Members of the Education and Work and Pensions Select Committees have decided to undertake an inquiry that will consider how the Government can ensure it will deliver a successful Child Poverty Strategy.

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 incorporate new technology into the Find a Job platform.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The current ‘Find a Job’ service will be superseded by new Jobs and Careers Service this year.

We are ensuring the service is fit for the future by leveraging new technology, such as CV builder and interview support, in line with the Get Britain Working White Paper, and the blueprint for modern digital government. 

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps has he taken to help tackle fraud in the pension system.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is resolute in its determination to protect pension scheme members from financial harm. There is a strong regulatory framework which allows pension scheme trustees to block pension transfers if there is risk of a scam and we are developing extended measures which seek to strengthen protections and combat any areas of evolving risk. DWP will continue to work closely with partners, including the police, the National Economic Crime Centre and anti-scams industry groups, to identify and disrupt unlawful activity and to ensure appropriate enforcement action is taken against those who exploit or seek to exploit pension savers. We will publicly consult on our work to strengthen the transfer process with enhanced protections in the coming months.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he plans to take to ensure that planned guidance on fiduciary duties for the trust-based private pensions sector provides effective clarity to trustees.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

I refer the Hon. member to the answer I gave on 22 January 2026 to PQ 106678.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the total cost of all forms of welfare benefit fraud over the last 12 months.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Estimates of fraud and error levels in the benefit system in Great Britain are published annually. Information for the financial year 2025 to 2026 will be published later this year.

Information on the financial year 2024 to 2025 can be found here: Fraud and error in the benefit system: financial year 2024 to 2025 estimates - GOV.UK – see section 4. Total estimates of fraud and error across all benefit expenditure: overpayments due to Fraud were 2.2% (£6.5bn) in FYE 2025, compared with 2.7% (£7.3bn) in FYE 2024.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many face-to-face assessments for benefit claimants have taken place since 1 January 2024.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

While this information is not currently published by the department, we will be sharing this data in a future statistical release.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of the 815,000 people who use the Motability scheme will be impacted by one or more of the changes to the Motability scheme.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

An Equality Impact Assessment including consideration of the impact on affected individuals was undertaken and published by HMT as part of the Autumn Budget and can be found here: Motability Scheme: reforming tax reliefs - GOV.UK.

The Motability Scheme will continue to offer a choice of vehicles to meet a range of accessibility needs and vehicles which require no advance payment, meaning that people will be able to access a suitable vehicle using only their qualifying disability benefit.  Motability Foundation, the independent charity with responsibility for overseeing the Scheme, will continue to offer means-tested grants to support eligible people who would otherwise struggle to afford the advance payment or adaptations for a vehicle, or a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) through the Scheme.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what action is being taken to reduce the waiting times for a decision on Access to Work claims.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department is committed to reducing the Access to Work waiting times. We have increased the number of staff working in this area by 27% and we have continued to streamline delivery practices. To protect employment opportunities, case managers prioritise Access to Work applications where the customer is due to start a job within four weeks, or cases that are up for renewal.

In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the scheme so that it helps more disabled people in work. We will be reviewing all aspects of the Scheme now that the consultation has closed. We are continuing to work closely with stakeholders, and in particular disabled people and their representatives, on all aspects of our proposals.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Motability scheme users use their vehicle to travel to work.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The information requested is not held by the Department.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support disabled people into work.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

This Government is committed to championing the rights of, and helping, disabled people and those with long-term health conditions.

Last week we announced the expansion of our groundbreaking programme WorkWell across England, up to 250,000 more people with health conditions will receive support to stay in or return to work. This builds on our Pathways to Work Guarantee and our Connect to Work supported employment programme.

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 potential implications for his policies of trends in the number of foreign nationals claiming Universal Credit.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Universal Credit is primarily reserved for people settled in the UK, and the Government has announced plans to increase the standard time most migrants have to wait before they can achieve settlement, from five to 10 years.

This change will support the downward trend of Universal Credit claimants who are foreign nationals.

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 help support welfare claimants with learning difficulties during the migration process to Universal Credit.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department provides tailored support for customers with learning difficulties during their migration to Universal Credit. This includes the Citizens Advice Help to Claim service, face-to-face assistance in Jobcentres, and a dedicated helpline.

Customers may also receive help from friends, family members, or approved third parties. Additionally, we offer an Enhanced Support Journey, alternative formats, and home visits to ensure the process is accessible and that customers feel supported throughout their transition.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of Personal Independence Payment (a) assessments and (b) reassessments were carried out (i) face-to-face, (ii) remotely and (iii) on paper in each month since July 2024.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

In the recent Autumn Budget, the government reenforced a commitment it made in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, to increase face-to-face assessments for disability benefits.

All assessment suppliers have contractual requirements to raise the proportion of assessments conducted in person, and are expected to plan and manage recruitment accordingly, with progress regularly reviewed. The department is working closely with suppliers to boost capacity, with a key focus on recruiting suitably qualified health professional to support delivery in assessment centres Through these measures, the department will meet the government priority to increase the proportion of face-to-face Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments to 30% from 5% in 2024.

The number and proportion of PIP assessments carried out by channel of assessment from July 2024 until the most recent month available can be found in the table below, with comparative annual figures from 2019 provided below.

The information is not available in the breakdowns requested for all four Functional Assessment Service (FAS) suppliers for the time-period requested. We can provide data on the total number of assessments (which includes assessments and reassessments) for all four suppliers and for the time-period requested. Data for July 2024 and August 2024 is for pre-FAS contracts, data for September 2024 is a blend of pre-FAS and FAS contracts, data for October 2024 onwards if for FAS contracts.

Please Note

• * Data for July 2024 and August 2024 is for pre-FAS contracts,
• ** Data for September 2024 is a blend of pre-FAS and FAS contracts,
• *** Data for October 2024 onwards if for FAS contracts.
• From 9 September 2024, the start of FAS, there was a ramp-up period to give suppliers time to embed the new contracts.
• Rounding policy used: between 10,000 and 100,000 rounded to nearest 1,000, between 1,000 and 10,000 rounded to nearest 100 and below 1,000 rounded to the nearest 10.
• Numbers may not sum due to rounding; percentages are based on actuals.
• All the above data is derived from unpublished contractual management information produced by the FAS assessment Suppliers which is collected for internal departmental use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics Publication standards.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether apprentices who commenced a Level 7 apprenticeship before 1 January 2026 will continue to have government funding protected through to completion under the apprenticeship funding rules; what guidance he has issued to providers and employers to ensure this protection is applied; and what arrangements exist where a provider discontinues a programme or must transfer apprentices to an alternative provider.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Level 7 apprentices, that started prior to 1 January 2026, will be funded through to completion. As with funding for all apprenticeships, this is subject to employer and training provider compliance with the apprenticeship funding rules and the apprenticeship employer and provider agreements.

Apprentices concerned about ongoing training provision should contact customer.help@service.education.gov.uk.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of freezing Local Housing Allowance rates in 2026-27 on private renters.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

At Autumn Budget, the Secretary of State reviewed Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates and confirmed in his Written Ministerial Statement that LHA rates would be maintained at their current 2024/25 levels for 2026/27.

The impacts on private renters were considered alongside a range of factors, including rent levels across Great Britain, the challenging fiscal context and welfare priorities which included our commitment to reduce child poverty by removing the two-child limit which will bring 450,000 children out of poverty.

Renters facing a shortfall in meeting their housing costs can apply for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) from local authorities. From April 2026 DHPs for England will be incorporated into the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF).

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of State Pension age changes on 1950s-born women living in Rochester and Strood constituency.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

All women born since 6 April 1950 have been affected by changes to State Pension age.

Estimates can be made with ONS 2022 Census Data of how many women born in the 1950s were resident in each constituency in that year.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Written Statement UIN HCWS1044 on Pensions Update of 11 November 2025, what information his Department holds on the reasons that the findings of the 2007 research report did not lead to a targeted public communications campaign to affected women.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Secretary of State announced in his oral statement of 11 November 2025 that we will retake the decision made in December 2024 as it relates to the communications on State Pension age.

This was because findings from a 2007 report had not been drawn to the attention of the previous Secretary of State as its potential relevance to the making of her decision was not evident at the time.

The process to retake the decision is underway and it is important that we give this full and proper consideration. We will update Parliament on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the written statement of 11 November 2025 on Pension Update, HCWS1044, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of Automatic Pension Forecast letters relating to communication of State Pension age changes for 1950's born women.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Secretary of State announced in his oral statement of 11 November 2025 that we will retake the decision made in December 2024 as it relates to the communications on State Pension age.

This was because findings from a 2007 report had not been drawn to the attention of the previous Secretary of State as its potential relevance to the making of her decision was not evident at the time.

The process to retake the decision is underway and it is important that we give this full and proper consideration. We will update Parliament on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.

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 potential (a) costs and (b) mechanisms available to deliver compensation in line with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report on Women’s State Pension age communications, HC 638.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

As the Secretary of State set out on 11 November 2025, we are retaking the decision made in December 2024 as it relates to the communications on State Pension age. The process to retake the decision is underway and it is important that the government give this full and proper consideration.

Retaking this decision should not be taken as an indication that Government will necessarily decide that they should award financial redress.

We will update the House on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Jobcentre Plus staff receive training on trauma-informed approaches when working with refugees and asylum seekers.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The DWP launched introductory trauma informed learning in Summer 2025, following a successful pilot across 23/24; supporting staff to respond to experiences of adversity and trauma including that experienced by refugees and asylum seekers. The learning is further embedded through bespoke products and wider initiatives.

This is part of a comprehensive training package designed to equip staff with the skills to provide high-quality, inclusive customer service to all claimants and tailor support to individual needs.

The Department remains committed to continually reviewing and improving training to meet the diverse requirements of customers.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Written Statement HCWS1044 on 11 November 2025, which findings contained in the 2007 DWP evaluation of the effectiveness of automatic pension forecast letters were not provided to his predecessor.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Secretary of State announced in his oral statement of 11 November 2025 that we will retake the decision made in December 2024 as it relates to the communications on State Pension age.

This was because findings from a 2007 report had not been drawn to the attention of the previous Secretary of State as its potential relevance to the making of her decision was not evident at the time.

The process to retake the decision is underway and it is important that we give this full and proper consideration. We will update Parliament on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for the Access to Work scheme; and whether he plans to increase that funding.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the scheme so that it helps more disabled people in work. We are considering all aspects of the scheme as we develop plans for reform following the conclusion of the consultation.

We have recently concluded (November) the Access to Work Collaboration Committees, in which we engaged with a range of stakeholders, including disabled people’s organisation representatives and lived experience users, to provide discussion, experience, and challenge to the design of the future Access to Work Scheme.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Question 100498, how many households on Housing Benefit and Universal Credit who have flowed off the benefit cap are in the Other outcome category by reason of receiving an exempting benefit during the quarter to (a) August 2025, (b) May 2025, (c) February 2025 and (d) November 2024.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department publishes Official Statistics on the number of households in Great Britain on Housing Benefit (HB) or Universal Credit (UC) that have flowed off the benefit cap, including outcome at off-flow, in the HB Cumulative Caseload dataset and the UC Cumulative Caseload dataset, which are published quarterly on Stat-Xplore, with monthly off-flows data currently available to July 2025.

The HB statistics do have an Outcome at off-flow category for ‘Household receiving other exempt benefit (Employment Support Allowance support group / Disability Living Allowance / Industrial Injuries / Personal Independent Payment).’

However, statistics on the number of exempting benefit outcomes for UC are included in the Outcome at off-flow category of ‘Other outcome’, and to produce a further breakdown of this group would incur disproportionate cost.

Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access general guidance on how to extract the information required.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of State Pension age changes on 1950s-born women living in Brighton Pavilion constituency.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

All women born since 6 April 1950 have been affected by changes to State Pension age.

Estimates can be made with ONS 2022 Census Data of how many women born in the 1950s were resident in each constituency in that year.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of State Pension age changes on 1950s-born women living in Epsom and Ewell constituency.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

All women born since 6 April 1950 have been affected by changes to State Pension age.

Estimates can be made with ONS 2022 Census Data of how many women born in the 1950s were resident in each constituency in that year.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether apprenticeships within priority heritage building crafts will include funding for the apprentice's salary and a compensation grant to SME employers to address reduced productivity linked to the apprenticeship.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Employer satisfaction with apprenticeships is very high: 83% of employers are satisfied with their apprenticeship programme; and 77% report improved productivity.

The government is investing an additional £725m to transform the apprenticeship levy into a growth and skills levy, and provides a range of financial support to small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) in all sectors to take on apprentices.

We pay £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged under 19, or 19-to-24-year-old apprentices who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in care. Employers are also 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).

Additionally, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers (essentially SMEs) for all eligible people aged under 25 from the start of the next academic year in August. At the moment, this only happens for apprentices aged 16 to 21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in local authority care.

To help prospective apprentices find apprenticeship opportunities, they can search and apply for apprenticeships on our Find an apprenticeship service which is used by thousands of employers.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Minister will take to ensure that the Timms Review adequately takes account of the needs of those living with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

For the Timms Review to be a success, lived experience must be at the heart of its work. To do this, we are co-producing the Review with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs, and other stakeholders.

In October last year, I published the revised Terms of Reference on GOV.UK setting out further details about the Review’s scope. I also announced I will co-chair the Review alongside Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE. We will oversee a steering group responsible for leading the co-production process, setting the Review’s strategic direction and will determine how it runs and what it recommends.

To recruit the steering group, we ran an open and accessible expression of interest from 30 October to 30 November. I will provide an update on its membership in the coming days, ahead of its first meeting later this week. The steering group will not work alone, once in place, it will shape a programme of participation that brings together the full range of views and voices.

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 simplify the Pension Credit application process.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Department is committed to modernising the Pension Credit service and regularly reviews the user experience to balance simplification with ensuring accurate awards. We are streamlining application routes by using information held internally to reduce the number of questions customers need to answer.

Claims can be made online, by telephone, or by post. The most popular method is online, where claims can be made 24/7 with help from a family member, friend, or third party. The online form now requires a maximum of 48 questions, and for some customers as few as 35. On average, it takes just 16 minutes to complete, with around 90% of new customers applying online or by phone.

For telephone claims, callers are guided through the process by an agent. We will continue to keep the Pension Credit application process under review to ensure it remains simple and accessible.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide funds to microbusinesses in the heritage craft industry to support apprentices' salaries and training periods under makers as part of their increased allocation for apprenticeships, including for skills on the Heritage Crafts Red List of Endangered Crafts.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Employer satisfaction with apprenticeships is very high: 83% of employers are satisfied with their apprenticeship programme; and 77% report improved productivity.

The government is investing an additional £725m to transform the apprenticeship levy into a growth and skills levy, and provides a range of financial support to small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) in all sectors to take on apprentices.

We pay £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged under 19, or 19-to-24-year-old apprentices who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in care. Employers are also 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).

Additionally, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers (essentially SMEs) for all eligible people aged under 25 from the start of the next academic year in August. At the moment, this only happens for apprentices aged 16 to 21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in local authority care.

To help prospective apprentices find apprenticeship opportunities, they can search and apply for apprenticeships on our Find an apprenticeship service which is used by thousands of employers.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to provide funding to scale up the apprenticeship website matchMAKER by Heritage Crafts to allow it to include profiles of apprentices looking for apprenticeships as well as a list of available apprenticeships.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Employer satisfaction with apprenticeships is very high: 83% of employers are satisfied with their apprenticeship programme; and 77% report improved productivity.

The government is investing an additional £725m to transform the apprenticeship levy into a growth and skills levy, and provides a range of financial support to small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) in all sectors to take on apprentices.

We pay £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged under 19, or 19-to-24-year-old apprentices who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in care. Employers are also 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).

Additionally, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers (essentially SMEs) for all eligible people aged under 25 from the start of the next academic year in August. At the moment, this only happens for apprentices aged 16 to 21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in local authority care.

To help prospective apprentices find apprenticeship opportunities, they can search and apply for apprenticeships on our Find an apprenticeship service which is used by thousands of employers.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they will ensure the jobs created for the Youth Guarantee scheme for 18-to-21-year-olds on Universal Credit are genuinely new roles which would not otherwise have been advertised.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Jobs Guarantee will provide six months of paid employment for every eligible 18 to 21-year-old who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. The scheme will break the cycle of unemployment by guaranteeing meaningful paid employment opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.

Appropriate requirements will be built into the scheme, with guidance provided to those delivering the jobs guarantee to ensure that opportunities are high quality, fair and deliver the intended outcomes for young people. In phase one, the Department will deliver over 1000 job starts across six areas in the first six months. To achieve this, we will work with local employers to create a range of high-quality job opportunities.

We will provide more detail on the scheme in due course.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the answer of 22 October 2025 to UIN 77348, how many additional assessors have been recruited; and in what locations.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

While this information is not currently published by the department, we will be sharing this data in a future statistical release.

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 help improve the financial situation of mixed-age couples where one partner has reached State Pension age but the other has not; what information his Department holds on the number of households are affected by the Pension Credit rules for mixed-age couples; what steps he is taking to help ensure that households reliant on a single State Pension can access adequate support; and what guidance he has issued to help ensure that claimants are not inaccurately told they are not entitled to state support.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Universal Credit is a working age benefit that helps with living costs. Ensuring that individuals, including those below State Pension age, can get into, progress and stay in work is important for individuals in helping them to continue saving for their own retirement and contribute to the wider economy.

Since 15 May 2019, couples requiring additional support from the benefit system have needed to claim Universal Credit until both members reach State Pension age. Once in receipt of Universal Credit, this ensures that the younger partner can access the same employment support that is available for customers below State Pension Age.

Published data shows that in December 2025 there were around 69,000 Universal Credit claimants aged over 65. This will include mixed aged couples and also some single claimants who are just about to move off UC as they reached State Pension Age during that assessment period.

Information on eligibility requirements for each benefit is published on GOV.UK guidance pages.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taken to reduce the waiting times for a decision on Access to Work claims from Yeovil constituency.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work. We have increased the number of staff processing Access to Work claims by 27% and applications from customers who are about to start a job or who are renewing are prioritised.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper launched a consultation on the future of Access to Work which has now concluded. Following over 47,500 responses from individuals, charities and other stakeholders, as well as 18 consultation events, we published our summary of the responses to the Pathways to Work Green Paper consultation on 30 October 2025.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of young people who receive health-related benefits for mental health, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or autism enter sustained employment within (1) two years, (2) five years, and (3) 10 years, of their initial claim.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The information requested is not readily available, and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are claiming (a) housing benefit and (b) the housing element of universal credit in each broad rental market area (BRMA) and what was the average amount claimed in each BRMA in 2025.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Information on the number of households receiving the UC Housing Element in the Private Rented Sector by Broad Rental Market Area is available on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/).

Providing the rest of the information requested would incur disproportionate cost.

Information on HB caseload and average award is available on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/) disaggregated by Local Authority, but not BRMA.

Breakdowns of the UC Housing Element and Housing Benefit are available at national level in the Benefit Caseload and Expenditure Tables (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-2025).

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an estimate of the proportion of people with a learning disability of working age in England in receipt of a means tested benefit.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department has not made such an estimate.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 21 November 2025 to Question 92325 on Access to Work Programme, how many Access to Work awards have been (a) decided, (b) reduced at renewal, (c) increased at renewal and (d) removed at renewal.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

A total of 20,852 Access to Work renewal awards have been decided since July 2024.

The Department does not hold information on the number of awards that have been (a) reduced, (b) increased, or (c) removed at the point of renewal. Determining these figures would require a manual review of individual cases, which would result in a disproportionate cost to the Department.

Please note that the data supplied is derived from unpublished management information, which was collected for internal Departmental use only, and have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what circumstances the Child Maintenance Service ceases to pursue historic child maintenance arrears.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Maintenance’s priority is to collect money owed to children who will benefit today, thereby preventing the build-up of arrears on the CMS.

The Child Maintenance Service has powers to write off historic Child Support Agency (CSA) and Child Maintenance Service debt in specific scenarios where it would be unfair or inappropriate to enforce liability, such as if the receiving parent tells us they no longer want us to collect the arrears or the paying parent is deceased and no further action can be taken to recover the arrears from the paying parent’s estate.

Powers introduced in 2018 allowed remaining Agency cases to be closed following the collection or write-off of historic arrears, as part of the closure of the scheme. All CSA arrears were at least five years old, with some CSA debt dating back much further. This was a one-off exercise, applying only to Agency debt.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what correspondence his Department has received from the WASPI campaign since 1 September 2025.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Department for Work and Pensions receives a large volume of correspondence on a range of issues and we attach great importance to providing prompt and accurate replies.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to assess the impact of changes to the State Pension age on women born in the 1950s living in Newbury constituency.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

All women born since 6 April 1950 have been affected by changes to State Pension age.

Estimates can be made with ONS 2022 Census Data of how many women born in the 1950s were resident in each constituency in that year.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of State Pension age changes on 1950s-born women in Leeds East constituency.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

All women born since 6 April 1950 have been affected by changes to State Pension age.

Estimates can be made with ONS 2022 Census Data of how many women born in the 1950s were resident in each constituency in that year.

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 enforcement correspondence issued by the Child Maintenance Service in cases involving very small arrears, including where that correspondence refers to bailiff action, licence removal and imprisonment.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) missed payment and arrears notifications do reference potential enforcement action that can be considered, should a paying parent continue to miss or avoid making child maintenance payments. This is to ensure the paying parent fully understands the potential consequences if their non-compliance persists.

The notification also asks the paying parent to contact CMS immediately, so we can work with the parent paying to negotiate a sustainable and feasible repayment plan. For small arrears, payments can spread over an appropriate timescale negating the need for enforcement action. Only, where this is not possible will CMS consider the use of our wider enforcement powers.

CMS uses a small‑value threshold (de minimis) before taking certain enforcement actions. This is to make sure any charges to customers are fair and not excessive. Therefore, enforcement action is not likely to be taken against very small arrears.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much their Department has spent on X and xAI since July 2024.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Paid advertising on X was suspended in April 2023 following a SAFE Framework assessment. X is currently used only for organic (non-paid) content to communicate policies and public services.

No expenditure has been made by the DWP with X since July 2024.

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 cost of removing the three month waiting period for Child Disability Living Allowance.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

There are no plans to remove the three month qualifying period for Child Disability Living Allowance and no estimate has been made of the cost of doing so. The three month qualifying period is not a waiting period. Its purpose is to help establish that the disability or health condition, and the resulting care, supervision or mobility needs are of a long-standing nature. This ensures that disability benefits are targeted to support those with long term health conditions or disabilities.

Children applying for DLA do not always have to wait for the full three months from the date of their claim before they become entitled to the benefit. The case manager will always look at whether, and for how long, the person has required the necessary level of help for care and/or mobility purposes before the date of claim and consider whether some or all of the qualifying period has already been completed.

Children claiming DLA under the special rules for end of life do not have to satisfy the three month qualifying period. Their claim is fast tracked, and they are eligible for the higher-rate care component from the date of claim.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time was between a Universal Credit claim being made and first payment being issued in each month since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

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

However, monthly Universal Credit payment timeliness statistics for new claims are published in UC Households 6 - Payment Timeliness New Claims table in the Households on Universal Credit dataset on Stat-Xplore, and are currently available to July 2025.

Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract information. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit awards were made with an Alternative Payment Arrangement in each month since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Monthly Universal Credit statistics showing the number in payment and using alternative payment arrangements, including managed payment to landlord, more frequent payment, and split payment methods, are published in the Households on Universal Credit dataset on Stat-Xplore, and are currently available to August 2025.

Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract information. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of households affected by the Local Housing Allowance freeze since its introduction.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum housing support for tenants in the private rented sector. Households in similar circumstances living in the same area are entitled to the same maximum rent allowance, regardless of the contractual rent paid. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas.

LHA rates are reviewed annually at Autumn Budget. The Secretary of State confirmed in his Written Ministerial Statement that LHA rates would be maintained at their current 2024/25 levels for 2026/27.

Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

The impact on private renters was considered alongside factors such as rent levels across Great Britain, the fiscal context and welfare priorities including the decision to remove the two-child limit which will bring 450,000 children out of poverty.

Information on the number of households in receipt of LHA and those in shortfall (i.e. where contractual rent costs exceed LHA), is available on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/). Monthly Universal Credit statistics showing the number of households in receipt of LHA and those in shortfall are published in the Households on Universal Credit dataset, and the Housing Benefit – Data from April 2018 dataset, and are currently available to August 2025.

Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest, and if needed, can access guidance on how to extract the information required. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.

Renters facing a shortfall in meeting their housing costs can apply for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) from local authorities. From April 2026 DHPs for England will be incorporated into the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). However, DWP would also point out that the causes of homelessness are multi-faceted and interact dynamically making it very difficult to isolate the relative importance of individual factors. We work closely with other departments, including MHCLG, to ensure the impacts of LHA on homelessness are considered.

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 potential impact of the Local Housing Allowance freeze on homelessness.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum housing support for tenants in the private rented sector. Households in similar circumstances living in the same area are entitled to the same maximum rent allowance, regardless of the contractual rent paid. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas.

LHA rates are reviewed annually at Autumn Budget. The Secretary of State confirmed in his Written Ministerial Statement that LHA rates would be maintained at their current 2024/25 levels for 2026/27.

Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

The impact on private renters was considered alongside factors such as rent levels across Great Britain, the fiscal context and welfare priorities including the decision to remove the two-child limit which will bring 450,000 children out of poverty.

Information on the number of households in receipt of LHA and those in shortfall (i.e. where contractual rent costs exceed LHA), is available on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/). Monthly Universal Credit statistics showing the number of households in receipt of LHA and those in shortfall are published in the Households on Universal Credit dataset, and the Housing Benefit – Data from April 2018 dataset, and are currently available to August 2025.

Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest, and if needed, can access guidance on how to extract the information required. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.

Renters facing a shortfall in meeting their housing costs can apply for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) from local authorities. From April 2026 DHPs for England will be incorporated into the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). However, DWP would also point out that the causes of homelessness are multi-faceted and interact dynamically making it very difficult to isolate the relative importance of individual factors. We work closely with other departments, including MHCLG, to ensure the impacts of LHA on homelessness are considered.

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 review the current freeze on Local Housing Allowance rates.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum housing support for tenants in the private rented sector. Households in similar circumstances living in the same area are entitled to the same maximum rent allowance, regardless of the contractual rent paid. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas.

LHA rates are reviewed annually at Autumn Budget. The Secretary of State confirmed in his Written Ministerial Statement that LHA rates would be maintained at their current 2024/25 levels for 2026/27.

Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

The impact on private renters was considered alongside factors such as rent levels across Great Britain, the fiscal context and welfare priorities including the decision to remove the two-child limit which will bring 450,000 children out of poverty.

Information on the number of households in receipt of LHA and those in shortfall (i.e. where contractual rent costs exceed LHA), is available on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/). Monthly Universal Credit statistics showing the number of households in receipt of LHA and those in shortfall are published in the Households on Universal Credit dataset, and the Housing Benefit – Data from April 2018 dataset, and are currently available to August 2025.

Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest, and if needed, can access guidance on how to extract the information required. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.

Renters facing a shortfall in meeting their housing costs can apply for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) from local authorities. From April 2026 DHPs for England will be incorporated into the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). However, DWP would also point out that the causes of homelessness are multi-faceted and interact dynamically making it very difficult to isolate the relative importance of individual factors. We work closely with other departments, including MHCLG, to ensure the impacts of LHA on homelessness are considered.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Personal Independence Payment assessors receive specialist training on disabilities caused by sodium valproate.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities caused by sodium valproate receive high-quality, objective, and accurate assessments.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments are functional assessments designed to evaluate how an individual’s health conditions or impairments affect their ability to carry out daily living activities and mobility. Health professionals (HPs) conducting these assessments are trained specialists in disability analysis, focusing on understanding the functional impact of a claimant’s condition rather than its clinical diagnosis. DWP does not require HPs to be specialists in the specific medical conditions or impairments of those they assess.

Additionally, HPs have access to Condition Insight Reports and Continuing Professional Development guides. These resources offer detailed clinical and functional information on a range of conditions, including disabilities cause by sodium valproate such as, Fetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder (FVSD), to support HPs in delivering informed assessments.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to reduce the level of incorrect Personal Independence Payment decisions for people with disabilities resulting from sodium valproate.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

It is our aim to make the right decision as early as possible in the claim journey. To support this, we have made improvements to our decision-making processes to help ensure people get the support they are entitled to without needing to appeal. This includes giving Decision Makers additional time to proactively contact customers if they think additional evidence may support the claim.

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 payments received by unpaid carers for people harmed by sodium valproate.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

People in Great Britain who provide unpaid care of 35 hours a week or more can receive financial support from the benefit system through Universal Credit (UC) or Pension Credit (PC). Carer’s Allowance (CA) is also available to those in England and Wales. UC and PC are means-tested and include additional amounts for carers worth around £2,400 a year. CA is not means-tested and is worth around £4,300 a year.

Payments to the unpaid carer are linked to the extra costs disability benefit received by the person with care needs. This is most commonly the Daily Living Component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the middle or highest rate Care Component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance (AA), or the equivalent rates of Child Disability Payment, Adult Disability Payment, Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance or Pension Age Disability Payment in Scotland. Receipt of PIP, DLA or AA is based on functional ability, rather than the health condition or disability itself. Individuals can be affected in different ways by the same condition, and so the outcome of a PIP claim from somebody harmed by sodium valproate would depend on individual circumstances. The amount of the carer additions in UC and PC, and the rate of CA, do not depend on the reason that the extra costs disability benefit is in payment.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that future reforms to Personal Independence Payment are accompanied by the publication of impact assessments on (a) mental health and (b) poverty.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We have launched the Timms Review to ensure Personal Independence Payment is fair and fit for the future. To ensure lived experience is at the heart of its work, the Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, and other experts.

The Review will report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by autumn 2026, and we have committed to holding a general debate in Parliament on its outcomes in government time.

The Government routinely considers impacts to inform ministerial decisions, and information on impacts will be published in line with usual practice, including alongside any legislation.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households are claiming housing benefits, either housing benefit or the housing element of Universal credit, in each Broad Market Rental Area (a) in total, (b) in the private rented sector and (c) in the social rented sector.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Information on the number of households receiving the Universal Credit (UC) Housing Element in the Private Rented Sector by Broad Rental Market Area (BRMA) is available on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/).

Information on Housing Benefit (HB) caseload is available on Stat-Xplore disaggregated by Local Authority, but not by BRMA.

Housing support for social rented sector households claiming either Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit is not determined within BRMAs. BRMAs only apply to housing support in the private rented sector.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the impact of State Pension age changes for 1950s-born women living in Wolverhampton West.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

All women born since 6 April 1950 have been affected by changes to State Pension age.

Estimates can be made with ONS 2022 Census Data of how many women born in the 1950s were resident in each constituency in that year.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if the Department will provide a projection of how many people will gain (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment after their placement on the Youth Guarantee scheme.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

As part of the Youth Guarantee we are breaking the cycle of unemployment by guaranteeing paid work for every eligible 18-21 year old who has been on Universal Credit, looking for work, for 18 months. This will give young people their first step on the ladder, with wraparound support to develop skills and gain experience needed for the move in to sustained jobs.

Wherever possible we want the young person to be able to secure a sustained job and continue in employment, either with the same employer or a new employer. That’s why we are providing funding for wraparound support to ensure that young people are supported into work, in their job and as they transition off the scheme.

Young people will also benefit from the c300,000 additional opportunities for workplace experience and training we’re funding through the Youth Guarantee. We will create up to 150,000 additional work experience placements and up to 145,000 additional bespoke training opportunities designed in partnership with employers, known as Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs). At the end of each SWAP, employers offer a guaranteed job interview to participants.

The Department has commissioned an evaluation of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers to build evidence on how the program improves employment outcomes, economic inactivity, participation in education and training, and systems integration. The Department will continue to monitor the outcomes of young people participating in the Youth Guarantee nationally, and a full process evaluation of the Jobs Guarantee is planned.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Written Statement of 8 December 2025 on Support for Young People, HCWS1137, what steps he is taking to ensure that expanded Sector-based Work Academy Programmes in West Midlands growth sectors such as logistics, automotive, retail and health lead to genuine employment progression; and if he will publish West Midlands-specific data on completion rates and subsequent job offers.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

DWP’s Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) – which offer training, work experience and a job interview to DWP customers seeking work – help employers with immediate and future employment needs by upskilling benefit claimants to fill local job vacancies. Jobcentres work with local employers and training providers to establish SWAPs in a wide range of sectors including logistics, automotive, retail and health.

As evidenced by the SWAP Impact Assessment (Sector-based Work Academy Programme: A Quantitative Impact Assessment - GOV.UK), SWAPs have been proven to increase the time participants spend in employment. The positive impact of SWAPs on employment outcomes is consistent across all regions including West Midlands.

From April 2026, the Youth Guarantee will increase the number of SWAPs available so that more jobseekers, particularly young people, can take advantage of the employment support offered.

We publish data on SWAP starts and outcomes on a quarterly basis. This includes the number of starts broken down by Local Authority, by Region and by Sector. Outcomes data was published for the first time this year and shows the proportion of SWAP starts with earnings at 6 and 9 months, by month of start, and the average monthly earnings at 6 and 9 months for those with earnings in that period, by month of start. The latest publication can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sector-based-work-academy-programmes-swaps-management-information-april-2021-to-september-2025. The next release is due to be published in January 2026.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will introduce flexibility in the Apprenticeship Levy to allow NHS staff who are made redundant to (a) continue, (b) pause, and (c) re-enter levy-funded leadership apprenticeships, particularly where redundancy occurs immediately prior to the start of a programme.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

If an apprentice is made redundant and their training provider can continue to deliver their government funded apprenticeship training, we will continue to fund the apprenticeship training for at least 12 weeks following redundancy. This is to give the individual time to find alternative employment in order to continue with the apprenticeship.

If the apprentice is unable to secure a new employer, they may still be able to finish their apprenticeship training and assessment if they have less than 6 months of training left to complete or have finished 75% or more of their training.

If an individual has been made redundant prior to the commencement of the apprenticeship, then they are not eligible for funding.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has been made of the potential impact of the (a) the Youth Guarantee and (b) the Government’s new scheme for under-25s on the workload of employers.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Nearly one million young people aged 16 to 24 – around one in eight - are currently Not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET). To tackle this crisis of opportunity, the government has expanded the Youth Guarantee.

The Government is investing £820 million over the Spending Review period in the Youth Guarantee, to reach almost 900,000 young people, including through Youth Hubs in every area in Great Britain and a new Youth Guarantee Gateway, offering a dedicated session and follow-up support to 16-24 –year-olds on Universal Credit. This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training and provide guaranteed jobs to around 55,000 young people aged 18-21.

The Department has commissioned an evaluation of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers to build evidence on how the program improves employment outcomes, economic inactivity, participation in education and training, and systems integration.

The Department will continue to monitor the outcomes of young people participating in the Youth Guarantee nationally, and a full process evaluation of the Jobs Guarantee is planned.

Employers are integral to the success of the Youth Guarantee, and we will be working closely with Youth Guarantee supporters and partners who choose to access DWP’s employer commitment. Employers will benefit from a tailored support service to help fill vacancies with Jobcentre candidates, including job description support, faster recruitment, vacancy promotion, use of Jobcentre space for interviews, access to the free Find a Job site, and expert advice from a dedicated Recruitment Manager.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support small businesses with their provision of (a) barbering and (b) hairdressing apprenticeships.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 21 January 2026 to Question 105881. 

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Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on how to balance (a) disability determinations made by (i) the Department for Work and Pensions and (ii) the NHS, and (b) the expressed needs and preferences of applicants when assessing Disabled Facilities Grant applications.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Government guidance for local authorities in England Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) delivery: Guidance for Local Authorities in England sets out best practice local delivery of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG). It covers the eligibility criteria, the application process, and the statutory timeframes for both approvals and delivery. It also covers the grant means test, including that an applicant can be passported through the means test if they are already in receipt of means tested welfare benefits.

The guidance explains the local flexibilities available to authorities in delivering the grant, such as waiving the means test or fast-tracking the delivery of the grant in certain cases, with publication of a local housing assistance policy, and outlines best practice partnership working between housing, health, and other relevant local services.

MHCLG funds a national body—currently Foundations—to support local authorities in the with their delivery of DFGs. Foundations provides practical support, advice, and training, and helps authorities develop or update their local housing assistance policies. Further information is available on their website: https://www.foundations.uk.com

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to introduce financial support for family’s impacted by brain tumours following the concerning findings in the Brain Tumour Charity’s recent report; and what plans his Department has to increase support for the charities who help families impacted by brain tumours.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

To ensure people living with brain tumours have care which addresses their financial concerns, NHS England has committed to ensuring that every person diagnosed with cancer has access to personalised care. This includes needs assessments, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support. Through the provision of information, personalised care empowers people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer, including the financial impact on their families.

The Department for Work and Pensions provides a range of benefits and support for families with people with a range of health conditions and disabilities, including for those impacted by high grade or life limiting brain tumours. These include Universal Credit, Employment Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Carer's Allowance, and Access to Work. The Pathways to Work Green Paper was built on the principle that the Government should support those who can work to do so, while protecting those who can’t, and we have already made significant progress bringing forward proposals from the Green Paper to transform the support we offer.

To support charities, including those who help families impacted by brain tumours, the Department of Health and Social Care has a Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Health and Wellbeing Programme. This is a mechanism through which the Department, NHS England, and the UK Health Security Agency work together with VCSE organisations to:

• drive the transformation of health and care systems;
• promote equality;
• address health inequalities; and
• help people, families, and communities to achieve and maintain wellbeing.

In addition, the National Cancer Plan, which is due to be published shortly, has featured significant ongoing engagement with charities, covering topics such as how to improve the experience of people living with cancer. The plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, including support for people living with brain tumours and their families.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of up-front pilot training costs on (a) the pilot workforce, (b) diversity within the profession and (c) the long-term resilience of the aviation sector; and what steps she is taking to help tackle barriers to entry for trainees from lower- and middle-income backgrounds.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

This Government works closely with industry to address financial barriers to pilot training and to support the growth of a diverse aviation workforce, including through the Aviation Industry Skills Board. This area is a priority not only for my Department, but also the Department for Business and Trade, the Department for Work and Pensions and Skills England.

A training organisation has been approved to deliver a first officer apprenticeship, which would provide training completely cost-free to young people. In addition, British Airways, Jet2.com, and TUI have periodically offered partly or fully funded training programmes.

My officials are working with the Department for Education and airlines to encourage them to deliver this apprenticeship.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to form a cross-departmental group for craft drawing together the responsibilities in this area of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Education and the Department for Business and Trade.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government is committed to supporting the creative industries, including the craft sector, which is why we put them front and centre of our Industrial Strategy, including publishing the Creative Industries Sector Plan last year. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working closely with all other relevant government departments to support the craft sector and deliver on the Sector Plan. DCMS currently has no plans to form a cross-departmental group for craft, however DCMS and Skills England jointly run a Creative Sector Skills Forum, which has a rolling cast list and includes representation for the crafts sector depending on the agenda. This includes the Crafts Council, Heritage Crafts and Officials from DWP and DfE as needed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has estimated the lifetime public cost of not compensating individuals with complex disabilities caused by sodium valproate exposure, including costs to the NHS, social care and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department of Health and Social Care has not made an estimate of the lifetime public cost of not compensating individuals affected by in‑utero exposure to sodium valproate, including potential costs to the National health Service, social care services, or the Department for Work and Pensions.

I met with the Patient Safety Commissioner in December 2025, to discuss progress on the Hughes Report which made recommendations for redress for those harmed by sodium valproate exposure. I made clear the Department’s expectation of continued, proactive engagement with the Patient Safety Commissioner and key stakeholders as the Government considers the issue of redress.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Minister for Museums, Heritage and Gambling currently attends the Construction Skills Mission Board; and if not, whether she plans to do so in the future to ensure that heritage building craft skills are represented.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Minister for Museums, Heritage Gambling is not a member of the Construction Skills Mission Board (CSMB). The CSMB is an industry-led group, consisting of construction senior leaders, small business representatives, and union representatives. Officials representing five supporting departments (the Department for Work and Pensions, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Department for Business and Trade, Department for Education, and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) observe meetings of the Board with relevant ministers joining when necessary. Historic England, Government advisors on the historic environment, advises the board on consideration on heritage skills via the CSMB sub committee on Repair, Maintenance and Infrastructure.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what arm's-length bodies have been created since July 2024.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

This Government was elected on a mandate of change. In order to deliver the promises we made in our manifesto, the following arms length bodies have been legislated for, launched or announced:

• Great British Energy (DESNZ)

• National Wealth Fund (HM Treasury)

• Skills England (DWP)

• Independent Football Regulator (DCMS)

• Ethics and Integrity Commission (CO)

• Single Construction Regulator (MHCLG)

• Local Audit Office (MHCLG)

• Government Commercial Agency (CO)

• Great British Railways (DfT)

• Fair Work Agency (DBT)

Found: Rural Affairs Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department for Transport Department for Work and Pensions

Industrial dispute at the Department for Work and Pensions

Found: In 2023 the DWP updated its legislation (The Social Security (Income and Capital Disregards) (Amendment

Found: ሲል የተደረጉትን ክፍያዎች እንዲሁም በግሬንፌል ድጋፍ (የማገገሚያ ፍትህ) ፕሮግራም ስር የሚደረጉ ማንኛቸውም የወደፊት ክፍያዎችን ይሸፍናል። በ2023፣ DWP

Found: في عام 2023، قامت وزارة العمل والمعاشات(DWP )بتحديثتشريعها ( لائحة الضمان الاجتماعي (استبعاد بعض

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Found: Noong 2023, in-update ng DWP ang batas nito (Mga Regulasyon ng The Social Security (Mga Hindi Isinaalang-alang

Found: ዝሽፍን ኮይኑ፡ ከምኡ’ውን ኣብ ትሕቲ ፕሮግራም ደገፍ ግረንፈል (ምምላስ ፍትሒ) ዝግበር ዝኾነ ይኹን ናይ መጻኢ ክፍሊታት ዝሽፍን እዩ። ኣብ 2023 እቲ DWP

Found: Global Chief Accountant Atom Bank (Chair) Network Rail (NED); Ulster Bank (NED), Department for Work and Pensions

Found: For example, benefit fraud is prosecuted by the Department for Work and Pensions.

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Found: (DWP) was used, which was considered to be a proxy for employment activity.

Found: Authorities referenced examples of large DWP/MOJ properties in town/city centre locations whereby t

Found: differing rules around prior rent arrears), something that may emerge to be the case only 13 DWP

Found: (DWP) into Supported Housing for older people and short-term Supported Housing highlighted

Found: deliver on our principles with a plan of practical help and support… …including from the Department for Work and Pensions

Found: Cognizant, Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Department for Education (DfE), Department for Work and Pensions

Found: Bringing together data from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Department for Work and Pensions

Found: Procedure. 6.5 The HSE (an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions

Found: considered justified 3.43 There will then be a debate on a votable motion led by the Department for Work and Pensions

Found: Reports Government Estate: Annual Data Publication, 2024-25 172.6 Jobcentre Portfolio The Department for Work and Pensions

Found: evidence for employers or to support a claim to health-related benefits through the Department for Work and Pensions

Found: Funding remains subject to the Department for Work and Pensions rules and limits.

Found: Cognizant, Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Department for Education (DfE), Department for Work and Pensions

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Found: including Ring-Fenced Revenue Grants (RFRGs) and grants from the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP

Found: Devolved Assistance that continues to be delivered by the DWP ................................... 10

Found: (DWP).

Found: Scotland, e.g. spending by the Scottish Government and social security spending by the Department for Work and Pensions

Found: people’s experiences and impacts of having their disability benefits transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions

Found: homelessness, Glasgow compared to other local authorities Background On 1 April 2013, the Department for Work and Pensions

Found: going to each SWF scheme since April 20 21 . 23 Background On 1 April 2013, the Department for Work and Pensions

Found: provided.Not resident in the Local AuthorityNot within 8 week period of leaving care.More appropriate DWP

Found: Programme • (redacted- S30(b)(ii)- Free and Frank Provision of Advice) Data sharing agreement with DWP

Found: Outside his role as a Councillor, he is a Civil Servant and has worked in DWP and its predecessors for

Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to Adult Disability Payment determinations and redeterminations that have been appealed to the First-tier Tribunal (Social Security Chamber), for what reason it has had its decision overturned 2,545 times (53% of all appeals), and what it is doing to meet its aim of “right first time” regarding decision making.

Answered by Somerville, Shirley-Anne - Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice

Social Security Scotland is committed to making the right decision first time by ensuring it has the information needed to make robust, person-centred decisions, based on a thorough understanding of how an individual’s disability or long-term health condition affects their daily life.

Latest statistics show that, by 31 October 2025, 53% of Adult Disability Payment appeals decided by the First-tier Tribunal were upheld in favour of the client. This compares with 66% of Personal Independence Payment appeals over the past five years, rising to 74% when including lapsed appeals where the DWP changed its decision prior to a tribunal hearing.

The Scottish social security system has been co-designed with people who have lived experience, ensuring that processes for challenging decisions are accessible and support clients to engage confidently. During the appeal process, people can provide further information directly to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland.

Social Security Scotland continuously evaluates decision-making quality across all benefits. A tribunal reaching a different conclusion reflects the evidence available at the time of the hearing, rather than necessarily the quality of the original decision. Tribunal decisions are reviewed to identify any errors of law and to inform continuous improvement.

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Found: Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), health boards, Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Department for Work and Pensions

Found: Housing Allowance Amendments) Order 2026 Any policy enquiries should be directed to the Department for Work and Pensions

Found: Department for Work and Pensions Department for Work and PensionsDetails The LHA rates published will

Found: NEC data on DAF awards from 1st May 2024 to 30th April 2025; Individuals on UC not in employment: DWP

Found: Procedure. 6.5 The HSE (an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions