Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government why, from the next release of the benefit cap statistics, information on the youngest child in capped households will be suspended; and whether they propose to resume publication of those data in later releases.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department advised users on GOV.UK on 7 November 2023, that information on the age of youngest child for capped Housing Benefit households will be suspended from the next release of Benefit Cap statistics (due to be published on 12 December 2023). This is due to an issue with the quality of the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) statistical Child Benefit data, which is currently being investigated. We will reinstate the breakdown in the statistical series as soon as possible, in line with the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) Code of Practice for Statistics.
In May 2023, 91% of capped households were on Universal Credit (UC) and are not affected by this issue. The statistics for the age of youngest child in UC capped households will be published as normal on 12 December 2023.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of newly recognised refugees to apply for Universal Credit and receive a first payment within the 28-day move-on period.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Asylum Support is available to asylum seekers through the Home Office whilst their status is under consideration. This support continues for 28 days after refugee status is granted. A claim to Universal Credit can be made immediately once refugee status is granted and Asylum Support is not deducted from the Universal Credit award during the 28 days period. Individuals should not wait until the end of the 28 days to make a Universal Credit claim and have received guidance to encourage them to apply for Universal Credit as soon as they receive a decision on their asylum claim.
The first regular Universal Credit payment is usually made around five weeks after the claim is made. New claimants, including refugees, who need financial support before the end of their first assessment period can apply for a Universal Credit advance as soon as their ID and immigration status is verified. This will mean that they may be able to receive payments within the 28-day move-on period. This is an advance of up to 100% of their total expected award, which is paid back over a period of up to 24 months.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made on meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 1 in the UK.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to reducing poverty and supporting low-income families. We will spend around £276bn through the welfare system in Great Britain in 2023/24 including around £124bn on people of working age and children, and around £152 billion on pensioners. Of this, around £79 billion will be spent on benefits to support disabled people and people with health conditions.
From April, we uprated benefit rates and State Pensions by 10.1%, and in order to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions the benefit cap levels also increased by the same amount.
In 2021/22 there were 1.7 million fewer people in absolute poverty after housing costs than in 2009/10, including 400,000 fewer children, 1 million fewer working age adults and 200,000 fewer pensioners.
With almost one million job vacancies across the UK, our focus remains firmly on supporting individuals to move into and progress in work. This approach which is based on clear evidence about the importance of employment - particularly where it is full-time - in substantially reducing the risks of poverty. The latest statistics show that in 2021/22 working age adults living in workless families were 7 times more likely to be in absolute poverty after housing costs than working age adults in families where all adults work.
Through the ambitious package announced at the Spring budget we are delivering measures that are designed to support people to enter work, increase their working hours and extend their working lives.
To help people into work, our core Jobcentre offer provides a range of options, including face-to-face time with work coaches and interview assistance. In addition, there is specific support targeted towards young people, people aged 50 plus and job seekers with disabilities or health issues.
To support those who are in work, from 1 April 2023, the National Living Wage (NLW) increased by 9.7% to £10.42 an hour for workers aged 23 and over - the largest ever cash increase for the NLW. In addition, the voluntary in-work progression offer started to roll-out in April 2022. It is now available in all Jobcentres across Great Britain. We estimate that around 1.4m low-paid benefit claimants will be eligible for support to progress into higher-paid work.
This government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living which is why we are providing total support of over £94bn over 2022-23 and 2023-24 to help households and individuals with the rising bills.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remark by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 3 February 2022 (HL Deb col 1070) that the 28-day moving-on period "does not start until refugees have been issued with a biometric residence permit", why they have changed their policy towards the moving-on period; and, following the policy change, what actions they will take to ensure that people granted refugee status receive their Biometric Residence Permit at the same time they are informed that their claim for asylum has been granted.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
To reduce the number of people currently accommodated in hotels and other accommodation types, and therefore reduce costs and limit the burden on the taxpayer, we are reliant upon people who are no longer eligible for asylum support leaving the asylum accommodation estate as quickly as possible. This number is increasing due to significant efforts underway to clear the asylum backlog.
An individual remains eligible for asylum support for a prescribed period from the day they are notified of the decision on their asylum claim. Where someone is given notice that their asylum claim has been granted, their appeal has been allowed or their asylum claim has been refused but they have been given leave to enter or remain, the prescribed period in legislation is 28 days. There has been no change to the prescribed period.
Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as quickly as possible. We offer support through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing. Newly recognised refugees are entitled to housing assistance from their local authority and are treated as a priority need if they have children or are considered vulnerable. Individuals do not need to wait for their BRP to make a claim for benefits and are encouraged to do so as early as possible if they require them.
We are engaging the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, as well as our accommodation and support contractors including Migrant Help, on ensuring individuals can move on from asylum support as smoothly as possible.
We will consider evidence received from voluntary sector organisations and local authorities and will respond to them via the usual routes.
A notice to quit (NTQ) will only be issued once a person has been issued a biometric residence permit (BRP).
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their change of policy around the moving-on period for migrants in August 2023, what assessment they have made of the capacity of Migrant Help to provide support to refugees to navigate the move-on period through the Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility contract.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
To reduce the number of people currently accommodated in hotels and other accommodation types, and therefore reduce costs and limit the burden on the taxpayer, we are reliant upon people who are no longer eligible for asylum support leaving the asylum accommodation estate as quickly as possible. This number is increasing due to significant efforts underway to clear the asylum backlog.
An individual remains eligible for asylum support for a prescribed period from the day they are notified of the decision on their asylum claim. Where someone is given notice that their asylum claim has been granted, their appeal has been allowed or their asylum claim has been refused but they have been given leave to enter or remain, the prescribed period in legislation is 28 days. There has been no change to the prescribed period.
Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as quickly as possible. We offer support through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing. Newly recognised refugees are entitled to housing assistance from their local authority and are treated as a priority need if they have children or are considered vulnerable. Individuals do not need to wait for their BRP to make a claim for benefits and are encouraged to do so as early as possible if they require them.
We are engaging the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, as well as our accommodation and support contractors including Migrant Help, on ensuring individuals can move on from asylum support as smoothly as possible.
We will consider evidence received from voluntary sector organisations and local authorities and will respond to them via the usual routes.
A notice to quit (NTQ) will only be issued once a person has been issued a biometric residence permit (BRP).
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of people granted refugee status in the second quarter of 2023 having applied for asylum were supported by the Home Office under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 at the time they received the decision on their claim.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
To reduce the number of people currently accommodated in hotels and other accommodation types, and therefore reduce costs and limit the burden on the taxpayer, we are reliant upon people who are no longer eligible for asylum support leaving the asylum accommodation estate as quickly as possible. This number is increasing due to significant efforts underway to clear the asylum backlog.
An individual remains eligible for asylum support for a prescribed period from the day they are notified of the decision on their asylum claim. Where someone is given notice that their asylum claim has been granted, their appeal has been allowed or their asylum claim has been refused but they have been given leave to enter or remain, the prescribed period in legislation is 28 days. There has been no change to the prescribed period.
Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as quickly as possible. We offer support through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing. Newly recognised refugees are entitled to housing assistance from their local authority and are treated as a priority need if they have children or are considered vulnerable. Individuals do not need to wait for their BRP to make a claim for benefits and are encouraged to do so as early as possible if they require them.
We are engaging the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, as well as our accommodation and support contractors including Migrant Help, on ensuring individuals can move on from asylum support as smoothly as possible.
We will consider evidence received from voluntary sector organisations and local authorities and will respond to them via the usual routes.
A notice to quit (NTQ) will only be issued once a person has been issued a biometric residence permit (BRP).
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they have received from (1) local authorities, and (2) voluntary sector organisations, regarding the impact on refugees of the changes to the move-on period for people whose asylum claim has been granted.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
To reduce the number of people currently accommodated in hotels and other accommodation types, and therefore reduce costs and limit the burden on the taxpayer, we are reliant upon people who are no longer eligible for asylum support leaving the asylum accommodation estate as quickly as possible. This number is increasing due to significant efforts underway to clear the asylum backlog.
An individual remains eligible for asylum support for a prescribed period from the day they are notified of the decision on their asylum claim. Where someone is given notice that their asylum claim has been granted, their appeal has been allowed or their asylum claim has been refused but they have been given leave to enter or remain, the prescribed period in legislation is 28 days. There has been no change to the prescribed period.
Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as quickly as possible. We offer support through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing. Newly recognised refugees are entitled to housing assistance from their local authority and are treated as a priority need if they have children or are considered vulnerable. Individuals do not need to wait for their BRP to make a claim for benefits and are encouraged to do so as early as possible if they require them.
We are engaging the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, as well as our accommodation and support contractors including Migrant Help, on ensuring individuals can move on from asylum support as smoothly as possible.
We will consider evidence received from voluntary sector organisations and local authorities and will respond to them via the usual routes.
A notice to quit (NTQ) will only be issued once a person has been issued a biometric residence permit (BRP).
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many streamlined asylum processing questionnaires have been issued; how many claims have been withdrawn or refused following the non-return of a questionnaire; how many of the applications were successful on the basis of the questionnaire; and how many were referred for a further interview.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
The information requested is not held in a reportable format and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost as it would require a manual trawl of case records to retrieve.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer of Lord Murray of Blidworth on 28 June (HL8499), why long delays are occurring for the delivery of BOTC (F) and BOTC (M) registration certificates to the British High Commissions located in the Caribbean region.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
We aim to decide all straight-forward applications within the six-month service standard. After a decision is made, the certificate is securely sent to the overseas post via the diplomatic bag through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Delivery times can vary depending on when the next bag is dispatched, which ranges from weekly to fortnightly depending on the destination. These bags can be tracked by the Home Office if details of dispatch date and destination are provided to FCDO.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government why many applicants on the BIOT (Chagossian) citizenship registration route must wait longer than the six-month target to receive approval notifications, ceremonies and certificates at the High Commission in Port Louis; why the first people who have been approved under the Chagossian route since March 2023 are past the 12-week wait for an invitation to attend their British Overseas Territory Citizenship and British Citizenship ceremony, including where their certificates have already been sent by post; and why it is not possible to track applications.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
We aim to decide all straight-forward applications within the six-month service standard. After a decision is made, the certificate is securely sent to the overseas post via the diplomatic bag through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Delivery times can vary depending on when the next bag is dispatched, which ranges from weekly to fortnightly depending on the destination. These bags can be tracked by the Home Office if details of dispatch date and destination are provided to FCDO.