Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what contracts their Department has with Palantir.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023, which came into force on 24 February 2025, are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to take steps to ensure support for low-income tenants provides value for money.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP works with Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to improve housing quality for benefit claimants and value for money for taxpayers.
The Renters' Rights Bill, currently before Parliament, includes measures to strengthen landlord accountability. These include a requirement for all landlords to sign up to the new Private Rented Sector Database; a new independent Landlord Ombudsman which will provide binding resolutions for tenant complaints; the extension of the Decent Homes Standard to the PRS; and Awaab’s law, requiring swift action where damp and mould has been reported.
In addition, DWP is currently testing how sharing UC data can support local authorities with the Rent Repayment Order (RRO) process, aiming to change landlord behaviours and achieve better quality homes where housing support has been in payment.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to PIP eligibility on Disabled pensioners.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No one over state pension age at the time any changes come in will be affected.
Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here: Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill publications - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to PIP eligibility on LGBTQ+ people.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As I made clear in my statement to the House, Hansard, 1 July, col 219, any changes to PIP eligibility will come after a comprehensive review of the benefit, which I am leading, and which will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. This review aims to ensure that the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future. The review is expected to conclude in autumn 2026.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to PIP eligibility on disabled people in the Newton Abbot constituency.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As I made clear in my statement to the House, Hansard, 1 July, col 219, any changes to PIP eligibility will come after a comprehensive review of the benefit, which I am leading, and which will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. This review aims to ensure that the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future. The review is expected to conclude in autumn 2026.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support disabled veterans in Devon.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Disabled people, including disabled veterans, can access a wide range of support in Devon. Information on what support is available to them can be found on Gov.UK including these specific areas: Veterans UK - GOV.UK and Disabled people - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help tackle stigma among disabled veterans claiming PIP.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The benefits system exists to support people at critical points in their lives and for a range of reasons. There should be no stigma attached to claiming a benefit you're entitled to, and people should claim social security benefits as and when their circumstances dictate.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to allow veterans in receipt of the Armed Forces Independence Payment to claim the new health-related Universal Credit support.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Green Paper, “Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working” announced that we would be scrapping the Work Capability Assessment and moving to a single assessment for financial support related to health and disability benefits. This single assessment will be the PIP assessment and those who are eligible for an award of Daily Living in PIP would also be able to access additional financial support in Universal Credit.
We recognise that claiming certain other benefits can impact whether or not a claimant applies for or can get PIP, including Armed Forces Independence Payment. We are currently considering how the future system will operate and will provide further information in the upcoming White Paper.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of (a) Housing Benefit and (b) other housing subsidies on rent levels in the private rented sector.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum housing support for low income tenants in the private rented sector (PRS). In April 2024, LHA rates were set at the 30th percentile of local market rents and have been maintained at the same levels for 2025/26.
In the PRS, LHA households in similar circumstances living in the same area are entitled to the same maximum rent allowance regardless of the contractual rent paid. However, LHA rates do not cover all rents in all areas.
International evidence varies widely on how much housing subsidies feed through into rent levels. DWP analysis has shown that only 9.5% of rents paid by households covered by the LHA were within +/- £5 per week of the LHA rate in May 2024, with a similar rate (7%) seen in February 2023. While anecdotal evidence suggests that some landlords use the LHA to set rent levels, on balance it appears that in practice local rental market dynamics are the primary driver.
Discretionary Housing Payments are also available from local authorities to those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, regarding Housing Benefit, if she will make it her policy to commit a portion of benefit funding into social housing.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Housing support is delivered through Housing Benefit (HB) and the Housing Element of Universal Credit (UCHE). These are means tested benefits intended to help people pay their rental costs, including around two-thirds of households living in the social rented sector in England.
Registered providers of social housing use income from rents to manage and maintain their homes, as well as to deliver new homes. At Spending Review 2025, the Government announced a 10-year social housing rent settlement from 2026 at CPI + 1% for England, alongside a consultation to follow shortly on how to implement social housing rent convergence. This settlement will provide long-term certainty to enable providers to borrow and invest in new and existing homes.