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Written Question
Poverty: Children
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Bishop of Leicester (Bishops - Bishops)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Markham on 11 March (HL Deb col 1802), and taking account of the latest Households Below Average Income data, which shows a 300,000 increase in the number of children living in absolute poverty in the past year, what assessment they have made of the impact on health and well-being of the two-child limit for child benefit; and what assessment they have made of the strengths and weaknesses of using the measure of absolute poverty rather than relative poverty.

Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

It is not possible to produce a robust assessment of the impact of the two-child limit.

Child Benefit continues to be paid for all children in eligible families.

Relative poverty sets a threshold as a proportion of the UK median income and moves each year as average income changes.

Typically, a household is in relative poverty if its income is less than 60 per cent of the median household income.

Absolute poverty, by our definition, is a threshold as a proportion of the UK average income in a given year (2010/11) and moves each year in line with inflation.

This government prefers to look at Absolute poverty over Relative poverty as relative poverty can provide counter-intuitive results.

Relative poverty is likely to fall during recessions, due to falling median incomes. Under this measure, poverty can decrease even if people are getting poorer.

The absolute poverty line is fixed in real terms, so will only ever worsen if people are getting poorer, and only ever improve if people are getting richer.


Written Question
Universal Credit
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish the readiness criteria used for the managed migration to universal credit; and, if not, why.

Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Senior Responsible Owner for Universal Credit set out the criteria for the Public Accounts Committee at its hearing on March 11, 2024, Progress in implementing Universal Credit (HC 552) Question 26 committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/14467/pdf/

The formal assessments are published as part of the regular releases of Programme Board papers.


Written Question
State Retirement Pensions: Women
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide (1) an apology, and (2) compensation, to women born in the 1950s, as recommended by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman in its report, Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, published on 21 March.

Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are considering the Ombudsman’s report and will respond in due course.


Written Question
State Retirement Pensions: Women
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, published on 21 March.

Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are considering the Ombudsman’s report and will respond in due course.


Written Question
Social Security Benefits: Termination of Employment
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that all those considering leaving work permanently are subject to ‘work search’ requirements before they receive benefits.

Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Welfare Reform Act 2012 and the Universal Credit regulations 2013/2015 determine the conditionality expectations that are relevant to individuals who are claiming Universal Credit.

For those who are expected to look for or prepare for work this will include up to 35 hours a week of work-related and work preparation activities, with an expectation that they take all reasonable actions to find work and move towards financial independence as quickly as possible. If they fail to comply and meet their agreed commitments without good reason a sanction may be applied.

If a claimant is found to have voluntarily left their employment without good reason, they will be sanctioned for a fixed period of at least 91 days.


Written Question
Cancer: Children and Young People
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of financial support available for carers of children and young people with cancer for (a) travel costs, (b) energy bills, (c) accommodation and (d) dietary requirements.

Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government recognises and appreciates the vital role unpaid carers play in caring for, and supporting, members of their own family.

Providing they meet the entitlement conditions, unpaid carers of children and young people with cancer may be able to receive Carer’s Allowance and/or an extra amount in means tested benefits, including Universal Credit. Carer’s Allowance provides a measure of financial support and recognition for people who are not able to work full time because of their caring responsibilities. The extra amounts in means tested benefits at least partly recognise the additional costs associated with providing unpaid care.

Disability benefits, such as Disability Living Allowance for children and Personal Independence Payment, are available as a contribution towards the extra costs of being disabled and recipients are free to choose how they spend them.


Written Question
Department for Work and Pensions: Mental Health
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training (a) he has and (b) other Ministers in his Department have had in mental health literacy.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Ministers are not required to undertake specific mental health literacy training.


Written Question
State Retirement Pensions: Women
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to formally respond to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's report into the communication of state pension age increases, published on 21 March 2024.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are considering the Ombudsman’s report and will respond in due course.


Written Question
State Retirement Pensions: Women
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to introduce a compensation scheme for women affected by the Pensions Act 1995.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are considering the Ombudsman’s report and will respond in due course.


Written Question
Disability: North East
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of the working age population are disabled in the North East; and how many and what proportion were disabled in 2010.

Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The information requested is shown in the table below.

The definition of disability changed in 2013 therefore estimates for 2010 and 2022 are not directly comparable.

Number and percentage of disabled people aged 16 to 64 by country/region

Country/ region

2010

2022

Number of disabled people

Percentage of disabled people

Number of disabled people

Percentage of disabled people

United Kingdom

8,257,200

20.5

9,311,800

22.4

North East

399,400

24.0

429,500

26.4

North West

1,012,200

22.5

1,111,300

24.7

Yorkshire and The Humber

738,500

21.9

818,200

24.2

East Midlands

629,200

21.8

712,500

24.1

West Midlands

720,900

20.5

819,300

22.6

East

729,400

19.9

790,200

20.8

London

935,500

16.9

1,092,600

17.7

South East

992,100

18.3

1,144,800

20.4

South West

653,600

20.0

766,900

22.9

Wales

469,200

24.4

506,600

26.5

Scotland

746,500

21.9

861,200

25.0

Northern Ireland

230,700

19.9

258,700

22.1

Source: Annual Population Survey (APS) -Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics (nomisweb.co.uk)

Notes:

  • Numbers are rounded to the nearest 100 and percentages to one decimal place.
  • Totals may not always sum due to rounding and the exclusion of missing, unknown and not applicable categories.
  • Numbers shown are central estimates and subject to sampling variation. The precision of these estimates will be limited by sample size.
  • Annual Population Survey data has not been reweighted to incorporate the latest estimates of the size and composition of the UK population.
  • Estimates for 2010 are based on the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) definition of disability. Estimates for 2022 use the Government Statistical Service (GSS) Harmonised Standard definition.