Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much (a) housing benefit and (b) equivalent benefit as part of Universal Credit was paid to housing associations in each of the last three years.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested for Universal Credit is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
The information requested for Housing Benefit may be found by using the Detailed Housing Type and the Payment Destination fields in the “Housing Benefit - Data from April 2018” dataset in Stat-Xplore (Stat-Xplore - Log in (dwp.gov.uk)). Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html. An account is not required to use Stat- Xplore; the ‘Guest Login’ feature gives instant access to the main functions.
The Department is working towards developing these statistics internally so that we will be in a position to answer similar Parliamentary Questions in the future.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will review her Department's use of the term customer for claimants.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department keeps its policies and procedures under regular review, including how it communicates with users of its services.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much (a) housing benefit and (b) UC equivalent allowance was paid directly to councils in each of the last three years.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested for Universal Credit is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
The information requested for Housing Benefit may be found by using the Detailed Housing Type and the Payment Destination fields in the “Housing Benefit - Data from April 2018” dataset in Stat-Xplore ((Stat-Xplore - Log in (dwp.gov.uk)). Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html. An account is not required to use Stat- Xplore; the ‘Guest Login’ feature gives instant access to the main functions.
The Department is working towards developing these statistics internally so that we will be in a position to answer similar Parliamentary Questions in the future.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Occupational Health Taskforce (a) last met and (b) is scheduled to next meet.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As outlined in the previous Government’s response to the Occupational Health: Working Better consultation (published on 23 November 2023), an expert occupational health taskforce led by Dame Carol Black was established in February 2024 to explore the development of a new voluntary framework for OH provision.
The taskforce last met on 26th April 2024 and Government is reviewing how best to progress the evidence, stakeholder views and insights gathered as part of the policy development previously undertaken for this work.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies of the report by Christians Against Poverty entitled Deficit budgets: The cost to stay alive, published in September 2024.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are committed to tackling poverty and good quality work will be the foundation of our approach.
We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty, but too many people are being denied the security and dignity that comes with being in good work. The Get Britain Working White Paper, to be set out in the Autumn, will develop measures to reduce inactivity and help people to find better paid and more secure jobs.
Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. The Child Poverty Taskforce has started urgent work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy in Spring 2025 and will explore all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty. This will include listening to the voices of children living in poverty and their families.
We need a modern and effective social security system that is fit for purpose which is why we have committed to reviewing Universal Credit and listening to the full range of views on potential changes.
For those most in need, we have extended the Household Support Fund for a further 6 months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual. As has been done for previous schemes, the Fund is available to County Councils and Unitary Authorities in England to provide discretionary support to those most in need with the cost of essentials.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to meet with the Safe Sick Pay campaign to discuss the rate of Statutory Sick Pay.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
My officials met with representatives from the Centre for Progressive Change to discuss measures to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay on the day of the Employment Rights Bill introduction.
As announced in the Next Steps to Make Work Pay, the Government will shortly publish a consultation on what the percentage replacement rate for those earning below the current flat rate of Statutory Sick Pay should be. I welcome responses from the Centre for Progressive Change and other stakeholders to this consultation.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to ensure that deductions from social security payments do not leave people in relative poverty.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The primary aim of deductions in Universal Credit is to protect customers by providing a last resort repayment method for arrears of essential services, such as, housing, electricity and gas. The policy also enables social obligations, such as, paying Court Fines to be enforced when other repayment methods have failed, or are not cost effective, and ensures that benefit debt is recovered in a cost-effective manner.
The Department has an established process to support anyone experiencing financial hardship and encourages customers unable to afford the proposed rate of repayment to contact DWP Debt Management at the earliest opportunity. Departmental agents will, where applicable, negotiate an affordable and sustainable repayment plan. Furthermore, there is no limit on the number of times a person can request a change to their repayment rate. In exceptional cases, based on individual circumstances, a temporary suspension of recovery may be agreed.
We are committed to reviewing Universal Credit, to make sure it is doing the job we want it to.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of automating pension credit payments without an application process for claimants reaching retirement age on universal credit.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Households in receipt of Universal Credit are likely to see a significant change in their financial situation on reaching state pension age – at which point they may become entitled to retirement income such as the state pension, occupational or private pension or other financial product.
It cannot therefore be assumed that entitlement to Universal Credit will also mean entitlement to Pension Credit.
Eligibility to Pension Credit and the amount of any award will depend on a household’s particular financial and personal circumstances on reaching retirement age. This can only be established once a successful claim is made and will be based on a range of decisions which cannot all be automated.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the threshold for pension credit was last reviewed; and when it is next set for review.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The rates of Pension Credit were last reviewed in Autumn 2023 as part of the Secretary of State’s annual statutory review of State pension and benefit rates. Following that review, the Pension Credit standard minimum guarantee was increased by 8.5%, in line with the percentage increase in average earnings, to £218.15 a week for a single pensioner and £332.95 a week for a pensioner couple, with effect from 8 April 2024. Other Pension Credit amounts, including the maximum rate of Savings Credit and additional amounts for those with a severe disability or caring responsibilities, were increased by 6.7% in line with price inflation.
The next review will be undertaken following the publication in October by the Office of National Statistics of the earnings and prices indices used to inform the review, with the new rates taking effect from 7 April 2025.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people applying for pension credit have been in receipt of universal credit in each of the last five years.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.