Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the cost-of-living payment to employees in his Department who were on a career break during the qualifying period.
DWP’s Career Break Agreement, which employees sign before their career break commences, sets out that Career Breaks are unpaid and therefore individuals will not be entitled to any remuneration for the duration of their Career Break. This position was considered and reflected in DWP’s approach to implementing the additional payment to eligible employees, that was permitted by the Addendum to the Civil Service Remit Guidance for 2023/24, published by the Cabinet Office.