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Written Question
Department for Work and Pensions: Disability
Monday 20th May 2024

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps their Department is taking to support the Disability Confident scheme; how many officials in their Department work directly on supporting that scheme; what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of that work in supporting the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of disabled people in their Department; and what further steps they are taking to support their Department’s recruitment and retention of disabled people.

Answered by Paul Maynard

DWP as part of its Policy portfolio is responsible for the administration of the Disability Confident Scheme – but this answer relates to how DWP as an employer uses and supports Disability Confident. DWP is committed to Disability Confident and back in November 2023 was re-accredited for the next three years as a Disability Confident Leader – the top-level award. In June 2023, 22% of DWP staff indicated that they had a disability (an increase of 3.7% compared to June 2021) and 13.6% of Senior Civil Servants in the department declared a disability (an increase of 1.6% compared to June 2021) – hence support in this space is a departmental priority.

There are no officials working specifically on Disability Confident outside of policy group in DWP – but we do have a Disability Lead working in our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing team who supported the co-ordination of the evidence.

As part of this submission DWP provided a large amount of evidence on the good practice that is happening with a focus on disability. This included but was not limited to:

  • A review of the Workplace Adjustments processes, with a focus on ensuring adjustments are quicker and easier to put in place.
  • Supporting our THRIVE network – an EDI Network focussed on supporting colleagues with a Disability or long-term limiting condition.
  • Ensuring products and services offered to colleagues are accessible – both physical spaces managed by estates and virtual digital spaces.
  • Establishing a centre of expertise for resourcing, which includes a team focused on diversity and inclusion in recruitment – the team leads on ensuring our recruitment processes are inclusive, fair and open for all.
  • All recruitment follows the fair, open and on merit principles and is name-blind to provide anonymity and prevent bias in the process. Specific guidance is also provided to hiring managers including DWP Recruitment of Disabled People Guide and Supporting Disabled Employees: Line Manager’s Best Practice Guide.
  • The department has been awarded Disability Confident Leader and RNIB Visibly Better Employer status which is promoted on Civil Service Jobs adverts, diverse jobs boards, social media, and Civil Service Careers websites.
  • Taking all reasonable steps to overcome any barriers that may impede people with any kind of disability including mental ill-health. Our recruitment process allows for reasonable adjustments to be instigated on an individual basis and considered at each stage of the recruitment process.
  • Trialling new approaches across the recruitment and selection process to understand their impacts on diversity outcomes. This results in new approaches being adopted where data shows they work such as the implementation of sharing interview questions in advance of interview into recruitment policy in June 2023.
Written Question
Department for Work and Pensions: Disability
Tuesday 20th June 2023

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 25 May 2023 to Question 185576 on Disability, which of his Department’s commitments in the National Disability Strategy that have not been paused as a result of legal action have (a) been fully, (b) been partially and (c) not been implemented.

Answered by Tom Pursglove

In January 2022, the High Court declared the National Disability Strategy (NDS) was unlawful because the UK Disability Survey, which informed it, was held to be a voluntary consultation that failed to comply with the legal requirements on public consultations.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) made five commitments in the NDS:

  • Set out proposals to improve the experience of accessing disability benefits;
  • Pilot an Access to Work Passport to help disabled people progress through education and move into employment;
  • Make available a passport for all young disabled students, including those receiving Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), when they leave university;
  • Encourage employers to hire disabled people and to create inclusive workplaces by reviewing Disability Confident, strengthening the Voluntary Reporting Framework, and disseminating best practice to employers; and
  • Expand trials for supported employment services.

Since the NDS was published, DWP has:

  • Published the Health and Disability White Paper, which sets out the Government’s plans to reform the welfare system and make it better meet the needs of disabled people in Great Britain. This includes removing the Work Capability Assessment (meaning claimants will now only have to do one health assessment rather than two) and supporting claimants to try work without fear of losing their financial support;
  • Delivered a pilot to test the Adjustments Passport in 3 universities. The pilot results were evaluated by the universities, demonstrating the value of the Adjustments Passport, which as a result is expected to be available, across all nations, beginning in September 2023;
  • Implemented a Health Adjustments Passport to support disabled jobseekers and is implementing an Armed Forces Service Leavers Adjustments Passport. The DWP is continuing testing of the Adjustments Passport with various groups, including young people on vocational programmes;
  • Paused work directly related to the Disability Confident review and strengthening the Voluntary Reporting Framework. The DWP continues to promote the Disability Confident Scheme and encourage sign-up through our regular engagement with the Business Leaders Group, employers of all sizes and other stakeholders; and
  • Provided funding, in partnership with DHSC, for Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) supported employment services in 12 areas across 41 local authorities in England, to support people with health conditions to access paid jobs, and then support both the individual and their employer to ensure that the job is sustained.

The Government also announced a wide-reaching package at the Spring Budget to support disabled people, and people with health conditions, to stay in, and return to work. This new investment builds on our existing extensive support to help disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work.

We remain fully committed to supporting disabled people in the UK through creating more opportunities, protecting their rights and ensuring they fully benefit from, and can contribute to, every aspect of our society. To support this, the DWP will be providing further details of our recent achievements to improve disabled people’s lives in the forthcoming Disability Action Plan consultation due for publication in the summer.

Ahead of this, I as the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, will write providing a list of these achievements and will place a copy in the House Library.

Written Question
Disability
Thursday 25th May 2023

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the National Disability Strategy published 28 July 2021, if he will list which of those report's recommendations that have not been paused as a result of legal action has been (a) fully, (b) partially and (c) not been implemented by (i) action and (ii) Department responsible.

Answered by Tom Pursglove

In January 2022, the High Court declared the National Disability Strategy was unlawful because the UK Disability Survey, which informed it, was held to be a voluntary consultation that failed to comply with the legal requirements on public consultations.

We are disappointed by, and strongly disagree with, the High Court’s finding, and the Secretary of State has been granted permission to appeal the Court's declaration.

As the NDS was found to be unlawful, we are unable to provide you with the information in the format you have requested, as we do not centrally track commitments included in the NDS.

We are fully committed to supporting disabled people in the UK through creating more opportunities, protecting their rights and ensuring they fully benefit from, and can contribute to, every aspect of our society. To support this, we will be providing details of the Government’s recent achievements to improve disabled people’s lives in the forthcoming Disability Action Plan consultation due for publication in the summer.

Ahead of this, I will write providing a list of these achievements and will place a copy in the House Library.

Written Question
Employment: Menopause
Monday 6th March 2023

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by what date the Menopause Workplace Champion will be appointed.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

I am pleased to confirm today, Helen Tomlinson, has been appointed by DWP as the Governments Menopause Employment Champion.

We are committed to ensuring we address any stigma in the workplace associated with menopause and its symptoms - which can vary as well as, the age of women when they experience it. Working positively with employers is vital to ensure they can support, recruit and importantly retain women who are in employment and experiencing menopause and stop women perhaps considering giving up their employment due to the impacts which can occur affecting both confidence and wellbeing.

I look forward to working closely with Helen, to achieve our goals of driving workplace change that will help realise the full potential of women, businesses, and the economy by assisting women at any age and career stage to be properly supported and thrive in work.

Written Question
Universal Credit: Young People
Tuesday 20th April 2021

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

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 making people under the age of 25 living in supported accommodation eligible for the work allowance under universal credit.

Answered by Will Quince

There are no current plans to change eligibility for work allowances in Universal Credit. Work allowances are focussed on providing extra support for those with children or limited capability to work. All Universal Credit claimants who are in work and earn above any applicable work allowance will benefit from the single 63% taper rate which reduces their Universal Credit at a consistent and predictable rate and by less than they are earning.

To support young people into employment we are investing £2bn to support the creation of quality jobs via our Kickstart scheme, which is already creating thousands of high-quality jobs for young people.

On top of this, our DWP Youth Offer provides wrap-around support for 18-24 year olds in the intensive work search group, helping young people access provision stood up as part of the Plan for Jobs, alongside local work related provision.

Written Question
Universal Credit: Young People
Tuesday 20th April 2021

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to review the universal credit rate for young people who live alone.

Answered by Will Quince

The Universal Credit rate for under 25s reflects the lower wages that younger workers typically receive. Universal Credit also includes separate elements to provide support for housing costs, children and childcare costs and support for disabled people and carers. These additional amounts are provided to claimants at the same level irrespective of age.

There are no plans to review this at present. OBR figures show we have injected over £8bn into the welfare system in 2020/21, and we have extended the £20 a week increase to Universal Credit for a further six months. This increase is supporting millions of people across the UK, including those under 25.

Written Question
Discretionary Housing Payments: Young People
Tuesday 20th April 2021

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people under the age of 25 were refused Discretionary Housing Payment (a) nationally and (b) in each local authority area in (i) 2019 and (ii) 2020.

Answered by Will Quince

As Discretionary Housing Payments are administered by Local Authorities the information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The most recent data available on Discretionary Housing Payments is the following set of official statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/use-of-discretionary-housing-payments-april-to-september-2020

Written Question
Social Security Benefits
Friday 26th March 2021

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the current average waiting time is for an application for limited capacity to work benefit to be considered.

Answered by Justin Tomlinson

The Department publishes Employment Support Allowance (ESA) Work Capability Assessment (WCA) statistics online and the latest clearance time statistics available to June 2020 can be accessed in Table 8 here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/esa-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessments-including-mandatory-reconsiderations-and-appeals-january-2021

Statistics on Work Capability Assessments for Universal Credit are currently under development for future publication and have not previously been published as official statistics. We will issue them in due course as an official statistics release in accordance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Whilst the initial statistics will not have median clearance times, these will be developed for publication in due course.

Written Question
Kickstart Scheme
Thursday 3rd December 2020

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

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 vacancies available as part of the Kickstart scheme that are currently unfilled as a result of registered gateway organisations not yet having received approval from her Department.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

As of 30/11/2020, there are 292 applications from potential gateway organisations waiting for assessment. These applications represent 28,783 potential job placements. So far, applications from Gateways and employers covering 23’934 vacancies have been approved.

Written Question
Kickstart Scheme
Thursday 3rd December 2020

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many registered gateway organisations are waiting for approval from her Department before being able to commence the Kickstart scheme.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

As of 30/11/2020, there are 292 applications from potential gateway organisations waiting for assessment. These applications represent 28,783 potential job placements. So far, applications from Gateways and employers covering 23’934 vacancies have been approved.