Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Department is taking to ensure that the Child Maintenance Service has effective mechanisms to prevent high earners from reducing their maintenance liabilities through the diversion of income into pension contributions.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The paying parent's (PP) gross income, after occupational or personal pension scheme contributions are deducted, is taken directly from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the latest tax year available. This is because either pension contributions themselves or the earnings from which they are paid qualify for income tax relief.
Either parent can ask the CMS to consider where they believe a paying parent is deliberately making excessive contributions into a private pension in order to reduce the calculation.
This is called a diversion of income variation. If the CMS considers that the deduction in the gross weekly income is unreasonable then the maintenance calculation can be adjusted.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to extend pre-1997 pension indexation changes for members of the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme to members of ongoing occupational pension schemes whose pre-1997 contributions remain frozen.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government tabled an amendment to the Pension Schemes Bill which provides that compensation payments from the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme on pensions accrued before April 1997 will now be linked to CPI-inflation (capped at 2.5%). This will apply prospectively for pensioners whose former schemes provided these increases.
In private sector defined benefit pension schemes, analysis published by the Pensions Regulator indicates that, as of March 2023, around 17 per cent of members do not receive any pre-1997 indexation on benefits. This information can be found at: thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-analysis/data-requests
The reforms in our Pension Schemes Bill give trustees more flexibility to share surplus with sponsoring employers, and negotiate benefits for members, including discretionary increases. Trustees will be in the driving seat in all decision making on surplus release and must act in the best interest of scheme beneficiaries.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of members of ongoing occupational pension schemes who will not receive pre-1997 indexation.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government tabled an amendment to the Pension Schemes Bill which provides that compensation payments from the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme on pensions accrued before April 1997 will now be linked to CPI-inflation (capped at 2.5%). This will apply prospectively for pensioners whose former schemes provided these increases.
In private sector defined benefit pension schemes, analysis published by the Pensions Regulator indicates that, as of March 2023, around 17 per cent of members do not receive any pre-1997 indexation on benefits. This information can be found at: thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-analysis/data-requests
The reforms in our Pension Schemes Bill give trustees more flexibility to share surplus with sponsoring employers, and negotiate benefits for members, including discretionary increases. Trustees will be in the driving seat in all decision making on surplus release and must act in the best interest of scheme beneficiaries.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
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 potential impact of occupational pension schemes whose pre-1997 pension rights remain unindexed on retired members of those schemes.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government tabled an amendment to the Pension Schemes Bill which provides that compensation payments from the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme on pensions accrued before April 1997 will now be linked to CPI-inflation (capped at 2.5%). This will apply prospectively for pensioners whose former schemes provided these increases.
In private sector defined benefit pension schemes, analysis published by the Pensions Regulator indicates that, as of March 2023, around 17 per cent of members do not receive any pre-1997 indexation on benefits. This information can be found at: thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-analysis/data-requests
The reforms in our Pension Schemes Bill give trustees more flexibility to share surplus with sponsoring employers, and negotiate benefits for members, including discretionary increases. Trustees will be in the driving seat in all decision making on surplus release and must act in the best interest of scheme beneficiaries.
Asked by: Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2025 to Question 94068 on Universal Credit: Veterans, if he will set out the reasons for differences in how Armed Forces Pensions and service attributable pensions are taken into account for the purposes of calculating Universal Credit payments.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In common with the legacy benefits it replaces, Universal Credit takes into account money available from other sources which allow a claimant to support themselves, allowing a fair balance to be struck between those in the greatest financial need and taxpayers who fund the welfare system. The general principle is that income, other than earnings, which is provided to meet everyday living costs is fully taken into account in the calculation of Universal Credit
As occupational and private pensions are paid to provide support to help people meet their living costs, they are taken fully into account in the assessment of entitlement to Universal Credit. This includes regular Armed Forces pensions, which are treated the same as any other occupational pension.
However, income which is provided to meet additional costs relating to disability is not taken into account. Therefore, payments relating to special schemes for compensation, and those relating to personal injury, are not taken into account as unearned income. Consequently, War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Payments are not taken into account in Universal Credit. Guaranteed Income Payments, Service Attributable Pensions and service-attributable, non-taxable Service Invalidity Pensions are also not taken into account.
Asked by: Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of salary sacrifice pension scheme changes on the value of occupational pension funds.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
We are taking a pragmatic approach to reforming pension contributions made via salary sacrifice, the costs of which were set to nearly triple to £8bn between 2017 and the end of this decade. The £2,000 cap means that only 5% of workers earning below £30,000 making salary sacrificed contributions will be affected. And the government continues to support pension saving with no changes to pensions tax relief, worth over £70 billion a year.
Asked by: Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether an armed forces pension is treated as unearned income for the purpose of calculating Universal Credit.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Regular, unearned income payments that are paid to meet living costs cause reductions in the customer’s Universal Credit entitlement pound for pound. This includes occupational pensions such as Armed Forces Pensions.
War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Payments are not taken into account in Universal Credit. Guaranteed Income Payments, Service Attributable Pensions and service-attributable, non-taxable Service Invalidity Pensions are also not taken into account.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to support the development of (a) accredited training routes and (b) apprenticeships for advice and information roles.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
At present nine awarding organisations offer 18 different knowledge only qualifications at levels 2 to 5 in information, advice and guidance (IAG) and careers advice. They are listed on Ofqual’s register of regulated qualifications: Find a regulated qualification - GOV.UK
Regarding apprenticeships, there are four apprenticeship standards relating to information and advice roles, including Level 3 Learning and Development Practitioner and Level 4 Employability Practitioner.
Where there is a genuine occupational gap not met by an existing apprenticeship standard and there will be sufficient demand for apprentices, employers are able to work with Skills England to develop an apprenticeship standard which meets their need.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of silicosis among workers.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) uses the Surveillance of Work-related and Occupational Respiratory Disease (SWORD) database to monitor trends in cases of silicosis.
HSE uses SWORD data that is reported voluntarily by around 350 physicians of respiratory disease to monitor cases of silicosis arising from work activity. HSE continues to monitor the number of cases recorded on the SWORD database.
Over the period from January 2024 to October 2025 HSE has seen an increased trend in notifications of silicosis on SWORD. HSE will continue to work with trade associations, material suppliers and manufacturers of products about their legal responsibilities and will continue to carry out a range of activities to raise awareness.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to ensure that Windrush (a) claimants and (b) claimants' families can ask for their cases to be reviewed if they believe that the level of compensation they have been awarded is incorrect.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
We continue to listen and respond to feedback from affected communities and stakeholders, including the Windrush Commissioner, to improve how the Scheme operates. We are committed to awarding the maximum amount at the earliest point possible and doing so with compassion and understanding.
On 24 October 2025, the Home Secretary announced a series of significant changes to the Windrush Compensation Scheme, including compensation for losses to occupational and personal pensions.
We are working at pace to implement these changes. Updated rules and caseworker guidance will be published as soon as possible. Once the new rules go live, all changes will be applied retrospectively. A dedicated team will review previously concluded claims to identify those who may benefit from the updates.
If a claimant or claimant’s family disagree with the outcome of their claim, they can request a review of the decision.
We will be launching a consultation on our earned settlement proposals later this year. Everyone will be welcome to participate. There are no plans to change eligibility for the right of abode in the UK. Members of the Windrush generation who do not have proof of their lawful status in the UK can continue to apply to the Windrush Scheme to obtain this.