Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Angus of 14 December 2020, 28 January 2021 and 18 February 2021 on the Child Maintenance Service.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department responded by email to Dave Doogan MP, Scottish National Partly Angus, on 26 March 2021.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will extend personal independence payment claims by six months in line with the extension granted for the universal credit uplift.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Throughout the Covid-19 outbreak, we have been committed to making sure people can access financial support through Personal Independence Payment in a timely manner. To ensure continuity of payments to our customers, in the early stage of the pandemic we extended existing awards with a review date 9 months to ensure that a review could take place before the end of the award. Reviews are an integral part of PIP to ensure that our customers are receiving the correct level of award.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to improve the processing time of applications to the Kickstart scheme.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We have recently streamlined and improved the assessment process, to take a more nuanced view of applications while maintaining a high standard for Kickstart jobs. These changes mean that more applications are likely to be successful. We have also continued to improve and expand our guidance to help employers understand what we are looking for when assessing applications.
We aim to process all applications within four weeks, we recognise this may not always have been possible. We have reprioritised staff resources to deliver the DWP’s Kickstart Scheme to meet the demand from the large number of supportive employers.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to work with Gateway submissions for the Kickstart scheme.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department has worked with a wide range of stakeholders, including gateway organisations since the scheme was announced and will continue to do so.
We have recently improved the assessment process to allow us to consider an application in full to make a decision. We have also continued to improve and expand our guidance to make sure employers know what we are looking for when assessing applications. Whilst maintaining a high standard for Kickstart jobs, these changes will mean that more applications are likely to be successful.
We aim to make a decision on an application within four weeks of receiving it, although this can take longer if more information needs to be gathered. Approved Gateways can get in touch with their local or national Kickstart scheme contact for information about how to add job placements or employers to their existing grant agreements.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to work with organisations such as Gateway to agree a maximum time between submission and approval of applications for the Kickstart scheme.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department has worked with a wide range of stakeholders, including gateway organisations since the scheme was announced and will continue to do so.
We have recently improved the assessment process to allow us to consider an application in full to make a decision. We have also continued to improve and expand our guidance to make sure employers know what we are looking for when assessing applications. Whilst maintaining a high standard for Kickstart jobs, these changes will mean that more applications are likely to be successful.
We aim to make a decision on an application within four weeks of receiving it, although this can take longer if more information needs to be gathered. Approved Gateways can get in touch with their local or national Kickstart scheme contact for information about how to add job placements or employers to their existing grant agreements.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance she has issued for people who cannot (a) access a face to face assessment due to covid-19 restrictions and (b) conduct a phone consultation due to the nature of their disability.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The health and safety of our claimants and staff is our key priority. As a result, all face to face assessments for sickness and disability benefits have remained suspended since March 2020.
We are assessing as many people as we are able to on paper evidence or via telephone assessments. Individuals invited for a telephone assessment are encouraged to inform their assessment provider of any additional requirements they may have, and the provider will endeavour to meet any reasonable requests. This is explained to the individual in the initial invitation letter for all telephone assessments. For example, companions are able to join a telephone assessment, as they could for a face to face assessment.
There will be some claimants for whom unfortunately there is insufficient evidence to make a decision on paper and who are unable to undertake a telephone assessment because of their health condition. We continue to develop and implement ways in which we can safely assess these individuals. For example, we are currently testing ways of supporting claimants with speech and hearing difficulties to safely participate in telephone assessments and continue to test video assessments. Claimants who we are unable to assess by telephone or video because of their health condition, in particular those not entitled to UC, will be prioritised when we are able to safely resume face to face assessments.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
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 people with a recently diagnosed condition who as a result of their condition cannot undertake a telephone consultation.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The health and safety of our claimants and staff is our key priority. As a result, all face to face assessments for sickness and disability benefits have remained suspended since March 2020.
We are assessing as many people as we are able to on paper evidence or via telephone assessments. Individuals invited for a telephone assessment are encouraged to inform their assessment provider of any additional requirements they may have, and the provider will endeavour to meet any reasonable requests. This is explained to the individual in the initial invitation letter for all telephone assessments. For example, companions are able to join a telephone assessment, as they could for a face to face assessment.
There will be some claimants for whom unfortunately there is insufficient evidence to make a decision on paper and who are unable to undertake a telephone assessment because of their health condition. We continue to develop and implement ways in which we can safely assess these individuals. For example, we are currently testing ways of supporting claimants with speech and hearing difficulties to safely participate in telephone assessments and continue to test video assessments. Claimants who we are unable to assess by telephone or video because of their health condition, in particular those not entitled to UC, will be prioritised when we are able to safely resume face to face assessments.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any applicant in receipt of universal credit who was previously in receipt of legacy benefits has successfully reapplied for universal credit.
Answered by Will Quince
Yes - claimants who were previously in receipt of legacy benefits who migrated to and were awarded Universal Credit can re-apply for Universal Credit if that award has ended. Universal Credit will then be re-awarded if they meet the conditions of entitlement.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of universal credit who were previously in receipt of legacy benefits have successfully reapplied for universal credit in the last (a) six months, (b) 12 months and (c) 24 months.
Answered by Will Quince
The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.