Department for Work and Pensions

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department it administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers.



Secretary of State

 Portrait

Liz Kendall
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Shadow Ministers / Spokeperson
Liberal Democrat
Lord Palmer of Childs Hill (LD - Life peer)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Work and Pensions)
Steve Darling (LD - Torbay)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Work and Pensions)

Conservative
Helen Whately (Con - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con - Excepted Hereditary)
Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
Baroness Stedman-Scott (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
Danny Kruger (Con - East Wiltshire)
Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
Ministers of State
Stephen Timms (Lab - East Ham)
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Alison McGovern (Lab - Birkenhead)
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Baroness Sherlock (Lab - Life peer)
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Andrew Western (Lab - Stretford and Urmston)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Torsten Bell (Lab - Swansea West)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Tuesday 20th May 2025
Pensions: Expatriates
Westminster Hall
Select Committee Docs
Wednesday 4th June 2025
10:30
Select Committee Inquiry
Thursday 3rd April 2025
Get Britain Working: Pathways to Work

The Work and Pensions Committee is undertaking a short inquiry into the impact of the Government’s proposals to reform the …

Written Answers
Wednesday 4th June 2025
Social Security and Child Support Tribunal
To ask His Majesty's Government to what percentage of Social Security and Child Support Tribunal hearings the Department for Work …
Secondary Legislation
Thursday 27th March 2025
Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker's Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) (Modification) Regulations 2025
These Regulations modify paragraph 5(2) and (4) of Schedule 6 to the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and …
Bills
Wednesday 22nd January 2025
Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill 2024-26
A Bill to make provision about the prevention of fraud against public authorities and the making of erroneous payments by …
Dept. Publications
Wednesday 4th June 2025
15:18

Department for Work and Pensions Commons Appearances

Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs

Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:
  • Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
  • Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
  • Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.

Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue

Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.

Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
May. 12
Oral Questions
May. 13
Urgent Questions
May. 20
Westminster Hall
Apr. 23
Adjournment Debate
View All Department for Work and Pensions Commons Contibutions

Bills currently before Parliament

Department for Work and Pensions does not have Bills currently before Parliament


Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament

Department for Work and Pensions has not passed any Acts during the 2024 Parliament

Department for Work and Pensions - Secondary Legislation

These Regulations modify paragraph 5(2) and (4) of Schedule 6 to the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/380). Paragraph 5(2) contains a list of provisions under which the Secretary of State may make deductions from Universal Credit. The modifications made by these Regulations to paragraph 5(2) and (4) have the effect that deductions for child maintenance have priority over the other deductions listed in paragraph 5(2).
This instrument contains provisions necessary to give full effect to the 2025 benefits and pensions up-rating exercise.
View All Department for Work and Pensions Secondary Legislation

Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Trending Petitions
Petition Open
12,690 Signatures
(2,704 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
7,764 Signatures
(904 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
23,928 Signatures
(167 in the last 7 days)
Petitions with most signatures
Petition Debates Contributed
161,790
Petition Closed
21 May 2025
closed 2 weeks ago

We call on the Government to fairly compensate WASPI women affected by the increases to their State Pension age and the associated failings in DWP communications.

View All Department for Work and Pensions Petitions

Departmental Select Committee

Work and Pensions Committee

Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.

At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.

Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.


11 Members of the Work and Pensions Committee
Debbie Abrahams Portrait
Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 11th September 2024
David Pinto-Duschinsky Portrait
David Pinto-Duschinsky (Labour - Hendon)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Amanda Hack Portrait
Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Gill German Portrait
Gill German (Labour - Clwyd North)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Damien Egan Portrait
Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Johanna Baxter Portrait
Johanna Baxter (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 21st October 2024
John Milne Portrait
John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Steve Darling Portrait
Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Peter Bedford Portrait
Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Frank McNally Portrait
Frank McNally (Labour - Coatbridge and Bellshill)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 16th December 2024
Danny Kruger Portrait
Danny Kruger (Conservative - East Wiltshire)
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 17th March 2025
Work and Pensions Committee: Upcoming Events
Work and Pensions Committee - Oral evidence
Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations
4 Jun 2025, 9 a.m.
At 9:30am: Oral evidence
Torsten Bell MP - Minister for Pensions at Department for Work and Pensions

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Work and Pensions Committee - Oral evidence
Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations
4 Jun 2025, 9 a.m.
At 9:30am: Oral evidence
Torsten Bell MP - Minister for Pensions at Department for Work and Pensions
Andrew Latto - Deputy Director, Devolution, Pensioner Benefits & Carer’s Allowance, Policy Group at Department for Work and Pensions

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Work and Pensions Committee - Oral evidence
Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations
4 Jun 2025, 9 a.m.
At 9:30am: Oral evidence
Torsten Bell MP - Minister for Pensions at Department for Work and Pensions
Andrew Latto - Deputy Director, Devolution, Pensioner Benefits & Carer’s Allowance, Policy Group at Department for Work and Pensions
Laura Adelman - Deputy Director, Pensions and Later Life Analysis at Department for Work and Pensions

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Work and Pensions Committee - Oral evidence
Get Britain Working: Reforming Jobcentres
11 Jun 2025, 9 a.m.
At 9:30am: Oral evidence
Alison McGovern MP - Minister for Employment at Department for Work and Pensions
Ed Lidington - Director, Labour Market Strategy, Policy and Analysis at Department for Work and Pensions
David Barrow - Director, Jobs & Career’s Service at Department for Work and Pensions

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Work and Pensions Committee: Previous Inquiries
Money and Pensions Service Pension stewardship and COP26 PIP and ESA Assessments DWP's response to the coronavirus outbreak Work of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Universal Credit: the wait for a first payment Plan for Jobs and employment support The sale and acquisition of BHS inquiry DWP’s preparations for changes in the world of work Protecting pension savers – five years on from the pension freedoms: Pension scams Progress with child maintenance reforms Update on auto-enrolment and a range of current pensions issues Fraud and error in the benefits system Employment and Support Allowance and Work Capability Assessments Progress with Personal Independence Payment implementation 2014 Employment support for disabled people: Access to Work One-off evidence session on pension reforms Benefit delivery inquiry Welfare to work inquiry Pension freedom guidance and advice inquiry Tax credit reforms inquiry Local welfare safety net inquiry In-work progression in Universal Credit inquiry Understanding the new State Pension inquiry Bereavement benefits inquiry Pre-appointment hearing for the Pensions Ombudsman Progress with automatic enrolment and pension reforms Financial scrutiny of the Department for Work and Pensions Benefit sanctions policy beyond the Oakley review Progress with disability and incapacity benefit reforms Universal Credit Work Programme: the experience of different user groups Youth unemployment and the Government’s Youth Contract EU Pensions Policy White Paper on Universal Credit Automatic enrolment in workplace pensions and National Employment Savings Trust Governance and best practice in workplace pensions Role of Jobcentre Plus in the reformed welfare system Support for housing costs in the reformed welfare system School holiday poverty inquiry The work of The Pensions Regulator inquiry Executive pensions inquiry Spending Review inquiry Support for the bereaved Universal Credit and Survival Sex: sex in exchange for meeting survival needs inquiry No DSS: discrimination against benefit claimants in the housing sector inquiry Benefit freeze Overpayments of Carer's Allowance Ongoing work on DWP priorities and performance inquiry Charging for pension transfer advice inquiry Pension auto-enrolment: update inquiry Universal Credit Project Assessment Reviews inquiry Carillion joint inquiry Assistive technology inquiry Pre-appointment scrutiny of the Chair of the Social Security Advisory Committee Defined benefit pensions white paper inquiry The future of the European Social Fund inquiry Two-child benefit limit inquiry Welfare safety net inquiry Benefit cap inquiry Pension costs and transparency inquiry Disability employment inquiry Concentrix and tax credits inquiry Child Maintenance Service inquiry Employment opportunities for young people inquiry Intergenerational fairness inquiry Pensions automatic enrolment inquiry Early drawing of state pension inquiry Recent pensions policy developments The Future of Jobcentre Plus inquiry Support for ex-offenders inquiry Disability employment gap inquiry Pension Protection Fund and Pensions Regulator inquiry Personal Independence Payment inquiry Citizen's income inquiry Victims of modern slavery inquiry DWP Annual Report and Accounts inquiry Self-employment and the gig economy inquiry Benefit cap inquiry Brexit and labour market policy inquiry Universal Credit update inquiry Universal Credit inquiry PIP and ESA Assessments inquiry Pension freedom and choice inquiry Defined benefit pension schemes Access to work cap on support grants inquiry Collective defined contribution pension schemes inquiry Support for carers inquiry The cost of living Children in poverty: Child Maintenance Service Defined benefit pensions with liability driven investments Benefit levels in the UK Defined benefit pension schemes Cost of living support payments Disability employment gap Health and Safety Executive Safeguarding vulnerable claimants Norton pension schemes and the Fraud Compensation Fund Statutory Sick Pay Disability employment Devolution of employment support Pensioner poverty – challenges and mitigations Get Britain Working – Reforming Jobcentres Get Britain Working: Pathways to Work Children in poverty: Measurement and targets Welfare policy in Northern Ireland Assistive technology Benefit cap Benefit sanctions Collective defined contribution pension schemes Defined benefit pensions white paper inquiry Disability employment The future of the European Social Fund inquiry Executive pensions Universal Credit Universal Credit - In-work progression Pension costs and transparency Spending Review Welfare safety net Charging for pension transfer advice Overpayments of Carer's Allowance Pension auto-enrolment: update No DSS: discrimination against benefit claimants in the housing sector Benefit freeze Support for the bereaved The work of The Pensions Regulator Motability Ongoing work on DWP priorities and performance Pension freedom and choice PIP and ESA Assessments School holiday poverty Support for carers Two-child benefit limit Universal Credit and Survival Sex

50 most recent Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department

21st May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the fraud and error rates of (1) the £20 Universal Credit uplift, (2) the suspension of the minimum income floor for self-employed claimants, and (3) the increase in local housing allowance, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  1. The £20 UC uplift - Our sample-based measurement of Fraud and Error levels found no significant difference between the rate of overpayments on the £20 uplift part of the payment and the rest of the UC payment. See section 3 of Background information: Fraud and error in the benefit system statistics, 2021 to 2022 estimates - GOV.UK

  1. The MIF – We published an estimate of the increased level of overpayments in 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23 that resulted from suspension of the MIF. See Fraud and error in the benefit system for financial year ending 2021 - GOV.UK , Fraud and error in the benefit system Financial Year Ending (FYE) 2022 - GOV.UK and Fraud and error in the benefit system Financial Year Ending (FYE) 2023 - GOV.UK

They show that, as a result of the suspension of the MIF, the estimated rate of overpayments as a percentage of UC expenditure was:

  • Between 0.7% and 1.5% higher in 2020/21
  • Between 0.8% and 0.9% higher in 2021/22
  • 0.4% higher in 2022/23

  1. The increase in LHA rate - We have not made any estimate of the increase in F&E as a result of the increase in the LHA rate during the pandemic.
Baroness Sherlock
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
30th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have attended the Pathways to Work public consultation meetings.

We are holding a series of face to face and virtual public consultation events across the country in relation to the Pathways to Work Green Paper, to help us hear from people directly. Details of the events are advertised online and can be found at Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper - GOV.UK. These events are held at venues undergoing stringent health, safety, and risk assessment to ensure their suitability for DWP staff and members of the public attending these events.

The consultation will run until 30 June 2025 and members of the public are welcome to share their feedback on the proposals in the consultation in writing, online and via email, in addition to in person or virtually at these ticketed events. We have conducted five in person and three virtual events to date, which approximately 130 participants have joined. The consultation events have facilitated group discussions which will feed into the consultation response analysis. A full list of upcoming events can be found on gov.uk.

We hope a wide range of voices will respond to the consultation and we welcome all views, including those of carers, who provide invaluable support to elderly or disabled people. Carers have also attended our events.

In addition to the Green Paper consultation and the accompanying events, we are continuing to facilitate other ways to involve people in our reforms, especially disabled people and their representatives. This includes through the PIP assessment review that I am leading, the Disability Advisory Panel we announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper, and our ‘collaboration committees’ which will bring groups, including disabled people and other experts, together for specific work areas.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
30th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of members of the public who will attend the Pathways to Work consultation meetings.

We are holding a series of face to face and virtual public consultation events across the country in relation to the Pathways to Work Green Paper, to help us hear from people directly. Details of the events are advertised online and can be found at Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper - GOV.UK. These events are held at venues undergoing stringent health, safety, and risk assessment to ensure their suitability for DWP staff and members of the public attending these events.

The consultation will run until 30 June 2025 and members of the public are welcome to share their feedback on the proposals in the consultation in writing, online and via email, in addition to in person or virtually at these ticketed events. We have conducted five in person and three virtual events to date, which approximately 130 participants have joined. The consultation events have facilitated group discussions which will feed into the consultation response analysis. A full list of upcoming events can be found on gov.uk.

We hope a wide range of voices will respond to the consultation and we welcome all views, including those of carers, who provide invaluable support to elderly or disabled people. Carers have also attended our events.

In addition to the Green Paper consultation and the accompanying events, we are continuing to facilitate other ways to involve people in our reforms, especially disabled people and their representatives. This includes through the PIP assessment review that I am leading, the Disability Advisory Panel we announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper, and our ‘collaboration committees’ which will bring groups, including disabled people and other experts, together for specific work areas.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
30th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of publicity on the Pathways to Work consultations.

We are holding a series of face to face and virtual public consultation events across the country in relation to the Pathways to Work Green Paper, to help us hear from people directly. Details of the events are advertised online and can be found at Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper - GOV.UK. These events are held at venues undergoing stringent health, safety, and risk assessment to ensure their suitability for DWP staff and members of the public attending these events.

The consultation will run until 30 June 2025 and members of the public are welcome to share their feedback on the proposals in the consultation in writing, online and via email, in addition to in person or virtually at these ticketed events. We have conducted five in person and three virtual events to date, which approximately 130 participants have joined. The consultation events have facilitated group discussions which will feed into the consultation response analysis. A full list of upcoming events can be found on gov.uk.

We hope a wide range of voices will respond to the consultation and we welcome all views, including those of carers, who provide invaluable support to elderly or disabled people. Carers have also attended our events.

In addition to the Green Paper consultation and the accompanying events, we are continuing to facilitate other ways to involve people in our reforms, especially disabled people and their representatives. This includes through the PIP assessment review that I am leading, the Disability Advisory Panel we announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper, and our ‘collaboration committees’ which will bring groups, including disabled people and other experts, together for specific work areas.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
30th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if (a) he and (b) his officials will have an on-line meeting with carers that have been unable to secure a place at the Pathways to Work consultation meetings.

We are holding a series of face to face and virtual public consultation events across the country in relation to the Pathways to Work Green Paper, to help us hear from people directly. Details of the events are advertised online and can be found at Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper - GOV.UK. These events are held at venues undergoing stringent health, safety, and risk assessment to ensure their suitability for DWP staff and members of the public attending these events.

The consultation will run until 30 June 2025 and members of the public are welcome to share their feedback on the proposals in the consultation in writing, online and via email, in addition to in person or virtually at these ticketed events. We have conducted five in person and three virtual events to date, which approximately 130 participants have joined. The consultation events have facilitated group discussions which will feed into the consultation response analysis. A full list of upcoming events can be found on gov.uk.

We hope a wide range of voices will respond to the consultation and we welcome all views, including those of carers, who provide invaluable support to elderly or disabled people. Carers have also attended our events.

In addition to the Green Paper consultation and the accompanying events, we are continuing to facilitate other ways to involve people in our reforms, especially disabled people and their representatives. This includes through the PIP assessment review that I am leading, the Disability Advisory Panel we announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper, and our ‘collaboration committees’ which will bring groups, including disabled people and other experts, together for specific work areas.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government to what percentage of Social Security and Child Support Tribunal hearings the Department for Work and Pensions sent a presenting officer in (1) 2020–21, (2) 2021–22, (3) 2022–23, and (4) 2023–24.

The percentage of hearings for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) which were attended by a Presenting Officer (PO) can be found in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Proportion of tribunal hearings for selected Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) benefits which were attended by a DWP Presenting Officer

Benefit

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

PIP

6%

30%

26%

30%

ESA

7%

31%

21%

23%

Source: HMCTS administrative data shared with DWP

Notes:

  • Figures include tribunal hearings in all HMCTS regions including Scotland and therefore include appeals relating to PIP claims of Scottish residents. PIP has been devolved to Scotland since April 2020 and existing claims are currently being moved to the Scottish replacement benefit Adult Disability Payment.
  • Where information about PO attendance was missing, this was counted as a hearing not attended by a PO.
  • Figures for 2020/21 were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as POs were redeployed to other business critical areas during that time.
  • This data is unpublished data. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.

Figures could not be provided for SSCS benefits other than PIP and ESA because the administrative data held by the department is not robust enough to answer the question.

Baroness Sherlock
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the most common reasons for a presenting officer not to be sent to Social Security and Child Support Tribunal hearings by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Staffing levels mean it is not possible to send a Presenting Officer to every hearing. We prioritise attendance at tribunals where HM Courts and Tribunals Service have specifically directed a Presenting Officer to attend.

Baroness Sherlock
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
30th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to PIP on people claiming benefits.

Alongside Spring Statement 2025, the Department published an Impact Assessment which assessed the impact of the changes to be made to PIP as part of the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper reforms.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

Changes to PIP will only apply at the next award review after November 2026. The average award review period is about three years. At the award review, claimants will be considered by a trained assessor or healthcare professional and assessed on individual needs and circumstances. We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including ensuring health and care needs are met.

After taking into account behavioural changes, the OBR predicts that 9 in 10 of those receiving the PIP daily living component at the point that any changes come into effect will still be receiving PIP by the end of the decade.

We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I will lead. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress.

Even with these reforms, the overall number of people on PIP and DLA is expected to rise by 750,000 by the end of this parliament and spending will rise from £23bn in 24/25 to £31bn in 29/30.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount lost to fraud and error under the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme; and if not, why not.

The Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme was administered by HMRC.

HMRC estimates the amount lost to error and fraud for the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme is between 2% to 5% of the overall cost of the scheme. This equates to £2 million to £6 million in monetary terms.

Baroness Sherlock
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
30th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 51543 on Cost of Living: Fylde, how the new Fair Repayment Rate for Universal Credit debt deductions is being implemented; and how this will ensure that people who are struggling with debt are adequately supported in Fylde constituency.

The Fair Repayment Rate was implemented from 30 April 2025. This measure reduced the overall deductions cap taken from the Universal Credit standard personal allowance from 25% to 15% enabling approximately 1.2 million UC households retain, on average, an additional £420 a year or £35 per month of their award. This change will be applied to assessment periods starting on or after the 30 April 2025.

The Department encourages anyone unable to afford the proposed rate of repayment to contact Universal Credit or DWP Debt Management at the earliest opportunity. The Department will seek to do as much as they are permitted to do to support customers through the recovery of their overpayments.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
21st May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including directors’ dividends in the initial calculation of child maintenance payments.

Information about the paying parent's gross income is taken directly from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the latest tax year available. This allows calculations to be made quickly and accurately. Any income subject to income tax, including bonuses and overtime received by an employed paying parent, is included within their gross weekly income when calculating a child maintenance liability.

Where a paying parent is the Director of their limited liability company, they are legally an employee of that company and are treated the same as any other employee for child maintenance purposes. If the receiving parent believes that the paying parent has additional income from dividends, they can apply for a variation to take this into account.

Variations can be requested on grounds of unearned income, where the paying parent receives extra unearned income of at least £2,500 a year. This includes rental income from property or land, dividends, and interest from savings and investments.

Cases involving complex income can be investigated by the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU). This is a specialist team which can request information from financial institutions (such as banks, investment companies and mortgage companies) to check the accuracy of information the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is given.

The Child Maintenance Service has committed to reviewing the child maintenance calculation to make sure it fits current and future social trends. This review looks at fairness, family relations, sustainability, compliance, simplifying rates, work progression, including unearned income and assets, and how it interacts with other policies, such as Universal Credit.

Andrew Western
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will meet with the hon. member for Taunton and Wellington to discuss delays to the monthly retirement benefit payments suffered by his constituent.

I am always happy to meet with colleagues. I will ask my office to contact the Hon. Member to arrange.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
19th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of carers in receipt of Carer's Allowance do not receive any additional income from paid employment.

Data from the Family Resource Survey (FRS) 2023/2024, shows that around 61% of families in receipt of Carer’s Allowance in England and Wales did not also have someone in paid employment. This includes self-employment and part-time employment.

Baroness Sherlock
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what consultation her Department has conducted with (a) users, (b) support workers and (c) deliverers of Access to Work before implementing changes to the operational delivery of Access to Work.

Since the beginning of this Parliament the Department for Work and Pensions has taken steps to improve operational guidance and process to ensure Access to Work grants are awarded consistently and as quickly as possible. No significant changes have been made which would entail a consultation or impact assessment.

As part of our Plan for Change, and as set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper published in March, we are consulting on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the programme to help more disabled people into work and support employers, ensuring value for money for taxpayers. We will review all aspects of the Scheme following the conclusion of the consultation and carefully assess the impact of any proposed changes.


We encourage people to have their views and voices heard on how they think the programme and the welfare system could be improved.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) equality and (b) human rights impact assessments have been conducted on the proposed changes to the operational delivery of Access to Work.

Since the beginning of this Parliament the Department for Work and Pensions has taken steps to improve operational guidance and process to ensure Access to Work grants are awarded consistently and as quickly as possible. No significant changes have been made which would entail a consultation or impact assessment.

As part of our Plan for Change, and as set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper published in March, we are consulting on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the programme to help more disabled people into work and support employers, ensuring value for money for taxpayers. We will review all aspects of the Scheme following the conclusion of the consultation and carefully assess the impact of any proposed changes.


We encourage people to have their views and voices heard on how they think the programme and the welfare system could be improved.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
21st May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) food banks there are, (b) donations made to food banks and (c) people who used foodbanks in (i) Slough and (b) the South East in 2024.

The Department does not hold information on the number food banks there are, nor the number of donations made to food banks in (i) Slough and (ii) the South East in 2024.

Regional breakdowns of the number of individuals living in households that accessed a food bank in the 12 months prior to interview are available on Stat-Xplore - Home. Disaggregation by geographical regions should be presented as three-year averages. This is because single-year regional estimates are considered too volatile.

We are committed to tackling food poverty and ending mass dependence of emergency food parcels. To inform this work, DWP officials have engaged with a range of organisations to better understand the complex food poverty landscape. We also continue to provide substantial funding to Local Authorities to support those most in need and are extending the Household Support Fund (HSF) by a further year until March 2026, providing funding of £742 million in England. This will ensure low-income households can continue to access support towards the cost of essentials, such as food.

We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty so this will be the foundation of our approach. Our plan to Make Work Pay, will help more people to stay in work, improve job security and boost living standards, including by increasing the National Living Wage to £12.21 an hour to boost the pay of three million workers. It is a core part of the mission to grow the economy, raise living standards across the country and create opportunities for all.

Alison McGovern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
21st May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department is taking steps to (a) provide guidance to, (b) help seek redress for and (c) otherwise help support people affected by HSBC historically deducting a portion of its workers' occupational pensions when they reached State Pension age.

Integrated pensions are intended to provide people who retire before their State Pension age with a similar pension income before and after their State Pension comes into payment. A member’s scheme pension is calculated so that the scheme pays a higher pension before the person reaches State Pension age, which is then reduced at State Pension age to take account of their State Pension.

If members of an integrated pension scheme believe that the scheme has not followed its rules or the relevant law, they should use the scheme’s internal dispute resolution service, which every scheme is required to have. If they are not satisfied with the outcome, they can take the matter to the Pensions Ombudsman.

They may also find it helpful to contact Money Helper, which provides free advice on all aspects of occupational pension schemes and personal pension schemes. Money Helper can be contacted by telephone on: 0800 011 3797 and more information is available on its website at: www.moneyhelper.org.uk

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
22nd May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of using mediation to facilitate an (a) easier and (b) speedier return to the workplace for people off work for (i) stress and (ii) mental health issues.

Employment Advisors in the jointly owned DWP-DHSC ‘Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies programme’ provide advice and support to those suffering with stress and/ or mental health conditions to remain in or return to work. Though not formal mediation, this support often includes liaising with employers to communicate the support that their clients need in the workplace. Additionally, if the client wishes, Employment Advisors can also work with NHS Talking Therapies patients and their employers to support returns to work following mental health-related absences.

Alison McGovern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the use of food banks in Surrey Heath constituency.

We are committed to tackling poverty and ending mass dependence on emergency food parcels. To inform this work, DWP officials have engaged with a range of organisations to better understand the complex food support landscape. We also continue to provide substantial funding to Local Authorities to support those most in need and extended the Household Support Fund by a further year until March 2026, providing funding of £742 million in England. This will ensure low-income households can continue to access support towards the cost of essentials, such as food.

Alongside this, the Child Poverty Taskforce is exploring all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty. The Strategy will look at four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience; and better local support especially in the early years. We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty. Our plan to Make Work Pay, will help more people to stay in work, improve job security and boost living standards, including by increasing the National Living Wage to £12.21 an hour to boost the pay of three million workers. It is a core part of the mission to grow the economy, raise living standards across the country and create opportunities for all.

Alison McGovern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of Personal Independence Payment recipients are in work in (a) Birmingham Northfield constituency, (b) Birmingham local authority area and (c) the West Midlands.

For the proportion of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants who are in work by different geographic breakdowns, please see table 1 below.

Table 1: the percentage of PIP claimants who are in work by different geographic breakdowns

Geography

Percentage of PIP claimants in work

Birmingham Northfield PC

18

Birmingham LA

15

West Midlands

19

Source(s): PIP Administrative Data and HMRC data

Notes:

  • Figures are for March 2024 which is the latest employment data available.
  • Figures only include claims made under normal rules and exclude claims made under Special Rules for End of Life (SREL).
  • Figures only include claimants who are working age.
  • Employment category includes self-employed as well as employees.
  • Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
19th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report published on 29 January by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, UK poverty 2025, which indicated that coastal areas in England have a disproportionate rate of child poverty.

The Child Poverty Taskforce is progressing work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy. This is underpinned by a full review of available evidence of which the Joseph Rowntree Foundation UK Poverty 2025 report is an important contribution.

The Taskforce recognises the distinct challenges of poverty faced by children living in coastal areas, and we are considering all children across the UK in the development of the strategy. To shape and inform these plans, the Taskforce is listening to experts and campaigners and engaging with families, charities, and leading organisations across the UK, including coastal communities.

The Strategy will look at levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience, and better local support especially in the early years. This will build on the reform plans underway across government and work underway in Devolved Governments.

The Strategy will be UK-wide, drawing on devolved and reserved levers and working closely with Devolved Governments, recognising the progress that has been made on their poverty strategies and policies, and in England, with mayors and other local leaders.

Baroness Sherlock
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
21st May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with employers organisations on the viability of multi-employer Collective Defined Contribution pension schemes.

The Department worked closely with a wide range of organisations, including those representing the interests of employers, in developing the policy and legislation to accommodate unconnected multiple employer collective defined contribution schemes.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
22nd May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the contractual right to substitution in gig economy delivery work on the Health and Safety Executive’s ability to monitor and enforce safe working conditions.

Health and safety law provides comprehensive protection to all workers. Gig economy workers should be treated no differently to other workers, irrespective of their employment contract. An employer must assess the risks created by the work activity and put measures in place to eliminate or control the risks.

Under health and safety law, employers must give their workers clear instructions and information, as well as adequate training and supervision. Employers and those who have control over work equipment (e.g. those hiring out work equipment) have responsibilities for equipment provided for use at work.

Health and safety legislation does not separately cover the specific issues of road and fire risk, nor the contractual arrangements for workers.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions her Department has had with app-based delivery companies on ensuring that health and safety protections in their workers' contracts are not undermined by the use of (a) substitution clauses and (b) accounts sublet by workers with no (i) formal agreement with and (ii) training from that company.

Health and safety law provides comprehensive protection to all workers. Gig economy workers should be treated no differently to other workers, irrespective of their employment contract. An employer must assess the risks created by the work activity and put measures in place to eliminate or control the risks.

Under health and safety law, employers must give their workers clear instructions and information, as well as adequate training and supervision. Employers and those who have control over work equipment (e.g. those hiring out work equipment) have responsibilities for equipment provided for use at work.

Health and safety legislation does not separately cover the specific issues of road and fire risk, nor the contractual arrangements for workers.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Health and Safety Executive has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the application of client duties by food delivery platforms who contract (a) self-employed riders and (b) self-employed riders who use (i) modified and (ii) potentially unsafe e-bikes.

Health and safety law provides comprehensive protection to all workers. Gig economy workers should be treated no differently to other workers, irrespective of their employment contract. An employer must assess the risks created by the work activity and put measures in place to eliminate or control the risks.

Under health and safety law, employers must give their workers clear instructions and information, as well as adequate training and supervision. Employers and those who have control over work equipment (e.g. those hiring out work equipment) have responsibilities for equipment provided for use at work.

Health and safety legislation does not separately cover the specific issues of road and fire risk, nor the contractual arrangements for workers.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Health and Safety Executive is taking to ensure that companies using self-employed food delivery riders comply with (a) their legal obligations as clients under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and (b) the duty to ensure the (i) competence of contractors and (ii) safety of systems of work involving (A) fire and (B) road risk.

Health and safety law provides comprehensive protection to all workers. Gig economy workers should be treated no differently to other workers, irrespective of their employment contract. An employer must assess the risks created by the work activity and put measures in place to eliminate or control the risks.

Under health and safety law, employers must give their workers clear instructions and information, as well as adequate training and supervision. Employers and those who have control over work equipment (e.g. those hiring out work equipment) have responsibilities for equipment provided for use at work.

Health and safety legislation does not separately cover the specific issues of road and fire risk, nor the contractual arrangements for workers.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
19th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of Personal Independence Payment recipients are in work in (a) Worsley and Eccles constituency, (b) Salford, (c) Wigan, (d) Greater Manchester City Region and (e) England and Wales.

For the proportion of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants who are in work by different geographic breakdowns, please see table 1 below.

Table 1: the percentage of PIP claimants who are in work by different geographic breakdowns

Geography

Percentage of PIP claimants in work

Worsley and Eccles

20

Salford

13

Wigan

19

Greater Manchester City Region

18

England and Wales

20

Source(s): PIP Administrative Data and HMRC data

Notes:

  • Figures are for March 2024 which is the latest employment data available.
  • Figures only include claims made under normal rules and exclude claims made under Special Rules for End of Life (SREL).
  • Figures only include claimants who are working age.
  • Employment category includes self-employed as well as employees.
  • Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
19th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government how many individuals in receipt of Universal Credit were exempt from the benefit cap because a member of their household was in receipt of Disability Living Allowance in (1) 2020–21, (2) 2021–22, (3) 2022–23, and (4) 2023–24.

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

Baroness Sherlock
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
19th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 52414 on Personal Independence Payment, how many recipients of PIP are forecast by her Department to lose their PIP Daily Living Entitlement after all PIP reassessments have taken place over the projected six year timeframe.

It would take 10 years for all claimants on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to be assessed under the new criteria as many claimants receive 10-year awards. For claimants receiving PIP when the 4-point policy is introduced in November 2026, we estimate that by 2036/37, 440,000 claimants will not receive the daily living component of PIP who would have under current rules, after behavioural effects are taken into account.

No one will lose access to PIP immediately. The changes, subject to parliamentary approval, would be brought in from November 2026. After that date, no one will lose PIP without first being reassessed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional, who assesses individual needs and circumstance. Reassessments happen on average every 3 years. Someone who didn’t score 4 points in an activity in a previous assessment may well score 4 points in a future assessment – not least as many conditions tend to get worse, not better, over time.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has taken into account expected behavioural changes in its numbers and determined that 370,000 (1 in 10) current PIP recipients may lose entitlement by 2029/30 at their next award review after changes to PIP eligibility come into effect in November 2026. We use the same methodology as the OBR to provide the comparable figure for 2036/37.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met. PIP is not based on condition diagnosis but on functional disability as the result of one or more conditions, and is awarded as a contribution to the additional costs which result.

We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment which I will lead, and we will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. We will provide further details as plans progress.

Even with these reforms, the overall number of people on PIP and DLA is expected to rise by 750,000 by the end of this parliament and spending will rise from £23bn in 2024/25 to £31bn in 2029/30.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how the National Jobs and Careers Service will complement the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025.

We are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers. Our new service will move away from the current one size fits all approach, recognising people are individuals with different support needs and will provide better tailored support. The new service will be universal and must work for everyone, including disabled people and those with health conditions.

We are committed to working with users of the new service, and organisations representing their needs, throughout the design process to ensure the new service is inclusive, accessible, and works for everyone. We are taking a test and learn approach to develop and launch the new service. We will ensure the design of the new service supports the delivery of the Pathways to Work guaranteed support offer as we develop it.

The new Jobs and Careers Service is part of the reforms outlined in the Get Britian Working White Paper, which in total, is backed by £240m for 2025/26. The reforms set out within this are on top of other areas of support we are already progressing including:

  • Connect to Work funding which will, in 2026/27, support up to 100,000 disabled people, those with health conditions or those with complex barriers to employment.
  • Deploying 1,000 work coaches in 2025/26 to specifically support around 65,000 disabled people and those with health conditions who are interested in moving into work.
  • WorkWell pilot, which joins up health and work support in 15 areas in England and is helping up to 56,000 people with support to remain in and get into jobs.
Alison McGovern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
15th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 9 May (HL6877), how they monitor and evaluate whether PIP assessors are appropriately applying the reliability criteria in cases involving fluctuating or invisible conditions; and how many cases have been overturned at the mandatory reconsideration or tribunal stages due to a failure to consider these criteria correctly by assessors.

DWP has set standards for the quality of assessments for all health professionals (HPs) conducting Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments on behalf of the department. The department closely monitors all aspects of the process including how HPs apply the criteria set out in legislation.

PIP assessments are conducted by fully qualified, clinical professionals (Doctors, Nurses, Paramedics, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Pharmacists) who have undergone a comprehensive training programme designed and approved by DWP. The quality of their advice is continually assured internally by the assessment suppliers and externally by the department's independent audit function.

Audit refers to a comprehensive check of the elements of the assessment, including the evidence collection, further evidence provided and the completion of the assessment report by the HP. The check is completed against a set of guidelines which ensures the criteria is applied appropriately and that a consistent approach is taken in all cases, including those involving fluctuating or invisible conditions. This ensures that assessment reports are fit for purpose, clinically justified and sound, and provide sufficient information for the department to make an informed decision on entitlement to benefit.

The department does not hold data on cases overturned at mandatory reconsideration or tribunal stages due to a failure by assessors to correctly consider reliability criteria in cases involving fluctuating or invisible conditions.

The recent Pathways to Work Green Paper has proposed that assessments should, in future, be recorded by default. It is hoped that this will give new opportunities to establish what has gone wrong when assessments are subsequently found to be incorrect, including when the fault has been a failure to assess correctly the impact of a fluctuating condition.

Baroness Sherlock
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
15th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 12 May (HL6876), whether the forthcoming review of the PIP assessment will include a specific focus group or panel comprising of individuals with fluctuating and neurological conditions, such as myasthenia gravis, to incorporate feedback from their lived experience in the review.

On 12 May, the Secretary of State announced in the House of Commons the start of the first phase of the review of the PIP assessment, which will be led by the Minister for Social Security and Disability. We will work with and listen closely to stakeholders to gather views on how best to approach the review before publishing the Terms of Reference.

The review will be guided by the principle that PIP is there to support disabled people with extra costs and to enable independent living, taking account of how the nature of disability and health conditions have changed since PIP was first introduced. The work to prepare the Terms of Reference will not include a specific focus group or panel comprising individuals with fluctuating and neurological conditions, but suggestions from such individuals about what the Terms of Reference should cover would be welcome.

Baroness Sherlock
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing flexibility within Universal Credit to enable greater labour market engagement.

This Government committed in its manifesto to review Universal Credit, to reduce poverty and make work pay. We believe that work continues to be the best way out of poverty, and growing the economy and driving up living standards across the country is this Government’s number one mission in our Plan for Change. This requires as many people as possible to realise the benefits of good work, and Universal Credit has a critical role to play in achieving this goal. The review will consider changes to Universal Credit which could increase labour market engagement.

We have already taken positive steps through the Get Britain Working White Paper which set out the biggest reforms to employment support for a generation and we are giving people on health benefits the opportunity to try work by legislating to guarantee that work in and of itself will never lead to a reassessment.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
14th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people in receipt of the Personal Independence Payment enhanced daily living component were awarded less than four points in all daily living activities in (a) York Central constituency, (b) City of York Local Authority area and (c) York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority area in the most recent period for which data is available.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’(opens in a new tab), including an Evidence Pack which contains the maximum points scored on any Daily Living activity by Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants, broken down by Parliamentary Constituency and Local Authority. For York Central constituency, 42% of people scored fewer than 4 points at last assessment.

As the information is not published in the way you have requested, information on the volume and proportion of PIP claimants who received a standard Daily Living award rate and scored less than four points in all daily living activities, by different geographical breakdowns can be found in Table 1 below. This should not be equated with the number who are likely to lose PIP. It’s important to make a clear distinction between the two, not least because we don’t want constituents to be unnecessarily fearful about their situation, when we understand many are already anxious.

No one will lose access to PIP immediately. The changes, subject to parliamentary approval, would be brought in from November 2026. After that date, no one will lose PIP without first being reassessed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional, who assesses individual needs and circumstance. Reassessments happen on average every 3 years. Someone who didn’t score 4 points in an activity in a previous assessment may well score 4 points in a future assessment – not least as many conditions tend to get worse, not better, over time.

After taking account of behavioural changes, OBR predicts that 370,000 people who will be receiving PIP at the point of implementation of the four point requirement in November 2026, will have lost their PIP Daily Living entitlement by 2029/30. Of all PIP recipients at the point of implementation, 9 in 10 will not lose PIP during the subsequent 3 years from this change. If the OBR’s behavioural assumptions for England and Wales were applicable to York and North Yorkshire, around one-fifth of current claimants shown in table 1 would no longer receive their daily living component following review.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met. PIP is not based on condition diagnosis but on functional disability as the result of one or more conditions, and is awarded as a contribution to the additional costs which result.

We also intend to launch a wider review of the PIP assessment which I will lead, and we will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. We will provide further details as plans progress.

Even with these reforms, the overall number of people on PIP and DLA is expected to rise by 750,000 by the end of this parliament and spending will rise from £23bn in 24/25 to £31bn in 29/30.

Table 1: volume and percentage of PIP claimants who are in receipt of the daily living award rate and scored less than four points in all daily living activities by different geographical breakdowns

Geographical breakdowns

Standard Daily Living

Enhanced Daily Living

Volume of claimants who scored <4 points

Percentage of claimants who scored <4 points

Volume of claimants who scored <4 points

Percentage of claimants who scored <4 points

York Central Parliamentary Constituency

1,400

83%

300

12%

City of York Local Authority

2,200

83%

400

11%

York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority

10,700

85%

1,800

11%

England and Wales

1,121,100

87%

203,000

13%

Notes:

  • Data is for January 2025 caseload.
  • Volumes are rounded to the nearest 100.
  • Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole percentage.
  • Data includes working aged claimants only.
  • Data includes normal rules claimants only, and excludes special rules for end of life (SREL) claimants as they typically receive maximum or very high scores.
  • Claimants with missing point scores have been excluded from the data.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the number of people who are providing unpaid care for a relative or loved one in Aldridge-Brownhills constituency.

The DWP does not hold data on the number of people who are providing unpaid care for a relative or loved ones in the Aldridge-Brownhills constituency.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she has taken to reduce wait times for Access to Work support.

We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work and are considering the best way to deliver that for customers. Delivery practices have been streamlined, and the number of staff processing claims increased. Since May 2024, 118 additional staff have been redeployed to support Access to Work.

We prioritise applications from customers due to start a role within four weeks.

In March 2025, the department published the Pathways to Work Green Paper, to consult on the future of Access to Work. We will review all aspects of the Scheme following the conclusion of the consultation.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
19th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty on the work of her Department.

The Department for Work and Pensions treats its responsibilities under the Armed Forces Covenant very seriously and has a number of special rules and arrangements in place.

These range from National Insurance Credits for forces spouses who have a gap in their records because they have accompanied their partner overseas; to exemptions to residency tests to those who have served abroad; to a network of Armed Forces Champions in Jobcentres who provide expert help and support to those veterans who need it most.

As we reform and modernise our services, and make other changes, we will, of course, continue to consider the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant.

Andrew Western
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by how much has the level of funding for the Access to Work scheme changed in the last 12 months.

Access to Work expenditure data is published in the annual Access to Work Official Statistics publication. The most recently available data available is for the financial year 2023/24: Access to Work statistics: April 2007 to March 2024 - GOV.UK.

The Department intends to publish expenditure data for the financial year 2024/25 in the next official statistics release which we expect to publish in September or October 2025. Forecast expenditure for this period, which includes some outturn data, is published in the Benefit Expenditure and Caseload Tables 2025: Benefit expenditure and caseload tables 2025 - GOV.UK

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to PIP eligibility on the (a) health and (b) economic security of people living with mental illnesses.

No such assessment has been made. We are taking action to focus PIP more on those with the greatest needs, by introducing a new eligibility requirement. The change to the PIP eligibility criteria will mean that people with a higher level of functional need – for example, people who are unable to complete activities at all, or who require more help from others to complete them – still receive PIP.

We are also taking action to get the basics right and improve the experience for people who use the system of health and disability benefits as set out in the Green Paper. This includes exploring ways to improve PIP assessments through digitalising transfer of medical information, using evidence from eligibility for other services to reduce the need for people with very severe health conditions to undergo functional assessments and improving communication with people receiving awards who are expected to remain on disability benefits for life.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met. PIP is not based on condition diagnosis but on functional disability as the result of one or more conditions, and is awarded as a contribution to the additional costs which result.

We also intend to launch a wider review of the PIP assessment which I will lead, and we will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. We will provide further details as plans progress.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’(opens in a new tab).A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, on (a) benefits advisory services and (b) charities.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper. A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

There will be no immediate changes. Changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) eligibility and the rebalancing of Universal Credit (UC) are not coming into effect immediately. Our intention is these changes will start to come into effect from April 2026 for UC and November 2026 for PIP, subject to parliamentary approval.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met.

We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment which I will lead, and we will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. We will provide further details as plans progress.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed welfare reforms on the capacity of the Household Support Fund.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper. A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

The Government has extended the Household Support Fund by a further year, from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2026. This will ensure vulnerable households in the most need can continue to access support towards the cost of essentials, such as energy, water and food. No decision has been made at this stage on funding beyond the end of March 2026. As with all other government programmes, any such funding will be considered in the round at Phase 2 of the Spending Review.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will issue guidance on raising an issue of safety on a housing development where the operators are aware of the risks.

The Health and Safety Executive already provide guidance on raising health and safety issues in a workplace or public space. This can be found on their website www.hse.gov.uk/contact/tell-us-about-a-health-and-safety-issue.htm

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
19th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's report entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment on people under 25 years of age with cancer; and whether people under 25 years of age with cancer and currently in receipt in Personal Independence Payment will continue to be eligible under the proposed reforms.

We have committed to introduce a new requirement that claimants must score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).  Age will not be a factor in this.

We will always protect the most vulnerable. The PIP assessment considers the needs arising from a long-term health condition or disability, not the health condition or disability itself. Therefore, the impact in each case will depend on an individual’s circumstances. For those already on PIP, the changes will only apply from November 2026 at their next award review, subject to parliamentary approval. People will be reviewed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional and assessed on individual needs and circumstance. Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’(opens in a new tab).

There will be no change for a person claiming PIP under “Special Rules for End of Life” (SREL). They will not require a consultation and will automatically be awarded the enhanced rate of daily living as is the current process.

Most people receiving PIP now will still receive it after these reforms. In the Green Paper, we are consulting on how best to support those who do lose entitlement, including how to make sure health and care needs are met.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support young people not able to work due to primary caring responsibilities.

As announced in the “Get Britain Working” White Paper, we are launching a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 in England to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work.

Young people (16-24) who have full-time caring responsibilities may be eligible for Universal Credit which provides additional financial support for primary carers of children and those who provide unpaid care for a person who is receiving an eligible disability benefit. They are not required to work but can ask for employment support if they want to combine caring with work. If they are in Work Focused Interview or Work Preparation groups, they can voluntarily access the Youth Offer. DWP offers an extensive range of support through jobcentres and local partners. Childcare support is available for those with childcare responsibilities to enable them to work as well as care for their children.

Alison McGovern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
19th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to page 10 of Young Lives vs Cancer’s report entitled The cost of waiting, published in March 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of average time from diagnosis to first payment of disability benefits; what steps is she taking to reduce processing times for disability benefits' applications from young people with cancer; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of reducing the three month period from diagnosis before young people with cancer can apply for disability benefits.

Entitlement to Disability Living Allowance for children (DLAc) under 16 and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for young people from age 16 are assessed based on the additional care/daily living and mobility needs arising from a long-term disability or health condition, rather than a diagnosis of a condition or disability itself.

We are committed to ensuring children and young people can access financial support in a timely manner and have increased the number of staff to respond to the increase in claim volumes.

Individual needs and circumstances vary, so the 3-month qualifying period helps establish the resulting care/daily living and mobility needs are of a long-standing nature. It provides a division between short term disability and long-term disability. The qualifying period commences from the point that additional needs start, rather than when a condition is diagnosed. A diagnosis is not required before a young person or their carer can apply for benefit, therefore the department has no information on when a diagnosis is made.

Applications under the special rules for end of life, where life expectancy is 12 months or less, do not have to satisfy the three-month qualifying period. The claim is fast tracked, and the person is eligible for the higher-rate care/daily living component from the date of claim.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
19th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she expects the Child Poverty Strategy to be published.

The Child Poverty Taskforce is developing an ambitious cross-government strategy focused on long-term change and improving children’s life chances. The Strategy will look at levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience, and better local support especially in the early years.

We will bring forward the Child Poverty Strategy as soon as we are able.

Alison McGovern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
20th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that autism is considered in delivery plans for the Get Britain Working White Paper, published on 26 November 2024.

A range of stakeholders have provided input and expertise to support policy development and delivery of the reforms outlined in the Get Britain Working White Paper.

Our aim is to create an inclusive labour market in which everybody – including neurodivergent people – can participate and progress in work. We will do this by developing a new Jobs and Careers service, which will be accessible and inclusive for all users, and will provide personalised and tailored support to those looking to find or progress in work. It will also work in partnership with other local services, helping people to access the employment, health and skills support they need in their community.

Additionally, the Keep Britain Working review is exploring how employers can support healthy and inclusive workplaces. Findings from the initial discovery phase were published in March, and now the review Chair and team are engaging with a range of stakeholders to discuss the problems and how they can be addressed.

Finally, we have launched an independent panel of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity to advise us on boosting neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. Many of the panel are diagnosed or identify as neurodivergent and/or have familial experience alongside their professional experience and expertise. Recommendations are expected to include employer actions that can support the inclusion of neurodivergent people, including in recruitment and day to day workplace practices.

Alison McGovern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
19th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the report entitled A Clean Start in Life, published by In Kind Direct on 2 May 2025.

Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. The Child Poverty Taskforce is continuing its urgent work and is exploring all available levers, including considering social security reforms, to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty.

The Strategy will tackle overall child poverty as well as going beyond that to focus on children in deepest poverty lacking essentials, and what is needed to give every child the best start in life. We are focused on reducing and alleviating the effects of child poverty to improve children’s lives and life chances now and tackle the root causes of child poverty in the long term.

The Strategy will look at four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience; and better local support especially in the early years. This will build on the reform plans underway across government and work underway in Devolved Governments.

The vital work of the Taskforce comes alongside our commitments to triple investment in breakfast clubs to over £30 million, introduce a Fair Repayment Rate for deductions from Universal Credit, improve the adequacy of the standard allowance with the first sustained above inflation rise in the basic rate of Universal Credit since it was introduced and increase the National Living Wage to £12.21 an hour to boost the pay of three million workers.

To further support struggling households, we have provided funding of £742 million to extend the Household Support Fund from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 in England, plus additional funding for the Devolved Governments.

Alison McGovern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
19th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to consult with young people with autism during the development of the Youth Employment Strategy.

We know that young people with autism can face significant barriers to seeking and remaining in employment.

We have ambitious plans to better support our young people to lead fulfilling lives and careers as set out in the Get Britain Working white paper and Pathways to Work green paper.

The government is committed to consulting with stakeholders, including young people with health conditions and those who are neurodivergent. We will run a series of collaboration committees with a wide range of stakeholders.

We are also in the process of establishing the Disability Advisory Panel to connect the Department to more voices and perspectives and improve how we collaborate with disabled people. The Disability Advisory Panel will be a strategic advisory panel consisting of up to 12 disabled people and individuals with long-term health conditions, supporting on longer-term strategic aims and specific policy design. We will finalise the workplan together with the Chair and Panel.

The Youth Advisory Guarantee Panel as part of the Youth Guarantee is being shaped and informed by the voices and lived experiences of young people, including autistic and neurodiverse young people, building on the Youth Voice Forum, established in collaboration with the Department for Education, Youth Futures Foundation and Youth Employment UK.

In addition, in January 2025, we launched an independent panel of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity to advise employers and government on boosting neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. This will build on the work of the independently led Buckland Review which focused more specifically on autism employment. The panel will report in the summer.

Alison McGovern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)