Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help support unpaid carers.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Unpaid carers play a vital role in supporting elderly or disabled relatives or friends. Sometimes unpaid carers will need to turn to the benefit system for financial support, so it is right that we keep Carer’s Allowance under review, to see if it is meeting its objectives, and giving unpaid carers the help and support they need and deserve.
Unpaid carers may be able to receive financial and/or employment support from the department depending on their circumstances. This includes Carer’s Allowance and mean tested benefits such as Universal Credit. And those caring for less than 35 hours a week on Universal Credit can receive individualised employment support through their Jobcentre Plus work coach who can tailor work related requirements, such as searching for work, to fit their caring responsibilities so they can combine paid work and unpaid care.
Unpaid carers may continue to be able to receive benefits if they choose to combine their caring responsibilities with paid work, meaning they can increase their overall income (eligibility rules apply).
Carers (providing at least 35 hours per week) of severely disabled people may be eligible for Universal Credit Carer Element and/or Carer’s Allowance. They are not required to undertake any work-related activity, but can access employment support on a voluntary basis if they wish.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the cost of living for people with disabilities.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In England, the Household Support Fund (HSF) is a scheme providing discretionary support towards the cost of essentials, such as food and energy to those most in need, including disabled people. The current HSF is running from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025, with an additional £421m being provided to enable the extension in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.
This winter, we are continuing to deliver the £150 Warm Home Discount to eligible low-income households and we expect it again to support well over three million households.
The extra costs disability benefits are a contribution to meeting the extra costs that arise from a disability or long term health condition. These benefits were not subject to the benefits freeze, were most recently uprated by 6.7 per cent from 8 April 2024 and were qualifying benefits for the Disability Cost of Living Payments paid in 2022 and 2023. They are not means–tested, are non-contributory and thus paid regardless of any income or savings. They are also tax-free and worth up to £184.30 a week, or over £9,580 a year.
The extra costs disability benefits can be paid in addition to other financial support that those with a health condition or disability may be eligible for, such as Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit, premiums and additional amounts paid within the income-related benefits, Carer’s Allowance, Motability and the Blue Badge scheme.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward proposals in line with the recommendations on an essentials guarantee as set out in the report by Trussell Trust and Joseph Rowntree Foundation on that subject published on 27 February 2023.
Answered by Jo Churchill
No formal assessment has been made.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Scope report entitled Disability Price Tag 2023: the extra cost of disability, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of that report's findings on additional costs for disabled households.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
There have been many studies estimating the costs of disability, including the Scope report. The findings vary due to the definitions of disability and the method being used.
The Government understands the pressures people, including those who are disabled, are facing with the cost of living and has taken further, decisive action to support people with their energy bills. We are providing extensive support to disabled people, and those with a long term health condition, to help them live independent lives. In 2023/24, we will spend around £78.6bn on benefits to support disabled people and people with health conditions in Great Britain.
In April, we uprated benefit rates and State Pensions by 10.1%. In order to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions, the benefit cap levels are also increasing by the same amount.
In addition, for 2023/24, households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to £900 in Cost of Living Payments. This will be split into three payments across the 2023/24 financial year, with the first payment of £301 being made between 25 April and 17 May. A separate £150 payment will be made to individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits in the summer. Further to this, the Energy Price Guarantee will be extended from April 2023 until the end of March 2024, meaning a typical household bill will be around £2,500 per year in Great Britain.
The Household Support Fund will continue until March 2024. This year long extension allows local authorities in England to continue to provide discretionary support to those most in need with the significantly rising cost of living. The guidance for local authorities for this next iteration has now been published and can be found here: 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024: Household Support Fund guidance for county councils and unitary authorities in England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The devolved administrations will receive consequential funding as usual to spend at their discretion.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to take steps to increase state pension rates for (a) men born before 6th April 1951 and (b) women born before 6 April 1953.
Answered by Laura Trott - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
In April, the full basic State Pension, for people reaching State Pension age before 6 April 2016, was increased by 10.1% to £156.20 per week. This is the highest ever increase in the State Pension and means that the basic State Pension has increased by over £3,000 in cash terms since 2010.
In addition to the basic State Pension, most people reaching State Pension age before 6 April 2016 will also either receive an amount of additional State Pension or have benefitted from membership of a contracted-out private pension. Rates of additional State Pension also increased by 10.1% in April 2023.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that people receive support from local welfare assistance schemes when necessary.
Answered by Will Quince
This Government is wholly committed to supporting those on low incomes, spending an estimated £112 billion on welfare support for people of working age and children in 2020/21 including around £7.4 billion of Covid-related welfare policy measures. In December 2020 we introduced the Covid Winter Grant to help the most vulnerable children and families stay warm and well fed. Recognising that some restrictions on the economy are still in place we have created the Covid Local Support Grant which will run until June, with a total investment of £269m.
Covid Local Support Grant is ring-fenced with at least 80% targeted to assist with food and bills, and at least 80% for families with children. Within these parameters, Local Authorities have discretion to decide how to allocate Government funding in their areas, recognising that they are best placed to understand local needs and they have shown how they are able to respond at pace to put innovative measures in place to support vulnerable households.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that the UK welfare system provides people with enough funds to access (a) food and (b) other essential supplies.
Answered by Will Quince
This Government is wholly committed to supporting those on low incomes, including by increasing the living wage, and by spending an estimated £112 billion on welfare support for people of working age in 2020/21. This included around £7.4 billion of Covid-related welfare policy measures.
We introduced our Covid Winter Grant Scheme providing funding to Local Authorities in England to help the most vulnerable children and families stay warm and well fed during the coldest months. It will now run to the 20th June as the Covid Local Support Grant, with a total investment of £269m.
We are investing up to £220m in the Holiday Activities and Food programme which has been expanded to every local authority across England this year. Children eligible for benefits-related Free School Meals will have the option to join a holiday club programme that provides healthy food and enriching activities during the summer, Christmas and Easter holidays in 2021. We also increased the value of Healthy Start Vouchers from £3.10 to £4.25 in April.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department gives to local authorities on ensuring that benefit claimants are not given conflicting appointments which carry non-attendance sanctions by both his Department and those authorities.
Answered by Esther McVey
DWP does not issue any guidance to local authorities around ensuring that benefit claimants are not given conflicting appointments.
However, whenever a benefit claimant is required to attend an interview with a DWP adviser they are given information, verbally and/or in writing, which includes details about the interview itself and what they are required to do if they are unable to attend that interview.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will assess the cumulative effect of welfare policy reforms instituted since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Esther McVey
The Government regularly produces analysis of the cumulative impact of all coalition changes, including welfare, on households across the income distribution. In the interests of transparency this Government introduced the publication of such documents (produced by HM Treasury), alongside every Budget and Autumn Statement. The most recent update was published with the Budget in March 2014, and can be found using the following link:
Impact on households: distributional analysis to accompany Budget 2014
This analysis estimates the effect of coalition measures from all fiscal events from the Budget in June 2010 to the Budget in March 2014. It also includes changes that were announced before the Budget in June 2010 that have been implemented by this Government.