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 he has made of the potential impact of the two-child benefit cap on working class people in Newton Abbot constituency.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Statistics related to the policy to provide support for a maximum of 2 children are published annually and provide various breakdowns including by households with someone earning.
The latest publication, with April 2025 data, is published here: Universal Credit claimants statistics on the two child limit policy, April 2025 - GOV.UK data by Parliamentary Constituencies can be found in tables 12A, 12B, 12C in the published spreadsheet.
All previous releases of these statistics are published here: Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit claimants: statistics related to the policy to provide support for a maximum of 2 children - 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, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing PIP claimants to be able to claim support via the Motability Scheme when there is less than 12 months on their PIP mobility component.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Motability Foundation is independent of government and regulated by the Charity Commission so is wholly responsible for the terms and the administration of the Scheme. The Department does however work closely with Motability Foundation, and is responsible for the disability benefits that provide a passport to the Motability Scheme
The Motability Scheme supports those in receipt of a qualifying mobility allowance including the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and the enhanced rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP). We will continue to work with Motability to ensure the Scheme meets the transport needs of disabled people.
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, how many people have had their mobility component of benefits (a) removed and (b) reduced and have (i) reported a reduction in hours worked and (ii) stopped working by parliamentary constituency since 1 January 2024.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
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 his Department has made of the potential impact of changes in mobility awards on (a) disabled people’s ability to travel to employment and (b) local labour markets.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is committed to ensuring that Personal Independence Payment (PIP) remains a non-means tested cash benefit which is there for people in and out of work, now and into the future.
The Timms Review aims to ensure we have a system that supports disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment. The Review will take a comprehensive look at PIP and the PIP assessment criteria to consider whether these effectively capture the impact of long-term health conditions and disability in the modern world. Both the daily living and mobility elements of PIP are in scope.
We will ensure that the Review hears from diverse sources of evidence and the full range of views and voices. To ensure lived experience is at the heart of its work, the Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, and other experts.
We will not seek to make further changes to PIP eligibility until the Review has reported its findings.
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 his Department has updated (a) internal guidance, (b) decision-maker scripts, (c) assessor training materials and (d) scoring matrices used to assess the PIP mobility component since 1 January 2024.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There have been no substantive changes to departmental training or guidance materials relating specifically to the mobility component of Personal Independent Payment (PIP) since 1 January 2024. Departmental instructions are regularly updated to ensure they remain accurate.
The PIP Assessment Guide, and the PIP new entrant training for health professionals (HPs) who conduct assessments were updated in September 2024 to coincide with the start of the new Functional Assessment Service (FAS) contracts, and responsibility for all other HP training and guidance materials was also transferred into DWP at this time. All training and guidance material is currently undergoing a comprehensive review, with updates being made to ensure content is accurate and aligns with national best practice standards, and our policy intent.
There have been no changes to the criteria or thresholds used to assess entitlement to the PIP mobility component.
To ensure PIP is fair and fit for the future, the Government has launched the Timms Review. The Timms Review aims to ensure we have a system that supports disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment. The Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, and other experts. This means the Government will share ownership and responsibility for how the Review runs and what it recommends. The Review will report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by 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, how many PIP claimants in Newton Abbot constituency had (a) an award with a mobility component, (b) a mobility component (i) removed and (ii) reduced following a (A) decision and (B) reassessment and (c) an active Motability agreement (1) terminated and (2) not renewed in each month since January 2024.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The figures requested have been provided in the attached tables. Regarding part (b), PIP claimants do not undergo reassessments, but they do have award reviews. Therefore, figures have been provided for the most recent decision made during the award reviews of claims (after mandatory reconsiderations and appeals have been completed).
Notes:
- Values have been rounded to the nearest 10.
- Figures provided are for claimants under DWP Policy Ownership (England, Wales or Abroad).
- Figures include both Normal Rules and Special Rules for End of Life claimants.
- A claimant's most recent award decision post-reconsideration or appeal at an award review was used to determine whether their mobility award had been reduced/removed.
- Despite a contract with Motability having ended, a claimant may make a new contract in the future.
- A Motability contract is considered to have ended if it has reached the natural end of its term. A Motability contract is considered to have been terminated if it was ended early for another reason.
- Motability contracts are terminated for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to, voluntary termination, claimant death, a change in entitlement, imprisonment, or moving abroad.
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, how many PIP claimants had (a) an award with a mobility component, (b) a mobility component (i) removed and (ii) reduced following a (A) decision and (B) reassessment and (c) an active Motability agreement (1) terminated and (2) not renewed since January 2024.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The figures requested have been provided in the attached tables. Regarding part (b), PIP claimants do not undergo reassessments, but they do have award reviews. Therefore, figures have been provided for the most recent decision made during the award reviews of claims (after mandatory reconsiderations and appeals have been completed).
Notes:
- Values have been rounded to the nearest 10.
- Figures provided are for claimants under DWP Policy Ownership (England, Wales or Abroad).
- Figures include both Normal Rules and Special Rules for End of Life claimants.
- A claimant's most recent award decision post-reconsideration or appeal at an award review was used to determine whether their mobility award had been reduced/removed.
- Despite a contract with Motability having ended, a claimant may make a new contract in the future.
- A Motability contract is considered to have ended if it has reached the natural end of its term. A Motability contract is considered to have been terminated if it was ended early for another reason.
- Motability contracts are terminated for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to, voluntary termination, claimant death, a change in entitlement, imprisonment, or moving abroad.
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, when his Department plans to respond to correspondence from the Hon. Member for Newton Abbot sent on 19 August 2025, case ref MW09609.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
A reply was sent to Martin Wrigley MP by the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability on 22 October 2025.
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 changes to the Access to Work scheme have been made during this parliamentary session.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No changes have been made to Access to Work policy, and we will announce any changes prior to them being implemented. We will be reviewing all aspects of the Scheme now that the consultation has closed and the collaboration committees have been completed.
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, when his Department plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot of 26 August 2025 with case reference MW09650.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
A reply was sent to the hon. Member by the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, on behalf of the Secretary of State, on 17 October 2025.