Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the effect of the under-occupancy penalty on his Department's expenditure in this Parliament; and under what categories of expenditure that effect has happened.
Answered by Mark Harper - Secretary of State for Transport
The removal of the spare room subsidy is saving around £1 billion over the course of this Parliament from Housing Benefit expenditure in the social rented sector.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance he issues on the use of the DS1500 to support people at the end of life to die in their preferred place of care.
Answered by Mark Harper - Secretary of State for Transport
The sole purpose of the DS1500 is to support claims to a range of social security benefits from people who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness by a healthcare professional. Guidance for healthcare professionals who complete the DS1500 is available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/306630/medical-reports-completion-apr-14.pdf
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to work with other government departments and local service providers to support better people at the end of life by use of the DS1500 form.
Answered by Mark Harper - Secretary of State for Transport
The DS1500 is used to support claims to a range of benefits from people who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness by a healthcare professional. In line with our aim to continuously improve the service provided to people who are terminally ill, the Department works with a range of stakeholders, including healthcare professionals and support organisations, such as MacMillan Cancer Support, to identify and introduce improvements.