Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of successful claims under the non-consensual conception exception to the two-child limit for (a) Universal Credit, (b) working-age Housing Benefit and (c) Child Benefit were supported by evidence by (a) a criminal conviction, (b) a Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme award and (c) third-party professional support; and if she will provide a breakdown of that data by the jurisdictions of (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the evidentiary requirements of the non-consensual exception to the two-child limit on Article (a) 8 and (b) 14 of the Human Rights Act 1998.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department recognises the sensitivities surrounding disclosure that a child was likely born of non-consensual conception and has designed processes that reflect this.
All DWP policies are formulated with regard to legal obligations, including those flowing from the ECHR. The current regulations are considered to be compliant with those obligations.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the provisions of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill on eligibility for Personal Independence Payment on the ability of people who are (a) experiencing and (b) at risk of homelessness to secure (i) housing and (ii) employment.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As I set out in the House of Commons on 1 July 2025, the Government has listened to the concerns raised by Members from across the House about the proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Clause 5 of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill would have amended the legal framework underpinning PIP assessments, specifically by implementing a new requirement that claimants must score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component of PIP.
In light of the concerns raised, I confirmed during the debate that we are going to remove clause 5 from the Bill in Committee. (Hansard, 1 July, col 219)
Any changes to PIP eligibility will come after a comprehensive review of the benefit, which I shall lead, co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. This review aims to ensure that the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the list of professionals who have been given approved third-party status for the purpose of certifying claims under the non-consensual conception exception to the two-child limit; whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of expanding that list to include more third-party professionals; and if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her Department's policies of the report by Dr Rebecca Hewer entitled The Rape Clause - How Health and Social Care Professionals Administer the Non-Consensual Conception Exception to the Two-Child Limit, published on 5 May 2025.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are currently no plans to make these assessments. The non-consensual exception looks to protect UC child element entitlement for those children conceived non-consensually. The Department recognises the sensitivities surrounding disclosure that a child was likely born of non-consensual conception and has carefully designed processes to reflect this, including the use of a third-party model. Approved third parties have been chosen owing to their positions that already support individuals in sensitive circumstances. These are healthcare professionals, specialist support workers from an approved organisation listed on GOV.UK, or registered social workers.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 21 of her Department's publication entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, whether her Department conducted an internal audit of Personal Independence Payment decisions during the development of the proposal to require four points to be scored in at least one daily living activity.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
PIP provides a contribution to extra costs, but, over recent years, claims have increased significantly, outstripping the growth in disability prevalence. Changes are needed to put benefit spending on a sustainable footing so it can be there for people who need it in the future, while continuing to support those people with higher needs relating to their long-term health condition or disability.
Some people get PIP from scoring 1, 2 or 3 points, arising from needs which could individually be managed with small interventions or the addition of an aid or appliance. Focusing PIP on those with a higher level of functional need in at least one activity - people who are unable to complete activities at all, or who require more help from others to complete them – will ensure that PIP is sustainable now and into the future.
Our intention is that the changes will apply to new claims and award reviews from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. For those already on PIP, the changes to PIP eligibility will only apply at their next award review. We are also consulting on how best to support those who lose entitlement due to the reforms, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met.
Alongside the introduction of this new requirement, in the Green Paper, we promised to review the PIP assessment by working with disabled people, disabled people’s organisations, and other experts. As announced by the Secretary of State in the House of Commons on 12 May, we have started the first phase of the review. I will be meeting with stakeholders to develop the scope and terms of reference of the review and will keep the House updated as this work progresses.
On decision making more broadly, we ensure a high standard is maintained for PIP assessments through having an Independent Audit function that continually monitors the performance of assessment providers. At the decision-making stage, we have a multi-tiered Quality Assurance Framework to ensure decisions are legal and payments are accurate.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraphs 139 and 140 of her Department's publication entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, what evidence base was used to determined that claimants who score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity have higher needs.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
PIP provides a contribution to extra costs, but, over recent years, claims have increased significantly, outstripping the growth in disability prevalence. Changes are needed to put benefit spending on a sustainable footing so it can be there for people who need it in the future, while continuing to support those people with higher needs relating to their long-term health condition or disability.
Some people get PIP from scoring 1, 2 or 3 points, arising from needs which could individually be managed with small interventions or the addition of an aid or appliance. Focusing PIP on those with a higher level of functional need in at least one activity - people who are unable to complete activities at all, or who require more help from others to complete them – will ensure that PIP is sustainable now and into the future.
Our intention is that the changes will apply to new claims and award reviews from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. For those already on PIP, the changes to PIP eligibility will only apply at their next award review. We are also consulting on how best to support those who lose entitlement due to the reforms, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met.
Alongside the introduction of this new requirement, in the Green Paper, we promised to review the PIP assessment by working with disabled people, disabled people’s organisations, and other experts. As announced by the Secretary of State in the House of Commons on 12 May, we have started the first phase of the review. I will be meeting with stakeholders to develop the scope and terms of reference of the review and will keep the House updated as this work progresses.
On decision making more broadly, we ensure a high standard is maintained for PIP assessments through having an Independent Audit function that continually monitors the performance of assessment providers. At the decision-making stage, we have a multi-tiered Quality Assurance Framework to ensure decisions are legal and payments are accurate.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the report entitled Social insecurity: the devastating human rights impact of social security system failures in the UK by Amnesty International, published on 25 April 2025.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The UK Government takes its international obligations seriously and values the insights provided by Amnesty International and notes their recommendations.
The UK Government is committed to tackling poverty across the UK. Good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty so this will be the foundation of our approach. The proposals in our plan for Making Work Pay and our Get Britain Working White Paper and our urgent work to bring forward our Child Poverty Strategy reflect our commitment to delivering lasting change.
Alongside this as announced in our Pathways to Work Green Paper we will establish a new guarantee of support for all disabled people and people with health conditions claiming out of work benefits who want help to get into or return to work.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 28504 , whether the Child Poverty Strategy's work on social security reforms will include assessment of the impact of the two-child benefit cap on the commitment to tackle child poverty.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The causes of child poverty are wide-ranging and deep-rooted, and so it is right that the Taskforce carefully considers and assesses the available levers as it develops this Strategy.
The UK Government has committed to economic stability and any decision on government spending related to child poverty takes place against that backdrop. As part of the Taskforce, social security measures are under consideration.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department holds on the number of American Express retirees in the UK impacted by the lack of statutory inflation protection for pre-1997 defined benefit pensions.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department for Work and Pensions does not hold individual occupational pension scheme data.
Discretionary increases in benefits above the statutory minimum and those required by scheme rules are a matter for the scheme sponsor and trustees.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 22765 on Pensions: Inflation, whether he has had discussions with American Express.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department for Work and Pensions does not hold individual occupational pension scheme data.
Discretionary increases in benefits above the statutory minimum and those required by scheme rules are a matter for the scheme sponsor and trustees.