Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of apprentice-employing non-Levy-paying firms received an Apprenticeship Levy Transfer from a Levy-paying firm in 2023-4 financial year.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The total number of non-levy employers that received a transfer from a levy-paying employer in the 2023-24 financial year is 6,348. The proportion of non-levy employers that had an active apprenticeship service account that received a payment in the 2023-24 financial year, that received transfers was 5.9%.
This information is based on providers that received payments for non-levy employer learners for the 2023-24 financial year.
Non-levy paying employers are not required to register for an apprenticeship service account; the data we hold is therefore not a reflection of all non-levy paying employers in England. Additionally, not all non-levy paying employers that are registered for an apprenticeship service account will employ apprentices and receive payments for them each year.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many carers have had a Carer’s Allowance overpayment debt as a result of breaching the earnings limit in (a) England and (b) Wales.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Data on fraud and error overpayments is published annually and can be found using the following link: Fraud and error in the benefit system - GOV.UK. 2024/25 estimates show that Carer's Allowance Overpayments relating to earnings/employment represented 1.3% of the £4.2bn expenditure on Carer’s Allowance.
A further breakdown as requested is not published as part of any official statistical release.
The Government inherited a system where some busy carers, already struggling under a huge weight of caring responsibilities, have found themselves with unexpected debts due to earnings-related overpayments of Carer’s Allowance which they were asked to pay back. This only affected some of the relatively small number of Carer’s Allowance claimants who also do paid work, but the impact on some of these unpaid carers has been significant.
The Government appointed Liz Sayce OBE to lead an Independent Review into the matter. The Review’s report, which we published on 25 November 2025, alongside the Government’s response, has been invaluable in assessing how these overpayments have arisen; what can be done to support unpaid carers who have incurred debts in the past; and how further overpayments can be minimised in future.
The Review has shown that mistakes were made, and we are determined to put them right. The Government has welcomed the report and is accepting or partially accepting 38 out of the 40 recommendations. In some cases, the changes the report is asking for have already been made. Others will take more time to put in place.
The department agrees the guidance on averaging earnings between 2015 and summer 2025 did not accurately reflect the statutory position with respect to those with fluctuating earnings. That is why we are putting steps in place to run a reassessment exercise. This exercise will begin later this year, and we will communicate details on how this will work in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of personal independence payment recipients are working more than 16 hours per week.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Information about hours worked by Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants is not collected and held centrally by the Department.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will continue to respond to constituency casework inquires from hon. Members in writing.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Where a complaint is raised by an MP, it is referred to the DWP Complaints Team who will investigate the complaint and aim to resolve it within 15 working days. If the matter is complex and will take longer than 15 days, the complaints resolution manager will keep the MP updated and tell them when they can expect a response. Upon completion of the investigation, a full written response will be issued to the MP via their designated Parliament.uk secure email address.
In terms of dealing with matters quickly, it may be possible with MP agreement to do a telephone resolution and this can be followed up with a written response if requested.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Bromborough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total cost of litigation with the WASPI Campaign has been since December 2024.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Based on the information held, since December 2024, the recorded legal costs on litigation brought by WASPI including disbursements and VAT are £149,409.74.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of apprentices aged (a) 21 or under and (b) 24 or under were subject to a 100% reduction in apprenticeship training cost in (i) 2023-4 (ii) 2024-5 financial year.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The apprenticeship funding rules for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years, which include information on employer co-investment, are published here Apprenticeship funding rules - GOV.UK.
Since April 2024, the government has fully funded apprenticeship training costs up to the funding band maximum for non-levy paying employers for apprentices aged 16-21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy are required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.
From August 2026, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible people aged 16-24. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy will be required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.
The maximum that non-levy payers are required to co-invest in apprentices’ training costs is 5%.
The government pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in local authority care. On top of this, employers will receive additional payments of up to £2,000 for eligible foundation apprenticeships. Additionally, employers are not required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year).
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of apprentices employed by non-Levy-paying employers were subject to a (a) 100% (b) 95% (c) any other reduction in apprenticeship training costs.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The apprenticeship funding rules for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years, which include information on employer co-investment, are published here Apprenticeship funding rules - GOV.UK.
Since April 2024, the government has fully funded apprenticeship training costs up to the funding band maximum for non-levy paying employers for apprentices aged 16-21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy are required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.
From August 2026, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible people aged 16-24. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy will be required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.
The maximum that non-levy payers are required to co-invest in apprentices’ training costs is 5%.
The government pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in local authority care. On top of this, employers will receive additional payments of up to £2,000 for eligible foundation apprenticeships. Additionally, employers are not required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year).
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has set a target for the number of job starts to be offered to long-term unemployed 18–21-year-olds on Universal Credit in Birmingham and Solihull during the first 6 months of the Jobs Guarantee scheme.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is investing over £1.5 billion in tackling youth unemployment and inactivity, including £820 million for the expanded Youth Guarantee and £725 million for the Growth and Skills Levy. This will provide young people aged 16–24 with greater support into work and learning, including a Jobs Guarantee offering fully subsidised paid work for every 18–21-year-old on Universal Credit for 18 months.
In line with the Government’s December 2025 announcement, the Jobs Guarantee will begin its rollout from Spring 2026 in 6 areas which have some of the highest need, including Birmingham and Solihull.
The first 6 months of the Jobs Guarantee scheme will provide over 1000 job starts across the 6 areas.
National roll-out of the Jobs Guarantee across Great Britain will take place later in 2026. The programme is expected to support around 55,000 young people over the next three years, contributing to this government’s long-term ambition to increase employment and reduce long-term youth unemployment.
This Government is taking action to ensure young people have clear pathways into work, with opportunities that build skills, confidence and long-term employability.
In addition, through the expanded Youth Guarantee, we are creating around 300,000 additional opportunities for young people to gain workplace experience and training.
This includes up to 150,000 extra work experience placements and up to 145,000 bespoke training opportunities designed with employers through our Sector based Work Academy Programmes, or SWAPs. These programmes provide young people with real, practical experience linked to vacancies in priority sectors, improving their prospects of moving quickly into work.
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 Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 3 February (HL13743), what assessment they have made of the reasons that Universal Credit sanction rates vary by (1) ethnicity, and (2) region.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No formal assessment has been made, but work is ongoing to expand the benefit sanction statistics, detailed below, to allow analysis in the future.
The Department regularly publishes Universal Credit sanction rate statistics for Great Britain as part of the benefit sanction statistics. These include a breakdown of the sanction rate by ethnic group and an analysis of the sanction ethnicity statistics which can be found at section 5 of the latest publication.
The Department also published an ad-hoc analysis in February 2025 of the Variation in the Universal Credit sanction rate by jobcentres using the UC Sanction Rate dataset on Stat-Xplore.
The ‘Benefit sanction statistics to August 2025’ and the ‘Variation in the Universal Credit sanction rate by jobcentres from January 2017 to August 2024’ are provided in the attached PDF documents.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average cost to a non-Levy-paying firm of employing an 18-year old apprentice in the second year of their apprenticeship, paid at the legal minimum hourly rate for a 37.5 hour week, assuming the employer has more than 50 employees and the apprentice does not have an EHCP and was never in care, in terms of (a) wage cost (b) apprenticeship training cost (c) total cost, for an apprenticeship started in (i) September 2023 (ii) April 2024 (iii) September 2026.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Minimum wage rates are reviewed annually and the government considers the independent advice of the Low Pay Commission when setting minimum wage rates.
Past, present and future minimum wage rates are published here, National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates - GOV.UK.
Regarding apprenticeship training costs, each apprenticeship standard has a funding band which sets out the maximum amount that the government will contribute to the cost of apprenticeship training and assessment over the full duration of the apprenticeship. Apprenticeship funding bands range from £1,500 to £27,000.
The apprenticeship funding rules for the 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years, which include information on employer co-investment, are published here Apprenticeship funding rules - GOV.UK.
From August 2026, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible people aged 16-24. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy will be required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.
The government pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in local authority care. On top of this, employers will receive additional payments of up to £2,000 for eligible foundation apprenticeships. Additionally, employers are not required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year).