Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to identify disabled people and other vulnerable groups who may require additional support to make a new claim for Universal Credit during managed migration.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
We are working closely with stakeholders and other parties to design the best possible process for the migration of our customers to Universal Credit. The draft Regulations have been out for consultation with the Social Security Advisory Committee and we look forward to their detailed advice which we will consider alongside the other stakeholder contributions we receive. The regulations will come before Parliament in the autumn, and during 2019 we will test and refine our processes to ensure they are working well before we take on larger volumes from 2020 onwards, and complete the process in 2023. The regulations also include additional transitional protection arrangements for all approximately 500,000 claimants eligible for a Severe Disability Premium.
Our focus will be on safeguarding claimants and ensuring a smooth transition with uninterrupted support. We will have a comprehensive and well-supported preparation period for claimants. This will include a variety of communication formats, including face-to-face, internet and postal notification, to ensure claimants are aware of the managed migration process. There is flexibility to extend that period if necessary for claimants; and a process to ensure that, before the existing benefits are stopped, our staff will check for evidence of complex needs or vulnerability or disability and act accordingly to support the claimant. Additionally, if a claimant misses their deadline to claim there are provisions in the draft Regulations that will allow DWP to back-date their claim.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that disabled people do not see an end to their financial support if they are unable to make a claim for Universal Credit within the allocated timeframe during managed migration.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
We are working closely with stakeholders and other parties to design the best possible process for the migration of our customers to Universal Credit. The draft Regulations have been out for consultation with the Social Security Advisory Committee and we look forward to their detailed advice which we will consider alongside the other stakeholder contributions we receive. The regulations will come before Parliament in the autumn, and during 2019 we will test and refine our processes to ensure they are working well before we take on larger volumes from 2020 onwards, and complete the process in 2023.
Our focus will be on safeguarding claimants and ensuring a smooth transition with uninterrupted support. We will have a comprehensive and well-supported preparation period for claimants. This will include a variety of communication formats, including face-to-face, internet and postal notification, to ensure claimants are aware of the managed migration process. There is flexibility to extend that period if necessary for claimants; and a process to ensure that, before the existing benefits are stopped, our staff will check for evidence of complex needs or vulnerability or disability and act accordingly to support the claimant. Additionally, if a claimant misses their deadline to claim there are provisions in the draft Regulations that will allow DWP to back-date their claim.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what projects the Office for Disability Issues are currently working on.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) works across government to support and develop policies that deliver the Government vision - to create a society that works for everyone, where all can participate fully, and be included in society.
Departments have a responsibility to make sure their policies take account of disabled people and we are supporting a wide range of Departments across Government to fulfil their obligations to disabled people.
As well as seeking to support a range of departments on issues such as built environment, employment, transport, social care, education, sport etc - current ODI led projects include:
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether consideration has been given to incorporating the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into UK law prior to the UK’s exit from the EU in March 2019.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
We are fully committed to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The UK as a general principle does not incorporate international treaties into domestic law. However, the Equality Act 2010 (EA2010) enshrines the rights of people in Great Britain with any of nine protected characteristics to live free from discrimination, harassment or victimisation and have equal opportunities in domestic law. The decision to withdraw from the EU does not change this.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received from (1) sign language users, and (2) organisations representing deaf people, concerning a free to access video relay service.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has received representations on access to a video relay service. This includes recent correspondence from Jim Fitzpatrick MP (Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Deafness) in relation to changing existing legislation to expand Ofcom’s remit to include the regulation of Captioned Telephone Relay and Video Relay Services.