Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department withholds state pension payments to people convicted of illegal working.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Anyone convicted of a criminal offence and serving a custodial sentence in the UK is not eligible to receive State Pension payments during their imprisonment.
People not in prison but convicted of illegal working, would not be making National Insurance contributions during any period of illegal working, which would be required to build entitlement for the State Pension.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of apprenticeships on increasing the environmental health workforce.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Employers operating in environmental health have developed the environmental health practitioner level 6 degree apprenticeship to help them develop their workforces. Further detail about the apprenticeship can be found on the Skills England website at: https://skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0714-v1-0.
The government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners in England and support the industrial strategy. In August the department introduced new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors, as well as shorter duration apprenticeships. These flexibilities will help more people learn new high-quality skills at work and fuel innovation in businesses across the country.
Skills England is working closely with employers to identify priority skills gaps, helping ensure that the levy-funded growth and skills offer delivers value for money, meets the needs of business and helps kick-start economic growth.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the likely mix of housing occupancy types for people attaining state pension age in each of the next five decades.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has relaunched the Pensions Commission to consider the outcomes and risks for future cohorts of pensioners, taking into consideration the role housing plays amongst other factors. The Commission will report in 2027.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Personal Independence Payments Bill on public finances.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As I set out in the House of Commons on 1 July 2025, this Government has listened to the concerns raised by Members from across the House regarding the proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Clause 5 of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill would have amended the legal framework underpinning PIP assessments, specifically by implementing 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 PIP.
In light of the concerns raised, we have removed clause 5 from the Bill in Committee.
Any changes to PIP eligibility will come after a comprehensive review of the benefit, led by myself and co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. This review aims to ensure that the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support employment in the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuels.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government recognises the importance of the clean energy sector to economic growth. The Department works closely with DfT to help people on benefits find employment with employers in the transport sector.
Government support for low carbon fuel production, including sustainable aviation fuel, is designed to unlock private investment and create high-quality green jobs. Low carbon fuel production is expected to support up to 15,000 jobs and contribute £5bn to the economy by 2050.
The ability to connect jobseekers looking for roles with employers requiring workers at the right time and in the right places is vital to support the transition to net zero and supports the move to an 80% employment rate. Reskilling and increasing the transferability of workers between sectors will be essential for a fair transition.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will conduct a lessons learned review from the initial period of the decision to withdraw universal Winter Fuel Payments.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government linked eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments to receipt of Pension Credit or certain other benefits for winter 2024/25 to help address immediate fiscal pressures, and to focus them on those with the lowest incomes.
From this winter (2025/26), the vast majority of pensioners in England and Wales – over three quarters – will now benefit from Winter Fuel Payments. Payments will be made to all pensioners in England and Wales. As in previous years, these will be payments of between £100 and £300, depending on age and whether the pensioner is living alone or in a household with another pensioner. Pensioners with a total income over £35,000 (excluding disability benefits), and who are not in receipt of Pension Credit or other relevant means-tested benefit, will have the Winter Fuel Payment recovered through the tax system.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the pension credit threshold.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The rates of Pension Credit are reviewed annually as part of the Secretary of State’s statutory review of State pension and benefit rates. Following the last review in Autumn 2024, the Standard Minimum Guarantee in Pension Credit increased by 4.1% in line with average earnings. This raised it to £227.10 a week for a single pensioner and £346.60 a week for a couple from 7 April 2025. The next review will be undertaken following confirmation in October by the Office of National Statistics of the earnings and prices indices which are used to inform the review.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the (a) decile, (b) upper quartile, (c) lower quartile and (d) median annual income of pensioners with a net worth of £1 million or above.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department does not collect data on individuals’ net worth.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of pensioners with a net worth of over £1 million who will be eligible to receive Winter Fuel Payments.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department does not collect data on individuals’ net worth.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of pensioners with a net worth of over £1 million who are eligible for pension credit.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department does not collect data on individuals’ net worth.