Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of Disability Living Allowance Tribunal hearings her Department sent a presenting officer to in the last year.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested on the proportion of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Tribunal hearings the Department sent a presenting officer to is not readily available within the Department. However, we estimate that 47% of DLA Tribunal hearings had a presenting officer in FY2024/25. This estimate uses DWP internal statistics on total number of DLA Hearings Attended by presenting officers and published statistics on number of DLA disposals cleared at hearing from Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS).
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of appeals in the First-tier Tribunal for (a) Personal Independence Payment, (b) Disability Living Allowance and (c) Employment and Support Allowance were upheld in favour of the claimant in the last year.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Information on overturned appeals for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) can be found in Table SSCS_3 of the Tribunal Statistics Quarterly publication here: Tribunals statistics - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing (a) paid flexible breastfeeding breaks and (b) suitable facilities to (i) breastfeed, (ii) express and (iii) store milk in (A) workplaces and (B) places of education.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government provides advice to employers on requirements and best practice arrangements on breastfeeding. Under health and safety law an employer must provide a suitable area where pregnant workers and breastfeeding mothers can rest, with additional advice that this should:
Employers must complete an individual risk assessment for workers who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have given birth in the last 6 months. This risk assessment must be regularly reviewed and provides an opportunity for employers to review arrangements for workers who are breastfeeding and discuss any concerns they may have.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provide guidance on rest breaks and breastfeeding at work: Protecting pregnant workers and new mothers: employers - Rest and breastfeeding at work
Acas also provide guidance on: Returning to work - Maternity leave and pay - Acas
While Schools and Colleges are not legally required to provide dedicated breastfeeding or lactation facilities for students, they are expected to comply with broader obligations under the Equality Act 2010, which protects students from discrimination related to pregnancy and maternity. Many institutions choose to support student parents by offering private, hygienic spaces for breastfeeding or expressing milk, often as part of their commitment to inclusivity and wellbeing. However, it's important to note that colleges are autonomous bodies, meaning the availability and nature of such facilities can vary significantly between institutions. Students are encouraged to contact their college’s student services or equality office to inquire about available support and request reasonable accommodations where needed.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of appeal Tribunals in relation to (a) PIP, (b) DLA and (c) ESA has the Department not contested in the last 12 months.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP does not contest appeals. Claimants have a legal right to dispute decisions made by the Secretary of State in relation to aspects of their Social Security entitlement. They do so by lodging appeals against those decisions with His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), in most cases following a Mandatory Reconsideration.
There are no cases in the First-tier Tribunal where DWP would bring an appeal against a claimant. DWP acts as a respondent to the appeal, and will provide a written response in all cases clarifying the current decision and the legal and evidential basis on which it was made. HMCTS considers the available evidence, including evidence provided in the hearing by the appellant, and will determine whether to overturn or uphold the decision.
If the decision of the First-tier Tribunal contains a potential error in law, either party to the appeal may seek leave to challenge the tribunal’s decision. The decision may be set aside by a District Judge of the First-tier Tribunal, or go on to be considered by the Upper Tribunal.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, what estimate she has made of the number of people with terminal illness who will have benefits reduced.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We recognise that people nearing the end of their life are some of the most vulnerable people in society and need fast track and unqualified support at this difficult time.
People who claim, or are in receipt of, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and are nearing the end of their life with 12 months or less to live, will continue to be able to access the enhanced rate of the daily living component of PIP. We will also maintain the existing fast-track route under the Special Rules for End of Life and where claims are currently being cleared in two working days. This fast-track route will not be impacted by the new eligibility requirement for PIP.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people diagnosed as having less than 12 months to live were declined PIP in each year since 2015.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department does not centrally record if a claimant is terminally ill, unless they applied for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) under Special Rules for End of Life (SREL).
Data on PIP clearances under SREL can be found on Stat Xplore. The requested data can be found in the ‘PIP Clearances’ dataset. You can use the ‘Month’ filter to select each month for the last five years and add it as a row or column. You can use the ‘Clearance Type Detail’ filter to select those who were disallowed. You can use the ‘End of Life Rules indicator’ filter to select SREL claimants.
You can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user. Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore is also available here: Personal Independence Payment data on Stat-Xplore: user guide - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many terminally ill people were declined the Personal Independence Payment in each year since 2015.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department does not centrally record if a claimant is terminally ill, unless they applied for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) under Special Rules for End of Life (SREL).
Data on PIP clearances under SREL can be found on Stat Xplore. The requested data can be found in the ‘PIP Clearances’ dataset. You can use the ‘Month’ filter to select each month for the last five years and add it as a row or column. You can use the ‘Clearance Type Detail’ filter to select those who were disallowed. You can use the ‘End of Life Rules indicator’ filter to select SREL claimants.
You can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user. Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore is also available here: Personal Independence Payment data on Stat-Xplore: user guide - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of terminally ill people ineligible for PIP.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department does not hold the data requested.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working, published on 18 March 2025, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people with terminal illnesses who are younger than 22 who will lose (a) the health component of Universal Credit and (b) any other form of incapacity benefit.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are currently consulting on whether to delay access to the health element of Universal Credit within the reformed system until someone is aged 22 as part of the ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working’ Green Paper.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people in receipt of Personal Independence Payment have a member of their household in receipt of Carer's Allowance.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
According to the Family Resource Survey (FRS), in England & Wales during the 2023-2024 financial year, the proportion of people claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) who have someone in their household claiming Carer’s Allowance (CA) is estimated to be around 18%. These figures are derived from the FRS household dataset on Stat-Xplore.