is covered by the Scheme. Households receiving the Guarantee Credit of Pension Credit should receive these discounts on their bills automatically. Those in receipt of other selected benefits may apply for a discount to their energy company. Customers using all payment types, including pre-payment meters, are eligible for the Scheme.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department takes to retrospectively pay winter fuel payments to eligible recipients with pre-paid meters who have not had that payment applied by their energy supplier.
Answered by Guy Opperman
Winter Fuel Payments are cash payments based on age and residence, and are not means tested. Most payments are made automatically between November and December based on information held by my Department; payments can also be claimed via Gov.uk.
In addition, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and my Department work with energy companies to deliver discounts to energy bills through the Warm Home Discount Scheme. This provides an annual discount of £140 on the electricity bills of over 2 million low-income households.
Customers using all payment types, including pre-payment meters, are eligible for the Scheme. The method of payment depends on the electricity supplier and the type of meter. The money isn’t paid to the customer - it’s a one-off discount on their electricity bill, between September and March. The discount is provided to eligible customers as a payment credited to their electricity account, or as a credit on their electricity key or meter, during the winter.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, If she will make an estimate of the number of unemployed people claiming benefits in Witham constituency.
Answered by Lord Sharma
The claimant count in Witham was 530 in December 2017. This is a fall of over 800, or more than 60%, since 2010.