Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her planned timetable is for the review of the child maintenance calculation.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is conducting a review of the child maintenance calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose. This includes updating the underlying research and considering how to ensure the calculation reflects current and future societal trends.
Options for proposed reforms are currently being considered. Any changes made to the child maintenance calculation will be subject to an extensive public consultation, which we are planning to publish late in 2025, and if made, will require amendments to legislation so would be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny in the course of 2026.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for access to work applications.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As set out in the Green Paper, we are reforming Access to Work to improve the scheme so that it helps more disabled people into and on in work. We are committed to reducing waiting times for claims and we prioritise customers starting a job in four weeks. Nevertheless, Access to Work is demand-led and tailored to the needs of each customer.
We are continuing to streamline delivery practices and have increased the number of staff processing claims. Since May 2024, 118 additional staff have been redeployed to support Access to Work.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will change the ownership arrangements for equipment funded through the Access to Work scheme to allow disabled employees to retain their assistive technology when they change or leave employment.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In March 2025, the Department published the Pathways to Work Green Paper, which is consulting on the future of Access to Work. We are also considering the role of employers in creating accessible and inclusive workplaces as well as how we can shape the market for aids, appliances and assistive technology, to reduce their cost and spread their adoption.
We will review all aspects of the Scheme following the conclusion of the consultation on the 30th June and encourage people to have their views and voices heard on how they think the programme and the welfare system could be improved.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the impact of parental employment on child poverty.
Answered by Liz Kendall - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The Child Poverty Action Group estimates 38% of children in My Hon Friend’s constituency are now growing up in poverty
Increasing the employment rate for lone parents, and increasing the number of second earners in couples, is absolutely crucial to tackling this problem.
Our Get Britain Working plan, backed by £240m of additional investment, is reforming employment support and overhauling JobCentres to help more people get work and get on at work.
And increasing parental employment is a key focus of our Child Poverty Taskforce too.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
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 merits of extending the maximum number of months for which the Bereavement Support Payment can be paid beyond the existing cap of 18 monthly payments.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) helps people through the immediate period following a bereavement by way of an initial lump sum followed by up to 18 monthly instalments. Where longer-term financial support is needed, benefits such as Universal Credit have been specifically designed to provide assistance with ongoing living costs. The Government keeps the eligibility of all benefits under review.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she plans to take to help support women affected by the rise in the State Pension age in Southampton Itchen constituency.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
DWP offers employment support for eligible customers of all ages, including those below State Pension age, through the network of Jobcentres across the UK, and through contracted employment programmes.
A dedicated offer for older workers seeks to provide tailored support for those affected by low confidence, menopause, health and disability or caring pressures, and out of date skills or qualifications. This includes an online midlife review tool that supports people to assess their health, wealth and skills.
The government has set out ambitious plans to improve employment support by bringing together jobcentres and the national careers service.