Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and Malling)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to provide financial support for carers who look after their partners.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Unpaid carers play a vital role in supporting elderly or disabled relatives (including partners) or friends. We are determined to give family carers the help and support they need and deserve.
Research published in 2024 estimated that around 1 in 4 carers receiving Carer’s Allowance are caring for their partner. Unpaid carers may be able to receive financial support from the department depending on their circumstances. Carer’s Allowance provides a measure of financial support and recognition for people who are not able to work full time due to their caring responsibilities. The rate of Carer’s Allowance is £81.90 a week in 2024/25, and from April 2025 this will increase by 1.7%.
In addition to Carer’s Allowance, carers on low incomes can claim income-related benefits, such as Universal Credit and Pension Credit. These benefits can be paid to carers at a higher rate than those without caring responsibilities through the carer element and the additional amount for carers respectively. Currently, the Universal Credit carer element is £198.31 per monthly assessment period. The additional amount for a carer in Pension Credit is £45.60 a week.
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and Malling)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish an equality impact assessment for the means-testing of Winter Fuel Payment.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
In making its decision on Winter Fuel Payment eligibility, the Government had regard to an equality analysis in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty requirements. The equality analysis was published on Friday 13th September, and can be found here: GOV.UK.
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and Malling)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department plans to take to support people who will become ineligible for Winter Fuel Payment as a result of the planned introduction of means-testing in Maidstone and Malling constituency.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.
The State Pension is the foundation of income in retirement and will remain so protecting 12 million pensioners through the triple lock. Based on current forecasts, the full rate of the new state pension is set to increase by £1,700 over the course of this Parliament.
We are also providing support for pensioners through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.
The Household Support Fund is also being extended for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.
The Warm Home Discount scheme in England and Wales provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate on their electricity bill. This winter, we expect over three million households, including over one million pensioners, to benefit under the scheme.
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and Malling)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is taking steps to support the separated parents of children who are not the parent in receipt of (a) child benefit and (b) carers allowance.
Answered by Jo Churchill
The government has a range of policies which support children and families across the tax and benefits system and public services. Independent, free and anonymous benefit calculators are available to help individuals understand what benefits they may be entitled to. Benefits calculators - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and Malling)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many veterans in receipt of (a) an armed forces compensation scheme guaranteed income payment and (b) the war pension scheme unemployability supplement have undertaken a work capability assessment to prove their entitlement to the housing element of universal credit in each year for which information is available.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Work Capability Assessment is not a condition of entitlement to housing costs within Universal Credit.
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and Malling)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many veterans in receipt of a war pension are claiming employment support allowance as part of their universal credit claim.
Answered by Sarah Newton
New claims to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) have now stopped, however claimants can receive the ESA component of Universal Credit (UC). Claimants may also be entitled to New Style ESA which can be claimed alongside Universal Credit if the claimant has paid or been credited with sufficient National Insurance contributions, satisfying the New Style ESA eligibility conditions.