Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her priorities are for reducing levels of (a) absolute poverty and (b) relative poverty.

This Government is committed to reducing poverty and supporting low-income families. We will spend around £240bn through the welfare system in 2021/22 including £110bn on people of working age, including around £59 billion on dedicated support for disabled people and people with health conditions in Great Britain. More than £129 billion is spent supporting pensioners.

We are giving the lowest earners a pay rise by increasing the National Living Wage by 6.6% to £9.50 from April 2022, and making permanent changes to Universal Credit worth £1000 a year on average to two million in-work claimants.

With around 1.25 million vacancies across the UK our focus is firmly on supporting people into and to progress in work as the best way to substantially reduce the risks of poverty. Our multi-billion-pound Plan for Jobs, which has been expanded by £500 million, is helping people across the UK to find work and to boost their wages and prospects. The new 'Way to Work’ campaign is a national drive to get half a million people who are out of work into jobs in the next five months and, in doing so, supporting people take their next step to building a more secure and prosperous future.

We recognise that people may require extra support over the winter, which is why vulnerable households across the country are able to access the £500 million support fund to help them with essentials. The Household Support Fund provides £421 million to help vulnerable people in England with the cost of food, utilities and wider essentials. The Barnett Formula applies in the usual way, with the devolved administrations receiving almost £80 million.

To support low income families further we have increased the value of Healthy Start Food Vouchers from £3.10 to £4.25, helping eligible low income households buy basic foods like milk, fruit and vitamins, and we are also investing over £200m a year from 2022 to continue our Holiday Activities and Food programme which is already providing enriching activities and healthy meals to children in all English Local Authorities.