theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is her policy that financing should not be provided for the development of green technologies relating to direct manufacture of alcoholic beverages. \p James Murray: The Government provides financial support for green technologies including those related to the manufacturing of alcoholic beverages. For example, £60m was provided to the Farming Innovation Programme this year, which offers R&D grant funding for innovative and green technologies across the farming, food and drink sector. It has previously funded the development of electronic weeding technology for vineyards, which helps protect the environment by reducing chemical pesticide usage.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was contributed to the running of the Child Maintenance Service from (a) Government funding and (b) the (i) 4% contribution from parents receiving and (ii) 20% contribution from parents paying child maintenance through a collect-and-pay deduction from earnings order in each of the last five years. \p Andrew Western: The summary table below shows the response to the PQ ask.

CMS Actual spend

£m

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

Net cost - Government funded

146.2

115.1

120.7

104.1

115.9

Paying Parent (PP) & Receiving Parent (RP) Fee Income - £m

41.6

40.9

46.0

49.3

57.6

PP & RP Fee Income detail:

£m

£m

£m

£m

£m

Paying Parent Fee 20%

34.8

34.2

38.5

41.3

48.2

Receiving Parent Fee 4%

6.8

6.7

7.5

8.0

9.4

Total Income

41.6

40.9

46.0

49.3

57.6

Data is sourced from DWP internal management accounts used for internal financial management and reporting only.
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Jessica Toale:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of back-dating payments for disability benefits to cover the qualifying period for people with cancer diagnoses. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The qualifying period is an important part of the eligibility process for disability benefits and helps establish that the health condition or disability, and resulting needs, are of a long-standing nature.   Payment commences once the three-month qualifying period has been satisfied. Claims can be submitted before this point and consideration is always given to whether any of the qualifying period has been satisfied prior to the date of claim. The qualifying period commences from the point that needs arise, which can be before a diagnosis of cancer or any other health condition

Individuals with a terminal illness, with twelve-months or less to live are exempt from the qualifying period.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Disability Assessors who conduct assessments on the telephone are trained to appropriately interact with people who find phone calls difficult or stressful due to their medical condition. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) understands that attending an assessment can be a stressful experience for some claimants. That is why we prioritise using existing paper-based evidence to determine benefit entitlement wherever possible. As part of the assessment process, every case is initially reviewed to assess whether a paper-based assessment can be made. Only when this is not feasible will a claimant be invited to attend an assessment.

Before issuing an assessment invitation, consideration is given to whether a claimant requires a specific assessment method due to their health condition or personal circumstances. If a claimant later informs us that a different assessment channel would be more suitable, or further evidence is received by the supplier, they will make any reasonable adjustments accordingly.

All health professionals are fully qualified in their health discipline and have passed strict recruitment and experience criteria. They are also required to be registered with the appropriate regulatory body. The department authorises health professionals to conduct assessments only after suppliers demonstrate that the health professionals has successfully completed a department approved training and appraisal programme. This process confirms that health professionals possess a sound understanding of the clinical aspects and likely functional effects of a broad range of health conditions and impairments, and that they have the necessary skills to engage with individuals in a supportive and sensitive manner. Guidance for health professionals is comprehensive and regularly updated, covering all aspects of the assessment process, including professional conduct during assessments.

Companions can also join telephone assessments, just as they would for face-to-face assessments. This is confirmed to the claimant in the initial assessment invitation letter. All suppliers have introduced the capacity for four-way calls during assessments. This means the claimant and the HP can be joined by a companion or advocate, as well as an interpreter if required. This enables claimants to receive the appropriate level of support during remote assessments.
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Olivia Blake:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed EHRC Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations on employment rates for trans people. \p Alison McGovern: No assessment has been made by the Department.
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Danny Kruger:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how long work coaches stay in role after training on average. \p Alison McGovern: Work Coaches undergo an intensive training period, peer support and a robust quality assurance process conducted by Line Managers throughout their onward delivery.

Whilst we hold data on Work Coach leavers per month, we do not hold data on the length of time in role. Therefore, the information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
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Helen Whately:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with ineligible immigration status applied for (a) Universal Credit and (b) other welfare payments in the last 12 months. \p Andrew Western: To access public funds benefits, individuals are required to be either a British or Irish citizen or hold an immigration status which does not prevent them from accessing public funds. The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) cannot pay public funds benefits, such as Universal Credit, to a person if the Home Office has applied a ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ condition to their immigration status.

Nationals of countries other than the UK and Ireland who have a valid immigration status and that does not prohibit recourse to public funds are subject to the same eligibility criteria as any other claimant, including the need to be ‘habitually resident’ (meaning they have made the UK their home in addition to having a legal right to claim benefits).

The Department has defined ‘ineligible immigration status’ as a claimant with a ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ condition attached to their immigration status or who have no valid UK immigration status. The Department has provided a figure on the number of individuals who undertake the Habitual Residency Test (HRT) and fail due to being a ‘Person Subject to Immigration Control’, i.e. having No Recourse to Public Funds.

There were 38,000 individuals who were refused Universal Credit due to fail reason: ‘Person Subject to Immigration Control’ between May 2024 and April 2025. The Department does not hold equivalent information for non-Universal Credit benefits and to provide it would exceed cost limits.
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Claire Hanna:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work, published on 18 May 2025, what estimate she has made of the number of claimants currently in receipt of contributory Employment and Support Allowance who would transfer to the proposed unemployment insurance. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Department is currently consulting on a proposed Unemployment Insurance. The consultation closes on 30 June 2025. No decisions have yet been made about transitioning existing claimants of NS ESA and NS JSA to the proposed Unemployment Insurance and therefore an estimate cannot be provided at this stage. However, a further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’(opens in a new tab). Latest data as of November 2025 shows that there are 750,000 claimants for contributory ESA.
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Andy McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the funding required for employment support to increase employment income in line with changes to welfare payments set out in the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The government has announced an additional £1.9 billion in funding for employment-related support between 2026/27 and 2029/30, for disabled people and those with health conditions. This will ensure that support is available from next year as benefit changes come in, and can be offered to anyone affected by those changes.

The Office for Budget Responsibility has stated that it intends to assess the labour supply impacts of the Green Paper measures in its Autumn forecasts, and we will develop more detailed analysis in due course to inform those estimates.
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Navendu Mishra:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has considered extending eligibility for (a) Child Benefit and (b) the child element of Universal Credit to families of 16 to19 year-olds undertaking apprenticeships, in order to remove financial disincentives to vocational training. \p Sir Stephen Timms: When a young person becomes an apprentice, they are in work and no longer regarded as a child or qualifying young person for Child Benefit or Universal Credit child element purposes, even though they might still live with their parents or guardians.

Education or training provided by means of a contract of employment (which includes apprenticeships) does not count as education or training for the purposes of satisfying the definition of a qualifying young person. The parent or guardian will no longer be entitled to Child Benefit or Universal Credit child element for the young person in these circumstances.

In the case of waged apprentices under the age of 19, employers are required to pay a minimum wage of £7.55 an hour, and many tend to pay more as young people develop their skills. A young person working 35 hours a week on a waged apprenticeship should therefore earn no less than £264.25 each week.

Depending on age and the number of hours undertaken on the apprenticeship, the young person may be able to claim Universal Credit in their own right.
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Ann Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, (a) what specific matters were discussed during and (b) what were the outcomes of her meeting with the First Minister of Wales on the Pathways to Work Green Paper on 4 June 2025. \p Andrew Western: The meeting between Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the First Minister of Wales on 4th June 2025 was a positive discussion about areas of mutual interest, including the UK Government’s commitment to reforming the system of health and disability benefits so that it promotes and enables employment among as many people as possible.
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Suella Braverman:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to conduct a full audit of Child Maintenance Service accounts and third-party payments in the last ten years. \p Andrew Western: Since 2012 the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has been an operational directorate of the Department for Work and Pensions. The operational costs of running the CMS are included within the overall Departmental accounts that are published annually. These accounts are audited every year by the National Audit Office and a report is prepared for Parliament by the Comptroller and Auditor General. These are available at the following link: DWP annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK

The monies received in and paid out by the Child Maintenance Service are reported in separate accounts, which are also published annually. These are audited every year by the National Audit Office and a report is prepared for Parliament by the Comptroller and Auditor General. These are available at the following link: Child maintenance: client funds accounts - GOV.UK
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents who made a request to move from a deduction from earnings order to direct debit subsequently defaulted on their child maintenance payments in each of the last 5 years. \p Andrew Western: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) will do everything it can to address the nonpayment of child maintenance. Where payments have defaulted, we use our enforcement powers fairly and quickly to get cases back into payment.

The Department publishes quarterly Child Maintenance Service (CMS) statistics, with the latest statistics available to the end of December 2024 here. Table 4 contains information on the amount of child maintenance that Paying parents have paid, and are expected to pay, each quarter.

Information on the method of payments used by Paying Parents and Collect and Pay compliance can be found on Stat Xplore

The full information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
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Suella Braverman:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to increase oversight of Child Maintenance Service enforcement via (a) independent bodies and (b) ombudsmen. \p Andrew Western: The Child Maintenance Service will do everything within its powers to make sure parents comply. Where parents fail to take responsibility for paying for their children, the CMS will not hesitate to use the range of enforcement powers available. The CMS is committed to using these powers fairly and in the best interests of children and separated families.

All calculation decisions made by the CMS can be appealed through the mandatory reconsideration process and beyond that, to the Independent Tribunal Service.

When parents continue to be non-compliant, the CMS may apply to court for a Liability Order. A Liability Order allows the CMS to formally have the debt a paying parent owes legally recognised in a court of law and is required before the CMS can take certain other enforcement actions. The paying parent is given the opportunity to attend a Liability Order hearing.

Following a Liability Order, the CMS can consider which enforcement method to proceed with depending on the circumstances of the case, and the welfare of any qualifying children involved. Where appropriate, the CMS may choose to return to court to pursue further enforcement. This could lead to a magistrates’ court disqualifying a parent from holding or obtaining a driving licence for up to two years or committing them to prison for a maximum of six weeks.

Throughout this process, the paying parent has the right of appeal to a court of law against the ongoing legal action. The level of court may differ, depending on the enforcement measure being appealed. Most appeals are made to a magistrates’ or county court, or in Scotland to the Sheriff Court.

There is also a robust complaints process, which gives parents opportunities to seek redress when the CMS does not meet their expectations. When a client is dissatisfied, the CMS tries to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, without the need for a formal complaint. If the client remains dissatisfied, the Department for Work and Pensions Complaints Team looks at and responds to their complaint. After that, they can raise it with the Independent Case Examiner and finally with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, through their Member of Parliament.
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Suella Braverman:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of disputed Child Maintenance Service cases on people's health. \p Andrew Western: When a client is dissatisfied, The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) tries to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, without the need for a formal complaint. If the client remains dissatisfied, the Department for Work and Pensions Complaints Team looks at and responds to their complaint.

The CMS is committed to ensuring that it delivers a safe service that is sensitive to the needs of all the parents that use it. We recognise that some parents may face difficult circumstances, particularly at a time of separation, and that disputes with CMS or with the other parent may add to this.

The CMS is well prepared to respond quickly and effectively if it becomes aware that the safety of any of its customers are at risk, and caseworkers receive extensive training and follow a well-managed process with clear steps to support vulnerable clients.

Caseworkers have access to several tools and procedures to help support customers when they advise they cannot afford to pay child maintenance or are struggling with the cost of living in general and are in financial or emotional crisis.

This includes the National District Provision Toolkit and Affordability Hub which provides invaluable information to allow caseworkers to signpost to national and local support organisations for debt help and mental health assistance across the UK.

Additionally, Caseworkers can refer particularly vulnerable customers to the DWP Advanced Customer Support team for debt advice, access to benefits and mental health support.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on how many occasions the Child Maintenance Service has (a) taken criminal action against and (b) successfully prosecuted a parent who has knowingly provided false information to reduce their financial assessment in each of the last five years. \p Andrew Western: The primary goal of the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is to ensure that children receive the financial support they are entitled to. To achieve this, the CMS collaborates with HMRC and Benefit systems to accurately calculate maintenance payments. This collaboration helps prevent paying parents from misrepresenting their income.

The Financial Investigations Unit (FIU), investigate complex income cases. This is a specialist team with extensive investigative powers to ensure that families receive child maintenance appropriately and in accordance with the paying parent’s whole income. They can request information from financial institutions such as banks, investment companies and mortgage companies to check the accuracy of information the CMS is given by either parent.

If necessary, criminal charges relating to information offences linked to the calculation, will be brought against those who persistently and deliberately evade their responsibility to provide financially for their children.

The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the Child Maintenance Service and the latest statistics are currently available to December 2024. Table 7 of the latest National tables provides information where the CMS applied to courts to sanction Paying Parents, from July 2019 to December 2024.

The specific information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many requests by parents to move their cases to collect and pay following the failure of the other parent to make a child maintenance payment in each of the last 5 years. \p Andrew Western: A principle of The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is to increase levels of cooperation between separated parents and encourage parents to meet their responsibilities to provide their children with financial support.

The CMS has two service types: Direct Pay, where it calculates a liability and allows parents to make their own arrangements to pay; and Collect and Pay, where it calculates the liability and administers the transaction. Legislation requires that both parents are given the opportunity to try Direct Pay unless the paying parent demonstrates an unwillingness to pay their maintenance liability. When this happens, a parent can request a move to Collect and Pay service.

The full information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the Child Maintenance Service and the latest statistics are currently available to December 2024. Table 3 of the latest National tables provides the number of arrangements moving from one service type to another within the CMS each quarter, from October 2015 to December 2024.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 51543 on Cost of Living: Fylde, how the allocation for Discretionary Housing Payments in England and Wales is being managed; and what steps she is taking to ensure that vulnerable renters have access to these payments in Fylde constituency. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Local authorities administer the Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) scheme as they are best placed to make informed judgements about relative priorities and needs in their area to ensure that the most vulnerable are supported and the funds are targeted effectively. To support local authorities to deliver the scheme effectively, DWP publishes local authority guidance and engages with local authorities through regular forums.

We consider the allocation of DHPs to individual local authorities each year; consultation with local authorities is included as part of this process. Local authorities are required to provide details of their DHP expenditure every six months, and this enables officials to closely monitor spend to ensure funding is targeted effectively (Discretionary Housing Payments statistics - GOV.UK).
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Danny Kruger:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what metrics are used to measure work coach performance in JobCentres. \p Alison McGovern: We do not measure performance at individual work coach level; performance is measured at jobcentre level. Regular performance discussions are held to review and manage jobcentre performance. DWP currently manages jobcentre performance through a comprehensive framework that includes key performance indicators, performance discussions, and various support mechanisms. Each jobcentre, district, group and area will have it's own performance discussions, supported by performance leaders who provide analytical support and insight relevant to their area.
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Josh Babarinde:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help support employers to create inclusive workplace environments that support people with hidden disabilities to (a) secure and (b) stay in work. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Employers are crucial in enhancing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and those with health conditions to thrive in the workforce.

The Disability Confident Scheme encourages employers to create disability inclusive workplaces and to support disabled people to get work and get on in work. The scheme covers all disabilities, including hidden disabilities.

In addition, DWP has a digital information service for employers, (www.support-with-employee-health-and-disability.dwp.gov.uk), which provides tailored guidance to businesses to support employees to remain in work. This includes guidance on health disclosures and having conversations about health, plus guidance on legal obligations, including statutory sick pay and making reasonable adjustments.

In January this year, we launched an expert academic panel to advise us on boosting neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. The panel will consider the reasons why neurodivergent people have poor experiences in the workplace, and a low overall employment rate, making their recommendations to employers and government in the summer.

The Secretaries of State for Work and Pensions and Business and Trade have asked Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead an independent review, considering how best to support and enable employers to recruit and retain more people with health conditions and disabilities, promote healthy workplaces, and support more people to stay in or return to work from periods of sickness absence. Sir Charlie Mayfield will deliver his final report in the autumn.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department takes to ensure that reviews of Personal Independent Payment claims for people with complex and chronic health conditions consider the (a) overlap between multiple health issues and (b) the potential impact this overlap has on people's (i) mental health and (ii) ability to work. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment, at both new claim and award review, considers the impact of an individual’s health condition(s) or disability on their daily living and mobility rather than being based on the health condition itself. Individuals can be affected in different ways by the same condition, and be dealing with multiple health issues, so the outcome of a PIP claim depends very much on individual circumstances.

Health conditions may be physical, sensory, mental, intellectual or cognitive, or any combination of these, and the assessment has been designed to take a comprehensive approach to disability, reflecting the needs arising from the full range of conditions.

The assessment criteria are focused on an individual’s ability to carry out a series of key everyday activities which are fundamental to living an independent life. PIP is available whether an individual is in or out of work, education or training.

In the Green Paper Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working published on 18 March I outlined plans to launch a review of the PIP assessment. Through the review, I want to make sure the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future. This includes considering the PIP assessment criteria – including descriptors – and how the PIP assessment can play a role in unlocking wider support to enable better health, good work, higher living standards and greater independence. Additionally, the Government is legislating to encourage those on health benefits to try work by legislating to guarantee that work in and of itself will never lead to a reassessment.
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Alison Bennett:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's green paper Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working published on 18 March 2025, which measures will require primary legislation. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Pathways to Work Green Paper set out our plans and proposals for reform to health and disability benefits and employment support. Some urgent reforms outlined in the Green Paper, such as changes to PIP eligibility and UC rates, will be introduced shortly in a Bill. Other changes will be introduced through separate primary and secondary legislation. Additionally, several improvements that do not require legislative change will focus on getting the basics right and enhancing the overall experience for individuals who rely on the health and disability benefits system
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to Answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 40979 on Employment: Disability, when will further analysis be published. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published in the impacts analysis and equality analysis on 26 March 2025 and the evidence pack on 2 May 2025 at:

[https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper]
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people began receiving Pension Credit after the announcement of changes to the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment in 2024. \p Torsten Bell: On 29 May 2025 we published Pension Credit applications and award statistics. This publication provides application volumes up to 25 May 2025. Pension Credit Statistics - May 2025

Comparing the period since the announcement on 29 July 2024 that Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) will be means tested (29 July 2024 to 25 May 2025) with the comparable period a year previous (31 July 2023 to 26 May 2024), DWP has:

Please note, the figures presented are from DWP’s Pension Credit system which has previously been collected for internal departmental operations use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics publication standards.
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Andy McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the employment support package in the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, takes into account her Department's Additional Work Coach Support Impact Evaluation. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper that we would establish a new guarantee of work, health and skills support for all disabled people and people with health conditions claiming out of work benefits backed up by £1 billion of new funding per year by the end of the decade.

The Department has extensive evidence on what works and this will inform the design of our new Pathways to Work support guarantee. This includes evidence from our Additional Work Coach Support offer. When we offered Additional Work Coach Support to people in the limited capability for work and work related activity group (LCWRA) in UC, those who took part were a third more likely to be in work 12 months later. They were also twice as likely to take up more intensive externally delivered support.

We will also consider evidence from a wide range of other initiatives, for example Work Choice, a specialist employment programme for disabled people and those with health conditions, that showed people receiving tailored support were 40% more likely to be in work eight years later.

We will be developing more detailed assessments of the potential impacts of the employment measures proposed in the Green Paper as these are developed in detail. The Office for Budget Responsibility has also stated that it intends to assess the labour supply impacts of the Green Paper measures in their Autumn forecast.

As the Green Paper notes, we are also keen to engage widely on the design of this guarantee and the components needed to deliver it. To get this right, we will be seeking input from a wide range of stakeholders including devolved governments, local health systems, local government and Mayoral Strategic Authorities, private and voluntary sector providers, employers and potential users. We will confirm further details in due course after we have completed our consultation process.
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Sir Desmond Swayne:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the recommendations of the Third Report of Session 2023–24 of the Work and Pensions Committee, Defined benefit pension schemes, published on 26 March 2024, HC 144, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend schedule 7 of the Pensions Act 2004 to enable members of the Pension Protection Fund to receive indexation in respect of pensionable service prior to 5 April 1997. \p Torsten Bell: We are committed to considering and reflecting on what we have heard regarding the issue of Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme rules on the indexation of pre-1997 pension accruals. We understand it is an important issue for those affected.

The Pension Protection Fund’s assets and liabilities sit on the Government’s balance sheet, and any changes will have an impact on public finances. Any changes to the Financial Assistance Scheme will also impact the Exchequer and so requires careful consideration. The Government therefore needs to take its time to reflect on these complex matters which require a balanced approach for thoses receiving compensation, levy payers and taxpayers.

We will continue to work closely with the Pension Protection Fund as we explore this important issue further.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-09)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-09 conversation_571

Jacob Collier:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether people not in receipt of the Personal Independence Payment daily living component will lose their entitlement to the health element of Universal Credit after the abolition of the work capability assessment. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Our Pathways to Work Green Paper set out why we are scrapping the Work Capability Assessment (WCA). We want to end the binary categorisation of groups and labelling as either ‘can or can’t work’. Instead, any extra financial support for health conditions in UC will be assessed via a single assessment – the PIP assessment – and be based on the impact of disability on daily living, not on capacity to work. This will de-couple access to the health element in UC (current LCWRA rate referred to as UC health throughout) from work status, so people can be confident that the act of taking steps towards and into employment will not put their benefit entitlement at risk.

We are considering how any change of this kind could affect individuals who currently meet limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) criteria due to non-functional special circumstances; for example, those affected by cancer treatment, people with short term conditions that get better, women with a high-risk pregnancy and those currently classed as having substantial risk. Individuals in these categories may not be eligible for PIP, and therefore the UC health element, in the reformed system.

In the reformed system these groups will still be eligible for UC and for the proposed new higher rate Unemployment Insurance if they meet relevant eligibility criteria. Individuals who are nearing the end of their life with 12 months or less to live will continue to be able to access PIP through the existing fast track route (Special Rules for End of Life (SREL) to ensure we protect those who are nearing the end of their life, irrespective of the duration of their illness.

Further details on these changes will be set out in a White Paper in the Autumn.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-09)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-09 conversation_572

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the White Paper entitled Get Britain Working, published 26 November 2024, what metrics her Department is using to measure progress in increasing employment among (a) disabled people and (b) people with health conditions. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Government has a clear ambition to raise the employment rate to 80% and has published a set of key indicators that it will monitor closely as it carries out this work. These will build on aims set out in the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change and the Get Britain Working White Paper and recognise that there are many components of a sustained improvement to the workforce. These indicators include the disability employment gap and the health-related economic inactivity rate. DWP will shortly be publishing an update on progress in delivering the reforms outlined in the Get Britain Working White Paper over the last six months.

The disability employment gap is the difference between the employment rates of disabled and non-disabled people aged 18 to 66. Disability is measured using the Government Statistical Service (GSS) Harmonised Standard definition which classes as disabled, anyone who reports a physical or mental health condition that has lasted, or is expected to last, 12 months that reduces their ability to carry out day-to-day activities. The health-related economic inactivity rate is the number of people aged 18 to 66 who are economically inactive and give long-term sickness as the main reason (most of which will also be classed as disabled) divided by the 18 to 66 population.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-09)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-09 conversation_573

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the change in payment frequency from Employment and Support Allowance to Universal Credit on the finances of claimants. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Universal Credit has a range of tools available to support customers with budgeting including Benefit Transfer Advances which are available for customers moving across from legacy benefits to UC.

Universal Credit is, by default, a monthly payment which is paid directly to customers as a single household payment. Alternative Payment Arrangements are available to support those who cannot manage the single monthly payment.

In instances where it is identified that a claimant is finding it difficult to budget, they can ask to have their Universal Credit payment divided over the month to be paid more frequently. This may be paid twice, or in exceptional circumstances, four times within a monthly assessment period. This payment arrangement does not increase the total award received within each assessment period.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-09)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-09 conversation_574

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 51543 on Cost of Living: Fylde, what steps she is taking through the Household Support Fund to support vulnerable households with (a) energy and (b) food costs in Fylde constituency; and what steps she plans to take to ensure the effective delivery of support to people. \p Alison McGovern: We are providing £742 million to extend the Household Support Fund until 31 March 2026 in England. This enables Local Authorities to continue to provide vulnerable households with immediate crisis support towards the cost of essentials, such as energy, water and food, and to develop their schemes to help prevent poverty locally and build local resilience.

Authorities have the discretion to design and deliver their own local schemes within the parameters of the guidance and grant determination that the Department for Work and Pensions have set out. This is because they have the experience and the relationships to determine how best to support those in their local areas. Authorities also have a wide range of data and sources of information at their disposal to identify and provide support to a broad cross section of vulnerable households.

Authorities must make sure that this support is clearly advertised and is inclusive and accessible. The scheme guidance states that every Authority must operate part of their scheme on an application basis to allow the opportunity for individuals struggling with the cost of essentials to ask for further support.
wrans/answers2025-06-09 conversation_575
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-09)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-09 conversation_575

Ian Byrne:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the decision to freeze Local Housing Allowance on rates of poverty. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No assessment has been made using current economic assumptions and methodological practices.

However, the department has previously produced a poverty impact assessment using OBR economic assumptions from 30 October 2024 on an outdated version of the model. Using this methodology, the department has estimated the poverty impact of uprating the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) to the 30th percentile of rents in a broad rental market area compared to freezing it. Uprating the LHA to the 30th percentile in each year has been estimated to decrease the number of individuals in relative poverty after housing costs by 50,000 (0.1%) individuals in 25/26 and 100,000 (0.1%) individuals in 28/29 compared to freezing it at April 2024 levels.

Estimates have been rounded to the nearest 50,000 and are on a UK basis. The poverty impacts are independent of the underlying trends in poverty, so they are not an estimate of the total change in poverty over time.

Since this version of the model, the welfare policies announced at Autumn Budget and Spring Statement have been incorporated into the model and the economic assumptions have been updated to OBR's March 2025 assumptions.

At last year’s Autumn Budget, the Secretary of State’s decision to maintain LHA at current levels for 2025/26 was taken after a range of factors were considered, including rental data, the impacts of LHA rates, rate increases in April 2024, and the wider fiscal context. The April 2024 one-year LHA increase cost an additional £1.2bn in 2024/25, and approximately £7bn over 5 years.

Any future decisions on LHA policy will be taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing, and the fiscal context.

For those who need further support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. DHPs can be paid to those entitled to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.
wrans/answers2025-06-09 conversation_576
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-09)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-09 conversation_576

Claire Hanna:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work, published on 18 May 2025, what estimate has she made of the potential impact of her Department's Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work, published on 18 May 2025, on the number of claimants who will have their housing benefit cut because they have at least one spare room in Northern Ireland in each of the next five years. \p Sir Stephen Timms: PIP is administered in Northern Ireland by the Department for Communities (DfC). DfC is responsible for producing analysis on how the planned reforms will impact claimants in Northern Ireland.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-09)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-09 conversation_577

Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the forthcoming Child Poverty Strategy will include (a) objectives and (b) targets beyond the initial 10-year framework to ensure sustained progress in reducing child poverty in (i) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, (ii) Hertfordshire and (iii) England. \p Alison McGovern: Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. The Child Poverty Taskforce is progressing work to publish its strategy as soon as possible and we are exploring all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty.

Our focus is on bringing about an enduring reduction in child poverty in this parliament, thereby reversing the trend that is seeing forecasts of child poverty continuing to increase. More details, including on the time horizon, will be set out in the strategy publication.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-09)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-09 conversation_578

Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Pension Schemes Bill will be introduced before the summer recess 2025. \p Torsten Bell: The Pension Schemes Bill was introduced on Thursday 5 June 2025.