Asked by: Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether financial allowances received by elected local councillors count towards the Universal Credit work allowance.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Allowances paid by Local Authorities to councillors for their official duties are earnings and are treated as such in the calculation of any Universal Credit award. All earnings, above any applicable work allowance, are subject to the 55% taper and the Universal Credit award is calculated on that basis.
The Universal Credit work allowance is an amount of earnings eligible households can earn before the single taper rate is applied to their earnings and their Universal Credit begins to be reduced. Those councillors with responsibility for a child or qualifying young person, and/or limited capability for work will be eligible for a work allowance.
Asked by: Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
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 ensure that employment support is accessible in communities throughout the UK.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We want everyone to be able to find a job, progress in work and thrive in the Labour Market, wherever they live.
We are moving at pace to introduce new Jobcentres across the UK, with leases already secured on 111 additional temporary sites. To date, we have recruited over 14,600 additional Work Coaches.
Throughout the pandemic, Jobcentres remained open for anyone who needed face-to-face support. As of last month, all jobcentres in England, Scotland and Wales returned to their pre-lockdown opening hours.
Asked by: Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Maintenance Service cases have been (a) received and (b) overturned by the HM Courts and Tribunal Service, in each of the last five years.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Child Maintenance Service is unable to provide figures relating to how many cases HMCTS have received. However, Table 15 of experimental data refers to cases which have been actioned by HMCTS for each quarter and were upheld. Upheld is defined as where Her Majesty's Courts & Tribunals Service overturns the decision made by the Child Maintenance Service and supports the parent's appeal. This includes appeals where the appellant provides additional evidence to the court not previously made available to the Child Maintenance Service.
|
|
|
Quarter Ending |
| Upheld |
|
|
|
Jun-15 |
| 15 |
Sep-15 |
| 30 |
Dec-15 |
| 40 |
Total |
| 85 |
Mar-16 |
| 30 |
Jun-16 |
| 35 |
Sep-16 |
| 45 |
Dec-16 |
| 60 |
Total |
| 170 |
Mar-17 |
| 80 |
Jun-17 |
| 70 |
Sep-17 |
| 90 |
Dec-17 |
| 105 |
Total |
| 245 |
Mar-18 |
| 140 |
Jun-18 |
| 165 |
Sep-18 |
| 160 |
Dec-18 |
| 180 |
Total |
| 645 |
Mar-19 |
| 145 |
Jun-19 |
| 235 |
Sep-19 |
| 225 |
Dec-19 |
| 225 |
Total |
| 930 |
Mar-20 |
| 225 |
|
| 2075 |
|
|
|
Asked by: Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Maintenance Service cases have been (a) received and (b) overturned by the Independent Case Examiner in each of the last five years.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Details of the number of Child Maintenance Service complaints received and accepted for examination by the Independent Case Examiner’s Office in each of the last five full reporting years is detailed in table (a). Table (b) provides details of the number of Child Support Maintenance cases cleared by the Independent Case Examiner’s Office during the same period and the type of clearance. The Independent Case Examiner’s Office can only accept a complaint for examination once the complainant has exhausted the DWP complaints process.
Official figures show that nearly eight out of ten CMS customers stated that they are happy with the service they receive. In cases where the CMS directly manage payments 70% of money due to be paid in the quarter ending March 2020 was collected, amounting to more than £45 million.
We are clear that it is never acceptable for parents to evade their responsibilities to their children and the CMS will continue to clamp down on people who think they can abuse or dodge the system.
Table (a): Child Maintenance Service complaints received and accepted in each of the last five full report year.
Reporting Year | Complaints Received | Complaints Accepted for Examination* |
2015/16 | 135 | 85 |
2016/17 | 381 | 118 |
2017/18 | 392 | 83 |
2018/19 | 741 | 198 |
2019/20 | 890 | 196 |
Table (b): Number of Child Support Maintenance cases clear by the Independent Case Examiner’s Office during the last five full reporting years and the type of clearance / outcome.
Reporting Year | Withdrawn | Resolved / Settled to complainants satisfaction | ICE Report – Fully or Partially Upheld | ICE Report – Not Upheld | Total Cleared |
2015/16 | 2 | 13 | 33 | 6 | 54 |
2016/17 | 5 | 22 | 34 | 9 | 70 |
2017/18 | 2 | 12 | 56 | 7 | 77 |
2018/19 | 5 | 46 | 41 | 8 | 100 |
2019/20 | 2 | 48 | 55 | 18 | 123 |