Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to incentivise people to insulate their homes; and if he will set out the support available to help people cover these costs.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Insulation plays an important role in making homes cheaper to heat and healthier to live in, and many homes, particularly those at risk of fuel poverty, stand to benefit from cost-effective fabric upgrades through the £15 billion Warm Homes Plan, the biggest investment in home upgrades in British history.

Through the Warm Homes: Local Grant and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, we are supporting improvements such as insulation, double glazing, draught proofing, and new windows and doors. The Government has allocated £5 billion of support to low-income homes, initially delivered through these schemes.

Additionally, new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards in the rental sectors will mandate a Fabric metric, ensuring renters benefit from appropriate insulation measures.

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 merits of requiring employers to (i) acknowledge and respond to job applications within a reasonable timeframe, and (ii) provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants; and what steps his Department is taking to support older jobseekers into employment.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

DWP does not set or enforce expectations on how quickly employers should acknowledge or respond to job applications, but it uses its relationships with employers to encourage more timely communication throughout the recruitment process. This includes promoting good practice on keeping applicants informed, aligning recruitment activity with Jobcentre Plus to improve coordination, and using early insight on vacancies and candidates to help reduce delays.

DWP works with employers to encourage feedback to unsuccessful applicants where possible, promoting fair and inclusive recruitment. This includes encouraging employers to share outcome information with Jobcentre Plus to support individuals in improving future applications, using informal insight where structured feedback is not available, and engaging employers early to better understand requirements and prepare jobseekers before they apply.

Work helps everyone play active and fulfilling roles in society while building financial security for retirement, and we recognise the wealth of skills and experience that older workers bring both to the workplace and the economy. The Department is committed to supporting people over the age of 50 out of work to return to work through a wide-ranging strategy that promotes inclusion, flexibility, and progression.

We provide additional dedicated support for customers aged 50 and over in Jobcentres, including through our 50PLUS Champions, who ensure that the specific needs of this age group are recognised and met. This includes facilitating engagement with local employers, promoting age inclusive policies, and supporting work coaches to deliver activity locally. We also offer the Midlife MOT, which helps individuals assess their health, skills and finances, and directs them to appropriate guidance to support their return to work. In addition, our Employer and Partnership Teams work closely with local employers and partners to expand the opportunities, training and employment support available to jobseekers aged 50 and over.

As part of our wider plans to Get Britain Working and create a new Jobs and Careers Service, we are reforming employment support to make it more inclusive and better tailored to individuals. This includes strengthening the support we offer to people aged 50 and over to help them move back into good, meaningful work and progress in work.

Duty to assess mental capacity