Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the causes of poverty and deprivation in the South West ward of Gainsborough in Lincolnshire; and if she will make a statement.

No such assessment has been made.

The Government’s long-term ambition is to level up across the country and continue to tackle poverty through our reformed welfare system that works with the labour market to encourage people to move back into and progress in work wherever possible. Our £30bn Plan for Jobs is the first step on the ladder to achieving this and will support economic recovery through new schemes including Kickstart and Job Entry Targeted Support.

The Government has also been taking various steps to help vulnerable people and those on low incomes, especially during the pandemic. This includes an additional £9.3bn boost to our safety net welfare system, and £63m fund for councils to help with targeted support for people and families in need. We have gone further this winter, recently introducing a new £170m Covid Winter Grant Scheme to support children, families and the most at risk over the coming months. The funding will be ring-fenced, with at least 80% earmarked to help with food and bills, and will cover the period to the end of March 2021.In Lincolnshire, we have allocated £45 million of additional COVID19 funding.

In May, the Government also provided £16m to charities to provide food for those struggling due to the immediate impacts of the pandemic. Earlier this month, a further £16m was announced to fund local charities through well-established networks and provide immediate support to front-line food aid charities who have a vital role to play in supporting people of all ages.