Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Action for Children’s latest report entitled, All worked out, what recent assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of children living in poverty in Portsmouth South; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The latest statistics on the number and proportion of children who are in low income families by local area are for 2020/21 and can be found in the annual publication: Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).
This Government is committed to a sustainable, long-term approach to tackling poverty and supporting people on lower incomes in this country. In 2022/23 we will spend £245 billion through the welfare system in Great Britain including £111 billion on people of working age. In 2023/24, subject to parliamentary approval, we are uprating all benefit rates and State Pensions by 10.1%, and in order to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions, the benefit cap levels are also increasing by the same amount.
With over 1.16 million vacancies across the UK, our focus is firmly on supporting people into and to progress in work. Our approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of employment, particularly where it is full-time, in substantially reducing the risk of poverty.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the proportional uptake of Housing Benefit by people of pension age in Portsmouth South constituency; and what steps he is taking to help ensure that Housing Benefit is paid to all such people entitled to it.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information on the uptake of Housing Benefit by pensioners is not available at constituency level. The Department publishes estimates of benefit take-up in the Official Statistics series Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up.
Gov.uk provides information on the availability of Housing Benefit and advice on how to claim. Local Authorities determine any take-up activity locally to ensure those who require housing support make the necessary application as required by legislation.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the proportional uptake of Pension Credit in Portsmouth South constituency; and what steps he is taking to help ensure that Pension Credit is paid to all people entitled to it.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The latest available Pension Credit take-up statistics cover the financial year 2019 to 2020 and can be found at Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up. These statistics are only available at Great Britain level and cannot be broken down to smaller geographical areas.
Pension Credit provides vital financial support to pensioners on a low income. In Portsmouth South some 2,400 pensioners already receive Pension Credit, but we want all those who are eligible to claim it. That’s why the Department launched a £1.2m nationwide communications campaign in April to raise awareness of Pension Credit and increase take-up.
We undertook a further burst of communications activity in December which included press, radio and social media. This highlighted that successful Pension Credit applications made by 18 December would mean qualification for a £324 Cost of Living Payment – thanks to Pension Credit backdating rules. To promote this activity, I held an event at Portcullis House on 7 December. Around 40 MPs attended to show their support and help promote the message in their constituencies.
Internal management information shows that during the week commencing 12 December, DWP received over 7,200 claims. This is 177% higher compared to the same week the year before. Since the beginning of the Pension Credit awareness campaign in April 2022, weekly Pension Credit claims volumes increased by an average of 73% compared to the year average before the campaign began (April 2021 to March 2022).
We are planning to spend £1.8m on further communications activities up to the end of the financial year, including TV advertising, radio and print advertising – which will emphasise the help that receipt of Pension Credit can bring, such as qualifying for this year’s Cost of Living payments.
We are also writing to over 11 million pensioners to notify them of the up-rating of their State Pensions. As last year, a leaflet accompanying the notification includes information promoting Pension Credit. This has been updated to include a more prominent ‘call to action’ using the Pension Credit campaign messaging to encourage eligible pensioners to make a claim.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an estimate of the number of employees in Portsmouth South constituency who are (a) leaving pension schemes or (b) reducing pension contributions due to the rising cost of living; and what plans he has to mitigate those outcomes.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The government continues to closely monitor the cost-of-living pressures on workplace pension participation.
The data requested for the number of employees in the Portsmouth South constituency who are either (a) leaving pensions schemes or (b) reducing pension contributions is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.
The most recent data shows that the proportion of pension savers who actively cease saving each month is below 1%. The department makes regular publications of the data that is held, including the Workplace Pension Participation and Savings Trends available and Ten Years of Automatic Enrolment in Workplace Pensions analysis and statistics, which are available on GOV.UK.
The role of Automatic Enrolment on workplace pension participation rates has been transformative, with 86% of eligible private sector employees saving into a workplace pension in 2021, up from 42% in 2012.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to offer support to pensioners in Portsmouth South constituency who are in poverty and (a) disabled, (b) single women, and (c) over 85.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Secretary of State announced on 17 November that State Pensions and benefits will be up-rated from April 2023 by 10.1%, in line with the increase in the Consumer Prices Index in the year to September 2022, subject to parliamentary approval.
The State Pension is the foundation of support for older people, providing the basis on which people can build additional private savings for their retirement. Under this Government, the full yearly amount of the basic State Pension is now over £2,300 higher than in 2010. From April 2023, this will rise to over £3,000.
There are currently around 1.4m pensioners claiming some £5bn of Pension Credit, which tops up their retirement income providing invaluable financial support for the poorest pensioners, and which is a passport to a range of other benefits. The Pension Credit Standard Minimum Guarantee (SMG) will be increase by 10.1%, subject to parliamentary approval, reflecting the Government’s commitment to protecting the most vulnerable pensioners at this time of high inflation. For single pensioners, the SMG will increase to £201.05 a week; for couples it will increase to £306.85 a week.
Attendance Allowance is intended to help those with a severe disability who have long term care or supervision needs where those needs arise after reaching State Pension age. Entitlement to Attendance Allowance is based on the on-going need for frequent personal care and attention, or supervision to ensure personal safety, rather than on the individual’s medical condition. Those getting the higher rate are receiving around £4800 a year, tax free, which can be paid in addition to other support a pensioner may receive such as the State Pension and Pension Credit.
The government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living, which is why, in addition to the £37 billion of support we have provided for cost of living pressures in 2022/23, we are acting now to ensure support continues throughout 2023/24.
The 1.4 million pensioner households currently in receipt of Pension Credit may receive the Cost of Living Payment for those on income-related benefits totalling up to £900 in the 2023/24 financial year.
In addition, eight million pensioner households will receive a £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment, and pensioners in receipt of an eligible disability benefit will receive the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment.
Specific statistics relating to the Pensioner Cost of Living Payments are not available. However, the latest available winter fuel payment statistics (2021/22) show that 12,864 customers in Portsmouth South received a winter fuel payment. We expect a similar number of customers will receive the Pensioner Cost of Living Payments in 2022/23 and 2023/24.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is taking steps to provide support to women who have been affected by changes in the state pension age.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government decided over 25 years ago that it was going to make the State Pension age the same for men and women. Had the State Pension age not been equalised, women who would be retiring today upon reaching the age of 60, would be expected to spend (on average) over 40% of their adult lives in receipt of State Pension.
The Government is providing over £20m for a new enhanced offer through our 50+ Choices programme to support people aged 50 and over to remain in and return to work.
We are also committed to providing a financial safety net for those who need it, including when they near or reach retirement through the welfare benefits system
In addition, the Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and is taking action to help. To ensure stability and certainty for households, in the Autumn Statement the Government has announced £26bn in cost of living support for 2023/24. This includes Cost of Living Payments for the most vulnerable households, an additional £1 billion, including Barnett impact, to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund in England in the next financial year. In England this will be delivered through an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £842 million and the amended Energy Price Guarantee which will save the average UK household £500 in 2023-24.
The Government's Energy Price Guarantee will save a typical British household around £900 this winter, based on what energy prices would have been under the current price cap - reducing bills by roughly a third. This is in addition to the £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households provided through the Energy Bills Support Scheme.
Pensioners who are entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2022 to 2023, have received an extra payment of £300 per household paid with their normal payment. We estimate around 8.7 million pensioner households across the UK have received an increased Winter Fuel Payment. Households with someone of State Pension age received £500 and households with someone aged 80 or over received £600.
This increased Winter Fuel Payment has been paid on top of any other one-off support a pensioner household is entitled to, for example where they are on Pension Credit or receive eligible disability benefits. The Government committed at the Autumn Statement on 17 November 2022 to a further pensioner cost of living payment of £300 per household to be paid in winter 2023/24.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the (a) level of employment and (b) number of people who are out of work due to health problems.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Beyond the standard offer available from Jobcentre Plus, there are a range of Government initiatives supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, to start, stay and succeed in work.
These include:
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department are taking to help reduce the number of people who are out of work due to ill mental health.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
A range of Government initiatives are supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including mental health conditions, to start, stay and succeed in work.
These include:
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
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 adequacy of support it provides to people out of work due to health problems.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
A range of Government initiatives are supporting disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work. All initiatives remain under constant review, to ensure that they are meeting the needs of disabled people, and people with health conditions.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
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 amount of time it will take for the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's report into maladministration over changes to the State Pension age to be completed.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Department has not made an assessment of the amount of time it will take for the Ombudsman to complete his report. The Ombudsman is responsible for setting the timeline for his investigation.