Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Elliot Colburn and Mel Stride

Monday 19th June 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mel Stride]

The hon. Gentleman raises an important point. There is no doubt that mental health and musculoskeletal issues in particular underpin part of the recent growth in economic inactivity. My Department is very engaged with the Department of Health and Social Care on those matters, not least in the piloting of Work Well, which brings together health-based solutions with employment support and universal support, which we will roll out to tens of thousands of people in the years ahead.

[Elliot Colburn (Carshalton and Wallington) (Con)]

14. What steps he is taking to encourage eligible pensioners to claim pension credit.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Elliot Colburn and Mel Stride

Monday 5th December 2022 Commons Chamber

[Sara Britcliffe (Hyndburn) (Con)]

20. What steps his Department is taking to support people on low incomes with the cost of living.

[The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mel Stride)]

In 2022-23, the Government provided £37 billion in cost of living support. We also uprated benefits, pensions and the benefit cap, as I described in previous answers.

[Elliot Colburn]

I welcome the steps my right hon. Friend has taken to support Carshalton and Wallington residents. Will he join me in welcoming the work of Wallington Jobcentre Plus in putting on advice events with local charities, especially in St Helier and Roundshaw? Will he commit the Department for Work and Pensions to supporting me when I put on my cost of living advice fair, which I hope to host very soon?

[Mel Stride]

I thank my hon. Friend very much for his question and put on record my support and thanks to Wallington Jobcentre for its extraordinary work, which I know is encouraged by him. I will certainly look at what the Department can do to support his job fair.