Department for Work and Pensions

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has undertaken research into how businesses are adopting AI and its implications for workplace health and safety. This research has examined the use of AI in developing health and safety provisions across a wide range of sectors, including construction and logistics.

HSE is working with industry partners to develop benchmarks that enable best use of AI in workplaces. It is also contributing toward the development of international standards for AI interaction with machinery and functional safety.

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

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

Access to Work staff are trained to assess applications from all disability groups and individual impairments, taking account of each customer’s needs and circumstances. Staff are able to access specific support relating to individual impairments where necessary.

Where specialist advice is required to inform the outcome, Access to Work staff may arrange a workplace assessment through one of its contracted providers to help identify appropriate adjustments and support to address workplace barriers.

Responsibility for the terms and administration of the Scheme sits with Motability Foundation and its Board of Governors. This includes how they will determine what circumstances the reduction in mileage allowance can be mitigated.

Motability have indicated that they will be introducing an exceptions process for very limited situations and will share an update before 1 July.

Obtaining this information would require a manual review of individual claims and could be done only at disproportionate cost.

The Synergy Business Process Services (BPS) has now been awarded, and this information has therefore been published and can be accessed via the GOV.UK “Contract Finder” – Procurement reference: CF-0020000DQH00000FUqLV2A1

The data relates to DWP leavers within Child Maintenance Service, Retirement Services, and Universal Credit Operations. It includes both paid and unpaid leavers and covers the period from 1 January 2025 to 31 March 2026.

The Child Support Agency (CSA) does not publish a standalone Annual Report and Accounts. Information regarding the performance of the Child Maintenance Service can be found in the Annual Reports and Accounts 2024-25 linked here - DWP Annual Report and Accounts 2024 to 25

In 2025 DWP launched an Expert Academic Panel on Neurodiversity. Bringing together multidisciplinary experts, the Panel examined why neurodivergent people often experience poor outcomes at work and lower employment rates. We have received the Panel’s report and are carefully considering its recommendations, including those around what further actions employers can take.

Research by the Arbitration, Conciliation and Advisory Service (ACAS) highlights that managers are key to supporting neurodivergent employees but often lack the necessary training and confidence to do so effectively. Consequently, earlier this year DWP funded ACAS to deliver free of charge masterclasses to small and medium size employers on recruiting and supporting neurodivergent talent in the workplace. Over 1800 representatives of small and medium sized employers attended these masterclasses.

DWP's offer to employers also includes a digital information service, www.support-with-employee-health-and-disability.dwp.gov.uk/ which provides tailored guidance to employers to support employees to remain in work. This includes guidance on disclosures and having conversations about health and disability, plus guidance on legal obligations, including making reasonable adjustments.

From April 2025 to March 2026, a total of 1,769 complaints has been received.

April 2025 - 155 received

May 2025 - 154 received

June 2025 - 149 received

July 2025 - 166 received

August 2025 - 98 received

September 2025 - 125 received

October 2025 - 149 received

November 2025 - 142 received

December 2025 - 119 received

January 2026 - 171 received

February 2026 - 154 received

March 2026 - 187 received

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

As a statutory consultee to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) process for the Peak Cluster pipeline, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has responded to the Planning Inspectorate at the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Stage confirming whether the proposed pipeline passes through the Consultation Distances of other major accident hazard pipelines, major hazard sites, or licensed explosives sites.

Under the Pipeline Safety Regulations 1996, as amended, the operator of a major hazard pipeline is required to produce a major accident prevention document prior to the design of the pipeline being completed, demonstrating that major accident hazard potential arising from the pipeline has been identified; evaluation of those risks has been carried out; and that an adequate safety management system for those risks is in place.

The requested information on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) registrations and clearances by constituency can be found on Stat Xplore.

In August 2025 we introduced foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, such as construction and health and social care, enabling them to earn a wage while developing vital skills.

Foundation apprenticeships are designed to support those young people who want to gain a broad grounding in a sector before they commit to progress into a more specific or more advanced occupation.

As foundation apprenticeships are a new offer we understand providers and employers will need time to incorporate them into their businesses.

In addition, other apprenticeships continue to support young people to gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for a specific occupation.

Apprenticeship and foundation apprenticeship starts are published here: Apprenticeships, Academic year 2025/26 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK. The latest published data shows that there have been 110 foundation apprenticeship starts so far this academic year (Aug 2025 - Jan 2026).

To create more opportunities for young people at the start of their careers, we are expanding foundation apprenticeships into hospitality and retail from April 2026. These sectors traditionally employ large numbers of young people and offer strong entry points into sustained employment with clear progression routes across England.

They will have employer payments of up to £2,000 employer payment to support with the additional costs of taking on and supporting a young person at the start of their career.

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) are an independent Public Corporation. It has agreed a contract with Lisa Ellis Bespoke Business Solutions. The contract is £12,000 per year for 3 years (no VAT charged). There are no other contracts in place for the provision of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion support to ONR staff.

Over the past 12 months, 30 individuals with a Personal Independence Payment Special Rules award reached the end of their three-year award period and had benefits reassessed.

Monthly breakdowns cannot be provided due to disclosure control. In the majority of months over the last 12-month period, there were fewer than 5 Special Rules for End of Life claims which reached their award period’s end and were reassessed.

Notes:

- The figure provided is rounded to the nearest 10.

- The figure is for claimants under DWP policy ownership (England, Wales and abroad) and exclude claimants where PIP has been devolved to the Scottish Government in Scotland or the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.

The Equality Act 2010 places a general duty on businesses and service providers to make reasonable adjustments to allow disabled people, including people with assistance dogs, access to goods and services so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Equality Act. It has published guidance - ‘Assistance Dogs: a guide for businesses and service providers’ - to help businesses and service providers understand what they can do to meet their legal duties to assistance dog owners.

Duties and protections under the Equality Act are ultimately enforceable through the courts, and anybody who thinks that they have been discriminated against - including where access to an assistance dog has been refused - can take legal action to seek to resolve the issue. The EHRC will support people who have experienced discrimination through that process.

This Government supports Guide Dogs UK’s ‘Open Doors’ campaign which aims to achieve the fullest possible access for owners of guide dogs and assistance dogs and has met Guide Dogs UK several times over the last 18 months. I have also met with other MPs and continued discussions with stakeholders on how to improve access to public spaces for disabled people with assistance dogs. This Government will continue to reinforce the message that assistance dogs should be allowed access to businesses and services, except in the most exceptional circumstances.

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 cover a wide range of basic health, safety and welfare issues and apply to most workplaces. Employers and building owners have to provide suitable welfare facilities for all workers.

The Regulations and guidance provide minimum requirements in relation to those facilities. I understand that The High Court judgment is being appealed against, and it would not be appropriate to comment while legal proceedings are continuing. In general terms, employers and building owners do need to consider other requirements such as those in Building Regulations and associated Approved Documents for new buildings, as well as their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010.

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) provides the established statutory framework for reporting work-related fatalities, injuries, occupational diseases, and certain dangerous occurrences, including near misses. RIDDOR ensures that significant work-related incidents are reported to the relevant enforcing authority so risks can be identified, trends monitored and appropriate regulatory action taken where necessary to improve health and safety standards in Great Britain.

RIDDOR applies regardless of how an incident is identified or recorded by duty-holders. Employers and others with duties under RIDDOR are responsible for reporting incidents that meet the legal criteria, and there is already a standardised national reporting process in place.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched a public consultation on 7 April 2026 seeking views on possible amendments to RIDDOR. This consultation includes proposals based on recommendations from its second postimplementation review, such as updates to occupational disease definitions and potential opportunities to streamline aspects of the reporting process. Stakeholders are invited to provide views on additional areas they believe should be considered, and we would encourage anyone interested in work-place incident reporting to engage with the consultation over the next 12 weeks.

The Government has taken important steps to improve the support available to help people with the cost of essentials and has legislated to deliver the first sustained above inflation rise in the basic rate of Universal Credit since it was introduced. In April 2026, the standard allowance rose by 3.8% in line with the Consumer Prices Index to September 2025, followed by a further 2.3%, meaning a single person aged 25 or over will receive around £295 more this year - over £110 more than if uprated by inflation alone.

Additional amounts are added to provide for individual needs such as housing, disability, and childcare costs. Each household will always have different requirements depending on their circumstances.

We will continue to consider evidence and insights from a range of organisations and people with lived experiences, to ensure the social security system provides the support people need.

The Government recognises that the level of household food insecurity in the UK is unacceptable. We have announced action to expand free school meals, support parents with the cost of healthy food in the school holidays with the Holidays and Activities and Food Programme and transform our food system to ensure it delivers access to affordable, healthy food. Over £600m has been confirmed for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for the next three financial years from 2026/27.

Government has also taken further action to support low-income households including through the increase in the National Living Wage to £12.71 an hour from April 2026.

On 1 April 2026 we launched a new Crisis and Resilience Fund. This longer-term funding approach aims to enable local authorities to provide preventative support to communities – working with the voluntary and community sector – as well as assisting people when faced with a financial crisis, to support our ambition to end mass dependence on emergency food parcels.

The Government has taken important steps to improve the support available to help people with the cost of essentials and has legislated to deliver the first sustained above inflation rise in the basic rate of Universal Credit since it was introduced. In April 2026, the standard allowance rose by 3.8% in line with the Consumer Prices Index to September 2025, followed by a further 2.3%, meaning a single person aged 25 or over will receive around £295 more this year - over £110 more than if uprated by inflation alone.

Additional amounts are added to provide for individual needs such as housing, disability, and childcare costs. Each household will always have different requirements depending on their circumstances.

We will continue to consider evidence and insights from a range of organisations and people with lived experiences, to ensure the social security system provides the support people need.

The Government recognises that the level of household food insecurity in the UK is unacceptable. We have announced action to expand free school meals, support parents with the cost of healthy food in the school holidays with the Holidays and Activities and Food Programme and transform our food system to ensure it delivers access to affordable, healthy food. Over £600m has been confirmed for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for the next three financial years from 2026/27.

Government has also taken further action to support low-income households including through the increase in the National Living Wage to £12.71 an hour from April 2026.

On 1 April 2026 we launched a new Crisis and Resilience Fund. This longer-term funding approach aims to enable local authorities to provide preventative support to communities – working with the voluntary and community sector – as well as assisting people when faced with a financial crisis, to support our ambition to end mass dependence on emergency food parcels.

In the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, we have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Existing measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants. Our Supported Employment programme, Connect to Work is being delivered by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC), and is supporting disabled people, people with health conditions and people with complex barriers to employment.

DEAs in the Jobcentres supporting the constituency hold in-depth Work Ability conversations that focus on strengths, suitable work options, workplace adjustments and confidence building. There is a Weekly Wednesday Job Club for Berkhamsted customers. As part of the Pathways to Work initiative, DEAs work in collaboration with HCC to deliver joined-up services for residents by supporting disabled people into employment through our Connect to Work programme and referrals to Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies.

DWP is also working with the NHS and HCC as part of the Get Hertfordshire Working strategic plan. Representatives from DWP and the NHS co-chair the Work and Health subgroup of the plan. This group is working with local employers and key partners from the statutory, education and voluntary sectors to support residents with health conditions to both stay in and return to work through a range of activities such as employment and skills training and through providing support in managing their health conditions. The group is also developing employment pathways such as work experience, internships and apprenticeships with partner agencies.

There is a strong and persistent demand for welding specialists, driven by major infrastructure programmes, advanced manufacturing, defence requirements and clean energy investment. This demand is compounded by a significant proportion of the current welding workforce approaching retirement, with a large proportion due to retire by 2027(RapidWelding).

This accelerates turnover in skilled roles and magnifies the urgency for faster training throughput and progression pathways.

DWP/Skills England has proactively responded to the anticipated shortage of welders by introducing a new apprenticeship unit in mechanised welding. This initiative is designed to reskill the existing workforce and re‑engage experienced individuals who may have previously been forced into early retirement.

Furthermore, DWP has fast‑tracked the introduction of a new apprenticeship unit in metal fabrication, with the intention that it will enter delivery from May.

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

The Government ensures everyone has access to free, impartial pensions guidance through the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS). MaPS’ MoneyHelper guidance is available to individuals at any age and covers all areas of UK pensions.

For those that wish to make decisions about their pension savings, we are transforming the advice and guidance landscape through targeted support, which went live earlier this month. This will enable FCA-authorised firms to proactively suggest appropriate products or courses of action to customers of any age, using limited information about the customer and their circumstances.

MaPS is also making good progress in delivering pensions dashboards. Enabling individuals of any age to view their pensions picture securely in one place online will remove a significant barrier to engagement and support better retirement planning. Users will be signposted to further guidance and information within MoneyHelper to assist their decision making, and we are working closely with MaPS to develop this.

The Government is working with industry to develop sector Jobs Plans for all growth-driving sectors identified by the Industrial Strategy, and for construction. These plans will build on the Industrial Strategy Sector Plans and provide a clear direction of travel for government and industry to develop the domestic workforce together.

Jobs Plans set out ambitious action addressing the workforce needs in each sector over the next three years. We aim to publish jobs plans in the summer (clean energy have already published a jobs plan). Welding is likely to feature in several plans as it cuts across different industries including clean energy, construction and advanced manufacturing.

Skills England and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) work closely together to make sure the UK’s jobs, growth and industrial plans are matched by the right skills supply - nationally and locally.

DWP/Skills England is addressing anticipated shortages of welders by introducing a new mechanised welding apprenticeship unit. This will reskill the existing workforce and help re‑engage experienced workers who may have left the sector early.

In addition, DWP has fast‑tracked a new metal fabrication apprenticeship unit, due to begin delivery from May.

There are a number of apprenticeship standards relevant to welding, including the Level 2 Welder standard and the Level 3 Plate Welder standard.

To support employers, including those in welding and associated occupations, to take on apprentices, the government provides a range of financial support. We are introducing a new hiring grant of £2,000 for non-levy paying employers (essentially SMEs) that take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees. It will apply to apprenticeship starts from October, as long as the apprentice has joined their employer within the past three months. Employers hiring apprentices aged 18-24 who have been on Universal Credit for over six months will also be eligible for the new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant from June 2026.

Additionally, from August 2026 we will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers, including those in welding occupations, for eligible people aged 16-24. At the moment, this only happens for apprentices aged 16-21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care.

The government also pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in local authority care. On top of this, employers are not required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year).

To give employers greater flexibility and help them respond quickly to emerging skills gaps, we have also launched the first apprenticeship units, funded from the Growth and Skills Levy, and one of these is on mechanised welding.

The Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) is available in England to support low-income households reliant on LPG who are facing a crisis and need immediate financial support. It is for local authorities to determine individual need and the most appropriate form of support, using a person centred, needs based approach in line with the Fund’s guidance. The CRF does not offer business support.

This Government is committed to delivering an employment support system that is personalised to individual needs. All jobseekers are entitled to tailored and flexible support through Jobcentre Plus. Work Coaches offer personalised advice to help individuals secure roles which reflect their skills, qualifications and prior experience, alongside targeted job‑search support. The Department for Work and Pensions provides job‑seeking support through a range of channels that can benefit those already with professional experience, including the Find a Job website and financial assistance, for interviews or starting work, through the Flexible Support Fund. Furthermore, the reformed Jobs and Careers Service will place greater focus on career advice and progression and better matching of people’s experience with employer’s needs.

Where appropriate, Work Coaches also identify any skills gaps and signpost jobseekers to relevant training and provision, including Skills Bootcamps, apprenticeships, sector‑based work academy programmes (SWAPs), and free courses for jobs, as well as essential English, maths and digital skills. This flexible offer allows experienced jobseekers to update, adapt or build on existing skills to meet current labour market demand. Programmes such as SWAPs can be set up for any sector, allowing them to be responsive to local labour market needs and tailored to priority and emerging sectors across Districts in England and Scotland.

The Restart Scheme provides 12 months of personalised and tailored support targeted at those who have been on Universal Credit for 6 months or more and in the Intensive Work Search regime. Providers support participants to break down their employment barriers by developing a bespoke action plan built on understanding their employment history, skills and needs.

Additionally, many providers offer a dedicated pathway, providing participants with professional or executive experience access to specialist advisors and tailored support.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 April 2026 to Question UIN 122640.

UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for uprating.

This approach has been supported by successive governments over many years with priority given to those living in the UK when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.

People move abroad for many reasons, and it is for individuals to weigh up the factors involved. Information regarding the effect of living abroad on State Pension entitlement is available on GOV.UK.

UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for uprating.

This approach has been supported by successive governments over many years with priority given to those living in the UK when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.

People move abroad for many reasons, and it is for individuals to weigh up the factors involved. Information regarding the effect of living abroad on State Pension entitlement is available on GOV.UK.

UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for uprating.

This approach has been supported by successive governments over many years with priority given to those living in the UK when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.

People move abroad for many reasons, and it is for individuals to weigh up the factors involved. Information regarding the effect of living abroad on State Pension entitlement is available on GOV.UK.

We are committed to ensuring people can access financial support through Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in a timely manner. Reducing customer journey times for PIP claimants is a priority for the Department and we are working constantly to make improvements to our service, which is kept under regular review.

We always aim to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to review all available evidence, including that from the claimant.

The provision of Blue Badges is a devolved matter and administered by Local Authorities, using Department of Transport guidelines. Access to a Blue Badge is available to people who are not in receipt of a qualifying mobility benefit through a separate assessment carried out by the Local Authority.

The Department carries out and publishes analysis of projected future retirement incomes, which provides estimates of the number and proportion of working age individuals under saving for their retirement against different measures of adequacy. This analysis is broken down by different characteristics such as decade of retirement and pension provision which can be found on GOV.UK: Analysis of Future Pension Incomes 2025 - GOV.UK.

The Department carries out and publishes analysis of projected future retirement incomes, which provides estimates of the number and proportion of working age individuals under saving for their retirement against different measures of adequacy. This analysis is broken down by different characteristics such as decade of retirement and pension provision which can be found on GOV.UK: Analysis of Future Pension Incomes 2025 - GOV.UK.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notes:

- Values have been rounded to the nearest 10.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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