Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an estimate of the average (a) distance travelled and (b) cost incurred by (i) children and (ii) young people from Scotland when attending cancer treatment in England; and what financial support is available to support people travelling cross-border.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is responsible for healthcare in England. In Scotland, health is a devolved matter. The Department has not made an assessment of the average distance travelled or the cost of travel for young cancer patients from Scotland when attending cancer treatment in England, as patient-level data on patient travel is not collected at a national level.
However, the Department recognises that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families.
In England, NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring that the healthcare needs of local communities are met, including providing support for travel. The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional.
Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment. There are also a number of United Kingdom charities who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.
NHS England does not collect national patient-level data on uptake of the HTCS, therefore it is not possible to provide an estimate of how much financial support is provided annually to specific patient groups, such as children and young people with cancer and their families.
Asked by: Alex McIntyre (Labour - Gloucester)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to tackle and identify economic abuse in the welfare system to support victims and survivors.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to safeguarding vulnerable individuals and preventing economic abuse within the welfare system. Front line staff receive mandatory domestic abuse training, including economic abuse. Specialist training is provided for teams such as Child Maintenance Service, Universal Credit, Counter Fraud and Debt, ensuring colleagues can identify, respond, and support claimants safely and appropriately.
As part of the '“Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls”, DWP has committed to strengthening domestic abuse training for staff. We have also pledged to remove the Direct Pay service type so that the Child Maintenance Service manages and transfers payments between parents, preventing it being used as a tool of abuse.
DWP supports vulnerable customers by considering individual circumstances in debt recovery and signposting to specialist services. Our Debt Management Vulnerability Framework and annual adviser training strengthen this approach. DWP collaborates with Surviving Economic Abuse to ensure safeguards are in place for new debt recovery powers under the Public Authorities Fraud, Error and Recovery Act, protecting victims of domestic abuse.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of Local Housing Allowance for residents in Eastleigh constituency.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum levels of housing support for households claiming Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit and who rent in the private rented sector. LHA is not intended to cover all rents in all areas.
In April 2024 LHA rates were increased to the 30th percentile of local market rents, (including in the Eastleigh area), costing £1.2bn across Great Britain (GB) in 2024/25 and £7bn over 5 years.
LHA rates were reviewed at Autumn Budget and will remain at current levels in 2026/27. A range of factors were considered, such as rental levels across GB, the challenging fiscal context, and the impact of current levels of housing support
For those renters who require additional support to meet a shortfall in rent costs, Discretionary Housing Payments are available from local authorities.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the cost incurred by children and young people from North Norfolk for attending their cancer treatment in the nearest specialist treatment centre in Cambridge; how many of them are not receiving support for their travel costs; and whether he will introduce a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund to support with these costs.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families in England.
The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) is designed to provide financial support for eligible patients to facilitate their journeys to and from National Health Service-funded secondary care. Eligibility for HTCS is set by DHSC and details are available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/healthcare-travel-costs-scheme-htcs/
Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. There are also several charities in the United Kingdom who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.
NHS England does not collect national patient-level data on uptake of the HTCS. This data is held by the organisation paying for the claim, often the hospital trust or integrated care board. Therefore, DHSC has not made a formal assessment of the cost incurred by children and young people from North Norfolk for attending their cancer treatment in the nearest specialist treatment centre in Cambridge and how many of them are not receiving support for their travel costs.
On 4 February 2025, DHSC relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer patients. The taskforce will ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how we will improve experience and outcomes for children and young people with cancer in England.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions,how many households include (a) one, (b) two and (c) three or more people in receipt of Carer’s Element in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There is a maximum of two claimants on a Universal Credit (UC) claim therefore there cannot be 3 or more claimants on the UC claim being attributed with the carer’s element.
a) In August 2025, 1,045,000 UC households had the UC carer's element of £201.68 for one claimant.
b) In August 2025, 37,000 UC households had the UC carer's element of two lots of £201.68 – one attributed to each claimant on a joint claim.
Notes:
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people does the Department estimate will be eligible for the Youth Guarantee at the beginning of the scheme, and for each quarter until the end of this Parliament.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are investing £820 million over the next 3 years in our Youth Guarantee to overhaul support and give a generation of young people a brighter future. Different aspects of the Youth Guarantee have different eligibility criteria.
Young People claiming benefits and on DWP’s Youth Offer may be eligible for the new Youth Guarantee Gateway, the Jobs Guarantee, Work Experience placements and SWAPs. Nearly 900,000 will be eligible for (and will receive) the Youth Guarantee Gateway, which consists of a dedicated session, followed by four weeks of additional intensive support with a Work Coach. The Jobs Guarantee will guarantee a six-month paid work placement to eligible young people aged 18 to 21 who have been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. We estimate that 55,000 people will be eligible for the Jobs Guarantee between launch and March 2029.
Other aspects of the Youth Guarantee are open to all those who need them. For instance, we are expanding Youth Hubs for 16 to 24-year-olds to more than 360 locations across Great Britain so that all young people – including those not receiving benefits – can access opportunities and comprehensive support in their local area. Each Youth Hub unites employment services from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) with place-based support from local partners, helping young people move into work. As part of this expansion, we have introduced a core blueprint for minimum service standards, marking a major step forward in making employment support more accessible and seamlessly integrated with other essential services such as health, housing, and wellbeing tailored to local needs and partnerships.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much financial support his Department provides annually to children and young people with cancer and their families travelling for treatment.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is responsible for healthcare in England. In Scotland, health is a devolved matter. The Department has not made an assessment of the average distance travelled or the cost of travel for young cancer patients from Scotland when attending cancer treatment in England, as patient-level data on patient travel is not collected at a national level.
However, the Department recognises that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families.
In England, NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring that the healthcare needs of local communities are met, including providing support for travel. The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional.
Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment. There are also a number of United Kingdom charities who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.
NHS England does not collect national patient-level data on uptake of the HTCS, therefore it is not possible to provide an estimate of how much financial support is provided annually to specific patient groups, such as children and young people with cancer and their families.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a fund to support children and young people with cancer with the costs of travelling to specialist treatment centres through the development of the National Cancer Plan for England.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to putting patients first and providing speedy and high-quality care, irrespective of where patients are treated in United Kingdom. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) works collaboratively with the Devolved Governments to drive forward its objective of supporting people, including children and young people with cancer, to lead more independent, healthier lives for longer.
DHSC knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families in England.
The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. There are also several charities in the UK who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.
On 4 February 2025, DHSC relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer patients in England. The taskforce will ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how we will improve experience and outcomes for children and young people with cancer in England.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure equity of access to cancer treatment and care for children and young people with cancer from Scotland who may receive some or all of their care in England; and what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on this matter.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to putting patients first and providing speedy and high-quality care, irrespective of where patients are treated in United Kingdom. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) works collaboratively with the Devolved Governments to drive forward its objective of supporting people, including children and young people with cancer, to lead more independent, healthier lives for longer.
DHSC knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families in England.
The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. There are also several charities in the UK who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.
On 4 February 2025, DHSC relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer patients in England. The taskforce will ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how we will improve experience and outcomes for children and young people with cancer in England.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number of children and young people with cancer from Scotland who have received some or all of their treatment in England within the last five years; and whether his Department provides support for travel costs for those patients.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to putting patients first and providing speedy and high-quality care, irrespective of where patients are treated in United Kingdom. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) works collaboratively with the Devolved Governments to drive forward its objective of supporting people, including children and young people with cancer, to lead more independent, healthier lives for longer.
DHSC knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families in England.
The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. There are also several charities in the UK who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.
On 4 February 2025, DHSC relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer patients in England. The taskforce will ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how we will improve experience and outcomes for children and young people with cancer in England.