Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what headcount they expect integrated care boards to have in March 2028 as part of the ambition to reduce staffing by up to 50 per cent across Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, and integrated care boards; and what is the baseline against which that element of the reduction will be measured.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Noble Baroness to the detailed plans set out in my Written Statement HLWS1049 made on 12 November 2025, and to the impact assessment that has been laid before the House, a copy of which is attached. We will provide further updates on staffing matters on an ongoing basis as the plans we have set out are delivered.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 2 March (HL14550), how many NHS England employees they currently expect (1) to transfer into the Department of Health and Social Care, (2) to transfer to integrated care boards or other NHS bodies, and (3) to leave employment, as a consequence of the abolition of NHS England.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Noble Baroness to the detailed plans set out in my Written Statement HLWS1049 made on 12 November 2025, and to the impact assessment that has been laid before the House, a copy of which is attached. We will provide further updates on staffing matters on an ongoing basis as the plans we have set out are delivered.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what headcount and full-time equivalent staffing level they expect the restructured Department of Health and Social Care to have when the transfer of NHS England's functions is complete; and how this compares with the combined Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England workforce in March 2025.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Noble Baroness to the detailed plans set out in my Written Statement HLWS1049 made on 12 November 2025, and to the impact assessment that has been laid before the House, a copy of which is attached. We will provide further updates on staffing matters on an ongoing basis as the plans we have set out are delivered.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the NHS 10 Year Workforce Plan.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We will update the House on publication and timelines for the 10 Year Workforce Plan in the usual way, in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of Midlife MOTs were delivered (1) online, and (2) in person, in each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions has published management information on the number of claimants referred to and who attended the Jobcentre Plus Midlife MoT group sessions since the launch of the policy in January 2023 to June 2025. See “Jobcentre Plus Midlife MOT Group Sessions, January 2023 to June 2025”. Table 1 below provides a yearly breakdown of these figures. Providing data beyond June 2025 would exceed the cost limits in answering Parliamentary Questions.
Table 1 – Number of referrals and attendees to JCP Midlife MoT group sessions
| Number referred | Number attended |
2023 | 10,878 | 7,850 |
2024 | 46,841 | 36,785 |
2025 (Jan-June) | 110,156 | 82,220 |
Table 2 below shows an age breakdown of the volumes of individuals referred to and who attended a JCP Midlife MOT group session during January 2023 to June 2025. Providing data beyond June 2025 and by individual year would exceed the cost limits in answering Parliamentary Questions.
Table 2 Age group breakdown of referrals and starts to JCP Midlife MoT group sessions, January 2023 to June 25
Age | Referrals | Attended |
50-54 | 23,439 | 16,722 |
55-59 | 26,546 | 19,934 |
60-65 | 26,675 | 20,788 |
65 plus | 8,482 | 6,661 |
The DWP Midlife MOT website and the JCP Midlife MOT group sessions cover similar topics but are not directly comparable in terms of content. Figures for the two policies are as follows. From January 2024 to June 2025 there have been 85,142 individuals referred to and 64,105 individuals who have attended a Jobcentre Plus Midlife MoT group session.
Figures for the number of visitors to the DWP Midlife MoT website have been published as part of the evaluation of the DWP Midlife MoT website, see “Evaluation evidence from policies aimed at claimants aged 50 plus”. This report provides figures from Nov 2023 to March 2026. During this period the website was accessed by users 59,968 times by a total of 38,554 individuals. The evaluation did not collect any data on whether visits to the DWP Midlife MOT website influenced users’ behaviour. Providing further data on the JCP Midlife MoT group sessions and the DWP Midlife MoT website would exceed the costs limits for answering Parliamentary Questions.
DWP has published an evaluation of the Private Sector Midlife MOT scheme. See “Private Sector Midlife MOT Pilots qualitative research interim findings”. Low employer and participant uptake resulted in the pilots concluding early.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many individuals have received Midlife MOTs, broken down by age, in each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions has published management information on the number of claimants referred to and who attended the Jobcentre Plus Midlife MoT group sessions since the launch of the policy in January 2023 to June 2025. See “Jobcentre Plus Midlife MOT Group Sessions, January 2023 to June 2025”. Table 1 below provides a yearly breakdown of these figures. Providing data beyond June 2025 would exceed the cost limits in answering Parliamentary Questions.
Table 1 – Number of referrals and attendees to JCP Midlife MoT group sessions
| Number referred | Number attended |
2023 | 10,878 | 7,850 |
2024 | 46,841 | 36,785 |
2025 (Jan-June) | 110,156 | 82,220 |
Table 2 below shows an age breakdown of the volumes of individuals referred to and who attended a JCP Midlife MOT group session during January 2023 to June 2025. Providing data beyond June 2025 and by individual year would exceed the cost limits in answering Parliamentary Questions.
Table 2 Age group breakdown of referrals and starts to JCP Midlife MoT group sessions, January 2023 to June 25
Age | Referrals | Attended |
50-54 | 23,439 | 16,722 |
55-59 | 26,546 | 19,934 |
60-65 | 26,675 | 20,788 |
65 plus | 8,482 | 6,661 |
The DWP Midlife MOT website and the JCP Midlife MOT group sessions cover similar topics but are not directly comparable in terms of content. Figures for the two policies are as follows. From January 2024 to June 2025 there have been 85,142 individuals referred to and 64,105 individuals who have attended a Jobcentre Plus Midlife MoT group session.
Figures for the number of visitors to the DWP Midlife MoT website have been published as part of the evaluation of the DWP Midlife MoT website, see “Evaluation evidence from policies aimed at claimants aged 50 plus”. This report provides figures from Nov 2023 to March 2026. During this period the website was accessed by users 59,968 times by a total of 38,554 individuals. The evaluation did not collect any data on whether visits to the DWP Midlife MOT website influenced users’ behaviour. Providing further data on the JCP Midlife MoT group sessions and the DWP Midlife MoT website would exceed the costs limits for answering Parliamentary Questions.
DWP has published an evaluation of the Private Sector Midlife MOT scheme. See “Private Sector Midlife MOT Pilots qualitative research interim findings”. Low employer and participant uptake resulted in the pilots concluding early.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many Midlife MOTs were delivered annually in the each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions has published management information on the number of claimants referred to and who attended the Jobcentre Plus Midlife MoT group sessions since the launch of the policy in January 2023 to June 2025. See “Jobcentre Plus Midlife MOT Group Sessions, January 2023 to June 2025”. Table 1 below provides a yearly breakdown of these figures. Providing data beyond June 2025 would exceed the cost limits in answering Parliamentary Questions.
Table 1 – Number of referrals and attendees to JCP Midlife MoT group sessions
| Number referred | Number attended |
2023 | 10,878 | 7,850 |
2024 | 46,841 | 36,785 |
2025 (Jan-June) | 110,156 | 82,220 |
Table 2 below shows an age breakdown of the volumes of individuals referred to and who attended a JCP Midlife MOT group session during January 2023 to June 2025. Providing data beyond June 2025 and by individual year would exceed the cost limits in answering Parliamentary Questions.
Table 2 Age group breakdown of referrals and starts to JCP Midlife MoT group sessions, January 2023 to June 25
Age | Referrals | Attended |
50-54 | 23,439 | 16,722 |
55-59 | 26,546 | 19,934 |
60-65 | 26,675 | 20,788 |
65 plus | 8,482 | 6,661 |
The DWP Midlife MOT website and the JCP Midlife MOT group sessions cover similar topics but are not directly comparable in terms of content. Figures for the two policies are as follows. From January 2024 to June 2025 there have been 85,142 individuals referred to and 64,105 individuals who have attended a Jobcentre Plus Midlife MoT group session.
Figures for the number of visitors to the DWP Midlife MoT website have been published as part of the evaluation of the DWP Midlife MoT website, see “Evaluation evidence from policies aimed at claimants aged 50 plus”. This report provides figures from Nov 2023 to March 2026. During this period the website was accessed by users 59,968 times by a total of 38,554 individuals. The evaluation did not collect any data on whether visits to the DWP Midlife MOT website influenced users’ behaviour. Providing further data on the JCP Midlife MoT group sessions and the DWP Midlife MoT website would exceed the costs limits for answering Parliamentary Questions.
DWP has published an evaluation of the Private Sector Midlife MOT scheme. See “Private Sector Midlife MOT Pilots qualitative research interim findings”. Low employer and participant uptake resulted in the pilots concluding early.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support older adults to gain the numerical and financial literacy skills to manage their finances ahead of and during retirement.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government recognises the importance of ensuring that people have the skills, knowledge and support necessary to manage their finances effectively and offers a range of initiatives to help individuals prepare ahead of and during retirement.
Adults in England can access funded Essential Skills provision, including numeracy courses, to help them develop practical maths skills for everyday life, including budgeting and managing household finances.
For those receiving benefits, work coaches can refer customers with numeracy skills gaps to appropriate training. In addition, Midlife MOTs delivered in Jobcentres help people aged over 50 on Universal Credit review their finances, skills and health, and signpost them to suitable support. A digital Midlife MOT is also available to everyone.
The government also supports financial capability through the Money and Pensions Service. Its MoneyHelper service provides free and impartial money and pensions guidance, budgeting tools and calculators, while Pension Wise offers free guidance appointments to people aged 50 and over to help them understand their pension options and make informed decisions about retirement.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the private sector Midlife MOT pilot scheme delivered in the North East of England, Cornwall and Devon, and East Anglia.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions has published management information on the number of claimants referred to and who attended the Jobcentre Plus Midlife MoT group sessions since the launch of the policy in January 2023 to June 2025. See “Jobcentre Plus Midlife MOT Group Sessions, January 2023 to June 2025”. Table 1 below provides a yearly breakdown of these figures. Providing data beyond June 2025 would exceed the cost limits in answering Parliamentary Questions.
Table 1 – Number of referrals and attendees to JCP Midlife MoT group sessions
| Number referred | Number attended |
2023 | 10,878 | 7,850 |
2024 | 46,841 | 36,785 |
2025 (Jan-June) | 110,156 | 82,220 |
Table 2 below shows an age breakdown of the volumes of individuals referred to and who attended a JCP Midlife MOT group session during January 2023 to June 2025. Providing data beyond June 2025 and by individual year would exceed the cost limits in answering Parliamentary Questions.
Table 2 Age group breakdown of referrals and starts to JCP Midlife MoT group sessions, January 2023 to June 25
Age | Referrals | Attended |
50-54 | 23,439 | 16,722 |
55-59 | 26,546 | 19,934 |
60-65 | 26,675 | 20,788 |
65 plus | 8,482 | 6,661 |
The DWP Midlife MOT website and the JCP Midlife MOT group sessions cover similar topics but are not directly comparable in terms of content. Figures for the two policies are as follows. From January 2024 to June 2025 there have been 85,142 individuals referred to and 64,105 individuals who have attended a Jobcentre Plus Midlife MoT group session.
Figures for the number of visitors to the DWP Midlife MoT website have been published as part of the evaluation of the DWP Midlife MoT website, see “Evaluation evidence from policies aimed at claimants aged 50 plus”. This report provides figures from Nov 2023 to March 2026. During this period the website was accessed by users 59,968 times by a total of 38,554 individuals. The evaluation did not collect any data on whether visits to the DWP Midlife MOT website influenced users’ behaviour. Providing further data on the JCP Midlife MoT group sessions and the DWP Midlife MoT website would exceed the costs limits for answering Parliamentary Questions.
DWP has published an evaluation of the Private Sector Midlife MOT scheme. See “Private Sector Midlife MOT Pilots qualitative research interim findings”. Low employer and participant uptake resulted in the pilots concluding early.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reach and impact of the Digital Midlife MOT website.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions has published management information on the number of claimants referred to and who attended the Jobcentre Plus Midlife MoT group sessions since the launch of the policy in January 2023 to June 2025. See “Jobcentre Plus Midlife MOT Group Sessions, January 2023 to June 2025”. Table 1 below provides a yearly breakdown of these figures. Providing data beyond June 2025 would exceed the cost limits in answering Parliamentary Questions.
Table 1 – Number of referrals and attendees to JCP Midlife MoT group sessions
| Number referred | Number attended |
2023 | 10,878 | 7,850 |
2024 | 46,841 | 36,785 |
2025 (Jan-June) | 110,156 | 82,220 |
Table 2 below shows an age breakdown of the volumes of individuals referred to and who attended a JCP Midlife MOT group session during January 2023 to June 2025. Providing data beyond June 2025 and by individual year would exceed the cost limits in answering Parliamentary Questions.
Table 2 Age group breakdown of referrals and starts to JCP Midlife MoT group sessions, January 2023 to June 25
Age | Referrals | Attended |
50-54 | 23,439 | 16,722 |
55-59 | 26,546 | 19,934 |
60-65 | 26,675 | 20,788 |
65 plus | 8,482 | 6,661 |
The DWP Midlife MOT website and the JCP Midlife MOT group sessions cover similar topics but are not directly comparable in terms of content. Figures for the two policies are as follows. From January 2024 to June 2025 there have been 85,142 individuals referred to and 64,105 individuals who have attended a Jobcentre Plus Midlife MoT group session.
Figures for the number of visitors to the DWP Midlife MoT website have been published as part of the evaluation of the DWP Midlife MoT website, see “Evaluation evidence from policies aimed at claimants aged 50 plus”. This report provides figures from Nov 2023 to March 2026. During this period the website was accessed by users 59,968 times by a total of 38,554 individuals. The evaluation did not collect any data on whether visits to the DWP Midlife MOT website influenced users’ behaviour. Providing further data on the JCP Midlife MoT group sessions and the DWP Midlife MoT website would exceed the costs limits for answering Parliamentary Questions.
DWP has published an evaluation of the Private Sector Midlife MOT scheme. See “Private Sector Midlife MOT Pilots qualitative research interim findings”. Low employer and participant uptake resulted in the pilots concluding early.