Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps are being taken to ensure those being migrated onto Universal Credit will receive transitional protection.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department is committed to ensuring that all eligible customers moving from legacy benefits to Universal Credit receive the Transitional Protection to which they are entitled. Transitional Protection is a safeguard designed to support a smooth financial transition from legacy benefits to Universal Credit for those required to move. Customers who make a Universal Credit claim in response to a Migration Notice, and who would otherwise receive a lower award on Universal Credit than they received on their legacy benefit, will receive Transitional Protection. To be eligible for Transitional Protection, customers must claim Universal Credit by the deadline set out in their Migration Notice, or within one month of that deadline (the “grace period”). The Department keeps detailed records of all customers who have been issued with a Migration Notice and their associated deadlines to ensure eligible customers are correctly identified.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
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 the 25p per week pension uplift for over eighties, introduced in the National insurance Bill of 1971.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The 25 pence a week Age Addition is part of the old State Pension, for those who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, and is paid with their State Pension, when they reach the age of 80.
The Age Addition is not part of the new State Pension, but for those people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, the 25 pence Age Addition under the existing rules will continue.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what monitoring arrangements are in place to evaluate whether the Jobs Guarantee achieves its target of providing six-month paid employment opportunities for all eligible 18–24-year-olds.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We have previously set out our approach for monitoring arrangements and expected outputs for Phase One of the Jobs Guarantee in the response I gave on 9 February 2026 to Question UIN 109869.
For the national rollout of the Jobs Guarantee, the scheme will be available to all eligible 18–24-year-olds. We will use learning from Phase One to inform and establish appropriate outcome and performance monitoring arrangements. This will ensure we are delivering the scheme as intended for all eligible young people.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when is his estimated date for publishing publish funding rates, duration and assessment arrangements for each of the seven apprenticeship units due to launch in April 2026.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Following the announcement we will be carrying out further testing with critical stakeholders to confirm details, including funding rates and delivery hours, are set at the right level. We want to ensure the final figures are robust and reflect sector needs.
The details will be made available on the Skills England website in April 2026.
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 public funding has been allocated to union-led workplace learning in each of the past five years.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 March 2026 to Question UIN 117323.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of the 500,000 opportunities announced on 16 March 2026 comprise (a) apprenticeships, (b) subsidised jobs, (c) work experience placements and (d) sector-based work academy programmes.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. For many years our young people have not had the opportunity and support they deserve. Under the last government, between 2021 and 2024, the number of young people not in education, employment or training increased by 250,000.
The Government has recently announced a further £1 billion investment in young people, taking the total investment to £2.5 billion over the next three years though the Youth Guarantee and additional investment in the Growth and Skills Levy. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.
The more detailed breakdown of the 500,000 opportunities have been published on GOV.UK, as follows:
Together these measures demonstrate the Government’s commitment to backing young people, supporting employers, and working with partners across Great Britain to create clear pathways into employment and education for young people.
Asked by: Andrew Ranger (Labour - Wrexham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to review how shared care arrangements are reflected in the child maintenance and benefits systems for separated parents; and what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of support available to parents who share custody of their children on an equal or near-equal basis but are not designated as the main carer for the purposes of benefit eligibility.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government recognises that shared care arrangements can play an important role in supporting children to maintain relationships with both parents after separation.
In the child maintenance system, shared care is reflected in the maintenance calculation. Where a child stays overnight with the paying parent for at least one night a week on average, the amount of maintenance due is reduced to reflect the care provided.
If the Child Maintenance Service is satisfied that both parents have equal day-to-day care for the child, in addition to sharing overnight care, there is no requirement for either parent to pay child maintenance.
Across the social security system more broadly, entitlement to benefits is generally based on the identification of who has main responsibility for the child, reflecting the need for a clear and administrable basis for determining entitlement. This approach applies consistently across benefits such as Child Benefit and Universal Credit.
As part of wider work on Child Maintenance reforms, we are working to modernise the Child Maintenance calculation to ensure that it is fair, better reflects the cost of raising children today and encourages willing and able compliance.
Asked by: Alex Ballinger (Labour - Halesowen)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to provide support for people who are disabled and on benefits when their condition deteriorates; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing an assessment mechanism to allow people to change from Limited Capability for Work to Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Individuals claiming Employment and Support Allowance or the health element of Universal Credit are encouraged to report any changes to their health condition to DWP immediately, whether an improvement or deterioration.
If an individual with Limited Capability for Work reports a deterioration or new condition, the mechanism for determining if they have Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity is a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) reassessment.
If, at reassessment, they are found to have Limited Capability for Work and Work-related activity and they are entitled to a higher rate of benefit, that rate will be backdated to the date they notified DWP of the change to their condition.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether households reliant on alternative fuel sources other than heating oil, such as LPG, will be eligible for recently announced targeted Government support.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Crisis and Resilience Fund can be used to support households reliant on alternative fuel sources other than heating oil, such as LPG. Guidance to local authorities is clear that Crisis Payments can be used to support energy costs for any form of fuel used for domestic heating, cooking or lighting, including oil or portable gas cylinders. It is for local authorities to determine individual need and the most appropriate form of support, using a person-centred, needs based approach in line with the Fund’s guidance.
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, pursuant to UIN 107421, if he will provide a nationality breakdown of people with Universal Credit claims that failed the Habitual Residence Test.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.