Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to page 10 of Young Lives vs Cancer’s report entitled The cost of waiting, published in March 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of average time from diagnosis to first payment of disability benefits; what steps is she taking to reduce processing times for disability benefits' applications from young people with cancer; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of reducing the three month period from diagnosis before young people with cancer can apply for disability benefits.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Entitlement to Disability Living Allowance for children (DLAc) under 16 and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for young people from age 16 are assessed based on the additional care/daily living and mobility needs arising from a long-term disability or health condition, rather than a diagnosis of a condition or disability itself.

We are committed to ensuring children and young people can access financial support in a timely manner and have increased the number of staff to respond to the increase in claim volumes.

Individual needs and circumstances vary, so the 3-month qualifying period helps establish the resulting care/daily living and mobility needs are of a long-standing nature. It provides a division between short term disability and long-term disability. The qualifying period commences from the point that additional needs start, rather than when a condition is diagnosed. A diagnosis is not required before a young person or their carer can apply for benefit, therefore the department has no information on when a diagnosis is made.

Applications under the special rules for end of life, where life expectancy is 12 months or less, do not have to satisfy the three-month qualifying period. The claim is fast tracked, and the person is eligible for the higher-rate care/daily living component from the date of claim.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's report entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment on people under 25 years of age with cancer; and whether people under 25 years of age with cancer and currently in receipt in Personal Independence Payment will continue to be eligible under the proposed reforms.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We have committed to introduce a new requirement that claimants must score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).  Age will not be a factor in this.

We will always protect the most vulnerable. The PIP assessment considers the needs arising from a long-term health condition or disability, not the health condition or disability itself. Therefore, the impact in each case will depend on an individual’s circumstances. For those already on PIP, the changes will only apply from November 2026 at their next award review, subject to parliamentary approval. People will be reviewed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional and assessed on individual needs and circumstance. Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’(opens in a new tab).

There will be no change for a person claiming PIP under “Special Rules for End of Life” (SREL). They will not require a consultation and will automatically be awarded the enhanced rate of daily living as is the current process.

Most people receiving PIP now will still receive it after these reforms. In the Green Paper, we are consulting on how best to support those who do lose entitlement, including how to make sure health and care needs are met.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the distances travelled and (b) costs incurred by children and young people travelling to principle treatment centres in London; and what assessment he has made of the potential the merits of introducing a young cancer patient travel fund.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department of Health and Social Care knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families in England. NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of their local communities are met, including providing support for travel.

The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. There are also several charities in the United Kingdom who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.

On 4 February 2025, the Department of Health and Social Care relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer patients. The work of the taskforce is ongoing, and officials are exploring opportunities for improvement across a range of areas, including detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience. The taskforce will also ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for children and young people with cancer in England.

The Department of Health and Social Care has not made a formal assessment of costs incurred by children and young people travelling to Principal Treatment Centres in London, the trends in levels of travel costs and the impact of this on young cancer patients missing appointments and delaying treatment. Young Lives vs Cancer is a valued stakeholder with a unique perspective on the issue of travel support for children and young people with cancer. The Department of Health and Social Care will continue to engage with Young Lives vs Cancer, as well as other children and young people cancer charity stakeholders as we progress this important work.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Young Lives vs Cancer's report entitled A young cancer patient travel fund, published in February 2024, whether his Department has made an assessment of (a) trends in levels of travel costs, (b) the adequacy of the amount of financial support for young cancer patients and their families and (b) the potential impact on (i) missing appointments and (ii) delaying treatment.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department of Health and Social Care knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families in England. NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of their local communities are met, including providing support for travel.

The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. There are also several charities in the United Kingdom who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.

On 4 February 2025, the Department of Health and Social Care relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer patients. The work of the taskforce is ongoing, and officials are exploring opportunities for improvement across a range of areas, including detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience. The taskforce will also ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for children and young people with cancer in England.

The Department of Health and Social Care has not made a formal assessment of costs incurred by children and young people travelling to Principal Treatment Centres in London, the trends in levels of travel costs and the impact of this on young cancer patients missing appointments and delaying treatment. Young Lives vs Cancer is a valued stakeholder with a unique perspective on the issue of travel support for children and young people with cancer. The Department of Health and Social Care will continue to engage with Young Lives vs Cancer, as well as other children and young people cancer charity stakeholders as we progress this important work.

Found: 10 (100.0%) David Baines (Labour, St Helens North) (added 27 Jan 2025) 3 of 4 (75.0%) Bambos Charalambous

Found: Questions 1-21 Representations made I: Bambos Charalambous II: Chris Bloore III: Graeme Downie IV: Ian

Found: Bambos Charalambous (Lab) 3. Tom Gordon (LD) 4. Sarah Green (LD) (co-sponsor of the bill) 5.

Found: Bambos Charalambous (Lab) 3. Tom Gordon (LD) 4. Sarah Green (LD) (co-sponsor of the bill) 5.

This inquiry will look into the health and wellbeing services available to those working in Parliament - exploring how existing services can be better communicated and supported, and identifying where some health and wellbeing needs are still not being met.

Submit Evidence (by 31 Jul 2025)

The Speaker has requested that the Procedure Committee conduct a review of the operation of the sub judice resolution in the House of Commons. The resolution is intended to preserve ‘comity’ between the courts and the House, to avoid Parliament influencing, or appearing to attempt to influence, the outcome of court proceedings, and to avoid Parliament acting as an alternative forum for resolution of matters that are before the courts.