Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
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 effect of benefit sanctions on levels of homelessness.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Department has not made such an assessment.
Housing Benefit payments are not affected by the imposition of a sanction. Sanctions apply to the JSA payment or UC equivalent only.
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The departments aim is to assess and appropriately consider the support needs of anyone whose housing conditions are stopping them from finding and keeping a job. Support is based on individual needs and circumstances and is there to help homeless claimants find sustainable living accommodation, which in turn helps to remove barriers to employment.
The homeless easement under JSA allows Work Coaches to treat certain homeless claimants as meeting job seeking conditions for periods of longer than one week. There is no limit on the number of occasions in which it can be applied; and It is dependent upon the claimant taking reasonable action to find living accommodation.
On 16 November 2016, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced that immediate access to hardship payments will be extended to homeless claimants and those with mental health conditions.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects the planned new procedures to tackle child maintenance evasion by non-resident parents who fail to declare their full income for tax purposes to be rolled out across the Child Maintenance Service.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
We have recently introduced a specialist team to the 2012 scheme of maintenance; the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU). The team has expert knowledge and experience, and many of the Child Maintenance Service’s (CMS) procedures already steer caseworkers to the FIU if faced with unpicking potentially complex income arrangements (such as those of the self-employed, company directors, or clients with “non-standard” income streams).
The FIU currently investigates cases within the “New Case” and “Complaints” areas of the CMS. Its impact is currently being evaluated and, subject to confirmation that impact is as positive as early indications suggest, use of the FIU will be rolled-out to all parts of the CMS in early 2017.
If we find a Non-Resident Parent has misrepresented their income, we can prosecute if such action would be in the public interest. The FIU can also make referrals to HMRC, if they believe tax fraud has occurred.
However, this final option is also open to anyone; if they are aware of someone committing tax fraud, this can be reported to HMRC through the gov.uk website.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have transferred to universal credit since its implementation; and how many of those people have challenged the payment accredited to them.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
No existing legacy benefit claimant has yet been moved onto Universal Credit. The managed migration of existing legacy benefit claimants will commence in July 2019 and be completed in March 2022.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the timetable is for its plans to roll-out universal credit on a constituency-by-constituency basis; and whether that timetable includes internal deadlines for separate phases of that roll-out.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The next stages of the delivery of Universal Credit were set out by the Work and Pensions Secretary in a Written Statement to Parliament on 20 July. The rollout schedule from May 2016 through to March 2017 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/539516/universal-credit-transition-rollout-schedule-phase-1-to-3-2016-to-2017.pdf
Further details of the sites rolling out from April 2017 will be announced later this year.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance is provided to jobcentre advisers on imposing sanctions on benefit claimants with diabetes.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
There is no specific guidance available to Jobcentre Plus staff on imposing sanctions on benefit claimants with diabetes. There is guidance available to Jobcentre Plus staff on the application of sanctions imposed by a Decision Maker if a claimant fails to fulfil all of their responsibilities as a claimant.
When Decision Makers make their decisions they do so using guidance for decision makers taking into account all the claimants individual circumstances including health conditions. These circumstances determine whether or not a claimant should be sanctioned.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department offers to benefit claimants with diabetes once sanctions have been imposed.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
All claimants who have a sanction imposed upon them will have access to support from the Department under the Hardship Provision, as long as they meet the Hardship criteria. Further information can be found in the Decision Makers Guide: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470852/dmgch35.pdf relating to Hardship and Health & Disability consideration when imposing a sanction.
The Departmental intranet also contains multiple pages of information about vulnerable claimants and those with illnesses and/or disabilities, some specifically covering diabetes. These provide staff with information about the condition and help them to assist claimants with complex needs in obtaining the support they need.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the number of cases of stress and anxiety related to (a) benefit sanctions and (b) conditionality of benefits.
Answered by Priti Patel
The Department does not hold information requested.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claimants have been sanctioned since 2010 in each region in each year since 2010.
Answered by Priti Patel
The available information on Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance sanction decisions is published and can be found at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk
Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:
https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started---SuperWEB2.html
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support is available to a welfare recipient with a medical condition once a sanction has been imposed.
Answered by Priti Patel
All claimants who have been sanctioned can apply for a hardship payment. This is awarded when claimants demonstrate they cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs as a result of their sanction
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what account is taken of medical conditions when deciding whether to apply benefit sanctions.
Answered by Priti Patel
The decision to temporarily reduce or halt a benefit payment is always thoroughly considered and is not something we do lightly.
Claimants are only asked to meet reasonable requirements, taking into account their individual circumstances and capability, including health conditions, disability and any caring responsibilities. These requirements are clearly explained and agreed with their Jobcentre Plus Work Coach and set out in their Claimant Commitment.