Asked by: Luciana Berger (Liberal Democrat - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress her Department has made in implementing recommendations 7 and 11 of the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Work and Health Programme is now in place across England and Wales, offering a more personalised local approach to supporting disabled people and those with mental health conditions to overcome barriers to employment. Better integration of health support is a particular priority, and providers will deliver integrated support to customers with multiple barriers. Across the whole programme we have been guided by the evidence, learning from the best of the Work Programme and Work Choice, and have set up the programme with high quality evaluation built in.
As the Government confirmed in its response to recommendation 7 of the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, individuals, even with similar barriers or characteristics, can respond differently to those barriers, and so require tailored support. This is why we have elected to give providers considerable freedom in how they support claimants to move into lasting work rather than specify particular services. This is supported by a payment model which gives providers a strong incentive to deliver outcomes, including a price accelerator element which seeks to deliver better performance by increasing the return for investment for those who are harder to help.
The key area on recommendation 11 is to stress that “The Government announced in October 2017 that it no longer intends to extend Local Housing Allowance rates to social sector tenants and in particular to those living in supported housing. The Government has also made clear that it is keen to ensure that those living in supported housing, and those who provide it, receive appropriate protection. The welfare system will therefore continue to fund long-term supported accommodation along with sheltered and extra care housing.
Asked by: Luciana Berger (Liberal Democrat - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many visits were made to jobcentres in (a) Edge HIll and (b) Wavertree each (i) day, (ii) week and (iii) month by claimants who were required to report to those jobcentres every two weeks in 2017.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The information requested is not available because our Management Information is not recorded/collated in that format.
However, using the average claimant volumes for Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit Live Service customers who are normally required to attend on a fortnightly basis, an estimation of numbers visiting Edge Hill and Wavertree Jobcentres daily would be:
Edge Hill – 159
Wavertree – 96
Asked by: Luciana Berger (Liberal Democrat - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Urgent Question of 30 January 2018, Official Report, columns 703 to 717, on PIP Back Payments, how many FTE staff in her Department she plans to allocate to re-examining those personal independence payment claims.
Answered by Sarah Newton
I refer the Hon. Member to the statement made by myself, Official Report, 30 January 2018, Columns 703 – 704.
Asked by: Luciana Berger (Liberal Democrat - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions his Department has had with the Department of Health on the mental health of unemployed people.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
My department is committed to supporting those with mental health conditions and we are working across government to provide and improve integrated health and employment support. We are more than doubling the number of employment advisers in talking therapies and we will be investing nearly £115m to implement trials which will build our evidence base on what works to help people with health conditions to return to or gain employment
In October 2016 my department published, jointly with the Department of Health, Improving Lives: the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper. This reflected the Government’s new and ambitious approach to work and health, wishing to join up systems and work widely to change attitudes with employers, within the welfare state, across the health service and in wider society so that we focus on the strengths of those with health conditions and what they can do. Our 15-week consultation engaged with disabled people and people with long term conditions, their families and carers, health and social care professionals, their representative bodies, local and national organisations, employers and charities. The consultation received almost 6000 responses across all sectors. The Government is currently considering the responses and will reach decisions on next steps in due course.
Asked by: Luciana Berger (Liberal Democrat - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to support the mental health of unemployed people.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Earlier this year, the Prime Minister announced the first steps in our plan to transform the way we deal with mental health problems at every stage of a person’s life. A range of new measures were announced, including two new reviews. In addition, the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health and NHS England’s Implementation Plan set out a series of actions to prevent mental ill health, improve services and reduce stigma.
My department is committed to supporting those with mental health conditions. In October 2016 my department published, jointly with the Department of Health, Improving Lives: the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper. This reflected the Government’s new and ambitious approach to work and health, wishing to join up systems and work widely to change attitudes with employers, within the welfare state, across the health service and in wider society so that we focus on the strengths of those with health conditions and what they can do. Our 15-week consultation engaged with disabled people and people with long term conditions, their families and carers, health and social care professionals, their representative bodies, local and national organisations, employers and charities. The consultation received almost 6000 responses across all sectors. The Government is currently considering the responses and will reach decisions on next steps in due course. My department is also continuing to invest in trials, proofs of concept and feasibility studies to build our evidence base on the best specialist and integrated support for people with mental health conditions.
Asked by: Luciana Berger (Liberal Democrat - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to support the mental health of unemployed people.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Earlier this year, the Prime Minister announced the first steps in our plan to transform the way we deal with mental health problems at every stage of a person’s life. A range of new measures were announced, including two new reviews. In addition, the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health and NHS England’s Implementation Plan set out a series of actions to prevent mental ill health, improve services and reduce stigma.
My department is committed to supporting those with mental health conditions. In October 2016 my department published, jointly with the Department of Health, Improving Lives: the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper. This reflected the Government’s new and ambitious approach to work and health, wishing to join up systems and work widely to change attitudes with employers, within the welfare state, across the health service and in wider society so that we focus on the strengths of those with health conditions and what they can do. Our 15-week consultation engaged with disabled people and people with long term conditions, their families and carers, health and social care professionals, their representative bodies, local and national organisations, employers and charities. The consultation received almost 6000 responses across all sectors. The Government is currently considering the responses and will reach decisions on next steps in due course. My department is also continuing to invest in trials, proofs of concept and feasibility studies to build our evidence base on the best specialist and integrated support for people with mental health conditions.
Asked by: Luciana Berger (Liberal Democrat - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the findings of the UK Council for Psychotherapy's analysis of the mental health of unemployed people, published on 16 July 2017; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
We are committed to listening to stakeholders, including the UK Council for Psychotherapy. In October 2016 my department published, jointly with the Department of Health Improving Lives: the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper. Our 15-week consultation engaged with disabled people and people with long term conditions, their families and carers, health and social care professionals, their representative bodies, local and national organisations, employers and charities. The consultation received 6000 responses across all sectors. The Government is currently considering the responses and will reach decisions on next steps in due course.
Asked by: Luciana Berger (Liberal Democrat - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the findings of the UK Council for Psychotherapy's analysis of the mental health of unemployed people, published on 16 July 2017; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
We are committed to listening to stakeholders, including the UK Council for Psychotherapy. In October 2016 my department published, jointly with the Department of Health Improving Lives: the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper. Our 15-week consultation engaged with disabled people and people with long term conditions, their families and carers, health and social care professionals, their representative bodies, local and national organisations, employers and charities. The consultation received 6000 responses across all sectors. The Government is currently considering the responses and will reach decisions on next steps in due course.
Asked by: Luciana Berger (Liberal Democrat - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of employment and support allowance claimants in (a) the work-related activity group and (b) support group have a primary diagnosis related to mental health.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The information available on the number of Employment and Support Allowance claimants by phase of claim and medical condition is published and can be found at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/
Guidance for users is available at:
https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html
Asked by: Luciana Berger (Liberal Democrat - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what workplace guidance is available to employers on the use of discriminatory language towards people with a mental illness.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
We want employers to create inclusive workplaces which support good mental health, and prevent discriminatory language and practices.
Many employers already have a strong track record in this area and we want to learn from their success, as well as support other employers to create supportive workplace cultures.
There is already a wealth of information available on how employers can support people with mental health conditions. Government sought views on what would further support employers in “Improving Lives - the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper’ and we are now analysing responses to the consultation.
We will also be considering what further guidance could be made available to employers through the internal review of protections from workplace mental health discrimination, announced by the Prime Minister in January.