Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department issues to public bodies on non-disclosure agreements requested by commercial enterprises as a condition of (a) access and (b) investigation for (i) health and safety at work and other (ii) issues; and what oversight there is of such agreements.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We have not been able to trace any such guidance being issued by the Department for Work & Pensions and no oversight is provided in relation to such agreements.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are eligible for the state pension in (a) Morley and Outwood constituency and (b) West Yorkshire.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
In the quarter ending February 2022 the State Pension caseload in Morley and Outwood constituency was 17,826.
In the quarter ending February 2022 the State Pension caseload in the following Local Authorities was:
Bradford | 77,153 |
Calderdale | 37,118 |
Kirklees | 72,053 |
Leeds | 118,932 |
Wakefield | 62,935 |
Source: DWP benefits statistics: August 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
These figures do not include people who are deferring their State Pension.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to promote Pension Credit uptake among those who are eligible but do not claim that credit in Morley and Outwood constituency.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On 17 May, DWP Ministers hosted a roundtable event attended by a range of stakeholders who have an interest in pensioners’ financial wellbeing, to explore opportunities on getting information about Pension Credit to pensioners and their family members. A subsequent working group meeting between DWP officials and stakeholders was held on 22 June to explore taking this work forward.
The Government wants to make sure that all eligible pensioners across Great Britain, including the Morley and Outwood constituency, claim the Pension Credit to which they are rightly entitled. DWP continues to use multiple ways to reach those who can claim. On 16 June, DWP joined forces with Age UK, Len Goodman, Rustie Lee and the BBC to help reach those who may be reticent about claiming Pension Credit. The aim was to renew our efforts to raise awareness of Pension Credit, encouraging people to check their eligibility and make a claim.
We have recently updated our online toolkit which provides a range of ideas and support which stakeholders can use with their customers to encourage take-up of Pension Credit. Two new videos specifically target key messages aimed at pensioners as well as their family members and friends.
Our Pension Credit pages on gov.uk have recently been updated, drawing attention to how Pension Credit can provide extra money as well as a range of other help for pensioners who get it. The online claim facility we introduced last year, further enables family, friends and organisations to help pensioners make a claim.
This year, over 11 million pensioners in Great Britain received messaging about Pension Credit with their annual State Pension up-rating letter which also highlighted that an award of Pension Credit can mean being eligible for other benefits such as Housing Benefit or a free over-75 TV licence.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department has taken to make businesses aware that they can join the Kickstart Scheme, without the threshold of a minimum 30 jobs.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The removal of the 30 minimum jobs threshold was announced by the Secretary of State on 25 January. The announcement was featured in the national press and we engaged with key stakeholders to disseminate the message throughout their employer networks.
The Department for Work and Pensions continues to actively engage with employers of all sizes to promote applications and interest in the Kickstart Scheme. Ministers are personally engaging with employers to encourage new applications.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what further steps her Department plans to take to promote the Kickstart scheme throughout West Yorkshire.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions continues to actively engage with employers of all sizes to promote applications and interest in the Kickstart Scheme. Ministers are personally engaging with employers to encourage new applications.
We continue to work with key stakeholders to ensure that Kickstart is offered across Great Britain and in a wide range of sectors. Through our Engagement Strategy we are focussing on targeted promotional activities working through a mix of place-based partners (such as local authorities and mayoral combined authorities) as well as trade bodies representing specific sectors.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support people who are considering changing careers as a result of the covid-19.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Through our Plan for Jobs, the department is providing broad ranging support for all jobseekers who want to change career or employment sector, including those who are looking for work as a result of Covid 19. Currently, support includes Job Finding Support (JFS), Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPS) and Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS). In addition, the Restart programme is due to launch later this year, furthering support options.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to tackle unemployment in Morley and Outwood constituency as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department is increasing unemployment support for people in all areas of the country, including Morley and Outwood, through the Plan for Jobs package. Kickstart and Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS) were recently launched with the Job Finding Support Service to follow. In addition, 13,500 extra Jobcentre Work Coaches are being recruited to support claimants to find or re-enter employment.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to (a) promote and (b) fund local welfare assistance.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The reforms to the Social Fund in 2013 allowed local authorities in England and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales to deliver their own local provision for people who are in need of urgent help. Local authorities are best placed to decide how to promote and target flexible help to support local welfare needs. The Government has no further plans to review provision.
The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2015-16 identifies a notional amount relating to local welfare provision in each upper-tier and unitary authority’s general grant, totalling £129.6 million for England. The notional allocation for local welfare provision remains at £129.6 million in England in the Local Government Financial Settlement until 2019/20. There are no plans to ring-fence this notional allocation.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will allocate additional funding for local welfare assistance.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The reforms to the Social Fund in 2013 allowed local authorities in England and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales to deliver their own local provision for people who are in need of urgent help. Local authorities are best placed to decide how to promote and target flexible help to support local welfare needs. The Government has no further plans to review provision.
The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2015-16 identifies a notional amount relating to local welfare provision in each upper-tier and unitary authority’s general grant, totalling £129.6 million for England. The notional allocation for local welfare provision remains at £129.6 million in England in the Local Government Financial Settlement until 2019/20. There are no plans to ring-fence this notional allocation.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to promote neuroinclusion in the workplace.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
We are committed to improving employment outcomes and inclusion for disabled people and people with health conditions, including those who are neuro-divergent. For example:
Through the Disability Confident scheme, DWP is engaging with employers, offering online guidance and helping to promote the skills, talents and abilities of people with autism and associated hidden impairment conditions.
A Disability Confident Toolkit has been developed to provide comprehensive information on autism and other hidden impairments, as well as guidance on employment and local authority services. This Toolkit has been promoted to all Government departments.
Research published last year suggests Disability Confident has had a significant impact on disability employment practices. Almost half of employers interviewed said they had recruited at least one person with a disability, long-term health or mental health condition as a result of joining the scheme. This went up to nearly two thirds among larger employers.
Access to Work offers eligible individuals practical advice and a discretionary grant of up to £59,200 per year to fund support above the level of an employer’s statutory obligation to make reasonable adjustments. Access to Work staff have a specialist knowledge of disabilities and health conditions, including neuro-divergent conditions, which enables them to offer customers tailored packages of support.
DWP is working with the Supported Business Alliance (SBA) and The British Association for Supported Employment (BASE) to develop a new long term element of Access to Work, to support people working for a supported business, many of whom are neuro-divergent.
DWP is also working in partnership with Department of Health and Social Care to publish a consultation on how employers can best support disabled people and people with long-term health conditions, including those who are neuro-divergent, to stay and thrive in work.