Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, from January 2023 to December 2025, what information his Department holds on the number of instances where waiting times for Access to Work have resulted in claimants losing their job or having their working hours reduced.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Access to Work is only available to people who are in work or about to start work, and the number of hours worked does not affect eligibility, so this type of data is not recorded.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many carers have been convicted of fraud since 2015 due to Carer’s Allowance overpayments.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has prosecuted cases of benefit fraud since 2012. DWP will refer cases where there is evidence that a claimant has deliberately claimed benefits they are not entitled to or provided false information. The decision to prosecute is decided by the CPS.
The NAO published DWP’s data on the number of cases related to the overpayments of Carer’s Allowance that were referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (or Procurator Fiscal in Scotland) for prosecution since 2015.
These are available on p.23 in the NAO Investigation into overpayments of Carer's Allowance report published on 26 April 2019. These volumes relate to cases where the individuals concerned have a Carer’s Allowance overpayment, however Carer’s Allowance might not be the primary benefit under consideration for the prosecution.
On p.30 in the NAO Carer’s Allowance report published on 11 December 2024. These volumes are only where a case is being referred for prosecution where a Carer’s Allowance overpayment was the primary benefit under investigation. Therefore, they are not directly comparable to the preceding volumes.
The volumes are for all prosecutions including earnings-related cases.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help ensure that local carer services are able to provide Income Maximisation services and crisis support to unpaid carers.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Overall Government responsibility for support for unpaid carers in England sits with the Department for Health and Social Care.
DWP can provide financial support to qualifying unpaid carers through Carer’s Allowance, the Carer Element in Universal Credit and the Carer Addition in Pension Credit. Income Maximisation Services and other Crisis Support may be available to unpaid carers locally through a number of routes, including independent organisations such as the Carers Trust. DWP staff can signpost unpaid carers to this support where appropriate. DWP can also support unpaid carers who wish to combine their caring responsibilities with paid work through our Jobcentre Plus network and other employment support.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether unpaid carers will be classified as a financially vulnerable group eligible for the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
My Department has engaged with stakeholders on the design of the Fund through a structured co-design process, including eligibility requirements. We are considering feedback received through this process, and we plan to publish guidance in January 2026.