Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report Destitution in the UK 2023, published on 24 October, which found that "approximately 3.8 million people experienced destitution in 2022, including around one million children".
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living. We are providing total support of over £94bn over 2022-23 and 2023-24 to help households and individuals with the rising bills.
Furthermore, government is committed to reducing poverty, including child poverty, and supporting low-income families and has overseen significant falls in absolute poverty since 2009/10.
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. Rates of absolute poverty after housing costs for individuals in families in receipt of Universal Credit have also fallen by 12ppt since 2019/20.
With almost one million job vacancies across the UK, our focus remains firmly on supporting people, including parents, to move into and progress in work. This approach 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 children living in workless households were 5 times more likely to be in absolute poverty, after housing costs, than those where all adults work.
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.
To further support parents into work, on 28th June 2023, the maximum monthly amounts that a parent can be reimbursed for their childcare increased by 47%, from £646.35 for one child and £1,108.04 for two or more children to £950.92 and £1,630.15 respectively. Importantly, we can now also provide even more help with upfront childcare costs when parents move into work or increase their hours. This means that a parent who needs this additional financial help can now be provided with funding towards both their first and second set of costs (or increased costs), upfront, thereby easing them into the UC childcare costs cycle.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why those with Fetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder are required to re-apply for (1) Personal Independence Payment, and (2) Disability Living Allowance, given that the condition is lifelong and does not present changing symptoms.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
Entitlement to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself. Award rates and their durations are set on an individual basis, based on the claimant’s needs and the likelihood of those needs changing, including where childhood developmental milestones are reached. Award reviews allow for the correct rate of DLA or PIP to remain in payment, including where needs have increased as a consequence of a congenital, degenerative or progressive condition.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) value, and (2) use, of the Condition Insight Report for Valproate in enabling (a) Personal Independence Payment, and (b) Disability Living Allowance, assessors to understand Fetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
Both Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment providers have a Condition Insight Report (CIR) on Foetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder. CIR provide condition-based information which Health Professionals (HPs) have access to during the course of the PIP assessment process. CIRs are often developed with input from stakeholder groups that advocate for those with the relevant condition. While it is not possible to objectively assess the specific impact of a CIR on HPs’ knowledge, the CIR on Foetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder is a welcome addition to the information available to HPs.
Claims to DLA are dealt with by DWP case managers. Case managers refer to Departmental guidance The Children’s A-Z of Medical Conditions which sets out the main care and mobility needs likely to arise from different disabling conditions. If necessary, further information is gathered from health professionals, or in the case of a child, from their school.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people with Fetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder have been refused the award of (1) Personal Independence Payment, or (2) Disability Living Allowance, over the last 12 months.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people in England received the Carer's Allowance in (1) April 2019, and (2) April 2021.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
DWP statistics on the number of Carer’s Allowance claims in payment are publicly available online via StatXplore. These statistics are released on a quarterly basis, for the following months: February, May, August and November. The most recent available statistics are for February 2021.
The figures requested are therefore not available for April 2021. The figure from the most recent release of these statistics is included in the response instead. For an annual comparison, the figure for February 2019 is also included in this response.
The number of people in England who received Carer’s Allowance in February 2019 was 736,624.
The number of people in England who received Carer’s Allowance in February 2021 was 794,816.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the standards of gas safety in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require that anyone employed to work on domestic gas systems is competent. An individual is deemed competent following successful completion of an industry-recognised training course and an assessment of their skills.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) working with the gas industry’s Standards Setting Body has supported the implementation of the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM) standard IGEM/IG/1 Standards of training in gas work (attached). IGEM/IG/1 sets out the requirements for training in gas work, and will ensure that only those engineers who have completed an approved industry recognised training course will have access to the Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS) assessment of competence. Passing such assessment, or an Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (OFQUAL) regulated National Vocational Qualification (NVQ), enables an engineer to be considered as competent and apply for Gas Safe registration.
HSE assesses standards of gas safety through published figures on gas-related incidents in Great Britain (attached). These are reportable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations (RIDDOR). This and further information can also be found in the Cross-Government Group on Gas Safety and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Awareness’ annual report for 2016/2017 (attached). The Group ensures a joined-up approach across departments, the devolved administrations and other governmental bodies to improve gas safety and tackle CO risks from all fuels.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to improve the training of gas engineers.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require that anyone employed to work on domestic gas systems is competent. An individual is deemed competent following successful completion of an industry-recognised training course and an assessment of their skills.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) working with the gas industry’s Standards Setting Body has supported the implementation of the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM) standard IGEM/IG/1 Standards of training in gas work (attached). IGEM/IG/1 sets out the requirements for training in gas work, and will ensure that only those engineers who have completed an approved industry recognised training course will have access to the Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS) assessment of competence. Passing such assessment, or an Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (OFQUAL) regulated National Vocational Qualification (NVQ), enables an engineer to be considered as competent and apply for Gas Safe registration.
HSE assesses standards of gas safety through published figures on gas-related incidents in Great Britain (attached). These are reportable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations (RIDDOR). This and further information can also be found in the Cross-Government Group on Gas Safety and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Awareness’ annual report for 2016/2017 (attached). The Group ensures a joined-up approach across departments, the devolved administrations and other governmental bodies to improve gas safety and tackle CO risks from all fuels.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial effect resulting from the Universal Credit (Housing Costs Element for claimants aged 18 to 21) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 on youth employment figures.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
Such an assessment has not been made. If the policy has the anticipated effect of encouraging young people to remain in the parental home we would expect a positive impact on employment levels. The fact that such claimants receive a lower level of benefit results in them moving free of the Universal Credit earning taper at a lower level of wages. From that point they keep 100 per cent rather than 37 per cent of every additional £1 they earn, which provides a strong work incentive.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why beauty clinics undertaking nail care are not required to use autoclaves to sterilise their equipment to prevent fungal infections.
Answered by Baroness Altmann
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 require businesses offering beauty treatments to ensure that any risks to their client’s health from exposure to hazardous substances including micro-organisms, are prevented or effectively controlled. The duty extends to preventing or controlling client’s exposure to the risk of contracting fungal infections. The regulations do not prescribe what specific control measures are necessary. These will be based on the type of treatment carried out and the risks of cross-infection.
Where sterilisation is required, autoclaves are the most effective and efficient means to do so, and should be used especially for packaged items and items which have hollow parts or cavities. However alternative methods such as steam sterilisers and disinfectants can be used for simple items such as tweezers.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many users of Access to Work whose primary medical condition is classified as difficulty in hearing had the financial value of their support reduced as a result of a case review in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answered by Lord Freud
The requested information is not available.