Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Tech Fund is available to people that do not receive human support funded through (a) Access to Work and (b) other funding streams.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Access to Work Tech Fund is only available for people applying for Access to Work where assistive technology replaces existing or proposed human support.
Since its announcement in Spring 2018, take up of Tech Fund has been low (fewer than 10 applicants). As a result, we are currently reviewing this and engaging with stakeholders to further understand the issues that they may be facing or those preventing them from benefiting from the Tech Fund. We are keen to find new ways of helping Access to Work recipients to become aware of, and benefit from, the latest assistive technology that best meets their needs, and would welcome further views on this.
Access to Work has not undertaken any publicising of the Tech Fund specifically. Access to Work continues to undertake targeted marketing and awareness raising activities. For example, the scheme is promoted to benefit claimants through Jobcentre Plus and to a range of business leaders through the Disability Confident scheme. We have also worked with a variety of stakeholder organisations to market Access to Work to their clients, including sharing information about how individuals can apply for support.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training on the Access to Work scheme is provided to work coaches or advisors who support disabled young people receiving employment and support allowance.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Work Coaches are supported by Disability Employment Advisers (DEA’s) who provide coaching and mentoring to Work Coaches on disability issues. Technical learning for DEA’s includes a workshop on Provision and Support for claimants with a disability, this learning covers the Access to Work Scheme.
The topic of the Access to Work scheme is covered in a number of learning products for Access to Work advisors who support applicants, some of whom may be in receipt of ESA, through the Access to Work process. This learning includes an Access to Work Workshop. There is also an Access to Work Disability Awareness Workbook which details how Access to Work can help a disabled person.
In addition, each member of staff in the DWP, including work coaches, has regular performance conversations with their line manager. These conversations include identifying any learning needs particular to their role, including Access to Work if appropriate.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 22 August 2019 to Question 277684 on low incomes, whether the hardship payments are (a) new policy and (b) in addition to support already available; and how much those payments will be.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As confirmed in the response to the previous question, The Government has put in place contingency plans for a range of exit scenarios. These contingencies ensure that DWP can continue to provide our vital services and that individuals will continue to be able to access DWP benefits and services on the same basis as they do now.
DWP continues to monitor the effects of EU exit on the economy.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has plans for a hardship fund to help people on the lowest incomes in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has been clear that leaving the EU with a deal is its preferred option. However, as a responsible government we continue to plan for a range of exit scenarios, including a no-deal. The welfare system provides a strong safety net. A system of hardship payments, benefit advances and budgeting loans will be available for those who need them.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how the proposed hardship fund in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal would be administered.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Leaving the EU with a deal remains the Government’s top priority. We have more people in work than ever before, with wages continuing to grow. DWP has contingency plans to ensure we can continue to provide our vital services to those who need them.
As the Prime Minister has made clear, the best way forward is for the UK to leave the EU in an orderly way with a good deal and the Government is working to deliver legal certainty on the UK’s future relationship with the EU. However, as a responsible Government, we continue to prepare appropriately for all scenarios. As part of the process to ensure our orderly exit, we continue to monitor the effects of EU exit on the economy.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government have taken to establish a hardship fund in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Leaving the EU with a deal remains the Government’s top priority. We have more people in work than ever before, with wages continuing to grow. DWP has contingency plans to ensure we can continue to provide our vital services to those who need them.
As the Prime Minister has made clear, the best way forward is for the UK to leave the EU in an orderly way with a good deal and the Government is working to deliver legal certainty on the UK’s future relationship with the EU. However, as a responsible Government, we continue to prepare appropriately for all scenarios. As part of the process to ensure our orderly exit, we continue to monitor the effects of EU exit on the economy.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment the Government has made of the effect of the roll-out of universal credit on women.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Universal Credit treats all individuals equally, irrespective of gender. It provides one-to-one support and incentives to help claimants to progress in work.
The latest Office for National Statistics labour market statistics show a near record high rate for women in employment.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to ensure that after the full roll-out of universal credit no person has their benefits sanctioned in the event that they (a) reduce their earnings to claim entitlement to free school meals or (b) decide not to increase their earnings in order to avoid losing entitlement to free school meals and either option leaves them better off overall.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The conditionality requirements and support available to claimants are designed to be flexible, personalised and responsive to their needs. Imposing a sanction when someone has not met their requirements is not something we do lightly. When considering whether a sanction is appropriate, a Decision Maker will take into account all the claimant’s individual circumstances, including any health conditions or childcare responsibilities and any evidence of good reason, before deciding whether a sanction is warranted.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Written Statement of 15 March 2018, on Employment and Support Allowance, whether her Department has recruited the 400 new members of staff to assist with correcting underpayments that may have occurred as a result of how a proportion of Incapacity Benefit claims were transitioned to Employment and Support Allowance between 2011 and 2014.
Answered by Sarah Newton
There are currently 400 people deployed on delivering the Incapacity Benefit Reassessment Legal Entitlements and Administrative Process (IBR LEAP) work within the Employment and Support Allowance division.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference the Written Statement of 15 March 2018, Employment and Support Allowance, HCWS 549, which external organisations her Department has been engaging with that provide support and advice to claimants in order to ensure that as many people as possible are aware of corrections that may be necessary as a result of underpayments that may have occurred due to how a proportion of Incapacity Benefit claims were transitioned to Employment and Support Allowance between 2011 and 2014.
Answered by Sarah Newton
We held a stakeholder meeting on 26/02/2018:
The following stakeholders were invited -
The following stakeholders attended -
Further stakeholder engagement took place on 06/03/18 through the DWP Operational Stakeholder Engagement Forum
The following external stakeholders attended -
We supported the Money Advice Service by fact checking the draft guidance they produced for their contact centres.