Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the 21-day period between laying and commencement of the Building (Local Authority Charges and Amendments Relating to Charging) England Regulations 2026 on housing delivery.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The 21-day period between laying and commencement of The Building (Local Authority Charges and Amendments Relating to Charging) England Regulations 2026 follows the Parliamentary convention for negative resolution statutory instruments. The Impact Assessment sets out information regarding the wider reforms, but no assessment has been made regarding the impact of that particular period on housing delivery. The Department engaged stakeholders during the consultation on proposals and now that these regulations have been laid through a circular.
The commencement date (6 November 2026) is the earliest that any local authority can make use of the revised regulations for new charges. That authority will have needed to publish online its charging scheme, which outlines the charges, including those for accepting or rejecting documents submitted by Registered Building Control Approvers, not less than seven days before the scheme comes into effect. Until such schemes have been published online at any point, local authorities can only charge using schemes prepared under the Building (Local Authority Charges) Regulations 2010.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of whether the 21-day period between laying and commencement of the Building (Local Authority Charges and Amendments Relating to Charging) England Regulations 2026 provides sufficient time for Registered Building Control Approvers to implement the changes at a national scale.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The 21-day period between laying and commencement of The Building (Local Authority Charges and Amendments Relating to Charging) England Regulations 2026 follows the Parliamentary convention for negative resolution statutory instruments. The Impact Assessment sets out information regarding the wider reforms, but no assessment has been made regarding the impact of that particular period on housing delivery. The Department engaged stakeholders during the consultation on proposals and now that these regulations have been laid through a circular.
The commencement date (6 November 2026) is the earliest that any local authority can make use of the revised regulations for new charges. That authority will have needed to publish online its charging scheme, which outlines the charges, including those for accepting or rejecting documents submitted by Registered Building Control Approvers, not less than seven days before the scheme comes into effect. Until such schemes have been published online at any point, local authorities can only charge using schemes prepared under the Building (Local Authority Charges) Regulations 2010.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
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 merits of amending the contribution condition in section 31 of the Pensions Act 2014 to provide for cases where the deceased was incapable of paid employment throughout their working life as a result of a lifelong disability.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The O'Donnell judgment concerned Northern Ireland legislation administered by the Department for Communities, so responsibility for responding to that judgment rested with the Northern Ireland authorities. Following the judgment, certain surviving partners in Northern Ireland could qualify for Bereavement Support Payment where the deceased had been unable to meet the contribution condition because of disability. Entitlement in Great Britain continued to be determined under the Great Britain legislative framework.
On 20 November 2025, the Supreme Court allowed the Secretary of State's appeal in R (Jwanczuk) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2025] UKSC 42. The Court held that the Bereavement Support Payment contribution condition does not unlawfully discriminate against surviving partners of people who were unable to work because of disability. The approach adopted in Northern Ireland following O'Donnell no longer applies in Northern Ireland as a result of that judgement.
The Department has not carried out an equality impact assessment following the judgment in the Jwanczuk Supreme Court case. The Department is not proposing changes to the policy as a result of that judgment.
The Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of the merits of introducing a disability exception to the Bereavement Support Payment contribution condition. Whilst there are no current plans to amend the contribution conditions, the Department keeps bereavement support policy under review.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department took in response to the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland in O'Donnell v Department for Communities [2020] NICA 36; and whether surviving partners in Northern Ireland are treated differently from those in Great Britain in respect of the contribution condition for Bereavement Support Payment.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The O'Donnell judgment concerned Northern Ireland legislation administered by the Department for Communities, so responsibility for responding to that judgment rested with the Northern Ireland authorities. Following the judgment, certain surviving partners in Northern Ireland could qualify for Bereavement Support Payment where the deceased had been unable to meet the contribution condition because of disability. Entitlement in Great Britain continued to be determined under the Great Britain legislative framework.
On 20 November 2025, the Supreme Court allowed the Secretary of State's appeal in R (Jwanczuk) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2025] UKSC 42. The Court held that the Bereavement Support Payment contribution condition does not unlawfully discriminate against surviving partners of people who were unable to work because of disability. The approach adopted in Northern Ireland following O'Donnell no longer applies in Northern Ireland as a result of that judgement.
The Department has not carried out an equality impact assessment following the judgment in the Jwanczuk Supreme Court case. The Department is not proposing changes to the policy as a result of that judgment.
The Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of the merits of introducing a disability exception to the Bereavement Support Payment contribution condition. Whilst there are no current plans to amend the contribution conditions, the Department keeps bereavement support policy under review.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has carried out an equality impact assessment of the contribution condition for Bereavement Support Payment in respect of surviving partners of people with lifelong disabilities following the judgment in R (Jwanczuk) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2025] UKSC 42.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The O'Donnell judgment concerned Northern Ireland legislation administered by the Department for Communities, so responsibility for responding to that judgment rested with the Northern Ireland authorities. Following the judgment, certain surviving partners in Northern Ireland could qualify for Bereavement Support Payment where the deceased had been unable to meet the contribution condition because of disability. Entitlement in Great Britain continued to be determined under the Great Britain legislative framework.
On 20 November 2025, the Supreme Court allowed the Secretary of State's appeal in R (Jwanczuk) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2025] UKSC 42. The Court held that the Bereavement Support Payment contribution condition does not unlawfully discriminate against surviving partners of people who were unable to work because of disability. The approach adopted in Northern Ireland following O'Donnell no longer applies in Northern Ireland as a result of that judgement.
The Department has not carried out an equality impact assessment following the judgment in the Jwanczuk Supreme Court case. The Department is not proposing changes to the policy as a result of that judgment.
The Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of the merits of introducing a disability exception to the Bereavement Support Payment contribution condition. Whilst there are no current plans to amend the contribution conditions, the Department keeps bereavement support policy under review.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) number of people who would become eligible for Bereavement Support Payment and (b) annual cost to the public purse if the contribution condition in section 31 of the Pensions Act 2014 were treated as satisfied where the deceased was incapable of work throughout their working life.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Producing robust estimates suitable for publication of the number of people who would become eligible for Bereavement Support Payment, or the associated annual cost to the public purse, in the circumstances described would require the Department to link several complex datasets and undertake extensive quality assurance and would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to her Department is of providing citizenship ceremonies.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes the fees charged and the estimated unit cost of processing immigration and nationality applications on GOV.UK. This can be reviewed via the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-fees-transparency-data.
Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review. However, no assessment has been made of the potential merits of a reduced naturalisation fee for applicants’ resident in the UK for more than 20 years and there are no plans to carry out such an assessment in the future.
While some individuals may wish to apply to become a British citizen, it is not mandatory and many choose not to do so. This is because, in addition to lawful permanent residence in the UK, a person with Indefinite Leave to Remain is able to access to the UK labour market, state education and healthcare and the ability to sponsor family members’ residence in the UK.
There is no cost to the Home Office for providing citizenship ceremonies. Local Authorities provide and administer the ceremony, and the fee is payable to them. Overseas ceremonies are administered by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) officials at the nearest embassy or High Commission. The ceremony fee covers that cost and is paid to FCDO once the ceremony has been conducted.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a reduced naturalisation fee for applicants resident in the UK for more than 20 years.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes the fees charged and the estimated unit cost of processing immigration and nationality applications on GOV.UK. This can be reviewed via the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-fees-transparency-data.
Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review. However, no assessment has been made of the potential merits of a reduced naturalisation fee for applicants’ resident in the UK for more than 20 years and there are no plans to carry out such an assessment in the future.
While some individuals may wish to apply to become a British citizen, it is not mandatory and many choose not to do so. This is because, in addition to lawful permanent residence in the UK, a person with Indefinite Leave to Remain is able to access to the UK labour market, state education and healthcare and the ability to sponsor family members’ residence in the UK.
There is no cost to the Home Office for providing citizenship ceremonies. Local Authorities provide and administer the ceremony, and the fee is payable to them. Overseas ceremonies are administered by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) officials at the nearest embassy or High Commission. The ceremony fee covers that cost and is paid to FCDO once the ceremony has been conducted.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the unit cost to her Department is of processing an application for naturalisation; and what the fee charged is.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes the fees charged and the estimated unit cost of processing immigration and nationality applications on GOV.UK. This can be reviewed via the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-fees-transparency-data.
Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review. However, no assessment has been made of the potential merits of a reduced naturalisation fee for applicants’ resident in the UK for more than 20 years and there are no plans to carry out such an assessment in the future.
While some individuals may wish to apply to become a British citizen, it is not mandatory and many choose not to do so. This is because, in addition to lawful permanent residence in the UK, a person with Indefinite Leave to Remain is able to access to the UK labour market, state education and healthcare and the ability to sponsor family members’ residence in the UK.
There is no cost to the Home Office for providing citizenship ceremonies. Local Authorities provide and administer the ceremony, and the fee is payable to them. Overseas ceremonies are administered by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) officials at the nearest embassy or High Commission. The ceremony fee covers that cost and is paid to FCDO once the ceremony has been conducted.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much revenue was raised from naturalisation fees in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office’s financial system does not separately record different types of nationality income. Isolating revenue from naturalisation fees would require a manual review of all nationality income transactions over a three-year period. The information cannot therefore be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.