Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many housing benefit claimants have been evicted as a result of rent arrears in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department does not collect this information.
We have provided an unprecedented package of support throughout the pandemic, injecting billions into the welfare system for those most in need, including uplifting the Local Housing Allowance to the 30th percentile of local market rents in each area, and are maintaining that uplift in cash terms for 2021/22.
In addition we have legislated through the Coronavirus Act 2020 to delay when landlords can evict tenants, a 6 month stay on possession proceedings in court and a pause on bailiffs enforcing eviction notices.
The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 introduced the Duty to Refer, which came into force on 1 October 2018. This requires named public authorities, including jobcentres in England, to refer service users who they think may be homeless or threatened with homelessness to the local housing authority of the claimant’s choice. This earlier intervention is intended to give people the stability they need to move into, and remain in, work.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many housing benefit claimants have been evicted as a result of rent arrears in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department does not collect this information.
We have provided an unprecedented package of support throughout the pandemic, injecting billions into the welfare system for those most in need, including uplifting the Local Housing Allowance to the 30th percentile of local market rents in each area, and are maintaining that uplift in cash terms for 2021/22.
In addition we have legislated through the Coronavirus Act 2020 to delay when landlords can evict tenants, a 6 month stay on possession proceedings in court and a pause on bailiffs enforcing eviction notices.
The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 introduced the Duty to Refer, which came into force on 1 October 2018. This requires named public authorities, including jobcentres in England, to refer service users who they think may be homeless or threatened with homelessness to the local housing authority of the claimant’s choice. This earlier intervention is intended to give people the stability they need to move into, and remain in, work.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether job centre staff working from home due to health concerns in relation to covid-19 are to be expected to attend a job centre for Saturday opening.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Throughout the pandemic, Jobcentres have remained open to help any claimant who needs face-to-face support, and who we cannot get help in any other way. We have made all of our Jobcentres COVID secure, not only for our staff but for claimants, by introducing a range of safety measures, including screened desks, social distancing signage, mandatory face coverings for customers, the provision of hand sanitiser, and regular touch point cleaning.
In line with public health guidance, colleagues are only advised to follow shielding advice if they receive a new written shielding notification. Colleagues who are classed as clinically extremely vulnerable are not being asked to work from the office and equipment has been provided to enable them to work from home.
Colleagues who are permanent members of teams in Jobcentres which are open on Saturdays, including those currently working from home, are included in this change. This ensures that everyone, regardless of their current working situation, is treated equally.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a backdated furlough scheme for people who were denied furlough by their employer.
Answered by Jesse Norman
In light of the changing path of the virus, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended until the end of March 2021 for all parts of the UK. People employed and on payroll on 30 October will be eligible, and neither the employer nor the employee needs to have previously claimed or have been claimed for under CJRS to make a claim under the extended CJRS, if other eligibility criteria are met. If employees were employed as of 23 September 2020 and were made redundant or stopped working for their employer prior to 30 October 2020, they can also qualify for the scheme if their employer re-employs them. This will ensure that there is no gap in support.
The furloughing of staff through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is a voluntary arrangement entered at the employers’ discretion and agreed by employees. That means it is not for the Government to decide whether an individual firm should put its staff on furlough or take its staff off furlough. That is a decision for the employer, in consultation with the employee.
Where firms make the decision that they cannot retain?all of?their staff over the longer run, the Government is ensuring that those looking for work are supported. A package of measures in the Plan for Jobs will help people find work by significantly increasing help offered through Jobcentres and providing individualised advice through the National Careers Service. The Government?has also launched?the Kickstart Scheme, a £2 billion fund to create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people.
Temporary welfare measures announced in March will also benefit new and existing claimants. These include the £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element, and a nearly £1 billion increase in support for renters through increases to the Local?Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend the coronavirus job retention scheme to people who would have qualified for that scheme if their employer had made an application to it.
Answered by Jesse Norman
In light of the changing path of the virus, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended until the end of March 2021 for all parts of the UK. People employed and on payroll on 30 October will be eligible, and neither the employer nor the employee needs to have previously claimed or have been claimed for under CJRS to make a claim under the extended CJRS, if other eligibility criteria are met. If employees were employed as of 23 September 2020 and were made redundant or stopped working for their employer prior to 30 October 2020, they can also qualify for the scheme if their employer re-employs them. This will ensure that there is no gap in support.
The furloughing of staff through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is a voluntary arrangement entered at the employers’ discretion and agreed by employees. That means it is not for the Government to decide whether an individual firm should put its staff on furlough or take its staff off furlough. That is a decision for the employer, in consultation with the employee.
Where firms make the decision that they cannot retain?all of?their staff over the longer run, the Government is ensuring that those looking for work are supported. A package of measures in the Plan for Jobs will help people find work by significantly increasing help offered through Jobcentres and providing individualised advice through the National Careers Service. The Government?has also launched?the Kickstart Scheme, a £2 billion fund to create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people.
Temporary welfare measures announced in March will also benefit new and existing claimants. These include the £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element, and a nearly £1 billion increase in support for renters through increases to the Local?Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether workers who were furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme but were made redundant on 31 October 2020 are eligible to apply for assistance under that scheme following its extension.
Answered by Jesse Norman
On 31 October 2020 the Prime Minister announced that the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended, with employees receiving 80% of their current salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500. This will ensure that there is no gap in support. If employees were employed as of 23 September 2020 and were made redundant or stopped working for their employer prior to 30 October 2020, they can qualify for the scheme if their employer re-employs them.
This scheme is just one element of a comprehensive package of support. Where firms make the decision that they cannot retain all of their staff, the Government is ensuring that those looking for work are supported through a package of measures in the Plan for Jobs. This will help people find work by significantly increasing the help offered through Jobcentres and providing individualised advice through the National Careers Service. The Government has also launched the Kickstart Scheme, a £2bn fund to create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people. The temporary welfare measures announced in March also remain available and will benefit new and existing claimants.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to provide financial support to employees that were made redundant before the anticipated end of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
On 31 October 2020 the Prime Minister announced that the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended, with employees receiving 80% of their current salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500. This will ensure that there is no gap in support. If employees were employed as of 23 September 2020 and were made redundant or stopped working for their employer prior to 30 October 2020, they can qualify for the scheme if their employer re-employs them.
This scheme is just one element of a comprehensive package of support. Where firms make the decision that they cannot retain all of their staff, the Government is ensuring that those looking for work are supported through a package of measures in the Plan for Jobs. This will help people find work by significantly increasing the help offered through Jobcentres and providing individualised advice through the National Careers Service. The Government has also launched the Kickstart Scheme, a £2bn fund to create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people. The temporary welfare measures announced in March also remain available and will benefit new and existing claimants.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to prepare her Department for a rise in (a) unemployment and (b) benefit claims at the end of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department has taken swift action in response to the pandemic, supporting millions of families across the country to claim Universal Credit and we stand ready to help those in need.
We are already supporting people into work through our Plan for Jobs and will continue to do so. Kickstart will provide high quality paid work placements for thousands of young people and our new Job Entry Targeted Support and the Job Finding Support Service will provide targeted support for the newly unemployed. We are also doubling the number of Work Coaches across our nationwide network of Jobcentres to ensure claimants have access to personalised support so they can move back into employment.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of employees that will potentially be made redundant after the end of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in (a) Huddersfield, (b) Kirklees and (c) Yorkshire.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is just one element of a comprehensive package of support for businesses and it was always intended to be a temporary scheme.
As set out in the Winter Economy Plan, the Government is adjusting support as the COVID-19 situation evolves. We introduced the Job Support Scheme on 24 September, and its expansion on 9 October, to help support businesses who are either suffering from reduced demand over the winter months, or whose premises have been legally required to close. This is alongside the Job Retention Bonus, which will encourage firms to keep on furloughed workers after the closure of the CJRS.
Where firms make the decision that they cannot retain all of their staff, the Government is ensuring that those looking for work are supported through the measures announced in the Plan for Jobs, including significantly increasing help offered through Jobcentres and providing individualised advice through the National Careers Service. The Government has also launched the Kickstart Scheme, a £2bn fund to create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people. Temporary welfare measures announced in March remain available too.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps is he taking to ensure that employees retain their jobs after the end of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is just one element of a comprehensive package of support for businesses and it was always intended to be a temporary scheme.
As set out in the Winter Economy Plan, the Government is adjusting support as the COVID-19 situation evolves. We introduced the Job Support Scheme on 24 September, and its expansion on 9 October, to help support businesses who are either suffering from reduced demand over the winter months, or whose premises have been legally required to close. This is alongside the Job Retention Bonus, which will encourage firms to keep on furloughed workers after the closure of the CJRS.
Where firms make the decision that they cannot retain all of their staff, the Government is ensuring that those looking for work are supported through the measures announced in the Plan for Jobs, including significantly increasing help offered through Jobcentres and providing individualised advice through the National Careers Service. The Government has also launched the Kickstart Scheme, a £2bn fund to create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people. Temporary welfare measures announced in March remain available too.