Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
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 West Lancashire constituency have (a) opted out after being auto-enrolled into a workplace pension and (b) saved more than the auto-enrolment minimum contribution.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Automatic enrolment has achieved a quiet revolution through getting employees into the habit of pension saving. It has reversed the decline in workplace pension participation seen in the decade prior to its introduction. Since automatic enrolment started in 2012 participation rates have been transformed with 87% of eligible employees saving into a workplace pension in 2018, up from 55% in 2012.
The Department does not hold data for individual constituencies in relation to opt outs or the number of individuals who have saved above the automatic enrolment minimum contribution level. However, we do know that overall around 9% of automatically enrolled workers have chosen to opt out which is significantly below original estimates; and our latest evaluation report shows that, in April 2017, approximately 5.9 million eligible employees were already meeting the April 2019 minimum contribution rates.
I am providing the following information about the impact of automatic enrolment in your constituency, as of December 2019:
In the West Lancashire constituency, since 2012, approximately 16,000 eligible jobholders have been automatically enrolled and 1,710 employers have met their duties.
Automatic Enrolment Evaluation Report 2018, available via the following weblink: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/764964/Automatic_Enrolment_Evaluation_Report_2018.pdf.
The Pensions Regulator’s data on Automatic enrolment declaration of compliance by constituency, available via the following weblink:
https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-analysis/data-requests
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Access to Work applications were (a) made and (b) successful in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Scotland in (A) 2016-17, (B) 2017-18 and (B) 2018-19.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The information requested about number of applications and length of time between application and receiving support is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
However, in regard to number of successful applications, the published Access to Work statistics include how many applications resulted in provision being approved broken down by financial year and various customer characteristics including region. Please see Table 3 of the Access to Work statistics.
The latest Access to Work statistics can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/access-to-work-statistics-april-2007-to-march-2019
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of time was for support to provided to successful applications for Access to Work in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland in (i) 2016-17, (ii) 2017-18 and (iii) 2018-19.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The information requested about number of applications and length of time between application and receiving support is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
However, in regard to number of successful applications, the published Access to Work statistics include how many applications resulted in provision being approved broken down by financial year and various customer characteristics including region. Please see Table 3 of the Access to Work statistics.
The latest Access to Work statistics can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/access-to-work-statistics-april-2007-to-march-2019
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the longest time period was for a successful applicant for Access to Work support waited for before that support was put in place in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland in 2018-19.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The information requested about number of applications and length of time between application and receiving support is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
However, in regard to number of successful applications, the published Access to Work statistics include how many applications resulted in provision being approved broken down by financial year and various customer characteristics including region. Please see Table 3 of the Access to Work statistics.
The latest Access to Work statistics can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/access-to-work-statistics-april-2007-to-march-2019
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
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 extending the exemption from the Shared Accommodation Rate to people under the age of 25 who have been in homeless accommodation for more than three months.
Answered by Will Quince
There is an exemption from the shared accommodation rate for those aged 25-34 who have previously spent 3 months (which doesn’t have to be continuous) in a homeless hostel/hostels specialising in rehabilitation and resettlement. There are no plans to extend this exemption to those under the age of 25.
For other individuals who may require more support and whose circumstances may make it difficult for them to share accommodation, Discretionary Housing Payments are available.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to identify universal credit claimants who need additional support in completing the application for that benefit under managed migration so that vulnerable individuals are not left without an income.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Subject to Parliamentary approval, we have sought powers to conduct a pilot exercise to test how best we can move existing legacy benefit claimants onto Universal Credit.
The Department is committed to ensuring that all claimants, especially the most vulnerable, are supported as they move and the aim of the pilot is to ensure claimants on all legacy benefits with a range of different characteristics can successfully move onto Universal Credit. All individuals involved in the pilot process will be tracked through the process and there will be safeguards in place to protect them throughout the journey.
We are working closely with a diverse range of stakeholders, including those who focus on disability and mental health, so that a range of insights are played into the design of the pilot and we will work with partners to ensure we reach everyone in the most effective and supportive way, and that no-one is left behind. Learnings from the pilot will shape the future support we provide to claimants.
The Department has committed to reporting its findings from the pilot to Parliament before we continue.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the recommendations of the Leonard Cheshire disability charity, what processes her Department are putting in place to ensure that after the pilot scheme there is clear, independent evidence that universal credit is accessible for (a) disabled people and (b) people with long term mental health problems before any managed migration begins.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Subject to Parliamentary approval, we have sought powers to conduct a pilot exercise to test how best we can move existing legacy benefit claimants onto Universal Credit.
The Department is committed to ensuring that all claimants, especially the most vulnerable, are supported as they move and the aim of the pilot is to ensure claimants on all legacy benefits with a range of different characteristics can successfully move onto Universal Credit. All individuals involved in the pilot process will be tracked through the process and there will be safeguards in place to protect them throughout the journey.
We are working closely with a diverse range of stakeholders, including those who focus on disability and mental health, so that a range of insights are played into the design of the pilot and we will work with partners to ensure we reach everyone in the most effective and supportive way, and that no-one is left behind. Learnings from the pilot will shape the future support we provide to claimants.
The Department has committed to reporting its findings from the pilot to Parliament before we continue.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the universal credit application process is fully accessible for people that do not have access to (a) the internet and (b) assistive technology necessary to complete an online form.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
I refer the hon. Member to my answer to Question 206260 on 11 January 2019.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the West Lancashire constituent, Ronald Hillier, on his migration to universal credit, if she will write to (a) Mr Hillier and (b) the hon. Member for West Lancashire to provide a detailed legal explanation of the deductions made to his benefits as requested in previous correspondence between her Department and the hon. Member for West Lancashire.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
A reply from the Department was sent to the Hon. Member on 10 January and I followed this up with a letter to the Hon. Member on 20 February.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will ensure that claimants who have been migrated to universal credit are provided with a detailed explanation of the legal basis for the deductions made to their benefits.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Universal Credit claimants receive a breakdown of how their award is calculated, including any deductions, in their monthly statement. These deductions which can include recovery of advances or overpayments, third party deductions, certain other benefit payments and other income such as occupational pension income are input in accordance with social security legislation (this list is not exhaustive).
If required we can provide an explanation by telephone, face to face, through the claimant’s online journal or by letter. A claimant can also ask for a reconsideration, or in some circumstances (if a debt deduction) can have an affordability discussion with debt management about the deductions from their award, and ultimately appeal to HM Courts and Tribunals Service if they are not satisfied with the outcome. However, not all deductions can be reduced or amended due to the legislation that is set in place (i.e. court fines, utility deductions, Child Maintenance Group).