Asked by: Julie Elliott (Labour - Sunderland Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to make a statement on the Government's position on the triple-lock pension.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is currently conducting his statutory annual review of State Pension and benefit rates. We cannot pre-empt the outcome of that review, which will be announced in due course.
Our priority is to protect the most vulnerable, including those who cannot increase their earnings through work, such as pensioners who are in a unique position.
Asked by: Julie Elliott (Labour - Sunderland Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce the level of food insecurity in the North East.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
With 1.25 million vacancies across the UK, Government’s focus is firmly on supporting people into and to progress in work. Our approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of employment, particularly where it is full-time, in substantially reducing the risks of poverty.
Our Plan for Jobs is providing broad ranging support for all jobseekers with our Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP), Job Entry Targeted Support and Restart scheme. To help those in work, the new In Work Progression offer will give 2.1 million low paid workers on UC to access to personalised work coach support to help them increase their earnings.
The government has taken further decisive action to help. The Energy Price Guarantee will provide further support to millions of households with rising energy costs and will continue to do so from now until April next year.
This is in addition to the over £37bn of cost-of-living support announced earlier in the year, which includes Cost of Living Payments of £650 (paid in two lump sums of £326 and £324) to more than 8 million low-income households on means-tested benefits, £300 to pensioner households (through and as an addition to the Winter Fuel Payment) and £150 to individuals receiving disability benefits.
For those who require additional support the government is providing an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of household essentials, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021. In England this is taking the form of an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £421m, running from 1 October 2022 to 31 March. Sunderland will receive £2,673,561.91 for this latest Fund.
Other Local Authority allocations can be found here Household Support Fund Grant Determination 2022 No 31/3096 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Julie Elliott (Labour - Sunderland Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to help support pensioners with increases in the cost of living.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This year we will spend over £129 billion on the State Pension and benefits for pensioners in Great Britain, we have never paid our pensioners more.
This includes:
Asked by: Julie Elliott (Labour - Sunderland Central)
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 assist universal credit claimants who are unable to attend Jobcentre appointments on weekdays before 5pm because of work commitments.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Universal Credit is a 24 hour, seven day a week digital service that allows claimants to manage their own data and account online at a time which is convenient for them. Via their account claimants can check their Universal Credit benefit payments, notify the Department of changes and record notes via an online journal facility. In addition, the Universal Credit helpline is open until 6pm Monday to Friday. Established claimants who call the helpline are connected directly to the person or team who are dealing with the case.
Not all Universal Credit claimants are required to attend interviews at their local Jobcentre. This will depend on their individual personal circumstances. For claimants whose earnings are above the individual or household Conditionality Earnings Threshold or the Administrative Earnings Threshold there is no conditionality requirement to attend interviews with a Work Coach.
Where a voluntary interview is necessary to verify evidence, claimants are able to arrange the most convenient date and time with their Work Coach or Case Manager.
Asked by: Julie Elliott (Labour - Sunderland Central)
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 compensate universal credit claimants who must take unpaid time off work to attend Jobcentre appointments.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Universal Credit is a 24 hour, seven day a week digital service that allows claimants to manage their own data and account online at a time which is convenient for them. Via their account claimants can check their Universal Credit benefit payments, notify the Department of changes and record notes via an online journal facility. In addition, the Universal Credit helpline is open until 6pm Monday to Friday. Established claimants who call the helpline are connected directly to the person or team who are dealing with the case.
Not all Universal Credit claimants are required to attend interviews at their local Jobcentre. This will depend on their individual personal circumstances. For claimants whose earnings are above the individual or household Conditionality Earnings Threshold or the Administrative Earnings Threshold there is no conditionality requirement to attend interviews with a Work Coach.
Where a voluntary interview is necessary to verify evidence, claimants are able to arrange the most convenient date and time with their Work Coach or Case Manager.
Asked by: Julie Elliott (Labour - Sunderland Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to visit food banks in the (a) North East and (b) Sunderland in the next six months.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
The Secretary of State will be making a number of visits across the UK over the next six months. The member will be updated via the usual means should such a visit be planned. The Jobcentre Plus staff in Sunderland and the North East work extremely hard to help people get into employment and this has helped contribute to an additional 71,000 people in employment since 2010.
Asked by: Julie Elliott (Labour - Sunderland Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of universal credit have received lower payments as a result of been paid twice in one assessment period in (a) the last six months and (b) the last three months in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) the North East.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Julie Elliott (Labour - Sunderland Central)
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 ensure that claimants of universal credit are not subject to deductions as a result of being paid twice in one assessment period.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Universal Credit payments reflect, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period. This includes any earnings reported by a claimant’s employer during that assessment period, regardless of at what point in the assessment period these were paid. These monthly assessment periods aim to mirror the way the majority of employees are paid and allow for the Universal Credit award to be adjusted each month.
No one will receive a lower award. To ensure their entitlements remain unchanged they should follow the following processes:
DWP has worked with HMRC and employers to ensure that they are aware of the actions they need to take to reflect an employee’s earnings. This will ease the reporting burden on claimants so that the amount they receive is not reduced.
Where this hasn’t happened a claimant should reapply within 7 days to ensure no reduction in what they receive. Re-application requires claimants to update existing information. This can be done by confirming a reclaim in their online account, or by calling our Freephone number.
However, some claimants are paid in differing patterns, including four-weekly, fortnightly or on a variable day every month. This may mean that for some months these claimants receive two or more sets of earnings during one assessment period. This may reduce the Universal Credit award that the claimant receives.
Asked by: Julie Elliott (Labour - Sunderland Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department provides to claimants of universal credit that have been paid twice in one assessment period as a result of early payment of statutory sick pay.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Universal Credit has been designed to take earnings into account in a way that is fair and transparent. The assessment period and payment structure of Universal Credit is crucial in creating and maintaining the strong work incentives at the heart of Universal Credit and provides the flexibility to adjust when claimants move in and out of work regularly.
The amount of Universal Credit paid to claimants reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period. This includes any earnings reported by the claimant’s employer during that assessment period, regardless of when they were paid. Monthly assessment periods align to the way the majority of employees are paid and also allows Universal Credit to be adjusted each month. This means that if a claimant’s income falls, they will not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit.
Some claimants are paid in differing patterns, including four-weekly, fortnightly, weekly or on a variable day every month. This may mean that for some months these claimants receive two or more sets of earnings during one Universal Credit assessment period (AP). This may reduce, or in some cases completely reduce the Universal Credit award that the claimant receives that month.
Where people have potential income volatility because of their payment cycles, they can discuss the implications of this with their case managers and work coaches and can be referred to Personal Budgeting Support to help them manage their budgeting.
Asked by: Julie Elliott (Labour - Sunderland Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department provides to claimants of universal credit that have been paid twice in one assessment period while in receipt of sick pay.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Universal Credit has been designed to take earnings into account in a way that is fair and transparent. The assessment period and payment structure of Universal Credit is crucial in creating and maintaining the strong work incentives at the heart of Universal Credit and provides the flexibility to adjust when claimants move in and out of work regularly.
The amount of Universal Credit paid to claimants reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period. This includes any earnings reported by the claimant’s employer during that assessment period, regardless of when they were paid. Monthly assessment periods align to the way the majority of employees are paid and also allows Universal Credit to be adjusted each month. This means that if a claimant’s income falls, they will not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit.
Some claimants are paid in differing patterns, including four-weekly, fortnightly, weekly or on a variable day every month. This may mean that for some months these claimants receive two or more sets of earnings during one Universal Credit assessment period (AP). This may reduce, or in some cases completely reduce the Universal Credit award that the claimant receives that month.
Where people have potential income volatility because of their payment cycles, they can discuss the implications of this with their case managers and work coaches and can be referred to Personal Budgeting Support to help them manage their budgeting.