Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to protect workers from silicosis, in particular the risk posed by the installation of engineered stone countertops.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) continues to inspect industries associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and to respond to concerns about risk management reported to HSE.
Adequate control measures for protecting workers from the risks of exposure to RCS are legally required under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), including water suppression, equipment enclosure, extraction and personal protective equipment, such as respirator masks. COSHH also requires workers to be trained to effectively implement such controls.
HSE works proactively with key stakeholders, trade associations and other industry bodies to raise awareness of the risks of exposure to RCS and to provide information and guidance on adequate control measures. This includes developing targeted communications to ensure that those at risk of exposure to silica dust from working with stone (including engineered stone) understand and are using the controls which can prevent exposure.
Asked by: Lord Sikka (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 6 December 2021 (HL4310), what is the median state pension for (1) men, and (2) women, for 2024–25.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Data for 2024-25 as requested is not currently held by the department.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Manchester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish the data, routinely collected since February 2022, on care leavers claiming Universal Credit.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We have no plans to publish data on care leavers claiming Universal Credit.
DWP started routinely collecting data on care leavers claiming UC in February 2022. All new claimants are now given the option of reporting their care leaver status, and work coaches can record existing claimants’ care leaver status if they are they are told about this.
This data is being monitored for data quality and does not meet the quality assurance standards for official statistics: the data coverage is still very limited and the claimants we have data on are not representative of the UC caseload. Therefore, no figures are available for publication.
The Department will continue to carefully review the data in the usual way.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support workers to better understand their pension options.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government recognises that people face important decisions about how to use their pension savings and ensures everyone has access to free, impartial pension guidance through the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS). MaPS’ MoneyHelper brand provides support on all areas of UK pensions to the public regardless of age. The service offers a range of pension guidance through articles and support from pension specialists, via written enquiries, webchat and a telephone helpline.
The Department for Work and Pension’s digital Midlife MOT is a review for workers in their 40s, 50s and 60s that helps them take stock of their finances, skills and health, enabling them to get access to the best possible guidance. This includes helping people to understand planning for later life, including their workplace pension and State Pension options.
MaPS also offers more targeted support as people progress towards retirement. Pension Wise, a service delivered through MoneyHelper, can help anyone over 50 understand their options for accessing their Defined Contribution pension pots. After entering retirement, ongoing guidance is available through the MoneyHelper website, webchat and telephone helpline.
Pension schemes also have a responsibility under the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 2013 to provide information on the options available to members when they decide to access their pensions.
Furthermore, the Government signalled its intent, through the Pension Schemes Bill announced in the King’s Speech, to place duties on all trustees of occupational pension schemes to tailor the retirement products they offer in order to support people when accessing their pensions. This will ensure pots are accessed in the right way to support people in retirement and keep money invested for longer.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to recommit to the provision of in situ British Sign Language interpretation of major press conferences and briefings as set out in the Disability Action Plan in February.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Commitments made in the Disability Action Plan will be reviewed and considered as part of the Government's approach to improving the lives of Deaf and disabled people.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress she has made on the transition from housing benefit to Universal Credit; and what steps she is taking to reduce (a) hardship, (b) debt and (c) eviction risks for households using housing benefit.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The DWP started sending Migration Notices to Housing Benefit only customers from 17 July 2024 and is committed to ensuring that the transition to Universal Credit works as smoothly as possible for all individuals.
DWP has processes in place within Universal Credit to help reduce hardship, debt and risk of eviction. For example, people who receive Housing Benefit and then claim Universal Credit will receive a two-week run on of their housing payment while they transition to Universal Credit Housing Payment. Universal Credit customers who require support to adapt to Universal Credit can also have their housing costs paid directly to landlords through an Alternative Payment Arrangement.
Asked by: Jon Pearce (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time was for a Work Capability Assessment in High Peak constituency in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not available.
Asked by: Jon Pearce (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people claiming in-work benefits in High Peak constituency.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Official statistics for the number of people on Universal Credit are published each month on Stat-Xplore, with breakdowns available by Westminster Parliamentary Constituency. The latest statistics are to June 2024, with a breakdown by employment indicator available to May 2024.
Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access general guidance on how to extract the information required, with more detailed guidance available in the Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.
Statistics on the number of people on Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance, who are in employment, are not readily available and to provide them would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lord Bradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review (1) the level of the Carer's Allowance, and (2) the eligibility threshold for the Carer's Allowance.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government recognises the challenges unpaid carers are facing and is determined to provide them with the help and support they need and deserve. It is looking closely at how the benefit system currently does this, notably through Universal Credit and Carer’s Allowance.
With respect to benefit levels, the Secretary of State has a statutory obligation to review the rates of State pensions and benefits each year. In the case of Carer’s Allowance, the relevant statute provides that it must rise at least in line with the increase in prices over the preceding year. The review to set rates for 2025/26 will take place in the autumn.
Other support is available through the benefit system. Full-time unpaid carers on low incomes may also be eligible for means tested support, such as Universal Credit and Pension Credit. These benefits can be paid to carers at a higher rate than those without caring responsibilities through the carer element and the additional amount for carers respectively. Currently, the Universal Credit carer element is £198.31 per monthly assessment period. The additional amount for carers in Pension Credit is £45.60 a week.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will end the treatment of military compensation as income for the purpose of welfare benefit means tests.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the honourable member to the answer to question UIN 500, given on the 25 July 2024.