Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish figures for the percentage of Universal Credit claimants who are working, broken down by hourly increments, in each of the past five years.

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

Statistics on the number of people on Universal Credit are regularly published on Stat-Xplore, with the latest statistics by employment status available to February 2026. As there is no limit to how many hours a person can work and still get Universal Credit, information on the number of hours worked for those in employment is not collated.

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 improve service accessibility for deaf claimants who also have additional support needs.

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

The Department is committed to pursuing a just, equal, and inclusive society, ensuring independence and control for everyone, including our deaf customers.

Customers can communicate with us using Relay UK. We also offer email as a reasonable adjustment as well as a range of different (or alternative) formats such as Easy Read, which uses succinct and simplified language combined with images to convey information about government benefits and services.

UC customers can also communicate with us using the UC journal.

As a department we continue to recognise the importance and value of British Sign Language. We take our commitments seriously and are continuously seeking ways to improve the BSL services we offer.

We’re almost one year into our BSL 5-year plan and have made good progress against our goals. This includes:

• Deployment of the Video Relay Interpreting service into all Job centres and Universal Credit Review (UCR) Service Centres

• Developing our first set of BSL video standards, which are currently being reviewed by stakeholders prior to implementation

• Reviewing all existing learning content, identifying improvements for deaf and hard of hearing customers

• Creating DWP’s first ever ‘YouTube Short’ in BSL to improve our target reach and communication mediums

For customers with additional support needs, the department offers a wide range of reasonable adjustments, including a visiting service for vulnerable customers who are unable to use our other contact routes, and support from Disability Employment Advisors within our jobcentres.

We continue to review our services and make improvements to ensure they are accessible and responsive to customer needs.

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 improve access to his Department's services for deaf claimants.

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

The Department is committed to pursuing a just, equal, and inclusive society, ensuring independence and control for everyone, including our deaf customers.

Customers can communicate with us using Relay UK. We also offer email as a reasonable adjustment as well as a range of different (or alternative) formats such as Easy Read, which uses succinct and simplified language combined with images to convey information about government benefits and services.

UC customers can also communicate with us using the UC journal.

As a department we continue to recognise the importance and value of British Sign Language. We take our commitments seriously and are continuously seeking ways to improve the BSL services we offer.

We’re almost one year into our BSL 5-year plan and have made good progress against our goals. This includes:

• Deployment of the Video Relay Interpreting service into all Job centres and Universal Credit Review (UCR) Service Centres

• Developing our first set of BSL video standards, which are currently being reviewed by stakeholders prior to implementation

• Reviewing all existing learning content, identifying improvements for deaf and hard of hearing customers

• Creating DWP’s first ever ‘YouTube Short’ in BSL to improve our target reach and communication mediums

For customers with additional support needs, the department offers a wide range of reasonable adjustments, including a visiting service for vulnerable customers who are unable to use our other contact routes, and support from Disability Employment Advisors within our jobcentres.

We continue to review our services and make improvements to ensure they are accessible and responsive to customer needs.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what mechanisms are in place for housing providers to report the end of a tenancy where Universal Credit Housing Element is paid directly to landlords; and what steps his Department is taking to prevent and recover overpayments made in such circumstances.

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

Landlords can report changes of this nature through a range of routes, including by email and via the Department’s Employment and Partnership Manager network. However, Universal Credit is designed around the principle that claimants are responsible for reporting changes of circumstance. For that reason, while information from landlords can trigger checks and investigation, claimants are still required to make a declaration through “report a change”.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2025 to question 86273, which variables determine whether the automated system is able to identify two sets of monthly earnings in one Universal Credit assessment period.

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

In most cases, claimants who receive two sets of monthly earnings in one Universal Credit assessment period are identified automatically and their award is corrected.

This reflects established policy intent and is implemented through system coding based on data received from HM Revenue and Customs. However, a small number of cases are not picked up by the automated process because of the complexity of the claimant’s individual circumstances.

This usually arises in situations where earnings do not follow a consistent or standard pattern, making them harder for automated systems to assess accurately. This can include irregular pay patterns or variations in how employers report earnings through Real Time Information (RTI).

In these cases, earnings may not follow a standard pattern that the system can correct automatically, and manual intervention is required to ensure the claimant receives the correct Universal Credit entitlement.

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 migration from legacy benefits to Universal Credit does not affect a benefit claimant's eligibility for Council Tax Reduction, including the level of reduction they are entitled to; and what steps he is taking to help ensure that local authorities treat the Universal Credit transitional element as a regular part of a Universal Credit award for the purposes of determining Council Tax Reduction eligibility.

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

DWP does not have any control over council tax schemes, and overarching responsibility for Local Council Tax Reduction lies with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). As a result, Council Tax Reduction entitlement may differ from the support customers previously received under legacy benefits.

We recognise that this can be difficult for customers, particularly where there has been no change in their overall household income following migration to Universal Credit. Transitional protection is designed to protect customers’ benefit entitlement levels when they move to Universal Credit. It does not provide cover for schemes that are administered by local authorities, including Council Tax Reduction, which are assessed separately from benefit entitlement.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people assessed at a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment as having a terminal condition did not receive PIP under the Special Rules in each of the latest 12 months for which data is available.

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

The Department does not collect information centrally for analysis on whether a claimant’s condition is terminal.

The Special Rules for End of Life allow people nearing the end of their life to get faster and easier access to PIP at the highest rates. The Department considers anyone likely to have fewer than 12 months to live as nearing the end of life.

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 the continuity of Adult Skills Fund allocations to further education colleges in Hampshire during the transition to the devolved skills settlement.

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

We are committed to investing in education and skills training for adults and are investing over £1.4 billion in the Adult Skills Fund (ASF) this academic year. The principal purpose of the ASF is to engage adults and provide the skills and learning they need to equip them for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.

As of August 2025, approximately 68% of the ASF has been devolved to 12 Strategic Authorities and the Greater London Authority. These authorities are responsible for the provision of ASF-funded adult education for their residents and allocation of the ASF to learning providers. The Department for Work and Pensions provides the remaining funding for learners who live in non-devolved areas.

Hampshire is currently a non-devolved area, meaning the Department funds the providers including further education colleges who decide what provision to offer. Until powers are transferred, the Department will continue to fund providers in Hampshire directly.

We believe that local areas should have more of a say and control over adult education in their areas. As such Government agreed a devolution deal with Hampshire and the Solent including, from academic year 27/28, the devolution of the ASF. This will provide the area with the ability to commission adult education for Hampshire and the Solent residents.

Under the arrangements set out in devolution deals, local areas assume the duties set out in statute around providing free courses for adults. These national statutory entitlements ensure a level of consistency across the country. By honouring our commitments to combine and further devolve adult skills funding, we give those with local knowledge the power they need to make decisions that are best for their areas and their residents.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average response time is for the Pension Service.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Information regarding the performance of The Pension Service can be found in the Annual Reports and Accounts 2024-25 linked here - DWP Annual Report and Accounts 2024 to 25

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report on changes to women's State Pension age, published on 21 March 2024, if he will make an assessment of the potential (a) economic and (b) social impact on 1950s-born women in Hartlepool.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government carefully considered the findings of the Ombudsman’s report on the communication of changes to women’s State Pension age, and a detailed response including an Equality Analysis has been deposited in the House Library.

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 ensure (a) transparency and (b) accountability in the administration of child maintenance services.

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

The Department is committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in the administration of the Child Maintenance Service (CMS).

The Child Maintenance Decision Makers’ Guide is published on GOV.UK and provides transparency around CMS policy and guidance for both caseworkers and customers. This guidance is used alongside the Child Support Act 1991 and associated regulations, ensuring that all decisions comply with DWP policy and statutory requirements.

In addition, CMS issues operational instructions that support caseworkers in their day-to-day decision-making and promote the consistent and uniform application of rules.

The Department also publishes quarterly CMS statistics, with the most recent release covering data up to December 2025. These are supported by detailed breakdowns on Stat‑Xplore and a suite of tables within the national statistics.

Accountability is strengthened through independent external audits through National Audit Office and Government Internal Audit Agency.

External Audit reports are prepared every year and are included in the annual accounts: CMS Client Funds Accounts, providing assurance over the management of funds and enabling parliamentary and public scrutiny. For the year 25/26, going forward, Client Funds Accounts will be removed, and reporting of CMS funds will be included in the DWP Annual Report and Accounts.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of removing the 4% collection fees for receiving parents using the child maintenance service.

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

Following a public consultation on wider reforms to consolidate the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) into a single service type where the CMS collects and transfers payments, the Government published its response setting out plans to reform the CMS. This includes plans to reduce fees to 2% for both receiving parents and compliant paying parents, maintaining the 20% rate for non-compliant paying parents on top of their calculated maintenance amount.

The reformed service is expected to improve CMS’s ability to re-establish compliance more efficiently when payments break down. Retaining fees at this substantially reduced level will balance the interests of customers with the need to offset the cost of the service and provide the investment needed to make the reforms, reducing the burden on the taxpayer.

Our intention is to implement these changes as soon as parliamentary time allows.

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 impact of proposed changes to Motability mileage allowances on disabled people living in rural areas.

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

Responsibility for the terms and administration of the Scheme sits with Motability Foundation and its Board of Governors.

The changes to the leasing package were announced on 26 March and include reducing the mileage allowance from 20,000 per year to 10,000 per year. Changes only apply to new leases and there are no changes to the mileage allowance of existing leases. Motability Foundation have advised that approximately 75% of customers on the Scheme already use less miles than the proposed new mileage allowance. They have acknowledged that there will be an impact on some customers and are considering if the impact can be mitigated in some limited circumstances.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the consultation undertaken on proposed changes to Motability mileage allowances.

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

Responsibility for the terms and administration of the Scheme sits with Motability Foundation and its Board of Governors.

The changes to the leasing package were announced on 26 March and include reducing the mileage allowance from 20,000 per year to 10,000 per year. Changes only apply to new leases and there are no changes to the mileage allowance of existing leases. Motability Foundation have advised that approximately 75% of customers on the Scheme already use less miles than the proposed new mileage allowance. They have acknowledged that there will be an impact on some customers and are considering if the impact can be mitigated in some limited circumstances.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, has the department reviewed the impact on disabled people when changing the mileage allowance from 20,000 miles to 10,000 miles in the Motability Scheme.

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

Responsibility for the terms and administration of the Scheme sits with Motability Foundation and its Board of Governors.

The changes to the leasing package were announced on 26 March and include reducing the mileage allowance from 20,000 per year to 10,000 per year. Changes only apply to new leases and there are no changes to the mileage allowance of existing leases. Motability Foundation have advised that approximately 75% of customers on the Scheme already use less miles than the proposed new mileage allowance. They have acknowledged that there will be an impact on some customers and are considering if the impact can be mitigated in some limited circumstances.

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 accuracy of the payment calculation approach used by the Child Maintenance Service.

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

The Department of Work and Pensions assures the accuracy of Child Maintenance payment calculations. As part of its Quality Framework, the measurement carried out by the Department is then independently assured by the National Audit Office.

Information on calculation accuracy is published annually in the Child Maintenance Service Client Funds Accounts, which show that since 2020 the CMS has consistently achieved an assessment accuracy rate exceeding the benchmark of 99%.

Around 90 per cent of Child Maintenance calculations are based on verified HMRC earnings data and DWP benefit records, reducing the risk of income mis‑declaration, supporting timely and reliable assessments. Calculations use the most recent HMRC tax year available, are automatically reviewed annually, and may be reassessed at any time where income changes by 25 per cent or more. Statutory rates reflect income, number of children and shared care arrangements, with a flat rate protecting those on the lowest incomes.

The Department regularly review the calculation methodology to ensure it remains fair, accurate and supports compliance.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is currently taking to improve the training of staff and quality of service for users of the child maintenance service.

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

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to improving customer experience and are taking significant steps to enhance service quality for customers.

All CMS caseworkers receive extensive technical and soft skills training to ensure they are fully equipped to meet the needs of customers. We are investing in developing, reviewing, and improving new entrant and caseworker training materials and delivery across CMS in order to ensure greater consistency in customer interactions. Our transformed caseworker Smart Instructions ensure guidance is clearer, easier to follow, and more consistent, enabling caseworkers to access up to date instructions more quickly and reliably during customer interactions.

CMS proactively use quality assurance checks, call listening, customer insight from complaints and feedback to identify where caseworkers may need additional coaching or support to deliver a consistent and confident telephony service.

Through our Service Modernisation Programme, we are expanding digital channels and self-service options providing greater choice and flexibility and a faster and more responsive service to our customers. We have enhanced customer communications by increasing the use of SMS text and email and simplifying letters to make them clearer and easier to understand. Our online service My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC), allows parents to access advice and manage their case 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the child maintenance service a) minimises and mitigates administrative or otherwise errors and b) that parents using the child maintenance service are not incorrectly moved onto a non-enforced payment method despite a history of missed payments.

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

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has a range of controls in place to minimise administrative and other errors.

CMS uses verified income information from HM Revenue and Customs and other government systems and applies statutory calculation rules in assessing maintenance liabilities. Caseworkers are supported by detailed operational instructions, the Child Maintenance Decision Makers’ Guide, and child maintenance legislation to ensure decisions are made accurately and consistently. Quality assurance activity is used to identify, mitigate, and address errors, including through case sampling, call listening, and management oversight.

Decisions on whether a case is managed under a non‑enforced or enforced payment method are based on an assessment of a paying parent’s payment history, likelihood of compliance in line with policy guidance and statutory regulations. Caseworkers are required to record decision making for changes in payment method, and these decisions are subject to team leader and quality assurance checks as part of the Department’s Quality Assurance Framework.

Parents are provided with written explanations of calculations and decisions and have access to mandatory reconsideration and independent appeal routes where they believe a decision is incorrect.

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 mileage restrictions applied to Motability scheme vehicles on disabled people and families living in semi‑rural and rural areas, particularly those reliant on their vehicle to travel longer distances to work, education settings and schools, healthcare appointments and other essential services; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that such restrictions do not create geographic inequality for disabled people.

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

Responsibility for the terms and administration of the Scheme sits with Motability Foundation and its Board of Governors.

The changes to the leasing package were announced on 26 March and include reducing the mileage allowance from 20,000 per year to 10,000 per year. Changes only apply to new leases and there are no changes to the mileage allowance of existing leases. Motability Foundation have advised that approximately 75% of customers on the Scheme already use less miles than the proposed new mileage allowance. They have acknowledged that there will be an impact on some customers and are considering if the impact can be mitigated in some limited circumstances.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many young people aged 16-24 are claiming the Universal Credit health element while in full-time non-advanced education under Universal Credit rules.

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.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent progress his Department has made on the national roll-out of the Youth Jobs Guarantee.

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

The Department recently announced that, for national rollout, eligibility for the Jobs Guarantee will be expanded to include 22-24-year-olds, meaning all eligible 18-24-year-olds across Great Britain will benefit from a fully funded six month guaranteed paid employment opportunity. Once fully rolled out, the scheme is expected to support more than 90,000 young people over the next three years.

We know that young people need support quickly, which is why delivery of Phase One of the Jobs Guarantee will begin from Spring 2026. The grant application window for Phase One has now closed and applications are being assessed, with successful Delivery Organisations to be announced in due course.

This will be followed by national rollout across Great Britain in Autumn 2026. Learning from Phase One will be used to support effective national delivery of the scheme, alongside close working with Delivery Organisations and employers. This will ensure the scheme is delivered as intended for all eligible young people.

Further details on delivery will be set out in the coming weeks.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government are taking to help increase employment opportunities for people with autism.

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

The Government is committed to supporting all neurodivergent people, including autistic people, into and at work. This is part of our wider commitment to drive healthy and inclusive workplaces for all.

Our employment support for neurodivergent people is led by DWP’s £1 billion, voluntary, locally-led Supported Employment programme, Connect to Work. It covers all of England and Wales, with the exception of Greater Manchester which is using their Connect to Work funding to pilot their Prevention Demonstrator, through their Integrated Settlement.

Connect to Work will support around 300,000 disabled people, people with health conditions and individuals with complex barriers to employment by the end of the decade. It offers intensive, personalised employment support to help people move into and stay in paid employment, and is built around two internationally recognised evidence-based Supported Employment frameworks: Individual Placement and Support, and the Supported Employment Quality Framework. The latter has been specifically designed to support neurodivergent people and those with learning disabilities into sustainable jobs. Crucially, Connect to Work supports both participants and employers, helping to ensure that individuals are given the best chance to succeed once in work.

We recognise that supporting employers to understand the needs of neurodivergent employees is also key to our efforts. This year we funded free-of-charge neurodiversity masterclasses, delivered by ACAS, to help small and medium sized businesses build their understanding of neurodivergence and improve workplace support. Over 1800 representatives of small and medium sized businesses attended these masterclasses.

As announced early this year, we are reforming our Disability Confident scheme by strengthening its criteria and expectations to drive meaningful change across its approximately 19,000 employer members and the estimated 11.5 million employees working in their organisations. The reforms will provide clearer, more robust guidance on inclusive recruitment and retention, including for autistic people; and these reforms are being closely aligned with the work of the Keep Britain Working Review.

As part of the vanguard phase of the Keep Britain Working Review, we are working directly with employers to identify what “good” looks like in inclusive workplace practice, including for neurodivergent employees. This vanguard phase includes over 150 volunteer employers and 10 regions and will, over the next three years, work with government to test employer-led approaches to support individuals to stay in and return to work.

Finally, last year, DWP launched an independent panel of academics with expertise and lived experiences of neurodiversity to advise us on boosting neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. The panel considered the reasons why neurodivergent people have poor experiences in the workplace, and a low overall employment rate. DWP has now received a final version of the Panel’s report and is considering its findings.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help support autistic people to find employment.

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

The Government is committed to supporting all neurodivergent people, including autistic people, into and at work. This is part of our wider commitment to drive healthy and inclusive workplaces for all.

Our employment support for neurodivergent people is led by DWP’s £1 billion, voluntary, locally-led Supported Employment programme, Connect to Work. It covers all of England and Wales, with the exception of Greater Manchester which is using their Connect to Work funding to pilot their Prevention Demonstrator, through their Integrated Settlement.

Connect to Work will support around 300,000 disabled people, people with health conditions and individuals with complex barriers to employment by the end of the decade. It offers intensive, personalised employment support to help people move into and stay in paid employment, and is built around two internationally recognised evidence-based Supported Employment frameworks: Individual Placement and Support, and the Supported Employment Quality Framework. The latter has been specifically designed to support neurodivergent people and those with learning disabilities into sustainable jobs. Crucially, Connect to Work supports both participants and employers, helping to ensure that individuals are given the best chance to succeed once in work.

We recognise that supporting employers to understand the needs of neurodivergent employees is also key to our efforts. This year we funded free-of-charge neurodiversity masterclasses, delivered by ACAS, to help small and medium sized businesses build their understanding of neurodivergence and improve workplace support. Over 1800 representatives of small and medium sized businesses attended these masterclasses.

As announced early this year, we are reforming our Disability Confident scheme by strengthening its criteria and expectations to drive meaningful change across its approximately 19,000 employer members and the estimated 11.5 million employees working in their organisations. The reforms will provide clearer, more robust guidance on inclusive recruitment and retention, including for autistic people; and these reforms are being closely aligned with the work of the Keep Britain Working Review.

As part of the vanguard phase of the Keep Britain Working Review, we are working directly with employers to identify what “good” looks like in inclusive workplace practice, including for neurodivergent employees. This vanguard phase includes over 150 volunteer employers and 10 regions and will, over the next three years, work with government to test employer-led approaches to support individuals to stay in and return to work.

Finally, last year, DWP launched an independent panel of academics with expertise and lived experiences of neurodiversity to advise us on boosting neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. The panel considered the reasons why neurodivergent people have poor experiences in the workplace, and a low overall employment rate. DWP has now received a final version of the Panel’s report and is considering its findings.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with (a) multiple sclerosis and (b) other progressive neurological conditions received Access to Work support in 2024-25 by provision type.

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

Although the Department collects information on the medical condition(s) of Access to Work customers, readily available primary medical condition categories do not allow for the disaggregation of people with multiple sclerosis or other progressive neurological conditions. Where this information is recorded it may be stored as descriptive free-text and extracting it would require manual review of individual records therefore incurring a disproportionate cost. Statistics on the number of people in receipt of payment for Access to Work by readily available primary medical condition categories are published annually in Table PAY03a-d of the Access to Work official statistics: Access to Work statistics - GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures he is taking to support long-term sick people to gain paid and accessible employment.

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

Long-term sickness continues to be the most common reason for economic inactivity among the working age population. We know that good work is good for health, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. In our Pathways to Work Green Paper we set out our Pathways to Work offer, backed by £1 billion a year of new funding by the end of the decade.

People with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. The Government is committed to supporting people with health conditions with their employment journey.

We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Existing measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants. Through Pathways to Work we are building towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and people with health conditions on out of work benefits, building on and bringing together initiatives such as Connect to Work, WorkWell and Employment Advisers in Talking Therapies.

Additionally, we have developed a digital information service for employers and continue to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme.

In November 2025, Sir Charlie Mayfield published the Keep Britain Working Review, setting out recommendations to help employers create healthier, more inclusive workplaces and to reshape how Government works with employers to improve work and health outcomes. We are now working with volunteer employers, providers and regions through a Vanguard Phase to test and refine approaches that support disabled people and people with long‑term physical and mental health conditions to thrive in work. This includes developing effective stay‑in‑work and return‑to‑work practices, strengthening prevention, and building the evidence needed to spread good practice so that disabled workers and workers with long-term health conditions receive the support they need to remain in employment successfully.

The 10 Year Health Plan, published in July, builds on existing work to better integrate health with employment support and incentivise greater cross-system collaboration, recognising good work is good for health. The Plan states our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. It outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the current average time taken is to pay Access to Work suppliers for services delivered; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce delays in paying suppliers.

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

Access to Work payment processing is currently at 10 working days for generic payments and 15 days for special aids and equipment. We are upskilling additional staff to deliver payments and reduce processing times.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Universal Credit Statistics updated on 17 March 2026 showing people with indefinite leave to remain were 2.7% of Universal Credit claims, whether his Department holds other information of migrants claiming benefits.

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

The latest statistics showing the percentage of people on Universal Credit in Great Britain by immigration status were published on 17 February 2026, and reported that in January 2026 the percentage of people on Universal Credit in Great Britain with the immigration status of indefinite leave to remain was 2.6%.

Information relating to other benefits is not held on digital systems, in a way that allows it to be extracted for the publication as official statistics.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of whether current guidance provides sufficient detail to ensure consistent interpretation of Special Rules for End of Life eligibility criteria across clinical settings.

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

The Government undertook a comprehensive review of the Special Rules for End of Life in 2020. Following that review, legislation was amended in 2022 and 2023, with cross party support, to extend eligibility so that people who might have 12 months or less to live can access fast tracked support. This replaced the previous 6-month definition and is aligned with the approach used in current NHS practice for defining end of life.

Guidance was updated alongside these legislative changes to support consistent interpretation across clinical settings and to ensure clinicians are supported by a definition that reflects established NHS practice. Aligning the definition with the NHS helps provide greater clarity and confidence for clinicians when providing evidence, while recognising the inherent difficulty of providing precise prognostic estimates

Clinical evidence to support a claim under the Special Rules for End of Life is usually provided through the SR1 form (which can be found by searching for ‘Send an SR1 medical evidence form’ on GOV.UK). The SR1 is a short medical evidence form which can be completed by an approved clinician and provides clinical confirmation that a person is likely to have 12 months or less to live, which allows the Department to apply the Special Rules for End of Life

The Department keeps the operation of the Special Rules under review and is committed to continuous improvement. We work closely with clinicians and stakeholder organisations to gather feedback on guidance and processes. Current work is focused on reviewing and improving the SR1 digital portal to make it easier and quicker for clinicians to submit evidence, supporting timely and consistent decision making for people nearing the end of life.

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 impact of reductions in Access to Work awards following a change of circumstances on the risk of disabled people falling out of employment; and whether his Department monitors employment outcomes in such cases.

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

The support that a customer will receive from Access to Work is dependent upon their needs and circumstances at the time they make an application or award renewal. Case managers will use the current guidance to ensure Access to Work principles are considered when making a decision on support.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average response time is for Jobcentre Plus.

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

Information on departmental performance, including measures, can be found in the Annual Reports and Accounts DWP annual report and accounts 2024 to 2025 - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit households in the most recent quarter for which data is available are undergoing a third party deduction for the purpose of paying a court fine.

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

Around 250,000 Universal Credit households had at least one third party deduction for court fines in the quarter ending in November 2025.

Notes:

1. Figures have been calculated by identifying Universal Credit households with at least one thirdparty deduction for court fines during any month within the quarter. Households with a court fines deduction in more than one month of the quarter have been counted once only, to reflect the number of unique households affected during the period.

2. Data up to November 2025 has been provided in line with the latest available Universal Credit Deductions Statistics.

3. Figures have been provided for Universal Credit households in Great Britain.

4. Figures are provisional and are subject to retrospective change as later data becomes available.

5. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10,000.

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 individuals over 50 back into employment.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided on 17 March 2026 to question: UIN 119633.

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 accessibility of the Disability Living Allowance claim form; and whether he plans to take steps to improve it.

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

An accessible online version of a DLA1 (new claim form) is available to download from gov.uk.

All other DLA Child forms and letters are available as a reasonable adjustment for customers who require alternative methods to interact with the department. These include, but are not limited to, email accessible version, braille, large print, audio.

All forms and letters are regularly reviewed to ensure they provide the customer with the information required and support a smooth customer interaction.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce rates of child poverty in working families in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England.

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

The latest statistics for 2024/25 show that over seven in ten children in poverty are in working families. ‘Our Children, Our Future: Tackling Child Poverty’, published in December 2025, sets out Government’s commitment to tackling child poverty, including in working households.

Measures include the removal of the two child limit in Universal Credit, which will lift 450,000 children out of poverty. Alongside other measures set out in the Strategy, including extending Free School Meals to all children in households in receipt of Universal Credit, will reduce child poverty by 550,000 in the final year of this Parliament, the largest reduction over a Parliament since comparable records began.

This comes alongside raising the National Living Wage to £12.71 an hour to boost the pay of 2.4 million workers, tripling our investment in breakfast clubs to over £30 million and investing £39 billion in social and affordable housing.

Providing the right employment support can help parents progress in work. That is why the UK Government is driving forward labour market interventions that will deliver a step-change in support and help parents to enter and progress in work.

Since September 2025, eligible working parents of children from 9 months old living in England have been able to access 30 hours of Government-funded childcare. Working parents on Universal Credit can receive 85% of childcare costs and 100% of any upfront costs and, we announced that childcare support through Universal Credit would be extended to help with the childcare costs for all children, rather than being capped at two.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the expected increase in public funds claimed by migrant workers.

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

Ministers and officials at DWP and the Home Office regularly discuss a range of matters.

Most migrants with temporary visas cannot access the benefit system. Access to public funds and benefits is usually at the point of settlement, which for most people will be after they have lived in the UK legally for five years, and the Home Office Earned Settlement policy consultation is looking at increasing this to ten years.

The Home Office are also consulting on changing the default position to maintain No Recourse to Public Funds at settlement and lifting this only at the point of British citizenship.

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 proposed changes to VAT and Insurance Premium Tax to the Motability scheme on the finances of to disabled people.

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.

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 impact of the earned settlement proposals on the number of applicants claiming caring benefits.

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

The Department has made no such assessment.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the scope of the baseline report on child poverty; and whether it will outline what reduction in child poverty his Department aims to achieve for the 10 year strategy period.

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

The baseline report will provide further details on our approach to monitoring and evaluating the Child Poverty Strategy, as initially set out in the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework published alongside the Strategy, alongside the latest statistics and evidence.

Our Child Poverty Strategy fulfils our commitment to reducing poverty this Parliament, lifting 550,000 children out of poverty, and sets out our ambition to tackle its structural drivers as part of a long-term, 10-year strategy. This Government has taken decisive action, with the interventions in the Strategy set to lead to the largest expected reduction in child poverty over a Parliament since comparable records began.

From the very beginning of our time in government we have done what is needed to tackle child poverty – we have increased the minimum wage, expanded Free School Meals, invested in social and affordable housing, funded more Best Start Family Hubs, and removed the two-child limit.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Child Maintenance Service is taking to rectify technical errors in its automated billing system that result in paying parents receiving multiple, conflicting requests for different payment amounts within a single billing cycle; and what compensation is available to parents who have overpaid or underpaid as a result of these errors.

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

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has not identified any errors in our accounting system. For each case CMS maintain a full record of what is owed, what has been paid, and any balances outstanding. It ensures any over- or under-payments are fully reconciled.

The CMS acknowledges receiving multiple letters may be confusing for a parent. CMS is legally required to issue written confirmation of every maintenance calculation generated, meaning where multiple changes occur in quick succession or when there is a change which impacts a previous calculation a letter must be issued. Each letter is dated and will include an accurate record of the changes made and an updated calculation. In addition, customers can check the position of their case at any time through their online My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC).

CMS is taking steps to improve communications with parents, including retiring outdated letters and updating current letters, with a view to making them more user friendly.

Financial redress is not automatic but may be considered where there is evidence of maladministration that has caused financial loss or significant distress.

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 merits of using generative AI to assist people making benefit claims.

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

We are adopting artificial intelligence in the Department for Work and Pensions to help colleagues deliver better outcomes for customers and to improve productivity and efficiency. While generative artificial intelligence is not currently used to assist people directly in making benefit claims, the Department continues to explore how digital tools, including artificial intelligence, could improve and enhance the claimant journey and make it easier for people to access support.

This work is focused on improving access, usability and overall user experience. Any future use of artificial intelligence would be subject to robust safeguards and appropriate ethical, legal and governance controls.

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 ensure apprentices are not removed from courses if they are unable to find a new employer within a short timeframe.

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

An apprenticeship is a job with training, apprentices therefore must be employed and have a contract of employment that lasts until they finish the apprenticeship, including the assessment.

If an apprentice loses their job, their apprenticeship funding will stop, and the apprentice will need to find a new employer who will support their apprenticeship. Training providers can provide support and guidance to apprentices whilst they look for a new employer. When they find a new employer, the employer should then identify a training provider who can deliver the rest of their apprenticeship training and support assessment.

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.

We provide a range of advice for apprentices facing redundancy on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/redundancy-support-for-apprentices and https://customerhelp.education.gov.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/18228373250322-Employment-and-redundancy-in-apprenticeships

Apprentices can also contact the Apprenticeship Service helpline if they need further support and use the ‘Find an Apprenticeship’ service on gov.uk to locate apprenticeship vacancies in their area.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of support for apprentices who lose their employment during a course.

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

An apprenticeship is a job with training, apprentices therefore must be employed and have a contract of employment that lasts until they finish the apprenticeship, including the assessment.

If an apprentice loses their job, their apprenticeship funding will stop, and the apprentice will need to find a new employer who will support their apprenticeship. Training providers can provide support and guidance to apprentices whilst they look for a new employer. When they find a new employer, the employer should then identify a training provider who can deliver the rest of their apprenticeship training and support assessment.

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.

We provide a range of advice for apprentices facing redundancy on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/redundancy-support-for-apprentices and https://customerhelp.education.gov.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/18228373250322-Employment-and-redundancy-in-apprenticeships

Apprentices can also contact the Apprenticeship Service helpline if they need further support and use the ‘Find an Apprenticeship’ service on gov.uk to locate apprenticeship vacancies in their area.

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 risks associated with apprenticeship systems that rely on individual employers for course continuation.

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

An apprenticeship is a job with training, apprentices therefore must be employed and have a contract of employment that lasts until they finish the apprenticeship, including the assessment.

If an apprentice loses their job, their apprenticeship funding will stop, and the apprentice will need to find a new employer who will support their apprenticeship. Training providers can provide support and guidance to apprentices whilst they look for a new employer. When they find a new employer, the employer should then identify a training provider who can deliver the rest of their apprenticeship training and support assessment.

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.

We provide a range of advice for apprentices facing redundancy on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/redundancy-support-for-apprentices and https://customerhelp.education.gov.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/18228373250322-Employment-and-redundancy-in-apprenticeships

Apprentices can also contact the Apprenticeship Service helpline if they need further support and use the ‘Find an Apprenticeship’ service on gov.uk to locate apprenticeship vacancies in their area.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support is available for apprentices whose employment is terminated unexpectedly.

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

An apprenticeship is a job with training, apprentices therefore must be employed and have a contract of employment that lasts until they finish the apprenticeship, including the assessment.

If an apprentice loses their job, their apprenticeship funding will stop, and the apprentice will need to find a new employer who will support their apprenticeship. Training providers can provide support and guidance to apprentices whilst they look for a new employer. When they find a new employer, the employer should then identify a training provider who can deliver the rest of their apprenticeship training and support assessment.

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.

We provide a range of advice for apprentices facing redundancy on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/redundancy-support-for-apprentices and https://customerhelp.education.gov.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/18228373250322-Employment-and-redundancy-in-apprenticeships

Apprentices can also contact the Apprenticeship Service helpline if they need further support and use the ‘Find an Apprenticeship’ service on gov.uk to locate apprenticeship vacancies in their area.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the proposed Growth and Skills Levy, what formal economic impact assessment he has made on the potential impact of defunding Level 3, 5 and 6 management apprenticeships on (a) economic productivity, (b) social mobility and (c) opportunities for young people, including impacts on the NEET population.

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

Over the past decade we’ve seen apprenticeship starts by those aged 16-24, fall by 40%. At the same time, last year, the government spent 100% of its multi-billion pound apprenticeship budget. This Government wants to reverse that decline and support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships.

We are therefore reviewing the existing apprenticeship offer, which has grown to more than 700 standards, an outlier by international standards, to ensure it better supports young people starting their careers.

From September 2026, we will withdraw funding from 16 existing apprenticeship standards.

Three of these are generic leadership and management apprenticeships, which have grown significantly but are predominantly used as continuing professional development for established staff aged 25 and over.

In the 2024/2025 academic year, nearly 90% of apprentices on these leadership and management standards are over 25 (compared to 50% across the programme as a whole); and 83% are long-term employees (compared to 43% across the programme as whole – which is a 10-year high). This has happened at a time when we have seen the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) increase to nearly one million. Rebalancing the programme is necessary and proportionate to achieve our legitimate aim of rebalancing funding towards the government’s priorities supporting young people and delivering growth, whilst being aligned to the Youth Guarantee and the Industrial Strategy.

We know that apprenticeships offer strong returns, and that is particularly true for young people. The changes to streamline the apprenticeship offer will help to create headroom to invest in more opportunities for young people and new apprenticeship units for adults.

Employers who value these apprenticeship standards can continue to use them on a privately funded basis.

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 trends in the level of funding for management apprenticeships on social mobility.

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

Over the past decade we’ve seen apprenticeship starts by those aged 16-24, fall by 40%. At the same time, last year, the government spent 100% of its multi-billion pound apprenticeship budget. This Government wants to reverse that decline and support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships.

We are therefore reviewing the existing apprenticeship offer, which has grown to more than 700 standards, an outlier by international standards, to ensure it better supports young people starting their careers.

From September 2026, we will withdraw funding from 16 existing apprenticeship standards.

Three of these are generic leadership and management apprenticeships, which have grown significantly but are predominantly used as continuing professional development for established staff aged 25 and over.

In the 2024/2025 academic year, nearly 90% of apprentices on these leadership and management standards are over 25 (compared to 50% across the programme as a whole); and 83% are long-term employees (compared to 43% across the programme as whole – which is a 10-year high). This has happened at a time when we have seen the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) increase to nearly one million. Rebalancing the programme is necessary and proportionate to achieve our legitimate aim of rebalancing funding towards the government’s priorities supporting young people and delivering growth, whilst being aligned to the Youth Guarantee and the Industrial Strategy.

We know that apprenticeships offer strong returns, and that is particularly true for young people. The changes to streamline the apprenticeship offer will help to create headroom to invest in more opportunities for young people and new apprenticeship units for adults.

Employers who value these apprenticeship standards can continue to use them on a privately funded basis.

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 trends in the level of funding for management apprenticeships on leadership diversity.

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

Over the past decade we’ve seen apprenticeship starts by those aged 16-24, fall by 40%. At the same time, last year, the government spent 100% of its multi-billion pound apprenticeship budget. This Government wants to reverse that decline and support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships.

We are therefore reviewing the existing apprenticeship offer, which has grown to more than 700 standards, an outlier by international standards, to ensure it better supports young people starting their careers.

From September 2026, we will withdraw funding from 16 existing apprenticeship standards.

Three of these are generic leadership and management apprenticeships, which have grown significantly but are predominantly used as continuing professional development for established staff aged 25 and over.

In the 2024/2025 academic year, nearly 90% of apprentices on these leadership and management standards are over 25 (compared to 50% across the programme as a whole); and 83% are long-term employees (compared to 43% across the programme as whole – which is a 10-year high). This has happened at a time when we have seen the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) increase to nearly one million. Rebalancing the programme is necessary and proportionate to achieve our legitimate aim of rebalancing funding towards the government’s priorities supporting young people and delivering growth, whilst being aligned to the Youth Guarantee and the Industrial Strategy.

We know that apprenticeships offer strong returns, and that is particularly true for young people. The changes to streamline the apprenticeship offer will help to create headroom to invest in more opportunities for young people and new apprenticeship units for adults.

Employers who value these apprenticeship standards can continue to use them on a privately funded basis.

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 impact of (a) trained line managers on the implementation of the Industrial Strategy and (b) trends in the level of funding for management apprenticeships on the economy.

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

Over the past decade we’ve seen apprenticeship starts by those aged 16-24, fall by 40%. At the same time, last year, the government spent 100% of its multi-billion pound apprenticeship budget. This Government wants to reverse that decline and support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships.

We are therefore reviewing the existing apprenticeship offer, which has grown to more than 700 standards, an outlier by international standards, to ensure it better supports young people starting their careers.

From September 2026, we will withdraw funding from 16 existing apprenticeship standards.

Three of these are generic leadership and management apprenticeships, which have grown significantly but are predominantly used as continuing professional development for established staff aged 25 and over.

In the 2024/2025 academic year, nearly 90% of apprentices on these leadership and management standards are over 25 (compared to 50% across the programme as a whole); and 83% are long-term employees (compared to 43% across the programme as whole – which is a 10-year high). This has happened at a time when we have seen the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) increase to nearly one million. Rebalancing the programme is necessary and proportionate to achieve our legitimate aim of rebalancing funding towards the government’s priorities supporting young people and delivering growth, whilst being aligned to the Youth Guarantee and the Industrial Strategy.

We know that apprenticeships offer strong returns, and that is particularly true for young people. The changes to streamline the apprenticeship offer will help to create headroom to invest in more opportunities for young people and new apprenticeship units for adults.

Employers who value these apprenticeship standards can continue to use them on a privately funded basis.

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 job creation in sectors that traditionally provide entry-level employment opportunities.

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

Lack of experience is a key barrier for young people. 7-10% of 16-24-year-olds have never held any paid job or work experience, and 58% of those who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs) have never held a paid job.

To address this, the Government is expanding work experience placements across Great Britain as part of the Youth Guarantee, offering 150,000 more opportunities over three years from April 2026, with priority referrals for young people.

Participating in work experience helps young people to develop core employability skills, confidence and work readiness and will support them to move into employment or training. Department for Work and Pensions is engaging with national and local employers to create these opportunities. Additionally, Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), which include a work experience placement, are also being expanded through the Youth Guarantee, with 145,000 starts planned by 2028/29, further supporting young people in gaining valuable work experience whilst building up sector-specific skills.

In addition, the Government is taking action to support employers to recruit and train young people, including entry-level employment opportunities, and I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 March to PQ 122032. This includes a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new apprenticeship hiring grant of up to £2,000 for non-levy paying employers when hiring 16–24-year-olds as new employees, and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job.

On 25^th March 2026, the Government also announced the expansion of employment support through a further 80 new Youth Hubs in 2026/27. One of these Youth Hubs will be in Basildon. Youth Hubs provide tailored, locally delivered employment support, helping young people overcome barriers such as lack of work experience by connecting them to employers, work experience, training and jobs.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of barriers to labour market entry for young people with limited work experience.

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

Lack of experience is a key barrier for young people. 7-10% of 16-24-year-olds have never held any paid job or work experience, and 58% of those who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs) have never held a paid job.

To address this, the Government is expanding work experience placements across Great Britain as part of the Youth Guarantee, offering 150,000 more opportunities over three years from April 2026, with priority referrals for young people.

Participating in work experience helps young people to develop core employability skills, confidence and work readiness and will support them to move into employment or training. Department for Work and Pensions is engaging with national and local employers to create these opportunities. Additionally, Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), which include a work experience placement, are also being expanded through the Youth Guarantee, with 145,000 starts planned by 2028/29, further supporting young people in gaining valuable work experience whilst building up sector-specific skills.

In addition, the Government is taking action to support employers to recruit and train young people, including entry-level employment opportunities, and I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 March to PQ 122032. This includes a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new apprenticeship hiring grant of up to £2,000 for non-levy paying employers when hiring 16–24-year-olds as new employees, and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job.

On 25^th March 2026, the Government also announced the expansion of employment support through a further 80 new Youth Hubs in 2026/27. One of these Youth Hubs will be in Basildon. Youth Hubs provide tailored, locally delivered employment support, helping young people overcome barriers such as lack of work experience by connecting them to employers, work experience, training and jobs.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of defunding the Level 5 Outdoor Learning Specialist Apprenticeship on the outdoor education sector.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 13 April 2026 to Question UIN 123109.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he will review the adequacy of safeguards to ensure the accuracy of arrears and appropriate court oversight in the enforcement of child maintenance liabilities.

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

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to ensuring that parents meet their financial responsibilities in full and on time with payments calculated so they are reasonable and affordable for the paying parent.

When arrears are identified, parents are given a clear explanation of how the amount has been calculated. Where a parent believes the arrears to be incorrect, they have opportunity to dispute the decision and provide evidence within set timescales.

The CMS has a structured dispute resolution process, including Mandatory Reconsideration and the right of appeal to an independent tribunal, His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service.

Where a dispute is raised, the case is reviewed before court‑based enforcement proceeds, as a Liability Order may only be granted where a magistrate is satisfied the debt is legally due and unpaid. This safeguards both parents and ensures enforcement is taken only on resolved debt.

The Department keeps these safeguards under regular review to ensure the accuracy of arrears and that enforcement action continues to be subject to appropriate judicial oversight.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what engagement his department has had with devolved administrations regarding to access to apprenticeship programmes in England for roles where there is a critical shortage of fully trained tradespeople.

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

Funding for apprenticeships and skills is a devolved matter. This government is committed to engaging with the devolved governments on skills policy, including on the development of the growth and skills levy for England, to share best practice and support one another in boosting growth and spreading opportunity throughout the UK.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March to Question 114995 on Employment: Young People whether young people identified by the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers programme, who do not access benefits, will be able to access a job partly funded by the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers.

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

For many years our young people have not had the opportunity and support they deserve. Under the last government, between 2021 and 2024, the number of young people not in education, employment or training increased by 250,000.

The eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England are testing new ways to identify, engage and support young people who are, or are at risk of becoming, NEET. This includes 18–21‑year‑olds who are not claiming benefits, who can, through the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers, access tailored support which connects them to meaningful employment and training opportunities.

By bringing together national entitlements with locally tailored provision and working closely with employers, colleges and the voluntary sector, the Trailblazers are helping more young people develop the skills and confidence they need to enter employment and advance their careers.

The Youth Guarantee is about reaching all NEET young people, including those outside the benefits system. That is why we recently announced a further £1 billion investment in young people, taking the total investment to £2.5 billion over the next three years though the Youth Guarantee and additional investment in the Growth and Skills Levy. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.

This includes the delivery of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England, the expansion of Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain, and the introduction of a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in Jobcentres, providing more intensive support to 16-24 year olds. Youth Hubs offer access to employment and skills support, as well as links to housing and mental health services for young people, including in areas where Youth Guarantee Trailblazers operate, but they are not responsible for delivering the Trailblazer programmes. We will also prioritise prevention – improving support in schools, access to work experience and further education places.

This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training. It will also help unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities, through a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-olds and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job.

Together these measures demonstrate the Government’s commitment to backing young people, supporting employers, and working with partners across Great Britain to create clear pathways into employment and education for all young people.

There is currently no Youth Hub in the St Albans area. Youth Hubs will be expanded to 360 areas across Great Britain over the next three years. Young people in areas where Youth Hubs open later in the three-year rollout period, will still receive the full breadth of Youth Guarantee support. They will also continue to benefit from tailored help through the local Jobcentre, and, where appropriate, support from nearby Youth Hubs, so no young person is left without support during the phased rollout.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March to Question 114995 on Employment: Young People, where young people from St Albans who are not in receipt of benefits may locate their local Youth Hub to engage with the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers programme.

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

For many years our young people have not had the opportunity and support they deserve. Under the last government, between 2021 and 2024, the number of young people not in education, employment or training increased by 250,000.

The eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England are testing new ways to identify, engage and support young people who are, or are at risk of becoming, NEET. This includes 18–21‑year‑olds who are not claiming benefits, who can, through the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers, access tailored support which connects them to meaningful employment and training opportunities.

By bringing together national entitlements with locally tailored provision and working closely with employers, colleges and the voluntary sector, the Trailblazers are helping more young people develop the skills and confidence they need to enter employment and advance their careers.

The Youth Guarantee is about reaching all NEET young people, including those outside the benefits system. That is why we recently announced a further £1 billion investment in young people, taking the total investment to £2.5 billion over the next three years though the Youth Guarantee and additional investment in the Growth and Skills Levy. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.

This includes the delivery of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England, the expansion of Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain, and the introduction of a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in Jobcentres, providing more intensive support to 16-24 year olds. Youth Hubs offer access to employment and skills support, as well as links to housing and mental health services for young people, including in areas where Youth Guarantee Trailblazers operate, but they are not responsible for delivering the Trailblazer programmes. We will also prioritise prevention – improving support in schools, access to work experience and further education places.

This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training. It will also help unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities, through a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-olds and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job.

Together these measures demonstrate the Government’s commitment to backing young people, supporting employers, and working with partners across Great Britain to create clear pathways into employment and education for all young people.

There is currently no Youth Hub in the St Albans area. Youth Hubs will be expanded to 360 areas across Great Britain over the next three years. Young people in areas where Youth Hubs open later in the three-year rollout period, will still receive the full breadth of Youth Guarantee support. They will also continue to benefit from tailored help through the local Jobcentre, and, where appropriate, support from nearby Youth Hubs, so no young person is left without support during the phased rollout.

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 three month relevant period for LCWRA on applications; and what the reason for that period is.

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

The LCWRA element will be paid from the start of the Assessment Period following the Assessment Period in which the ‘relevant period’ ended. This replicates the 13-week assessment period applied to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claims and is used to establish that the customer has a long-term health condition or disability.

Throughout the period before the award of the LCWRA addition, claimants will receive the applicable standard allowance plus any eligible additions, such as housing costs.

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 trends in the level of financial hardship among people not eligible for support due to existing means-testing arrangements.

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

The department's headline poverty statistics, Households Below Average Income (HBAI) statistics - GOV.UK show trends in income-based poverty back to 1994/95, including breakdowns regarding whether families are in receipt of means-tested benefits or not. The figures can be filtered to children, working age adults, and pensioners. The statistics also include measures of material deprivation which provide an indication of peoples’ ability to access or afford a range of everyday goods and services.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of people living in relative poverty in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme, b) Staffordshire and c) England.

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

We are committed to tackling poverty and we know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty. The Get Britain Working White Paper set out plans to reform employment, health and skills support to tackle rising economic inactivity levels, support people into good work, and create an inclusive labour market based on the unique needs of local communities, in which everybody can participate and progress in work.

Through our plan to Make Work Pay, we will, improve job security and boost living standards. From April, the National Living Wage increased by 6.7 per cent to £12.21 an hour, boosting the pay of 2.4 million workers. This represents an increase of £900 to the gross annual earnings of a full-time worker on the National Living Wage.

Universal Credit has a critical role to play in tackling poverty and making work pay and we have already taken steps to help those in need. The Universal Credit Act 2025, which came into force on 6 April 2026, delivered the first sustained, above inflation rise in the basic rate of Universal Credit since it was introduced. And the introduction of the Fair Repayment Rate in Universal Credit, from April 2025, means that around 1.2 million of the poorest households will retain more of their award, on average £420 a year.

The Child Poverty Strategy has looked at how the government can boost families' incomes through employment and the social security system, drive down the cost of essentials so parents can meet their children’s fundamental needs, and strengthen local support to ensure families can access vital services when they need them. The removal of the two child limit will lift 450,000 children out of poverty, rising to around 550,000 alongside other measures set out in our Strategy, such as the expansion of free school meals. These interventions will lead to the largest expected reduction in child poverty over a Parliament since comparable records began.

We have also introduced the new Crisis and Resilience Fund with £842 million per annum (£1 billion including Barnett consequential) to reform crisis support in England from 1 April 2026. This longer-term funding approach aims to enable local authorities to provide preventative support to communities as well as assisting people when faced with a financial crisis. We have allocated £28.2 million to Staffordshire over three years, (£9.3 million in 2026/27, £9.3 million in 2027/28 and £9.5 million in 2028/29) alongside £451,295 in 2026/27 to support heating oil households, with funding covering both the County and District Councils.

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 financial impact on unpaid carers of repaying Carer’s Allowance overpayments.

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

This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by unpaid carers every day in providing significant care and continuity of support to family and friends with disabilities.

The Department has published research into people’s experiences of claiming and receiving Carer’s Allowance in May 2024. The issue of overpayments is covered at pages 54-57: experiences-of-claiming-and-receiving-ca-research-report-final.pdf.

Overpayments can arise for a number of reasons. With respect to those linked to the treatment of earnings in Carer’s Allowance, we inherited a system where some busy carers, already struggling under a huge weight of caring responsibilities, found themselves with unexpected debts. We commissioned an Independent Review, led by Liz Sayce OBE, to investigate why overpayments occurred, how people affected can be better supported, and what changes are needed to prevent similar issues in future. We have published the findings of the Review, acknowledged the shortcomings identified, apologised to those affected, and accepted in full or in part 38 of the Review’s 40 recommendations.

As part of its response, the Government committed to reassessing Carer’s Allowance cases which may have been affected by faulty guidance on averaging of irregularly fluctuating earnings. This guidance was in place between April 2015 and September 2025 and did not accurately reflect the statutory position. The reassessment exercise began on 13 April 2026. Funding of £75m has been provided for the exercise in the financial years 2026/27 to 2028/29. The department expects to review over 200,000 cases, potentially reducing, cancelling, or refunding debts for around 25,000 carers.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people that were claiming Personal Independent Payment and in receipt of the both enhanced components died (a) in total and (b) who had accessed PIP under the Special Rules for terminal illness route in the last year for which information is available.

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

The information requested can be found in the table provided below.

Table 1: People who have died who were recipients of Personal Independence Payment Enhanced Daily Living and Mobility components

Notes:

- Values have been rounded to the nearest 10.

- Figures are for claimants under DWP Policy Ownership (England, Wales and Abroad) and exclude claimants where PIP has been devolved to the Scottish Government in Scotland or The Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.

- Figures include people of both working age and those who are aged above state pension age.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are (a) receiving Employment Support Allowance in March 2026 and (b) have experienced ‘failed transitions’ from Employment Support Allowance to Universal Credit; and what steps he is taking to ensure recipients are not being left without support if they are unable to complete the administrative processes for the transition.

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

a) Statistics for the number of people on Employment and Support Allowance are published quarterly. The latest statistics for August 2025 are available in the ESA data tables on Stat-Xplore - Table View.

b) Statistics for the number or people invited to Move to Universal Credit are published quarterly. The latest statistics for December 2025 are available in the People invited to Move to Universal Credit data tables on Stat-Xplore - Table View.

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

DWP recognise some claimants may find moving to Universal Credit challenging and we are committed to providing the right support.

Migration notices signpost customers to our helpline, GOV.UK and Help to Claim (provided by Citizens Advice). Contact via these routes allows free and confidential support to be provided, based on individual need, from claim initiation to the first full payment. Customers who have not claimed Universal Credit within two weeks of their deadline enter the Enhanced Support journey, which provides tailored and flexible assistance and can include phone calls and home visits to complete the process.

Support offered to customers does not cease once a Universal Credit claim is made. A range of further support is available including a Complex Needs Toolkit and District Provision Tool for Work Coaches to use in identifying and signposting claimants to appropriate local services, including housing support, Mental Health Services and advocacy and Social Care. Where customers cannot use digital channels, DWP offer regular phone support and face-to-face appointments.

Additionally, Jobcentre staff are trained to discuss complex needs and vulnerabilities and record these along with reasonable adjustments on the Universal Credit account, including different communication channels, home visits or support from an authorised representative, including an Appointee to act on their behalf.

DWP regularly reviews its support to optimise our services and remain committed to supporting vulnerable claimants and welcome feedback. This is in addition to DWP’s internal quality monitoring, which supports agent personal performance and assurance.

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 regional disparities in the outcome of the Individual Placement and Support Programme.

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

Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) was available in 12 areas in England and 2 Health Board areas in Wales. Evaluation of the programme is ongoing.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the amount of people supported into employment through the Individual Placement and Support scheme.

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

Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) was available in 12 areas in England and 2 Health Board areas in Wales. Evaluation of the programme is ongoing.

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 impact of linking employer incentive payments to apprenticeship completion and post-qualification retention in shortage occupations within the building services engineering sector.

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

The government provides a range of financial support to help employers take on apprentices, these payments are made in instalments at set apprenticeship milestones to support retention.

Foundation apprenticeships were introduced in August 2025, to give young people a route into critical sectors. Employers that take on foundation apprentices, including in building service engineering, will receive additional payments of up to £2,000. This is designed to offset the additional costs employers face whilst supporting the recruitment, retention and progression of young people, e.g. increased mentoring and pastoral care.

The payment is made in three instalments, with the first two spread across the foundation apprenticeship, and the final payment made when an apprentice progresses onto their next apprenticeship, supporting sustained employment for young people at the start of their career.

We also know that SMEs employ large numbers of young apprentices and will be critical in reversing the 40% decline in apprenticeship starts by young people that has occurred over the last decade. That is why we are introducing a new incentive of £2,000 for non-levy paying employers (essentially SMEs) that take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees, to contribute to the additional costs associated with employing young people.

On top of this the government already pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an Education Health Care Plan or have been, or are, in local authority care.

Both payments will be made in two equal instalments, the first at day 90 and the second at day 365 after apprenticeship started (or day 242 if apprenticeship under 12 months).

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to improve training for Child Maintenance Service call handlers on (a) vulnerable people and (b) victims of domestic abuse.

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

The Department for Work and Pensions and the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) take the support of vulnerable customers, including victims and survivors of domestic abuse, extremely seriously.

All CMS Caseworkers receive comprehensive technical training, including specific modules on identifying and supporting vulnerable customers and victims and survivors of domestic abuse. This Domestic Abuse training is kept up to date through mandatory two year refresher training to ensure colleagues maintain the requisite skills and knowledge.

For the most complex domestic abuse cases, CMS uses a specialist team, which provides tailored support and reduces the need for victims and survivors to repeatedly recount their experiences.

All Caseworkers can access the Every Call Matters Hub, which provides access to supporting products and call standards to support confidence and quality when speaking with customers.

CMS aim to handle calls in a sensitive manner and ensure all customers get the help and support they need to use the service safely. This may include signposting to support organisations or reporting to the police where this may be necessary.

Further work is ongoing to strengthen quality assurance processes, including call listening, to ensure that vulnerable customers and victims and survivors of domestic abuse consistently receive the appropriate level of service. Insight from quality assurance outcomes is used to support ongoing training and learning.

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Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2026 to Question 112445 on Shipping and with reference to section 4 of her Department's publication entitled Seafarers in the UK Shipping Industry: 2025, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) level of the availability and (b) uptake of ratings apprenticeships.

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

The Department remains committed to increasing the number of seafaring jobs and ratings apprenticeships in the UK. The apprenticeship levy remains available for use in the maritime industry, including for ratings apprenticeships in England, and the Department and MCA continues to fund 50% of a cadetship through the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) fund, which was recently increased to £19.4m.

Apprenticeships are a devolved matter, with ratings apprenticeships available in England in areas including deck rating, marine engineering and officer of the watch. Officials are engaging with industry and the Department for Work and Pensions to increase the uptake of maritime apprenticeships, particularly in areas where industry has reported skills shortages. We regularly discuss relevant areas with other Departments.

The recommendations of the review of the effectiveness of funding for UK seafarer training are being assessed by officials.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, further to the Answer of 17 February 2026 to Question 112445 on Shipping, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the (a) availability and (b) uptake of ratings apprenticeships in England and Wales.

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

The Department remains committed to increasing the number of seafaring jobs and ratings apprenticeships in the UK. The apprenticeship levy remains available for use in the maritime industry, including for ratings apprenticeships in England, and the Department and MCA continues to fund 50% of a cadetship through the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) fund, which was recently increased to £19.4m.

Apprenticeships are a devolved matter, with ratings apprenticeships available in England in areas including deck rating, marine engineering and officer of the watch. Officials are engaging with industry and the Department for Work and Pensions to increase the uptake of maritime apprenticeships, particularly in areas where industry has reported skills shortages. We regularly discuss relevant areas with other Departments.

The recommendations of the review of the effectiveness of funding for UK seafarer training are being assessed by officials.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the recommendations in the independent review of the effectiveness of funding for UK seafarer training, published by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on 13 April 2026.

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

The Department remains committed to increasing the number of seafaring jobs and ratings apprenticeships in the UK. The apprenticeship levy remains available for use in the maritime industry, including for ratings apprenticeships in England, and the Department and MCA continues to fund 50% of a cadetship through the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) fund, which was recently increased to £19.4m.

Apprenticeships are a devolved matter, with ratings apprenticeships available in England in areas including deck rating, marine engineering and officer of the watch. Officials are engaging with industry and the Department for Work and Pensions to increase the uptake of maritime apprenticeships, particularly in areas where industry has reported skills shortages. We regularly discuss relevant areas with other Departments.

The recommendations of the review of the effectiveness of funding for UK seafarer training are being assessed by officials.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what percentage payment was made in 2024 (when the annual Pension Increase was 6.7%) to Civil Servants who had retired before 2016, for the Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP/COD) component of their public service pension in respect of each of the following: (a) pre ’88 GMP, (b) post ’88 GMP up to 3%, (c) post ’88 GMP over 3%, (d) and if PI is applied to the GMP part of all public service pension schemes in the same way as above.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) provides for annual Pension Increases (PI) in line with the relevant September to September annual increase, using the relevant Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure for indexation. In April 2024, this increase was 6.7%. The application of this increase to the Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP) component for members who retired before 2016 depends on the period in which the GMP was earned and the legislation governing the indexation of "contracted-out" benefits.

For a Civil Servant who retired before 2016 and reached State Pension Age before 6 April 2016:

(a) Pre-1988 GMP: In accordance with statutory requirements, the CSPS does not apply a pension increase to the pre-1988 GMP component. For these members, indexation on this part of the pension is traditionally provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) through the State Pension.

(b) Post-1988 GMP up to 3%: The CSPS is responsible for increasing the post-1988 GMP by the rate of the Pensions Increase Order, capped at 3%. For the 2024 increase, the scheme paid the maximum 3% on this component.

(c) Post-1988 GMP over 3%: The CSPS does not pay the increase on the post-1988 GMP above the 3% cap. For these members, the remaining 3.7% (the difference between the 6.7% CPI and the 3% scheme cap) is typically paid by the DWP as part of the member's State Pension.

Data regarding the specific proportion of a total pension payment that is comprised of GMP for each of the approximately 500,000 pensioners is not held centrally.

(d) Application across Public Service Pension Schemes: The rules for the indexation of GMP described above are derived from the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 and the Social Security Pensions Act 1975 and apply across the main public service pension schemes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his department has made in implementing the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs recommendation to reduce barriers to research into promising treatments for cluster headaches.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care is working with officials in the Home Office to support the changes agreed to in the letter from the Minister of State at the Department for Work and Pensions and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Women’s Health and Mental Health from July 2025. The group has met with stakeholders from the clinical trials community who gave advice and assurance on the proposed changes to the legislation.

The Department is committed to turbocharging clinical research and delivering better patient care, to make the United Kingdom a world-leading destination for clinical research. We are working to fast-track clinical trials, reducing barriers and unnecessary bureaucracy to drive global investment into life sciences, improve health outcomes, and accelerate the development of the medicines and therapies of the future, including treatments for cluster headaches. We expect these efforts to attract more commercial investment in clinical research and to yield a broad and diverse portfolio of clinical trials in the UK.

The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with cluster headaches, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what measures he plans to introduce to help residents of housing estates with central, metered LPG tanks.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government has taken action and announced £53 million for low-income families, who heat their homes with oil, or other alternative fuels like LPG, to help tackle surging prices through the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF).

It is at the local authority’s discretion to determine appropriate support by taking a person-centred, needs-based approach. Guidance to LAs is clear that crisis payments can be provided to support energy for any form of fuel that is used for the purpose of domestic heating, cooking or lighting, including oil or portable gas cylinders.

The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for the CRF in England and more information on the fund can be found here: Crisis and Resilience Fund (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029) - GOV.UK.

In addition, the Government intends to introduce new consumer protections for LPG customers and is rapidly exploring new ways to step in and ensure households are better protected.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether his Department has has discussions with Scottish Government on levels of availability of accredited training providers for skilled trades.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The Scotland Office and the Department for Work and Pensions maintain regular engagement with the Scottish Government on issues relating to Scotland’s skills development. While decisions on the provision and accreditation of training providers are a matter for the Scottish Government, the UK Government continues to work constructively with the devolved governments to support skills development and economic growth across the UK.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what engagement his department has had with the Department for Education regarding accessing apprenticeship training through English providers where there is no alternative provider in Scotland.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The responsibility for skills policy, and the provision of apprenticeship training in Scotland, lies with the Scottish Government as a devolved matter. Funding for apprenticeships and providers in Scotland are a devolved responsibility. UK Government officials, including those from DWP responsible for apprenticeships, regularly meet their counterparts in the devolved administrations to discuss issues, including eligibility.

Apprenticeship schemes in England are available to eligible learners working most of their time in England, including those who live in other parts of the UK. Due to devolved funding arrangements, learners based in Scotland who do not work in England are not eligible for funding for an English apprenticeship, even in cases where a comparable training provider does not exist in Scotland.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of demand for additional pilots resulting from airport expansion; how many UK commercial airline pilots are set to reach mandatory retirement age in the next five years; what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability and retention of qualified flight instructors; and what consideration her Department has given to reducing financial barriers to entry for aspiring pilots.

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

As of 26 March 2026, Civil Aviation Authority (the Regulator) records indicate that 1315 commercial pilots aged 60 to 64 are expected to reach the mandatory retirement age of 65 within the next five years.

The UK aviation sector operates predominantly in the private sector, and it is for individual airlines to recruit and train the pilots and flight instructors needed to meet both current and future demand. However, supporting the UK’s aviation workforce remains a priority for this Government. I welcome the steps taken by British Airways and Jet2.com to strengthen the future pilot pipeline, including through periodically offering partly or fully funded training programmes.

Ministers and officials continue to engage regularly with industry and with representative bodies, including the British Airline Pilots’ Association, on aviation skills issues. A major training organisation has now been approved to deliver the First Officer apprenticeship, which will enable young people to train as pilots at no personal cost. We are working with the Department for Work and Pensions and Skills England to encourage airlines to take up and deliver this apprenticeship.

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