Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff in her Department have been unable to secure further sponsorship following changes to the Skilled Worker salary threshold.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP does not hold this information centrally as this is information pertinent to individual circumstances and held by individuals.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to the Skilled Worker salary threshold on service levels in her Department.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Whilst the impact of changes to the Skilled Worker Salary threshold are affecting a very small proportion of staff within the Department, visa expiry and potential options for obtaining a future work visa are specific to individuals’ circumstances and the Home Office legislation which applies at the time that their current visa expires.
As current employees’ Visa expiry dates span several years and not all will be impacted by the changes to the skilled worker salary thresholds, the department does not expect changes to the Skilled Worker salary threshold to negatively impact on service levels.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Pension Credit at tackling financial hardship among older people; and what steps she is taking to improve levels of (a) awareness and (b) uptake of Pension Credit among (i) eligible groups and (ii) women born in the 1950s that were impacted by changes to the State Pension age.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Pension Credit was introduced specifically to help address pensioner poverty. It provides a vital safety net for low-income pensioners by guaranteeing a minimum level of income. For a single pensioner this Standard Minimum Guarantee (SMG) is currently set at £218.15 per week; for pensioner couples it is £332.95. The Government is absolutely committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. Subject to Parliamentary approval, in April 2025 the SMG will increase by 4.1% and mean that the SMG for a single pensioner will be £227.10 per week and for a pensioner couple it will be £346.60 - an increase in both cash and real terms.
Receipt of Pension Credit also opens the door to a whole range of other financial support, including help with rent, council tax, fuel bills and a free TV licence for those over 75. That’s why the Government is taking significant steps to raise awareness and maximise the take-up of Pension Credit.
Our campaign to promote Pension Credit has been running since September and is aimed at all eligible pensioners, including of course, women born in the 1950s. It has been running on TV, radio, social media such as Facebook and Instagram, on YouTube, on advertising screens, including on GP and Post Office screens as well as in the press. The latest phase of the campaign ran from 8 November and was aimed at friends and family - especially adult children of eligible pensioners - asking them to tell people they know about Pension Credit, encourage them to check their eligibility, as well as help them make a claim.
In November we also wrote to around 120,000 pensioners who were in receipt of Housing Benefit but not Pension Credit. We invited these pensioners to claim Pension Credit in time to make a successful backdated Pension Credit claim and qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment.
In order to promote Pension Credit through as many channels as possible, we have also engaged with key stakeholders and partners, including other government departments, local councils, housing associations, community groups, local libraries and service providers as well as charities and third sector organisations.
Over the coming weeks, as part of the annual State Pension uprating exercise, around 11 million pensioners will receive a leaflet promoting Pension Credit along with their State Pension uprating letter.