Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people in receipt of the Personal Independence Payment standard daily living component were awarded less than four points in all daily living activities in (a) York Central constituency, (b) City of York Local Authority area and (c) York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority area, in the most recent period for which data is available.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’(opens in a new tab), including an Evidence Pack which contains the maximum points scored on any Daily Living activity by Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants, broken down by Parliamentary Constituency and Local Authority. For York Central constituency, 42% of people scored fewer than 4 points at last assessment.
As the information is not published in the way you have requested, information on the volume and proportion of PIP claimants who received a standard Daily Living award rate and scored less than four points in all daily living activities, by different geographical breakdowns can be found in Table 1 below. This should not be equated with the number who are likely to lose PIP. It’s important to make a clear distinction between the two, not least because we don’t want constituents to be unnecessarily fearful about their situation, when we understand many are already anxious. We are clear that we will always protect the most vulnerable.
No one will lose access to PIP immediately. The changes, subject to parliamentary approval, would be brought in from November 2026. After that date, no one will lose PIP without first being reassessed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional, who assesses individual needs and circumstance. Reassessments happen on average every 3 years. Someone who didn’t score 4 points in an activity in a previous assessment may well score 4 points in a future assessment – not least as many conditions tend to get worse, not better, over time.
After taking account of behavioural changes, the OBR predicts 9 in 10 people who claim PIP in November 2026 will still receive it by the end of Parliament. If the OBR’s behavioural assumptions for England and Wales were applicable to York and North Yorkshire, around one-fifth of current claimants shown in table 1 would no longer receive their daily living component following review.
We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and care needs are met. PIP is not based on condition diagnosis but on functional disability as the result of one or more conditions, and is awarded as a contribution to the additional costs which result.
We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment, to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I will lead. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to to this. We will provide further details as plans progess.
Even with these reforms, the overall number of people on PIP and DLA is expected to rise by 750,000 by the end of this parliament and spending will rise from £23bn in 24/25 to £31bn in 29/30.
Table 1: volume and percentage of PIP claimants who are in receipt of the standard daily living award rate and scored less than four points in all daily living activities by different geographical breakdowns
Geographical breakdowns | Standard Daily Living | Enhanced Daily Living | ||
Volume of claimants who scored <4 points | Percentage of claimants who scored <4 points | Volume of claimants who scored <4 points | Percentage of claimants who scored <4 points | |
York Central Parliamentary Constituency | 1,400 | 83% | 300 | 12% |
City of York Local Authority | 2,200 | 83% | 400 | 11% |
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority | 10,700 | 85% | 1,800 | 11% |
England and Wales | 1,121,100 | 87% | 203,000 | 13% |
Notes:
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people in receipt of the Personal Independence Payment enhanced daily living component were awarded less than four points in all daily living activities in the most recent period for which data is available.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Data on the number and proportion of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants with an enhanced daily living component who scored less than four points can be found in table 1 below.
The number of people currently on PIP who did not score 4 points in one category in their last assessment should not be equated with the number who are likely to lose PIP in future. It’s important to make a clear distinction between the two, not least because we don’t want constituents to be unnecessarily fearful about their situation, when we understand many are already anxious. Someone who did not score 4 points in an activity in a previous assessment may well score 4 points in a future assessment as conditions change over time.
After taking account of behavioural changes, the OBR predicts that 9 in 10 of those on PIP daily living at the point any changes come in will still be receiving PIP by the end of the decade.
There will be no immediate changes to PIP eligibility. Our intention is that changes will start to come into effect from November 2026 for PIP, subject to parliamentary approval.
After that date, no one will lose PIP without first being reassessed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional, who assesses individual needs and circumstance. Reassessments happen on average every 3 years.
We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including ensuring health and care needs are met.
We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I will lead. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress.
Even with these reforms, the overall number of people on PIP and DLA is expected to rise by 750,000 by the end of this parliament and spending will rise from £23bn in 24/25 to £31bn in 29/30.
Table 1: volume and percentage of PIP claimants receiving an enhanced daily living award, who scored less than four points in all daily living activities
Daily Living Award | Volume of PIP claimants who scored < 4 points | Percentage of PIP claimants who scored < 4 points |
Enhanced | 203,000 | 13% |
Source(s): PIP Administrative Data
Notes:
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people in receipt of the Personal Independence Payment standard daily living component were awarded less than four points in all daily living activities in the most recent period for which data is available.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The proportion of people in receipt of Personal Independence Payment with the Standard Daily Living component who were awarded fewer than four points in all daily living activities is readily available as part of the Pathways to Work Evidence Pack in Chapter 2, table 2.20.
Table 2.20 shows that, in January 2025, 87% of working aged claimants in England and Wales who were in receipt of the standard daily living component scored less than four points in all daily living activities and 13% of those claiming the enhanced rate.
After taking account of behavioural changes, OBR predicts that 370,000 people who will be receiving PIP at the point of implementation of the four point requirement in November 2026, will have lost their PIP Daily Living entitlement by 2029/30. Of all PIP recipients at the point of implementation, 9 in 10 will not lose PIP during the subsequent 3 years from this change.
Notes:
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people (a) made an application for Pension Credit and (b) were new claimants of Pension Credit in each of the last 24 months.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
On 27 February 2025 we published Pension Credit applications and award statistics. This publication provides application volumes up to 23 February 2025 Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK The next update of the Pension Credit applications and awards data is due to be published on 29 May 2025.
All applications received are treated as new claims. Therefore, we do not hold information on details of previous claims applicants may have submitted.
Please note, the figures presented are from DWP’s Pension Credit system which has previously been collected for internal departmental operations use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics publication standards.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps is she taking to reduce the number of people in (a) relative poverty, (b) absolute poverty and (c) destitution.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This government is committed to tackling poverty.
We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty so alongside social security this will be the foundation of our approach. The Get Britain Working White Paper, to be set out in the Autumn, will develop measures to reduce inactivity and help people to find better paid and more secure jobs. Alongside this, we have committed to reviewing Universal Credit by listening to the full range of views on potential changes, so that our social security system is fit for purpose.
We promised concrete actions in our manifesto to support children and families which is why we announced our Ministerial Taskforce on the 17th July, jointly chaired by the Work and Pensions and Education Secretaries, to begin work on an ambitious Child Poverty Strategy, to reduce child poverty, tackle the root causes, and give every child the best start in life. The Taskforce will publish the Child Poverty Strategy in Spring 2025 and will explore all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty.
We are already taking steps to tackle poverty, including free breakfast clubs in every primary school so children don’t go hungry, protecting renters from arbitrary eviction, slashing fuel poverty and banning exploitative zero hours contracts. As well as this, we announced funding to extend the Household Support Fund in England for a further 6 months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual. As has been done for previous schemes, the Fund is available to County Councils and Unitary Authorities in England to provide discretionary support to those most in need with the cost of essentials.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to help reduce the level of work absence as a result of mental ill health.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My department and I work closely with our counterparts in DHSC on work and health measures, and we have a joint directorate reporting to us that is charged with improving recruitment, retention and the success at work of disabled people and people with long term health conditions.
We have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals with mental health conditions to stay in work and get back into work. Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies. The Employment Advice in Talking Therapies programme – which is joint funded by the DWP and Department for Health & Social Care - combines the expertise of therapists and employment advisers to give those with mental health conditions the support they need to find work tailored to them, while Access to Work Mental Health Support Service (MHSS) provides up to 9 months of personalised, non-clinical support for people who need mental health support while in employment.
Employers play a key role in increasing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and people with health conditions to thrive as part of the workforce. Our support to employers includes a digital information service for employers and the Disability Confident scheme.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people claimed Pension Credit in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Internal Pension Credit operational information is not currently produced monthly, but rather weekly. Please find data from 4th September 2023 up to the end of week commencing 30th September 2024. This data is a longer time series of the ad hoc statistics recently published by the Department, available via Weekly Pension Credit claims received from 1 April 2024 to 22 September 2024 - GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-pension-credit-claims-received-from-1-april-2024-to-1-september-2024/weekly-pension-credit-claims-received-from-1-april-2024-to-1-september-2024
Week Commencing | Pension Credit Claims Received |
04 September 2023 | 3,700 |
11 September 2023 | 4,100 |
18 September 2023 | 4,800 |
25 September 2023 | 4,200 |
02 October 2023 | 4,300 |
09 October 2023 | 4,200 |
16 October 2023 | 4,700 |
23 October 2023 | 4,600 |
30 October 2023 | 5,200 |
06 November 2023 | 4,900 |
13 November 2023 | 4,400 |
20 November 2023 | 4,200 |
27 November 2023 | 4,800 |
04 December 2023 | 6,600 |
11 December 2023 | 4,500 |
18 December 2023 | 2,900 |
25 December 2023 | 1,300 |
01 January 2024 | 3,100 |
08 January 2024 | 4,600 |
15 January 2024 | 4,800 |
22 January 2024 | 4,500 |
29 January 2024 | 4,400 |
05 February 2024 | 5,800 |
12 February 2024 | 5,600 |
19 February 2024 | 5,800 |
26 February 2024 | 7,200 |
04 March 2024 | 6,200 |
11 March 2024 | 5,100 |
18 March 2024 | 5,100 |
25 March 2024 | 3,800 |
01 April 2024 | 3,900 |
08 April 2024 | 4,400 |
15 April 2024 | 4,400 |
22 April 2024 | 4,200 |
29 April 2024 | 3,700 |
06 May 2024 | 3,400 |
13 May 2024 | 4,100 |
20 May 2024 | 4,000 |
27 May 2024 | 3,300 |
03 June 2024 | 4,200 |
10 June 2024 | 4,000 |
17 June 2024 | 3,400 |
24 June 2024 | 3,200 |
01 July 2024 | 3,800 |
08 July 2024 | 4,100 |
15 July 2024 | 3,300 |
22 July 2024 | 3,500 |
29 July 2024 | 7,900 |
05 August 2024 | 7,300 |
12 August 2024 | 5,900 |
19 August 2024 | 8,400 |
26 August 2024 | 9,000 |
02 September 2024 | 10,700 |
09 September 2024 | 13,400 |
16 September 2024 | 11,800 |
23 September 2024 | 9,800 |
30 September 2024 | 8,300 |
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 tackle food insecurity; and if she will make an assessment with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care of the potential impact of these steps on (a) physical and (b) mental health.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This government is committed to tackling poverty and reducing mass dependence on emergency food parcels.
We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty so this will be the foundation of our approach. The Get Britain Working White Paper, to be set out in the Autumn, will develop measures to reduce inactivity and help people to find better paid and more secure jobs. Alongside this, we have committed to reviewing Universal Credit by listening to the full range of views on potential changes, so that our social security system is fit for purpose.
Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. The Child Poverty Taskforce, which includes the Department for Health and Social Care, has started urgent work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy in Spring 2025 and will explore all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty.
We will also take initial steps to tackle poverty by introducing free breakfast clubs in every primary school, so children don’t go hungry, protecting renters from arbitrary eviction and banning exploitative zero hours contracts.
For those most in need, we have extended the Household Support Fund for a further 6 months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual. As has been done for previous schemes, the Fund is available to County Councils and Unitary Authorities in England to provide discretionary support to those most in need with the cost of essentials. The Fund can be used to provide support with food, energy, water and wider essentials.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the schedule is for the advertising campaign for pension credit sign up.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Alongside our continuing work with key stakeholders, for which the Pension Credit week of action (2 -6 September) was a focal point, DWP has also launched paid marketing activity to promote Pension Credit.
The activity, which is aimed at potential pensioner customers, began on 16 September and includes radio, national and regional press, paid social media and GP and Post Office screens across Great Britain. We are also advertising on podcasts through a paid media partnership, aimed at friends and family who can encourage and support older relatives and friends to apply.
A key message of the campaign this quarter is that those who are eligible and apply for Pension Credit by 21 December could also qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment (or the equivalent in Scotland)
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans that pensioners will receive a letter from her Department on eligibility to sign up for pension credit.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Starting this month pensioners in England and Wales will receive a letter informing them of the change in eligibility to the Winter Fuel Payment and encouraging them to check their eligibility for Pension Credit. Similar letters to pensioners in Scotland and Northern Ireland will follow during November.
In November we will also be writing to approximately 120,000 pensioners who are in receipt of Housing Benefit and who may also be eligible for, but not currently claiming, Pension Credit. We will be inviting these pensioners to claim Pension Credit by the 21 December, which is the latest date for making a successful backdated Pension Credit claim and still qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment.