Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will review the Minimum Income Floor for self-employed farmers on Universal Credit.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Universal Credit treats all forms and sectors of self-employment in the same way, focusing on the level of a customer’s earnings rather than the sector in which they work. The Minimum Income Floor (MIF) encourages self-employed customers to progress in work and grow their earnings to a sustainable level.
The Government is committed to reviewing Universal Credit. Further details will be provided in due course.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has had discussions with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman on the contents of it's report entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, published on 21 March 2024.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Secretary of State has not had discussions with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman since the report into Women’s State Pension age was published on 21 March 2024.
As Pensions Minister, on behalf of the ministerial team, I had a meeting with the acting Ombudsman on 22 October to discuss the report.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of women born in the 1950s affected by State Pension age changes in (a) North Northumberland constituency and (b) Northumberland.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
ONS population estimates suggest that in 2021 there were approximately 7,630 females born in the 1950s currently resident in the North Northumberland constituency, and 23,639 females currently resident in Northumberland.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to meet regularly with representatives of the Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
I met representatives from the WASPI campaign on the 5th September. There are currently no future meetings planned.