Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new universal credit claimants with limited capability for work and work-related activities were previously included in their parents’ claim for child tax credit with disabled child element in 2021.
Answered by David Rutley
The information requested is not available.
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of allocating funding for driving lessons for jobseekers to help enable them to find work.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
No assessment has been made of the potential merits of allocating specific funding for driving lessons.
Service Leaders in Jobcentres can allocate funding for driving lessons through the Flexible Support Fund, where they feel this is an appropriate use of funds. Each request is considered on a case by case basis.
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support is available for people who are self-employed in the event that they are required to self-quarantine due to covid-19 concerns.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Self-employed people who are unable to work due to coronavirus concerns may be able to claim Universal Credit and/or new-style Employment and Support Allowance depending on their circumstances.
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
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 increase the number of disabled people in work.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
The Government is committed to improving employment outcomes for disabled people. Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability is our strategy for helping people with disabilities or health conditions enter and remain in employment. It includes details of a wide range of programmes and initiatives that will help support disabled people, in making a successful transition to employment. For example:
Over the last 5 years the number of disabled people in employment has increased by around 1.06 million since Q2 2013, and currently stands at 7.7 million.
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
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 older people to participate in the workforce.
Answered by Lord Sharma
The number of older workers in employment is at a record high. There are now 10.3 million people aged 50 and over in the workforce.
To support Fuller Working Lives, the Government has removed the Default Retirement Age meaning most people can choose when to retire, and extended the right to request flexible working to all employees with 26 weeks’ continuous service with their employer.
In February 2017, the UK Government published “Fuller Working Lives: a partnership approach” to set out the role employers, individuals and Government can play in supporting fuller working lives. This is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/587654/fuller-working-lives-a-partnership-approach.pdf
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average call waiting time is for a universal credit telephone enquiry.
Answered by Lord Sharma
This summer we introduced a new routed telephony service for Universal Credit Full Service claims where claimants with an existing claim are connected directly to the person or team who are dealing with their case. Of the calls offered via the 0800 328 5644 (Universal Credit Full Service) number during September 2018, the average call duration was 6 minutes and 54 seconds and the average call waiting time was 1 minute and 6 seconds.
We also provide a free national enquiry service for calls from people who do not yet have a processed claim. For the month of September the average call duration of a telephone enquiry to the Universal Credit Full Service enquiry line was 6 minutes and 15 seconds and the average call waiting time was 6 minutes and 10 seconds.