Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government has conducted an Equality Impact Assessment to evaluate the effect that the closure of Jobcentre Plus offices will have in Glasgow.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
We will be undertaking an equality analysis as part of the detailed planning for service reconfiguration. This will include feedback from public consultation in those locations where this applies.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow 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 ensure that adult and young carers who provide unpaid care receive the carer's allowance and other benefits they are entitled to.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
Carer’s Allowance is paid to informal carers who meet the qualifying conditions, which include being over the age of 16 and providing care for at least 35 hours a week for a person with a disability who is in receipt of a qualifying benefit. Over 785,000 carers in Great Britain, including around 70,000 in Scotland, currently receive Carer’s Allowance. Carer’s Allowance can be claimed online, and around three quarters of carers submit their claims this way. Since the online service was launched, nearly 700,000 claims have been made this way, with feedback from claimants showing that more than nine out of ten are satisfied with the service. Financial support for carers is also available through Universal Credit, Income Support, Housing Benefit and Pension Credit.
As more employers understand the value of retaining their employees, and as flexible working becomes more widely available, it is increasingly important to allow carers to balance their caring responsibilities with paid employment. To help with this we will be publishing proposals on carers’ employment in our Fuller Working Lives Strategy in the new year; rolling out Universal Credit to ensure work pays for all people, including carers; and increasing the earnings limit in Carer’s Allowance from £110 to £116 a week from April 2017.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow 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 support people providing unpaid care in securing and keeping (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
Carer’s Allowance is paid to informal carers who meet the qualifying conditions, which include being over the age of 16 and providing care for at least 35 hours a week for a person with a disability who is in receipt of a qualifying benefit. Over 785,000 carers in Great Britain, including around 70,000 in Scotland, currently receive Carer’s Allowance. Carer’s Allowance can be claimed online, and around three quarters of carers submit their claims this way. Since the online service was launched, nearly 700,000 claims have been made this way, with feedback from claimants showing that more than nine out of ten are satisfied with the service. Financial support for carers is also available through Universal Credit, Income Support, Housing Benefit and Pension Credit.
As more employers understand the value of retaining their employees, and as flexible working becomes more widely available, it is increasingly important to allow carers to balance their caring responsibilities with paid employment. To help with this we will be publishing proposals on carers’ employment in our Fuller Working Lives Strategy in the new year; rolling out Universal Credit to ensure work pays for all people, including carers; and increasing the earnings limit in Carer’s Allowance from £110 to £116 a week from April 2017.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent estimate he has made of the hours spent by (a) adult carers and (b) young carers in providing unpaid care in (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland.
Answered by David Mowat
The Department uses a range of publicly available data to inform its understanding of informal care, including:
- The United Kingdom 2011 Census asked about provision of unpaid care by age and number of hours provided. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The UK Family Resources Survey provides a breakdown by age, gender and hours of care provided. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The Health Survey for England 2014 provides details of hours of care provided, with a breakdown by age and gender. Data is also included on the types of caring task undertaken.
- The Personal Social Services Survey of Adult Carers in England 2014-15 surveys those carers known to local authorities in England, and includes data on the support needs of the person being cared for. Data is also included on the types of caring task undertaken.
- The Survey of Carers in Households 2009-10 includes some details of the support needs of the person being cared for, with some additional information on hours of care provided.
- The Office for National Statistics Household Satellite Accounts includes a specific module on the economic value of informal adult care. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In addition, the Department is currently leading the development of a new cross-Government Carers Strategy, due for publication in 2017. To inform this, the Department has recently undertaken a wide ranging Call for Evidence to gather the views and experiences of carers and other stakeholders, and to supplement the significant amount of publicly available data. This included asking carers directly about their caring roles and experiences, including the impact on their finances, and any health need or disability they may have that affects their caring role.
The Call for Evidence also included new research commissioned by the Department from the Economics of Social Care and Health Research Unit to estimate the future demand for informal care, and the likely availability of informal care in England. This research will supplement existing data from previous work by the Personal Social Services Research Unit.
Alongside the Call for Evidence, the Department for Education has commissioned new research to improve understanding of the numbers and needs of young carers and their families, carried out by TNS BMRB Research in partnership with Loughborough University. This research includes a qualitative strand, entitled ‘The Lives of Young Carers in England’ published in February 2016; and quantitative work to be published before the end of this year that will provide information on the nature of the care and support that young carers are providing; the perceived impact of caring responsibilities on physical and mental health, education and development; and the types of support that young carers receive.
The Department of Health is currently working with stakeholders to develop the new Carers Strategy. This will set out the findings from the Call for Evidence, and the priorities and actions contained in the Strategy will therefore be based on an assessment of this wide evidence base as well as the range of published qualitative evidence of the issues of most concern to carers.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent estimate he has made of the potential level of provision of unpaid care in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in (i) 2020, (ii) 2030 and (iii) 2040.
Answered by David Mowat
The Department uses a range of publicly available data to inform its understanding of informal care, including:
- The United Kingdom 2011 Census asked about provision of unpaid care by age and number of hours provided. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The UK Family Resources Survey provides a breakdown by age, gender and hours of care provided. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The Health Survey for England 2014 provides details of hours of care provided, with a breakdown by age and gender. Data is also included on the types of caring task undertaken.
- The Personal Social Services Survey of Adult Carers in England 2014-15 surveys those carers known to local authorities in England, and includes data on the support needs of the person being cared for. Data is also included on the types of caring task undertaken.
- The Survey of Carers in Households 2009-10 includes some details of the support needs of the person being cared for, with some additional information on hours of care provided.
- The Office for National Statistics Household Satellite Accounts includes a specific module on the economic value of informal adult care. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In addition, the Department is currently leading the development of a new cross-Government Carers Strategy, due for publication in 2017. To inform this, the Department has recently undertaken a wide ranging Call for Evidence to gather the views and experiences of carers and other stakeholders, and to supplement the significant amount of publicly available data. This included asking carers directly about their caring roles and experiences, including the impact on their finances, and any health need or disability they may have that affects their caring role.
The Call for Evidence also included new research commissioned by the Department from the Economics of Social Care and Health Research Unit to estimate the future demand for informal care, and the likely availability of informal care in England. This research will supplement existing data from previous work by the Personal Social Services Research Unit.
Alongside the Call for Evidence, the Department for Education has commissioned new research to improve understanding of the numbers and needs of young carers and their families, carried out by TNS BMRB Research in partnership with Loughborough University. This research includes a qualitative strand, entitled ‘The Lives of Young Carers in England’ published in February 2016; and quantitative work to be published before the end of this year that will provide information on the nature of the care and support that young carers are providing; the perceived impact of caring responsibilities on physical and mental health, education and development; and the types of support that young carers receive.
The Department of Health is currently working with stakeholders to develop the new Carers Strategy. This will set out the findings from the Call for Evidence, and the priorities and actions contained in the Strategy will therefore be based on an assessment of this wide evidence base as well as the range of published qualitative evidence of the issues of most concern to carers.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent estimate he has made of the effect that providing unpaid care has on the personal finances of adult and young carers.
Answered by David Mowat
The Department uses a range of publicly available data to inform its understanding of informal care, including:
- The United Kingdom 2011 Census asked about provision of unpaid care by age and number of hours provided. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The UK Family Resources Survey provides a breakdown by age, gender and hours of care provided. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The Health Survey for England 2014 provides details of hours of care provided, with a breakdown by age and gender. Data is also included on the types of caring task undertaken.
- The Personal Social Services Survey of Adult Carers in England 2014-15 surveys those carers known to local authorities in England, and includes data on the support needs of the person being cared for. Data is also included on the types of caring task undertaken.
- The Survey of Carers in Households 2009-10 includes some details of the support needs of the person being cared for, with some additional information on hours of care provided.
- The Office for National Statistics Household Satellite Accounts includes a specific module on the economic value of informal adult care. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In addition, the Department is currently leading the development of a new cross-Government Carers Strategy, due for publication in 2017. To inform this, the Department has recently undertaken a wide ranging Call for Evidence to gather the views and experiences of carers and other stakeholders, and to supplement the significant amount of publicly available data. This included asking carers directly about their caring roles and experiences, including the impact on their finances, and any health need or disability they may have that affects their caring role.
The Call for Evidence also included new research commissioned by the Department from the Economics of Social Care and Health Research Unit to estimate the future demand for informal care, and the likely availability of informal care in England. This research will supplement existing data from previous work by the Personal Social Services Research Unit.
Alongside the Call for Evidence, the Department for Education has commissioned new research to improve understanding of the numbers and needs of young carers and their families, carried out by TNS BMRB Research in partnership with Loughborough University. This research includes a qualitative strand, entitled ‘The Lives of Young Carers in England’ published in February 2016; and quantitative work to be published before the end of this year that will provide information on the nature of the care and support that young carers are providing; the perceived impact of caring responsibilities on physical and mental health, education and development; and the types of support that young carers receive.
The Department of Health is currently working with stakeholders to develop the new Carers Strategy. This will set out the findings from the Call for Evidence, and the priorities and actions contained in the Strategy will therefore be based on an assessment of this wide evidence base as well as the range of published qualitative evidence of the issues of most concern to carers.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment she has made of the proportion of adult carers and young carers performing unpaid care in the form of (a) domestic work, (b) general care, (c) emotional support and supervision, (d) intimate care, (e) childcare to siblings and (f) other household responsibilities in (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland.
Answered by David Mowat
The Department uses a range of publicly available data to inform its understanding of informal care, including:
- The United Kingdom 2011 Census asked about provision of unpaid care by age and number of hours provided. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The UK Family Resources Survey provides a breakdown by age, gender and hours of care provided. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The Health Survey for England 2014 provides details of hours of care provided, with a breakdown by age and gender. Data is also included on the types of caring task undertaken.
- The Personal Social Services Survey of Adult Carers in England 2014-15 surveys those carers known to local authorities in England, and includes data on the support needs of the person being cared for. Data is also included on the types of caring task undertaken.
- The Survey of Carers in Households 2009-10 includes some details of the support needs of the person being cared for, with some additional information on hours of care provided.
- The Office for National Statistics Household Satellite Accounts includes a specific module on the economic value of informal adult care. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In addition, the Department is currently leading the development of a new cross-Government Carers Strategy, due for publication in 2017. To inform this, the Department has recently undertaken a wide ranging Call for Evidence to gather the views and experiences of carers and other stakeholders, and to supplement the significant amount of publicly available data. This included asking carers directly about their caring roles and experiences, including the impact on their finances, and any health need or disability they may have that affects their caring role.
The Call for Evidence also included new research commissioned by the Department from the Economics of Social Care and Health Research Unit to estimate the future demand for informal care, and the likely availability of informal care in England. This research will supplement existing data from previous work by the Personal Social Services Research Unit.
Alongside the Call for Evidence, the Department for Education has commissioned new research to improve understanding of the numbers and needs of young carers and their families, carried out by TNS BMRB Research in partnership with Loughborough University. This research includes a qualitative strand, entitled ‘The Lives of Young Carers in England’ published in February 2016; and quantitative work to be published before the end of this year that will provide information on the nature of the care and support that young carers are providing; the perceived impact of caring responsibilities on physical and mental health, education and development; and the types of support that young carers receive.
The Department of Health is currently working with stakeholders to develop the new Carers Strategy. This will set out the findings from the Call for Evidence, and the priorities and actions contained in the Strategy will therefore be based on an assessment of this wide evidence base as well as the range of published qualitative evidence of the issues of most concern to carers.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment the Government has made of the economic value of the contribution made by unpaid adult carers and young carers in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.
Answered by David Mowat
The Department uses a range of publicly available data to inform its understanding of informal care, including:
- The United Kingdom 2011 Census asked about provision of unpaid care by age and number of hours provided. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The UK Family Resources Survey provides a breakdown by age, gender and hours of care provided. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The Health Survey for England 2014 provides details of hours of care provided, with a breakdown by age and gender. Data is also included on the types of caring task undertaken.
- The Personal Social Services Survey of Adult Carers in England 2014-15 surveys those carers known to local authorities in England, and includes data on the support needs of the person being cared for. Data is also included on the types of caring task undertaken.
- The Survey of Carers in Households 2009-10 includes some details of the support needs of the person being cared for, with some additional information on hours of care provided.
- The Office for National Statistics Household Satellite Accounts includes a specific module on the economic value of informal adult care. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In addition, the Department is currently leading the development of a new cross-Government Carers Strategy, due for publication in 2017. To inform this, the Department has recently undertaken a wide ranging Call for Evidence to gather the views and experiences of carers and other stakeholders, and to supplement the significant amount of publicly available data. This included asking carers directly about their caring roles and experiences, including the impact on their finances, and any health need or disability they may have that affects their caring role.
The Call for Evidence also included new research commissioned by the Department from the Economics of Social Care and Health Research Unit to estimate the future demand for informal care, and the likely availability of informal care in England. This research will supplement existing data from previous work by the Personal Social Services Research Unit.
Alongside the Call for Evidence, the Department for Education has commissioned new research to improve understanding of the numbers and needs of young carers and their families, carried out by TNS BMRB Research in partnership with Loughborough University. This research includes a qualitative strand, entitled ‘The Lives of Young Carers in England’ published in February 2016; and quantitative work to be published before the end of this year that will provide information on the nature of the care and support that young carers are providing; the perceived impact of caring responsibilities on physical and mental health, education and development; and the types of support that young carers receive.
The Department of Health is currently working with stakeholders to develop the new Carers Strategy. This will set out the findings from the Call for Evidence, and the priorities and actions contained in the Strategy will therefore be based on an assessment of this wide evidence base as well as the range of published qualitative evidence of the issues of most concern to carers.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of people providing unpaid care who are experiencing (a) disability, (b) mental ill health and (c) learning disabilities in (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland.
Answered by David Mowat
The Department uses a range of publicly available data to inform its understanding of informal care, including:
- The United Kingdom 2011 Census asked about provision of unpaid care by age and number of hours provided. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The UK Family Resources Survey provides a breakdown by age, gender and hours of care provided. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The Health Survey for England 2014 provides details of hours of care provided, with a breakdown by age and gender. Data is also included on the types of caring task undertaken.
- The Personal Social Services Survey of Adult Carers in England 2014-15 surveys those carers known to local authorities in England, and includes data on the support needs of the person being cared for. Data is also included on the types of caring task undertaken.
- The Survey of Carers in Households 2009-10 includes some details of the support needs of the person being cared for, with some additional information on hours of care provided.
- The Office for National Statistics Household Satellite Accounts includes a specific module on the economic value of informal adult care. Separate data is available for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In addition, the Department is currently leading the development of a new cross-Government Carers Strategy, due for publication in 2017. To inform this, the Department has recently undertaken a wide ranging Call for Evidence to gather the views and experiences of carers and other stakeholders, and to supplement the significant amount of publicly available data. This included asking carers directly about their caring roles and experiences, including the impact on their finances, and any health need or disability they may have that affects their caring role.
The Call for Evidence also included new research commissioned by the Department from the Economics of Social Care and Health Research Unit to estimate the future demand for informal care, and the likely availability of informal care in England. This research will supplement existing data from previous work by the Personal Social Services Research Unit.
Alongside the Call for Evidence, the Department for Education has commissioned new research to improve understanding of the numbers and needs of young carers and their families, carried out by TNS BMRB Research in partnership with Loughborough University. This research includes a qualitative strand, entitled ‘The Lives of Young Carers in England’ published in February 2016; and quantitative work to be published before the end of this year that will provide information on the nature of the care and support that young carers are providing; the perceived impact of caring responsibilities on physical and mental health, education and development; and the types of support that young carers receive.
The Department of Health is currently working with stakeholders to develop the new Carers Strategy. This will set out the findings from the Call for Evidence, and the priorities and actions contained in the Strategy will therefore be based on an assessment of this wide evidence base as well as the range of published qualitative evidence of the issues of most concern to carers.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of the estate is in use at the Jobcentre Plus offices in (a) Shettleston, (b) Easterhouse, (c) Parkhead, (d) Bridgeton, (e) Castlemilk, (f) Langside, (g) Newlands, (h) Anniesland, (i) Partick, (j) Maryhill, (k) Springburn, (l) Cambuslang and (m) Rutherglen.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
Since 1998 the Department occupies the majority of its accommodation under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) known as the PRIME contract. Under the terms of this 20-year PFI, the Department contracts to occupy fully serviced accommodation from its private sector partner, Telereal Trillium.
The following percentages represent the utilisation of these buildings: (a) Shettleston 22%, (b) Easterhouse 25%, (c) Parkhead 46%, (d) Bridgeton 37%, (e) Castlemilk 57%, (f) Langside 64%, (g) Newlands 62%, (h) Anniesland 30%, (i) Partick 32%, (j) Maryhill 32%, (k) Springburn 46%, (l) Cambuslang 96% and (m) Rutherglen 54%.
Even though the department does not fully occupy the space it has, it still pays for 100% of it through the PFI arrangements. Our aim is to make more efficient use of this space to reduce our estate costs going forward.