Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support employment opportunities for people aged over 25.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government is committed to supporting everyone to get into and on in work. In addition to delivering a Youth Guarantee, the Get Britain Working White Paper and Pathways to Work Green Paper set out ambitious reforms to employment support that will benefit people aged over 25: a new Jobs and Careers Service, with an enhanced focus on skills and careers; and targeted support to reduce health related economic inactivity. Specific DWP programmes and initiatives that support employment opportunities for people aged over 25 also include:
These measures form part of the Department’s broader strategy to reduce economic inactivity and boost workforce participation, ensuring that adults over 25 receive targeted and practical support to enter and progress in work.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will consider making provision for mandatory index-linked payments in pre-1997 defined benefit pension schemes.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Members of these pension schemes are understandably concerned at seeing inflation erode the value of their retirement income.
Most schemes do pay some pre-1997 indexation, because of scheme rules or as a discretionary benefit. Analysis published last year by the Pensions Regulator shows that as of March 2023, only 17 per cent of members of private sector defined benefit pension schemes do not receive any pre-1997 indexation on benefits. This information can be found at: https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-analysis/data-requests#f3a5fe60511a445f91112bd7dd8a64ae
It would be unreasonable to retrospectively legislate to increase the cost to schemes for benefits already earned, as these costs could not have been taken into account in the funding assumptions used to set contribution rates at the time.
The Government’s pension reforms on the use of surpluses in defined benefit schemes will make it easier for individual schemes to make decisions that improve outcomes for both sponsoring employers and members, which could include discretionary benefit increases. These changes are being taken forward through the Pension Schemes Bill which had its second reading on Monday 7th July.
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has expressed that trustees should consider the situation of those members who would benefit from a discretionary increase and whether the scheme has a history of making such awards. TPR will be producing further guidance on surplus sharing once the legislation is in place.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department provides to people who suffer with disabilities after retirement.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Attendance Allowance (AA) is a weekly benefit for those over State Pension age who require care or supervision as a result of a physical or mental disability. AA is paid at two rates. A higher rate of £110.40 a week for claimants who need help or supervision for both day and night or who are terminally ill. And a lower rate of £73.90 for claimants who need frequent help or supervision during the day or night.
AA provides financial support towards the extra costs faced by those with a severe disability. It is neither means-tested, nor based on National Insurance contributions paid and recipients can choose how they wish to spend it. Receipt of AA can provide a passport to additional amounts in means-tested benefits (notably Pension Credit and Housing Benefit) for those on low incomes and to Carer’s Allowance for the person providing care for them.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help support disabled people in the workplace.
Answered by Liz Kendall - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
It is vital that workplaces are inclusive so disabled people have the same opportunities to get work, stay in work and progress in their careers.
That is why I have asked Sir Charlie Mayfield, the former boss of John Lewis, to lead an independent review into what more employers and Government can do together to support disabled people in work.
His interim review was published last month, and his final report will be in the summer.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department uses the family test; and what her Department's policy is on the publication of family test impact assessments.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP uses the Family Test during policy development and promotes its use across government.
Family Test assessments are not routinely published by DWP. Decisions on the publication of Family Test assessments fall within the responsibility of each Government department.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to meet with representatives from the Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign.
Answered by Paul Maynard
There are currently no plans to meet with WASPI representatives. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s investigation on State Pension age communications is ongoing. Section 7(2) of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 states that Ombudsman investigations “shall be conducted in private”.
The Department is cooperating fully with the Ombudsman in their investigation.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
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 merits of publishing compensation scheme proposals for the women affected by the state pension age changes.
Answered by Paul Maynard
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s investigation on State Pension age communications is ongoing and Section 7(2) of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 states that Ombudsman investigations “shall be conducted in private”.
The Department is cooperating fully with the Ombudsman’s investigation.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's press release entitled, Employment boost for thousands of parents on Universal Credit, published on 25 October 2023, and the proposals announced in the Written Statement of 22 November 2023 on Work Capability Assessment Consultation, HCW64, whether his Department will take steps to support disabled single parents who have been deemed fit to work but are unable to work for 30 hours a week; and whether he has considered the potential merits of introducing accommodations for that group.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
Disabled single parents in the Intensive Work Search conditionality group will continue to have their expected hours set at an appropriate level for their personal circumstances. The measures introduced on 25th October 2023 will ensure that lead carers of children aged 3-12 will be in a much better position to look for and prepare for work, increase their earnings and take full advantage of the increased childcare provision.
Work Coaches tailor the amount of hours any claimant is required to be available for work, search for work and undertake other work-related requirements to reflect the individual’s health condition, disability, caring responsibilities and wider circumstances.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
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 impact of increasing work search requirements for universal credit claimants whose youngest child is aged three or above on the (a) welfare and (b) development of those children.
Answered by Guy Opperman
No assessment is planned on the potential impact of increasing work search requirements for Universal Credit claimants whose youngest child is three or above on that child’s welfare or development. However, evidence suggests that parental employment substantially reduces the risk of child poverty.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to increase the (a) efficiency and (b) accessibility of telephone services provided by his Department.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
As part of DWP’s Service Modernisation programme, the Modernising and Transforming Telephony Project was formed. The project is looking at technologies available to improve and support DWP’s future telephony demand. User research from customers, agents and providers is at the centre of their design and build approach. The first enhancement will involve the introduction of ‘DWP’s Virtual Agent’’ this will support customers through their telephony journey and best determine how to respond or help with their enquiry. The objective of this technology is route calls to the right person or support available at the right time and providing a better overall customer experience than now. Starting with Universal Credit; we then plan to introduce this technology further over the next 3 years*. In terms of accessibility, this technology has been fully approved to standards required and will not replace, but complement the pre-existing support available for those customers who require it such as Relay UK and Video Relay Service.