Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the potential impact of the G7 agreement on global minimum tax on additional revenue to the public purse in each of the next five financial years.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the award rate for Work Capability Assessment was (a) in-person, (b) not in-person and (c) across all modes in each of the last 10 years; and whether her Department has made a comparative assessment of award rates for (i) in-person assessments and (ii) other modes of assessment.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The information requested on decisions is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

However, relevant available information on health professional recommendations has been provided in response to a previous Parliamentary Question:

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-02-13/31637

The Health Assessment Channels Trial, conducted by the department between May 2022 and March 2023, compared the monetary impact of each Work Capability Assessment channel, focussing on initial claimants eligible for all channels (in-person, telephone or video). The trial found that the proportion of claimants awarded the health element after being allocated an in-person assessment did not differ considerably from the proportion awarded after being allocated a remote channel. We are working on publishing the full results of the trial in due course.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made a comparative assessment of award rates for (a) in-person and (b) other modes of PIP assessment.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Health Assessment Channels Trial, conducted by the department between May 2022 and March 2023, compared the monetary impact of each PIP assessment channel, focussing on initial claimants eligible for all channels (in-person, telephone or video). The trial found that the award rates of PIP claimants allocated an in-person assessment did not differ considerably from the proportion of claimants awarded PIP after being allocated a remote channel. We are working on publishing the full results of the trial in due course.

As part of the Functional Assessment Service (FAS) process, a paper-based assessment is always considered first. Where a paper-based review is not possible the claimant will be invited to an assessment.

Before sending an invitation, the assessment supplier considers whether a specific assessment channel is needed due to the claimant’s health or circumstances. Otherwise, claimants are offered the next available appointment, which can be changed if the claimant informs us that a reasonable adjustment is appropriate in their circumstances.

While suppliers recommend awards, the final decisions are made by case managers who may alter these recommendations.

We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I am leading. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress. The review is expected to conclude in autumn 2026.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Oral Statement of 30 June 2025 on Welfare Reform, columns 23-25, whether (a) the cost of changes to her welfare reform proposals include the cost of the new severe conditions group, (b) how many people are expected to qualify for that group in each financial year up to and including 2029-30 and (c) what estimate she has made of the additional cost to the exchequer for the creation of that group relative to the spending forecasts produced at Spring Statement 2025.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We published Impact Assessments alongside this Bill in the usual way. These set out who will be impacted, the financial implications of the changes and equality analysis.

To account for the proposed changes to the Bill, the Impact Assessment will be revised and republished. We will provide and update an Impact Assessment to support Commons Committee, as is the usual process when a Bill is amended at this stage.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Oral Statement of 30 June 2025 on Welfare Reform, columns 23-25, what the evidential basis was for her statement that less that 1% of people on universal credit move into work each month.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The statistics referred to in that statement related to those on Universal Credit in the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity Group.

Statistics on the Into Work Rates of Claimants on the Universal Credit Health Journey by month can be found in table T1.14 in Chapter 1 of the Pathway to Work Evidence Pack

chapter-1-case-for-change-evidence.ods

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Oral Statement of 30 October 2024 on Financial Statement and Budget Report, Official Report, column 821, whether it remains her policy not to extend the freeze on income tax thresholds.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to keeping taxes for working people as low as possible while ensuring fiscal responsibility. That is why, at our first Budget, we decided not to extend the freeze on personal tax thresholds.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it remains her Department's policy to spend an additional £1 billion on employment support for people with health conditions and disabilities by 2029-30 relative to pre-Spring Statement plans, following the changes to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments Bill; how the further £300 million of funded announced on 30 June 2025 is to be allocated across financial years; and what the total planned spending on employment support for people with health conditions and disabilities was in each financial year to 2029-30 (a) before the Spring Statement and (b) as of 2 July 2025.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We will spend an additional £1 billion on employment support for people with health conditions and disabilities by 2029-2030 relative to pre-Spring Statement plans, with no impact following changes made to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments Bill.

Further details were given by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions’ statement on Welfare Reform given on 30 June.

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