Written Question
Monday 18th March 2024
Asked by:
Rob Butler (Conservative - Aylesbury)
Question
to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce inactivity in the labour market.
Answered by Jo Churchill
DWP supports people across the country to move into and progress in work, and we are committed to reducing economic inactivity.
Over the last year, we have announced a wide range of additional measures building on our extensive employment support, breaking down barriers to work for those we know are more likely to experience economic inactivity.
Written Question
Monday 13th November 2023
Asked by:
Rob Butler (Conservative - Aylesbury)
Question
to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help people with the cost of living.
Answered by Mims Davies
- Shadow Minister (Women)
The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and is taking action to help. Overall, we are providing total support of over £94bn over 2022-23 and 2023- 24 to help households and individuals with the rising cost of bills.
This includes up to £900 in Cost of Living Payments for households on eligible means-tested benefits. The DWP successfully delivered the second payment of £300 to over 7 million households, 99% of those claiming DWP benefits who are eligible, between 31 October and 7 November. The remaining eligible households will continue to be automatically paid between now and 19 November by DWP. HMRC started to make their payments from 10 November. This follows on from the £301 payment issued in April 2023 to 8.3 million households. A further payment of £299 will be made by spring 2024 for those entitled.
Also, more than eight million pensioner households across the UK will receive an additional £300 Cost of Living Payment during winter 2023-24 paid as a top up to the winter fuel payment, and 6.4 million individuals on eligible ‘extra-costs’ disability benefits have also received a further £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment.
For people who require additional support, in England, the Household Support Fund will continue until March 2024. This year long extension allows Local Authorities to continue to provide discretionary support to those most in need with the cost of essentials. Local Authorities are expected to support households in the most need, and in particular those who may not be eligible for the other support Government recently made available but are nevertheless in need. The Devolved Administrations will receive consequential funding as usual to spend at their discretion.
From April, we uprated benefit rates and State Pensions by 10.1%, and in order to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions the benefit cap levels also increased by the same amount.
To support those who are in work, from 1 April, the National Living Wage (NLW) increased by 9.7% to £10.42 an hour for workers aged 23 and over - the largest ever cash increase for the NLW.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 11 Jul 2022
Oral Answers to Questions
"8. What steps her Department is taking to help unemployed people into work. ..."Rob Butler - View Speech
View all Rob Butler (Con - Aylesbury) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 11 Jul 2022
Oral Answers to Questions
"I warmly congratulate the Minister on her appointment. Unemployment is at extremely low levels across the country, which is very welcome, but in my constituency of Aylesbury, we still have some small areas where some people struggle to find a job, despite there being vacancies nearby, often because they do …..."Rob Butler - View Speech
View all Rob Butler (Con - Aylesbury) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 18 Mar 2022
British Sign Language Bill
"I start, as all my colleagues have, by congratulating the hon. Member for West Lancashire (Rosie Cooper) on introducing this Bill and for her powerful, passionate and personal speech explaining everything that has led to our being here today. I wholeheartedly support declaring British Sign Language an official language of …..."Rob Butler - View Speech
View all Rob Butler (Con - Aylesbury) contributions to the debate on: British Sign Language Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 08 Mar 2021
Oral Answers to Questions
" What steps her Department is taking to ensure that the jobcentre estate is adequately equipped to support an increased number of jobseekers. ..."Rob Butler - View Speech
View all Rob Butler (Con - Aylesbury) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 08 Mar 2021
Oral Answers to Questions
"Sadly, the pandemic has meant that many people in my constituency of Aylesbury have lost their job and, for the first time in decades, find themselves looking for work. How can my hon. Friend ensure that the Jobcentre Plus estate and its staff are equipped to help jobseekers who are …..."Rob Butler - View Speech
View all Rob Butler (Con - Aylesbury) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 19 Oct 2020
Oral Answers to Questions
" What steps she is taking to help people with disabilities into employment. ..."Rob Butler - View Speech
View all Rob Butler (Con - Aylesbury) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 19 Oct 2020
Oral Answers to Questions
"The disability employment gap in my constituency is 25.4% and there are concerns that it will widen as the economy suffers from the impact of covid-19. What reassurance can the Minister give me that disabled people will get the specific help they need to find work —for example, through tailored …..."Rob Butler - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 04 May 2020
Covid-19: DWP Update
"The extraordinary level of support that my right hon. Friend has described is certainly welcome in Aylesbury and it is undoubtedly assisting thousands of households. I join others in paying tribute to all the staff in the Department and branches of Jobcentre Plus for making that happen.
It would be …..."Rob Butler - View Speech
View all Rob Butler (Con - Aylesbury) contributions to the debate on: Covid-19: DWP Update