Asked by: Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of giving universal credit claimants the option of monthly payments or four weekly payments.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The amount of Universal Credit paid to claimants reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period.
Monthly assessment periods align to the way the majority of employees are paid and how utility companies and other service providers collect payments. It 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.
We have recently reviewed and updated guidance to help ensure claimants, staff and representatives are aware of the importance of employers reporting accurate dates and the impact on payment cycles.
We know that some people find managing their money challenging and Alternative Payment Arrangements (APA) can be provided to help them manage that change. These include: managed payment of the Universal Credit housing cost to landlords; making payments more frequently; and splitting the payment between partners within the household.
APAs can be requested by a claimant at any point during their claim and are considered on a case by case basis and assessed by Universal Credit staff. Staff work closely with claimants and are trained to gauge a claimant’s financial needs at their initial interview, and throughout their claim, based on their personal circumstances.
We continuously review Universal Credit using feedback from claimants and stakeholders. We are currently trialling new ways of working around more frequent payments, monitoring the outcomes to further inform improvements to the service.
Asked by: Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much Government funding has been allocated to (a) Citizens Advice Bureau and (b) other organisations to support universal credit and other benefit claimants in Scotland.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
As of May 2019, the Department has funded Citizens Advice Scotland with £2,343,378 to provide the Help to Claim service for Universal Credit claimants in Scotland.
DWP staff also have discretion to signpost benefit claimants to local support services where appropriate.
Asked by: Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department has spent on funding for universal credit roll-out and disability welfare in (a) Clackmannanshire and (b) Perth and Kinross in the constituency of Ochil and South Perthshire.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The financial model and reporting for Universal Credit roll-out and disability welfare is undertaken at a national level and we do not break these cost categories into lower level geographies, such as constituencies. We therefore do not hold the information requested.
Asked by: Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent representations she has received from the Scottish Government on its preparations for (a) welfare devolution and (b) the establishment of a Scottish social security agency.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
We continue to work closely with the Scottish Government on the transfer of welfare powers covered by the Scotland Act 2016. The Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare was set up to oversee the devolution of social security powers and meets regularly to discuss progress and resolve issues. The group is attended by ministers from both Governments and includes the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities. The next meeting is due to take place on 14 June.
The establishment of the Social Security Agency is a matter for the Scottish Government.
Asked by: Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether personal independence payment claimants are able to choose to undergo a face-to-face reassessment.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Detailed information on award reviews can be found in Part 1 of the Personal Independence Payment Assessment Guide: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment guide for assessment providers - GOV.UK
Asked by: Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if will take steps to guarantee that a claimant in receipt of a higher rate of daily living or mobility components of personal independence payments.will not receive a lower rate as a result of reassessment.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Reviews are a key part of Personal Independence Payment and ensures that awards remain correct and claimants receive the correct level of support that they are entitled to.
Asked by: Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department contacts customers to advise them that they are going to be re-assessed for personal independence payments; whether they are notified of such reassessments in advance; and whether they receive a letter advising them that their claim has stopped after which they are able to appeal the decision.
Answered by Sarah Newton
All existing Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claimants have been reminded since 2013 in their annual DLA uprating letters about Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and when they will be invited to claim and under what circumstances. Examples of the DLA uprating letter can be found on the PIP Toolkit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-personal-independence-payment-pip-toolkit.
Where DLA claimants are selected to claim PIP because their existing award is coming to an end, or they are randomly selected because they have a long or indefinite award of DLA, they are sent a letter. The letter explains that their DLA will end and that if they want to continue to receive support they must make a claim for PIP, provide information when requested and attend any potential assessment consultation. The letter also explains that we will continue to pay DLA until a decision has been made on their PIP claim. Examples of some of these invitations are also available from the PIP Toolkit.
Once a decision has been made on a claim to PIP, claimants are informed in the decision notification of the Mandatory Reconsideration and Appeal rights that apply.
Asked by: Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance her Department has issued on conducting PIP assessments of people with degenerative diseases.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Personal Independence Payment Assessment Guide provides comprehensive guidance for Health Professionals regarding all aspects of the assessment process, including for claimants with progressive conditions. The guide is updated regularly and published on GOV.UK
Asked by: Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to ensure higher standards of service and stricter key performance indicators to improve performance when the contract for work capability assessments is up for renewal in 2018.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The contract for the delivery of Work Capability Assessments expires in February 2020. As part of the two year extension agreement, we have agreed higher standards of service and improved Key Performance Indicators.
During the remaining term of our current contract both the Department and our supplier will continue its drive for continuous contractual performance improvement and even higher standards. We will review our future requirements as part of our preparations for re-contracting.
Asked by: Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
What steps he is taking to ensure that universal credit supports people to progress at work and increase their earnings.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Universal credit provides us with the opportunity to support people to progress and we are developing the evidence base about what works.
Building on our existing suite of trials, which includes a large scale Randomised Control Trial, we have committed an additional £8m to testing different approaches to supporting people to progress.