Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the risk of harm, including financial hardship, distress, or loss of income, which may arise from the Universal Credit migration process.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to ensuring that the transition to Universal Credit works as smoothly and safely as possible for all individuals, including for disabled people.
Customers moving from DWP legacy benefits or Housing Benefit continue to receive their legacy benefits for two weeks following their move to Universal Credit to smooth the transition from fortnightly to monthly payments. Customers who under Universal Credit are entitled to a lower amount of benefit will have their current cash award transitionally protected at the higher award.
To support customers to make a claim to Universal Credit, we have put in place additional support arrangements for customers that face additional challenges. This includes:
These measures are part of our broader commitment to equality and inclusion, ensuring that no one is disadvantaged in accessing the support they are entitled to.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what protections are in place for claimants with disabilities during the Universal Credit migration process.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to ensuring that the transition to Universal Credit works as smoothly and safely as possible for all individuals, including for disabled people.
Customers moving from DWP legacy benefits or Housing Benefit continue to receive their legacy benefits for two weeks following their move to Universal Credit to smooth the transition from fortnightly to monthly payments. Customers who under Universal Credit are entitled to a lower amount of benefit will have their current cash award transitionally protected at the higher award.
To support customers to make a claim to Universal Credit, we have put in place additional support arrangements for customers that face additional challenges. This includes:
These measures are part of our broader commitment to equality and inclusion, ensuring that no one is disadvantaged in accessing the support they are entitled to.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will take steps to reinstate the pensions of Yemeni steelworkers who worked in Britain.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Pension payments to Yemen are being disrupted due to banking and currency issues, war, international sanctions and some issues over verification of identity. We are looking at ways to ensure payments are completed.
Our dedicated Yemen telephone number can be found on GOV.UK ( International Pension Centre - GOV.UK) and includes a Yemen-Arabic language translation as part of the opening message and we provide callback and translation services. We urge anyone who is having issues with their State Pension to contact us via this dedicated helpline.
Additionally, the Department is working with the Yemeni banks to enable payments in different currencies in order to get payments to the intended recipients.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how reasonable adjustments are assessed and implemented for disabled claimants undergoing migration to Universal Credit.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to ensuring that the migration to Universal Credit works as smoothly as possible for all individuals, including those with disabilities. We recognise that some claimants may require additional support to make and maintain their claim, and we provide a range of reasonable adjustments and tailored support in line with the Equality Act 2010.
Migration notices are issued in the appropriate format to meet any accessibility needs recorded for the customer on the legacy benefit system, such as braille, large print, British Sign Language (BSL), or email. Once a Universal Credit claim is made, customers can update their accessibility preferences directly through their online account.
For those who require additional support, the Department offers an Enhanced Support Journey to ensure legacy benefits do not end before a UC claim is completed. This includes proactive contact and, where necessary, home visits. Alternative channels are also available for claimants unable to use the online service, including telephone claims, face-to-face support in Jobcentres, and Video Relay Services for BSL users. Broader support needs—such as cognitive impairments or safeguarding requirements—are recorded and made visible to Work Coaches, Case Managers, and Visiting Officers to ensure tailored assistance throughout the migration process.
We also fund the Help to Claim service, delivered by Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland, which provides independent, practical support from the point of application through to the first correct payment. Where a claimant cannot manage their own claim, they can give explicit consent for Universal Credit to speak with a third party or appoint an appointee to formally manage the claim.
These measures form part of our broader commitment to equality and inclusion, ensuring that no one is disadvantaged in accessing the support they are entitled to.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce waiting times and improve contact accessibility for Child Maintenance Service users in Winchester constituency.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to improving accessibility and customer experience for all users, including those in the Winchester constituency. The Department recognises that call waiting times and contact routes have not always met expected standards and has taken steps to address this.
CMS has implemented the Digital Assist Telephony Service to support customers to use online services and reduce avoidable call demand.
CMS has invested in enhanced telephony routing to prioritise vulnerable customers and direct callers to the right support quickly, with additional operational capacity deployed when required to maintain service levels. CMS has extended weekday telephony hours to 6pm to meet demand.
CMS has expanded digital self-service, including Get Help Arranging Child Maintenance (GHACM) and My Child Maintenance Case (online account), which provide 24/7 access for parents to manage their case without needing to call, improving accessibility and offering greater flexibility on how and when customers make contact. Communication has been further improved through the introduction of online messaging for specific processes, with further expansion planned.
By promoting self-service options online and efficient call routing, we have freed up valuable resources to deliver a more responsive service and allow caseworkers more time to better assist customers who need to reach out to us via telephone. These measures are delivering progresses.
The Department will continue to monitor performance and invest in further improvements to ensure customers receive timely, high-quality support through the channels that best meet their needs and remains committed to providing a reliable, fair and responsive service for all parents across the country.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to contact vulnerable individuals in (a) remote and (b) rural areas with low broadband connectivity.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions utilise a range of channels to ensure vulnerable customers and those with limited broadband can access support.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to improve the responsiveness of his Department's helplines.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are continuing our efforts to improve our telephony services.
We have prioritised service reform through focusing extra resource to boost our performance.
Our call answering rate has increased to 86 per cent, the average answering time improving from eight minutes 34 seconds to seven minutes 22 seconds.
Our efforts have cleared up agent work queues and freed up capacity.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, as of 31 October 2025 how many existing claimants awaiting Work Capability Assessments have had a) at least one scheduled assessment cancelled by Maximus b) at least two scheduled assessments cancelled by Maximus and c) more than two scheduled assessments cancelled by Maximus.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As of 31 October 2025, there were approximately 74,000 new claimants and 40,000 existing claimants awaiting a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) with Maximus. These figures include all Universal Credit, Employment Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit claims currently held. These totals also encompass all claimants currently within Maximus’ caseload, including those at the questionnaire stage and those for whom further medical evidence is being gathered.
Very few people who are booked in for an assessment are not seen on the appointed day. However, on occasion unforeseen circumstances do arise, such as a claimant’s file has not been received, the health professional is unavailable due to illness, or there is a significant waiting time on the day. Maximus is required to make every possible effort to ensure the appointment can still go ahead before a cancellation is processed.
If it is anticipated that a claimant cannot be seen on the day of their appointment, or the assessment is delayed, Maximus is required to make every effort to contact the claimant by telephone to apologise and explain the action that will be taken to rearrange the appointment.
The number of new and existing claimants awaiting a WCA which have had their scheduled assessment cancelled by Maximus from the start of the Functional Assessment Services (FAS) contracts on 9 September 2024 up to the 31 October 2025 can be found in the table below.
Number of WCAs cancelled by Maximus | New Claimants | Existing Claimants |
Once | 640 | 250 |
Twice | 60 | 20 |
More than twice | 10 | 5 (identifies as 5 or less) |
Please note
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, as of 31 October 2025 how many new claimants awaiting Work Capability Assessments have had a) at least one scheduled assessment cancelled by Maximus b) at least two scheduled assessments cancelled by Maximus and c) more than two scheduled assessments cancelled by Maximus.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As of 31 October 2025, there were approximately 74,000 new claimants and 40,000 existing claimants awaiting a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) with Maximus. These figures include all Universal Credit, Employment Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit claims currently held. These totals also encompass all claimants currently within Maximus’ caseload, including those at the questionnaire stage and those for whom further medical evidence is being gathered.
Very few people who are booked in for an assessment are not seen on the appointed day. However, on occasion unforeseen circumstances do arise, such as a claimant’s file has not been received, the health professional is unavailable due to illness, or there is a significant waiting time on the day. Maximus is required to make every possible effort to ensure the appointment can still go ahead before a cancellation is processed.
If it is anticipated that a claimant cannot be seen on the day of their appointment, or the assessment is delayed, Maximus is required to make every effort to contact the claimant by telephone to apologise and explain the action that will be taken to rearrange the appointment.
The number of new and existing claimants awaiting a WCA which have had their scheduled assessment cancelled by Maximus from the start of the Functional Assessment Services (FAS) contracts on 9 September 2024 up to the 31 October 2025 can be found in the table below.
Number of WCAs cancelled by Maximus | New Claimants | Existing Claimants |
Once | 640 | 250 |
Twice | 60 | 20 |
More than twice | 10 | 5 (identifies as 5 or less) |
Please note
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, as of 31 October 2025 how many a) new claimants and b) existing claimants were awaiting Work Capability Assessments provided by Maximus.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As of 31 October 2025, there were approximately 74,000 new claimants and 40,000 existing claimants awaiting a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) with Maximus. These figures include all Universal Credit, Employment Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit claims currently held. These totals also encompass all claimants currently within Maximus’ caseload, including those at the questionnaire stage and those for whom further medical evidence is being gathered.
Very few people who are booked in for an assessment are not seen on the appointed day. However, on occasion unforeseen circumstances do arise, such as a claimant’s file has not been received, the health professional is unavailable due to illness, or there is a significant waiting time on the day. Maximus is required to make every possible effort to ensure the appointment can still go ahead before a cancellation is processed.
If it is anticipated that a claimant cannot be seen on the day of their appointment, or the assessment is delayed, Maximus is required to make every effort to contact the claimant by telephone to apologise and explain the action that will be taken to rearrange the appointment.
The number of new and existing claimants awaiting a WCA which have had their scheduled assessment cancelled by Maximus from the start of the Functional Assessment Services (FAS) contracts on 9 September 2024 up to the 31 October 2025 can be found in the table below.
Number of WCAs cancelled by Maximus | New Claimants | Existing Claimants |
Once | 640 | 250 |
Twice | 60 | 20 |
More than twice | 10 | 5 (identifies as 5 or less) |
Please note