PIP Changes: Impact on Carer’s Allowance Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Work and Pensions
Deirdre Costigan
Main Page: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)Department Debates - View all Deirdre Costigan's debates with the Department for Work and Pensions
PIP Changes: Impact on Carer’s Allowance
Deirdre Costigan Excerpts(5 days, 22 hours ago)
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Sir Stephen Timms
As the hon. Lady will have gathered, the impact assessment was published yesterday. The figures are there for everybody to see, and the impacts are across the UK; that is correct. I want the support that we provide to be sustainable in the long term for those who depend on it. That will be the impact of our changes to the personal independence payment. I also want better support for carers who want to combine working with caring. That is not always easy for people to do. We made a commitment to providing up to £1 billion in better employment support by the end of this Parliament. If we can use that to support carers as well as people who are sick and disabled, we could see a significant reduction in the number of people living in poverty.
Deirdre Costigan (Ealing Southall) (Lab)
Like many Members, I have had emails from constituents who are worried about these changes. Can the Minister confirm that the most disabled people, who will never work, will be protected; that he is consulting on a new higher rate of universal credit for those who are most severely disabled; and that the Chancellor’s £1 billion investment in employment support will help those disabled people who could work to find good-quality jobs, which are the best route out of poverty?
Sir Stephen Timms
I thank my hon. Friend for her work on disability employment, which has been an important contribution. I can give the reassurances she seeks.