Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
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 gender impact of the eligibility criteria for the Jobs Guarantee; and what steps he is taking to ensure young women who are economically inactive because of caring responsibilities can access the Youth Guarantee.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Between April and June 2026, of the total number of young people who were NEET, 530,000 were young men and 451,000 were young women. The Department draws on a range of data to understand the reason young people are NEET, including economic inactivity due to caring responsibilities. However, the available data does not provide a complete breakdown by sex of all reasons why young people are NEET.
We recognise that caring responsibilities can affect young people's ability to participate in education, training and employment. Alan Milburn’s interim report also clearly laid out that young carers are one of the least visible groups in the NEET conversation and one of the most systematically miscounted. We recognise the challenge that Alan Milburn’s interim report has highlighted and will continue to use emerging evidence to inform our reforms. We look forward to considering his final recommendations in the Autumn.
Young people with caring responsibilities can access support through the Youth Guarantee. The government is investing an additional £2.5 billion by 2029 into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy, supporting almost one million young people and creating up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.
This includes through an expanded network of Youth Hubs, earlier intensive support in Jobcentres through a new Youth Guarantee Gateway, additional work experience and training opportunities, a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant and a £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for employers.
Young people, including young carers and those with caring responsibilities, can also be supported through the Jobs Guarantee. This will provide eligible unemployed 18 to 24 year olds who have been claiming Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months a guaranteed, fully funded six month paid job. Participants will receive tailored support throughout their time on the Jobs Guarantee to help them succeed and transition into sustained employment. This may include support for participants with childcare or caring responsibilities where these present a barrier to employment.
The government has also taken wider action to support parents with childcare responsibilities to take up work. The recent expansion of free childcare also means that eligible working parents of children aged 9 months and above can now access 30 hours a week (over 38 weeks a year) from the term following their child turning 9 months to when they start school. Parents may also be eligible for support with up to 100% of the first month’s upfront childcare costs through the Flexible Support Fund, where they are starting work.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data his Department holds on the reasons young women and young men are NEET, broken down by sex, including economic inactivity because of caring responsibilities; and what steps he is taking to ensure that data informs the design of youth employment policy.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Between April and June 2026, of the total number of young people who were NEET, 530,000 were young men and 451,000 were young women. The Department draws on a range of data to understand the reason young people are NEET, including economic inactivity due to caring responsibilities. However, the available data does not provide a complete breakdown by sex of all reasons why young people are NEET.
We recognise that caring responsibilities can affect young people's ability to participate in education, training and employment. Alan Milburn’s interim report also clearly laid out that young carers are one of the least visible groups in the NEET conversation and one of the most systematically miscounted. We recognise the challenge that Alan Milburn’s interim report has highlighted and will continue to use emerging evidence to inform our reforms. We look forward to considering his final recommendations in the Autumn.
Young people with caring responsibilities can access support through the Youth Guarantee. The government is investing an additional £2.5 billion by 2029 into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy, supporting almost one million young people and creating up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.
This includes through an expanded network of Youth Hubs, earlier intensive support in Jobcentres through a new Youth Guarantee Gateway, additional work experience and training opportunities, a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant and a £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for employers.
Young people, including young carers and those with caring responsibilities, can also be supported through the Jobs Guarantee. This will provide eligible unemployed 18 to 24 year olds who have been claiming Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months a guaranteed, fully funded six month paid job. Participants will receive tailored support throughout their time on the Jobs Guarantee to help them succeed and transition into sustained employment. This may include support for participants with childcare or caring responsibilities where these present a barrier to employment.
The government has also taken wider action to support parents with childcare responsibilities to take up work. The recent expansion of free childcare also means that eligible working parents of children aged 9 months and above can now access 30 hours a week (over 38 weeks a year) from the term following their child turning 9 months to when they start school. Parents may also be eligible for support with up to 100% of the first month’s upfront childcare costs through the Flexible Support Fund, where they are starting work.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made in its review of how child maintenance is calculated.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department has completed a review of the child maintenance calculation. This focused on ensuring the calculation strikes the right balance between both parents, encourages compliance, and secures more money for children.
Following the review, we plan to reduce the income tolerance used for reassessments from 25 per cent to 15 per cent and include unearned income within the standard calculation.
These changes will ensure that maintenance liabilities more accurately reflect parents' full financial circumstances and that, where parents receive income from sources other than PAYE earnings, such as rental income, investments, dividends or other unearned income, their children routinely benefit from it through child maintenance calculations.
Our priority is now to take forward these targeted changes, as part of our broader programme of reforms, at the earliest appropriate opportunity to deliver meaningful improvements for the families who rely on the child maintenance system.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
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 removing Level 5 and Level 6 leadership and management apprenticeships from levy funding on social mobility.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer of 20 April 2026 to Question UIN 126931.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Public and Commercial Services Union on the Synergy contract awarded to Capita.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Ministers and officials regularly discuss a range of matters with PCS and other trade unions.
I have also recently written to the General Secretary of PCS on this matter specifically.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
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 current waiting times on decisions on claims for Attendance Allowance; and whether he will take steps to reduce the target processing time from up to 12 weeks, particularly for claimants undergoing active cancer treatment such as chemotherapy.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department keeps Attendance Allowance processing times under review and recognises the importance of timely decisions for older people, including those undergoing significant medical treatment.
Through our wider Service Modernisation programme, we have taken steps to speed up and streamline the processing of new Attendance Allowance claims. We are now working to a target of clearing 90% of new claims within 30 days, and current performance shows that the majority of claims are being cleared within around 3–4 weeks, supported by increasing uptake of the new digital application route.
For customers who are nearing the end of life, we operate a dedicated fast-track process under the Special Rules for End of Life, where claims are prioritised and typically cleared within 8 days. The extension of the end of life definition from 6 months to 12 months ensures more people with advanced conditions can benefit from this expedited process.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
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 freezing Local Housing Allowance rates in 2026–2027 on low-income renters; and when he plans to review Local Housing Allowance rates.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are annually reviewed at Autumn Budget.
In his Written Statement following Autumn Budget, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions confirmed that LHA rates will remain at current levels in 2026/27 (HCWS1101). A range of factors were considered, including rental levels across Great Britain, the challenging fiscal context, and the impact of current levels of housing support.
To support our commitment to reduce child poverty, we prioritised removing the two-child limit which will bring 450,000 children out of poverty.
Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities for low-income renters who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. From April 2026 DHPs for England will be incorporated into the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF).
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
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 effectiveness of the Universal Credit taper in incentivising part-time work.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The taper rate aims to make customers financially better off in work by ensuring that their Universal Credit award is reduced by less than their earned income.
Universal Credit has a single taper rate of 55% and some customers will also benefit from a work allowance which is the amount someone can earn before their Universal Credit award starts to reduce.
Once a customer is earning more than their work allowance (if applicable), their Universal Credit starts to be reduced at a consistent rate.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help improve the availability of (a) free and (b) independent benefits-related advice services in Nottingham.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Department for Work and Pensions signposts customers to the following services in Nottingham, with which it has an active relationship.
St Anne’s Advice, Disability Support and Citizens Advice Centre all recently attended a DWP Health and Wellbeing event, to support customers with health conditions, and regularly attend our Disability Employment Adviser Cafes which provide an informal environment in Nottingham where the DWP works in collaboration with partners to support customers.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
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 closure of the DWP office employees in Lincoln; and whether flexible working arrangements will be offered to staff who cannot relocate.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department currently has excess space. All decisions around estates are driven by departmental strategy to deliver a smaller, better and greener estate. Equality Analysis has been undertaken as part of the decision-making process.
Since the announcement, all affected colleagues in Lincoln have been supported through a detailed conversation between each individual and their line manager to assess the personal impact of any closure, and inform consideration of all alternative employment options. Redeployment activity is now underway, looking at vacancies in other DWP locations and other government departments.
As a responsible employer, DWP offers flexibility including hybrid working, workplace adjustments and other support, but like other government departments, DWP is not a home working organisation.