Asked by: Baroness Jolly (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will allocate funding to deliver the commitments made in their response to the 'Health is everyone’s business' consultation, published on 4 October 2021; and whether this will include funding for the establishment of a Centre for Work and Health.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The UK Government committed to provide £1.3bn over the SR21 period for employment support for disabled people and people with health conditions in the Levelling-Up White Paper. This includes commitments set out in joint DWP-DHSC consultation response “Health is Everyone’s Business” (HiEB). We are working with stakeholders including the Medical Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, UK Research and Innovation and National Institute for Health and Care Research to identify the most efficient and effective way to improve the research infrastructure that supports innovation as outlined in HiEB.
Asked by: Baroness Jolly (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the willingness of employers to comply with Public Health England guidance in relation to COVID-19; and what plans they have to review the current health and safety inspection regime to ensure that (1) employers are following that guidance, and (2) workplaces are safe.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has seen high levels of compliance with the Government’s Covid-19 advice for employers (https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus) including guidance published by Public Health England and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). For example, since 1st April 2020 there have been 3,129* investigations of workplace concerns where an outcome has been recorded in HSE’s operational database and in only 114 cases (3.6%) has it been necessary to take enforcement action either by formally writing to the employer or by serving an enforcement notice.
HSE has reviewed its health and safety inspection regime and has adopted the following approach to checking employer compliance with guidance to ensure that workplaces are safe:
1) spot checks carried out by contact centre staff, with those assessed as non-compliant or who fail to engage then contacted by operational staff and, if they are still considered non-compliant, a site visit is carried out; and
2) a programme of Covid-19 specific site inspections carried out by health and safety Inspectors.
HSE is providing support to Local Authorities in their role as health and safety co-regulators by delivering a series of targeted webinars and supporting guidance in Covid-19 related topics such as social distancing.
*This information was extracted from HSE’s live operational database on 22nd July 2020 and is subject to change e.g. the administrative process of recording the information in the database can take up to 10 days.
Asked by: Baroness Jolly (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to protect people over the age of 60 who may be made redundant as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and what steps they are taking to assist those who have been made redundant to return to work.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
We are providing £1.2bn to enhance work search support service in Great Britain and doubling the number of frontline Work Coaches in Jobcentre Plus before the end of the financial year.
In addition, support for older workers also includes:
The online service Find a Job (www.gov.uk/find-a-job) has many of these jobs and can be used to search and apply.
Asked by: Baroness Jolly (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many women are (1) in receipt of, and (2) entitled to, Pension Credit; and when they last ran a campaign to raise awareness of Pension Credit to women of an eligible age.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
We estimate 1.3 million women were in receipt of Pension Credit and 2.2 million women were entitled to Pension Credit, based on data for 2017/18. These figures are made up of both women who claim as part of a couple or claim alone. These figures are derived from official statistics on the take-up of income-related benefits at Great Britain level, including Pension Credit, which can be found in the latest ‘Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up in 2017 to 2018’ publication, which is available online at Gov.uk.
The Government wants to make sure that all eligible pensioners can claim Pension Credit. That is why in February this year we launched a targeted twelve-week nationwide campaign, to raise awareness of Pension Credit.
Part of the campaign was to dispel some of the misconceptions that people might have about Pension Credit eligibility. We wanted to make it clear that even a small award of Pension Credit can provide access to a range of other benefits such as help with rent, council tax reduction schemes, heating costs and for those aged 75 or over, a free television licence.
We continue to work with stakeholders to help spread the key messages from the campaign because we know that often the best ways to reach eligible pensioners is through trusted stakeholders working in the community. Our online Pension Credit toolkit has been updated to help older people understand how they could claim Pension Credit.
In May this year we also launched an online claim service for Pension Credit to supplement the existing telephone and postal claim services. The new online service provides an additional claim facility and enables pensioners to apply for Pension Credit at a time that suits them.
Asked by: Baroness Jolly (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average clearance time for Attendance Allowance claims, based on the most recent data available, in each of the last five years for (1) all claims, and (2) special rules claims made for terminal illnesses with a DS1500 form.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The average clearance times for Attendance Allowance can be found in the following table:
| All Claims |
| Special Rules |
2014/15 | 16.9 days |
| 8.0 days |
2015/16 | 9.7 days |
| 5.4 days |
2016/17 | 17.6 days |
| 6.8 days |
2017/18 | 19.4 days |
| 5.3 days |
2018/19 | 20.5 days |
| 6.0 days |
2019/20 YTD | 29.6 days |
| 8.9 days |
Asked by: Baroness Jolly (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of Attendance Allowance claims were successful, based on the most recent data available, in each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
DWP can confirm that the proportion of Attendance Allowance successful claims for the last five years is: -
2019/2020 – 86% award rate
2018/2019 – 85% award rate
2017/2018 – 85% award rate
2016/2017 – 87% award rate
2015/2016 – 89% award rate
Asked by: Baroness Jolly (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many people aged (a) 75–84, (b) 85–94, and (c) 95 and over, will be affected by the removal of the Adult Dependency Increase on 6 April; (2) how much money will those affected lose; and (3) what provisions are being put in place to help those affected.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
As at May 2019, the latest data available, the numbers of people in receipt of State Pension Adult Dependency Increases, and the average weekly amount of Adult Dependency Increase they were in receipt of, is shown in the table below.
| Caseload | Average Weekly Amount |
Under 75 years | 1,180 | £61.60 |
75 to 84 years | 8,330 | £57.34 |
85 to 94 years | 1,260 | £53.83 |
95 years and above | 40 | £46.69 |
Total | 10,810 | £57.36 |
By April 2020 this number will already have decreased further as, for example, some adult dependents will reach their State Pension age before then.
As at autumn 2019, 6,440 people were in receipt of, or had an underlying entitlement to, an Adult Dependency Increases for Carer’s Allowance.
Those who lose their Adult Dependency Increase, either in April 2020 or before then, may be able to access income-related benefits to top up their household income, depending on their circumstances. For those already in receipt of income-related benefits, their awards will be adjusted to take account of the removal of the Adult Dependency Increase. Claimants who receive income-related benefits may also be entitled to 'passported' benefits to help with, for example, housing costs or heating costs. Income-related benefits are an important protection for the incomes of some of our most vulnerable people.
We are encouraging people who live overseas to consider if they may be entitled to any additional benefits or support from the country where they reside.
State Pension Adult Dependency Increases were abolished by the Pensions Act 2007 from April 2010. Carer’s Allowance Adult Dependency Increases were abolished by the Welfare Reform Act 2009 from April 2010. However, transitional provisions were included for both benefits which allow existing claimants from April 2010 to continue receiving Adult Dependency Increases until April 2020.
Information about the ending of State Pension Adult Dependency Increases has been available on the Government website at www.gov.uk. Furthermore, State Pension recipients in the UK have also been informed about the changes to State Pension Adult Dependency Increases within the annual uprating notifications, which have been sent to them since 2010. We have also included this information in annual uprating notifications sent to overseas State Pension recipients since 2018.
We sent specific letters to those affected by the State Pension and Carer Allowance changes during May/June 2019, and a further letter was sent out in October 2019.
The ending of State Pension Adult Dependency Increases was part of a package of reforms contained in the Pensions Act 2007 that improved the State Pension position for both women and carers.
The savings from ending the provision of State Pension Adult Dependency Increases are estimated to be £125m between 2020/21 and 2024/25, based on analysis from 2018. This only reflects savings on ADI expenditure and does not take into account any offsetting impacts on other benefits.
We have not done a detailed costing of the costs of tapering provision for Adult Dependency Increases. However, we estimate that the cost of continuing to pay State Pension Adult Dependency Increases until all dependents reach their State Pension age would be in the region of £200m to £250m
Asked by: Baroness Jolly (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when recipients of the Adult Dependency Increase (ADI) were notified of the removal of the ADI on 6 April; and how was such notice communicated.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
As at May 2019, the latest data available, the numbers of people in receipt of State Pension Adult Dependency Increases, and the average weekly amount of Adult Dependency Increase they were in receipt of, is shown in the table below.
| Caseload | Average Weekly Amount |
Under 75 years | 1,180 | £61.60 |
75 to 84 years | 8,330 | £57.34 |
85 to 94 years | 1,260 | £53.83 |
95 years and above | 40 | £46.69 |
Total | 10,810 | £57.36 |
By April 2020 this number will already have decreased further as, for example, some adult dependents will reach their State Pension age before then.
As at autumn 2019, 6,440 people were in receipt of, or had an underlying entitlement to, an Adult Dependency Increases for Carer’s Allowance.
Those who lose their Adult Dependency Increase, either in April 2020 or before then, may be able to access income-related benefits to top up their household income, depending on their circumstances. For those already in receipt of income-related benefits, their awards will be adjusted to take account of the removal of the Adult Dependency Increase. Claimants who receive income-related benefits may also be entitled to 'passported' benefits to help with, for example, housing costs or heating costs. Income-related benefits are an important protection for the incomes of some of our most vulnerable people.
We are encouraging people who live overseas to consider if they may be entitled to any additional benefits or support from the country where they reside.
State Pension Adult Dependency Increases were abolished by the Pensions Act 2007 from April 2010. Carer’s Allowance Adult Dependency Increases were abolished by the Welfare Reform Act 2009 from April 2010. However, transitional provisions were included for both benefits which allow existing claimants from April 2010 to continue receiving Adult Dependency Increases until April 2020.
Information about the ending of State Pension Adult Dependency Increases has been available on the Government website at www.gov.uk. Furthermore, State Pension recipients in the UK have also been informed about the changes to State Pension Adult Dependency Increases within the annual uprating notifications, which have been sent to them since 2010. We have also included this information in annual uprating notifications sent to overseas State Pension recipients since 2018.
We sent specific letters to those affected by the State Pension and Carer Allowance changes during May/June 2019, and a further letter was sent out in October 2019.
The ending of State Pension Adult Dependency Increases was part of a package of reforms contained in the Pensions Act 2007 that improved the State Pension position for both women and carers.
The savings from ending the provision of State Pension Adult Dependency Increases are estimated to be £125m between 2020/21 and 2024/25, based on analysis from 2018. This only reflects savings on ADI expenditure and does not take into account any offsetting impacts on other benefits.
We have not done a detailed costing of the costs of tapering provision for Adult Dependency Increases. However, we estimate that the cost of continuing to pay State Pension Adult Dependency Increases until all dependents reach their State Pension age would be in the region of £200m to £250m
Asked by: Baroness Jolly (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money they will save by ending the provision of the Adult Dependency Increase on 6 April; and what estimate they have made, if any, of the costs of tapering off such provision.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
As at May 2019, the latest data available, the numbers of people in receipt of State Pension Adult Dependency Increases, and the average weekly amount of Adult Dependency Increase they were in receipt of, is shown in the table below.
| Caseload | Average Weekly Amount |
Under 75 years | 1,180 | £61.60 |
75 to 84 years | 8,330 | £57.34 |
85 to 94 years | 1,260 | £53.83 |
95 years and above | 40 | £46.69 |
Total | 10,810 | £57.36 |
By April 2020 this number will already have decreased further as, for example, some adult dependents will reach their State Pension age before then.
As at autumn 2019, 6,440 people were in receipt of, or had an underlying entitlement to, an Adult Dependency Increases for Carer’s Allowance.
Those who lose their Adult Dependency Increase, either in April 2020 or before then, may be able to access income-related benefits to top up their household income, depending on their circumstances. For those already in receipt of income-related benefits, their awards will be adjusted to take account of the removal of the Adult Dependency Increase. Claimants who receive income-related benefits may also be entitled to 'passported' benefits to help with, for example, housing costs or heating costs. Income-related benefits are an important protection for the incomes of some of our most vulnerable people.
We are encouraging people who live overseas to consider if they may be entitled to any additional benefits or support from the country where they reside.
State Pension Adult Dependency Increases were abolished by the Pensions Act 2007 from April 2010. Carer’s Allowance Adult Dependency Increases were abolished by the Welfare Reform Act 2009 from April 2010. However, transitional provisions were included for both benefits which allow existing claimants from April 2010 to continue receiving Adult Dependency Increases until April 2020.
Information about the ending of State Pension Adult Dependency Increases has been available on the Government website at www.gov.uk. Furthermore, State Pension recipients in the UK have also been informed about the changes to State Pension Adult Dependency Increases within the annual uprating notifications, which have been sent to them since 2010. We have also included this information in annual uprating notifications sent to overseas State Pension recipients since 2018.
We sent specific letters to those affected by the State Pension and Carer Allowance changes during May/June 2019, and a further letter was sent out in October 2019.
The ending of State Pension Adult Dependency Increases was part of a package of reforms contained in the Pensions Act 2007 that improved the State Pension position for both women and carers.
The savings from ending the provision of State Pension Adult Dependency Increases are estimated to be £125m between 2020/21 and 2024/25, based on analysis from 2018. This only reflects savings on ADI expenditure and does not take into account any offsetting impacts on other benefits.
We have not done a detailed costing of the costs of tapering provision for Adult Dependency Increases. However, we estimate that the cost of continuing to pay State Pension Adult Dependency Increases until all dependents reach their State Pension age would be in the region of £200m to £250m
Asked by: Baroness Jolly (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many carers registered with the Department of Work and Pensions are (1) over 18 years, (2) 13–18 years, and (3) under 13 years old, in each (a) London borough, and (b) English local authority area.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The Department does not hold information on carers unless they claim a benefit related to their role as a carer, such as Carer’s Allowance (CA). Carers may be receiving broader support through other DWP benefits, or through other sources, in addition to or instead of CA.
Carer’s Allowance is a benefit available to those carers providing support to a disabled or seriously ill family member or friend for 35 hours or more a week. To be eligible for CA, the carer must also care for someone claiming Disability Living Allowance (middle or highest care rate), Personal Independence Payment (daily living component) or Attendance Allowance, must earn no more than £123 a week after tax, national insurance and expenses, and be aged 16 or over.
The attached table shows the number of CA claimants in each London Borough and English Local Authority area (ranked by total number of CA claimants) as of February 2019 (the latest data available). This includes those who are in receipt of CA and those who are entitled to but do not receive CA. The data is available publicly at stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk.