Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 45439 on Personal Independence Payments and with reference to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, published on 18 June 2025, whether PIP claimants of pension age who (a) are subject to a planned award review and (b) request a change of circumstances review from November 2026 will be impacted by changes to eligibility requirements.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The vast majority of claimants over State Pension age are on ongoing awards, with a light-touch review scheduled for 10 years. This is because we know that, as people get older, their conditions tend to get worse rather than better, and as such we think that is sensible and proportionate to reduce reassessment burdens on people over the pensionable age.
These claimants will therefore not undergo a review of their PIP award at the 10-year light touch review point, unless they request one due to change in their circumstances.
In line with existing policy, if they do request a review – such as due to an improvement or deterioration in their condition – after the new rules come into effect in November 2026, the four-point criteria will apply.
There is a small number of claimants over State Pension age on fixed-term awards, often because they have a planned operation or treatment that is likely to make a significant difference to how their condition affects them. Case managers will consider these on a case-by-case basis.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to review its policy on defining military compensation as income in Pension Credit means tests.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The first £10 of any War Pension payment or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) award made due to injury or disablement is disregarded in Pension Credit. Income is calculated on a weekly basis, so the disregard is £10 per week.
Four additions to the War Disablement Pension are completely disregarded: Constant Attendance Allowance; Mobility Supplement; Severe Disablement Occupational Allowance; and dependency increases for anyone other than the applicant or her / his partner.
War Pensions and AFCS awards are a qualifying income for the Savings Credit element of Pension Credit, which is available to those who reached State Pension age before April 2016.
Armed Forces Independence Payments are fully disregarded in Pension Credit and can also allow the recipient to qualify for an additional disability amount.
There are no plans to review the treatment of military compensation in Pension Credit.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people received the Winter Fuel Payment in Wales in the (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 financial year; and what estimate she has made of the number of people who will receive it in Wales in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
For winter 2023 to 2024, around 631,000 pensioners received the Winter Fuel Payment in Wales. This is based on Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK.
Data covering winter 2024 to 2025 is not yet available. The next release of Winter Fuel Payment statistics will cover this period and will be published on 16 September 2025.
From this winter, individuals with an income of £35,000 or below, will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment. Winter Fuel Payments are £200 for a household with someone of State Pension age and £300 for a household with someone aged 80 or over. They will be paid automatically to anyone who has not opted out. Individuals with a taxable income above £35,000 a year will see any Winter Fuel Payment recouped via HMRC.
This means that the majority of pensioners in England and Wales – around 9 million individuals – will now benefit from Winter Fuel Payments.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) people and (b) households that will receive the winter fuel payment in Wales in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
For winter 2023 to 2024, around 631,000 pensioners received the Winter Fuel Payment in Wales. This is based on Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK.
Data covering winter 2024 to 2025 is not yet available. The next release of Winter Fuel Payment statistics will cover this period and will be published on 16 September 2025.
From this winter, individuals with an income of £35,000 or below, will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment. Winter Fuel Payments are £200 for a household with someone of State Pension age and £300 for a household with someone aged 80 or over. They will be paid automatically to anyone who has not opted out. Individuals with a taxable income above £35,000 a year will see any Winter Fuel Payment recouped via HMRC.
This means that the majority of pensioners in England and Wales – around 9 million individuals – will now benefit from Winter Fuel Payments.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the cancellation of the in-person Pathways to Work public consultation event in Wales, scheduled for 3 June 2025, on stakeholders in Wales.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of our commitment to hear from members of the public directly, including disabled people and their representatives, we have now held a number of virtual and in person public consultation events, as per the advertised schedule on GOV.UK. Unfortunately, the Cardiff in person event (initially scheduled for 3 June) was postponed at the last minute due to the venue cancelling and no appropriate accessible alternative being available at such short notice. We are working with the Welsh Government to rearrange this event and have reached out to all registered participants directly, also offering a priority space on other virtual events.
Additionally, a Wales-only virtual consultation event has now been arranged and scheduled for 26 June.
Throughout the consultation we are committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people and people with health conditions at the heart of everything we do. We encourage members of the public to continue to respond to the consultation online, in writing and via email.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department intends to provide an in-person Pathways to Work public consultation event in Wales following the cancellation of the Cardiff event on 3 June 2025.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of our commitment to hear from members of the public directly, including disabled people and their representatives, we have now held a number of virtual and in person public consultation events, as per the advertised schedule on GOV.UK. Unfortunately, the Cardiff in person event (initially scheduled for 3 June) was postponed at the last minute due to the venue cancelling and no appropriate accessible alternative being available at such short notice. We are working with the Welsh Government to rearrange this event and have reached out to all registered participants directly, also offering a priority space on other virtual events.
Additionally, a Wales-only virtual consultation event has now been arranged and scheduled for 26 June.
Throughout the consultation we are committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people and people with health conditions at the heart of everything we do. We encourage members of the public to continue to respond to the consultation online, in writing and via email.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason the Pathways to Work public consultation event in Cardiff, scheduled for 3 June 2025, was cancelled.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of our commitment to hear from members of the public directly, including disabled people and their representatives, we have now held a number of virtual and in person public consultation events, as per the advertised schedule on GOV.UK. Unfortunately, the Cardiff in person event (initially scheduled for 3 June) was postponed at the last minute due to the venue cancelling and no appropriate accessible alternative being available at such short notice. We are working with the Welsh Government to rearrange this event and have reached out to all registered participants directly, also offering a priority space on other virtual events.
Additionally, a Wales-only virtual consultation event has now been arranged and scheduled for 26 June.
Throughout the consultation we are committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people and people with health conditions at the heart of everything we do. We encourage members of the public to continue to respond to the consultation online, in writing and via email.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of utility social tariffs for people (a) on low income and (b) with disabilities that do not receive (i) Universal Credit and (ii) PIP.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is committed to tackling poverty and discusses access to social tariffs regularly with her Cabinet colleagues as part of her work to address poverty. This includes through her role as co-chair of the Child Poverty Taskforce.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, (a) what specific matters were discussed during and (b) what were the outcomes of her meeting with the First Minister of Wales on the Pathways to Work Green Paper on 4 June 2025.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The meeting between Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the First Minister of Wales on 4th June 2025 was a positive discussion about areas of mutual interest, including the UK Government’s commitment to reforming the system of health and disability benefits so that it promotes and enables employment among as many people as possible.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of pausing the creation of new Carer’s Allowance overpayment debts until the conclusion of the independent review.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Overpayments have caused significant anxiety for some people. It is important to take the time to review what happened independently, to establish what exactly what went wrong and assess how to put things right. We will await the findings of the independent review being conducted by Liz Sayce. The review is not a substitute for legal proceedings and the existence of the review does not prejudice any business-as-usual activity by DWP.
We carefully balance our duty to the taxpayer to recover overpayments with safeguards in place to manage repayments fairly. Carers have a responsibility to ensure they are entitled to benefits and to inform the DWP of any changes in their circumstances that could impact their award. Support remains in place with DWP’s Debt Management Service available to speak to anyone who has had an overpayment about the terms of their repayment.