Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims for bereavement allowance have been made for each of the last five years; and what proportion of such claims covered (a) the full eligible 52 weeks and (b) less than the full 52 weeks.
Answered by Priti Patel
Information about Bereavement Benefits is widely available through GOV.UK. We also work closely with third party organisations who the bereaved traditionally contact such as registrars, hospitals, funeral directors and voluntary groups ensuring that they have the correct information available to signpost the bereaved to the DWP Bereavement Service.
Upon contacting the DWP Bereavement Service our staff will ensure that any benefits and pensions arrears are claimed and will also initiate a claim for Social Fund Funeral Payments and Bereavement Benefits if appropriate.
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We continue to look for opportunities to improve the availability of advice about these particular benefits and as a result we have improved the information available on GOV.UK, and are currently exploring ways in which to to join up the Tell Us Once and Bereavement Service offers.
Tell Us Once is a cross-government service delivered through Local Authorities whereby notification of the death is cascaded out to other agencies, thus reducing the number of contacts an individual has to make.
The time limit for claiming Bereavement Allowance is three months from the date of death, which is consistent with the time limit for other welfare entitlements. We are currently developing the new Bereavement Support Payment due to be implemented for new claims from April 2017, and we will assess the merits of further flexibilities on backdating as part of this work.
Information available on the number of people in receipt of Bereavement Allowance by duration of current claim can be found at:
http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/tabtool.html
Guidance for users can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance
Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne East)
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 extending the qualifying period applicants can apply for and claim bereavement allowance after the death of a partner.
Answered by Priti Patel
Information about Bereavement Benefits is widely available through GOV.UK. We also work closely with third party organisations who the bereaved traditionally contact such as registrars, hospitals, funeral directors and voluntary groups ensuring that they have the correct information available to signpost the bereaved to the DWP Bereavement Service.
Upon contacting the DWP Bereavement Service our staff will ensure that any benefits and pensions arrears are claimed and will also initiate a claim for Social Fund Funeral Payments and Bereavement Benefits if appropriate.
.
We continue to look for opportunities to improve the availability of advice about these particular benefits and as a result we have improved the information available on GOV.UK, and are currently exploring ways in which to to join up the Tell Us Once and Bereavement Service offers.
Tell Us Once is a cross-government service delivered through Local Authorities whereby notification of the death is cascaded out to other agencies, thus reducing the number of contacts an individual has to make.
The time limit for claiming Bereavement Allowance is three months from the date of death, which is consistent with the time limit for other welfare entitlements. We are currently developing the new Bereavement Support Payment due to be implemented for new claims from April 2017, and we will assess the merits of further flexibilities on backdating as part of this work.
Information available on the number of people in receipt of Bereavement Allowance by duration of current claim can be found at:
http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/tabtool.html
Guidance for users can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance
Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne 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 facilitate full statistical recording of the employment (a) rate and (b) gap for people with disabilities.
Answered by Priti Patel
The employment rates for disabled and non-disabled people are monitored quarterly, based on the Labour Force Survey which is conducted by the Office for National Statistics.
The disability employment gap can be derived by subtracting the employment rate of disabled people from the employment rate of non-disabled people.
The publicly available source used to monitor disability employment is part of the National Statistics and can be found here:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-statistics/january-2016/table-a08.xls
Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people on the autism spectrum are in full-time employment; and what steps the Government is taking to support people on the autism spectrum into stable and well-paid employment.
Answered by Priti Patel
Government does not collect data specifically on employment rates for people with Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASC).
The Government is acting to raise awareness regarding employment of people with autism and to support them to take up employment. The Government’s Autism Strategy, and the updated Statutory Guidance published in March 2015, sets out in detail how Government will support the autism agenda nationally.
The Autism Strategy can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/think-autism-an-update-to-the-government-adult-autism-strategy
The Statutory Guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adult-autism-strategy-statutory-guidance
Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne 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 effect on people on the autism spectrum of removal of the additional payment in the employment and support allowance's work related activity group.
Answered by Priti Patel
The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill on 20th July. These are available on the Parliament website: http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/welfarereformandwork/documents.html
Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will review the increase in the state pension age to mitigate the effects of that change on women born between April 1953 and April 1960.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government will not be revisiting the State Pension age timetable for women affected by the Pensions Act 2011.
Of the approximately five million individuals affected, two point four million are men. For women, the maximum increase in State Pension age relative to the previous timetable is 18 months and for men it is 12 months.
As analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies has shown, the rise in women’s State Pension age since 2010 has been accompanied by increases in employment rates for the women affected. Those unable to work because of health problems may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance, whilst those who are unemployed may be able to receive Jobseeker's Allowance.
All those affected by faster equalisation of pensionable ages for men and women will reach State Pension age after the introduction of the new State Pension. The new State Pension will be more generous for many women who have done poorly under the current system, largely as a result of lower average earnings and part-time working. Around 650,000 women reaching State Pension age in the first ten years will receive an average of £8 per week (in 2014/15 earnings terms) more due to the new State Pension valuation of their National Insurance record.
Regular consideration of State Pension age is necessary to ensure the pensions system remains sustainable as life expectancy grows. The 2014 Act provides for a 6-yearly review, to take into account up-to-date life expectancy data and the findings of an independently-led review. The first review will conclude by May 2017 and will consider, amongst a number of other factors, the impact of State Pension age change on women.
Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his policy is on the UK's membership of the International Labour Organisation.
Answered by Priti Patel
We continue to support the ILO’s work and actively engage with the ILO to ensure that it can offer effective policy solutions that address the employment issues and challenges of an increasingly globalised economy.
Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his policy is on limits to progression pay increases for civil servants in his Department.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
DWP does not have contractual pay progression. The value and method of any progression forms part of the annual pay review and must be affordable within the terms set out in the annual civil service pay guidance issued by Treasury.