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  • Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to help UK nationals access pensions which have been earned abroad.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The UK participates in EU regulations which allow a person to submit a single claim to pension in the EEA country where they last worked or the country of residence if it is different. That country will then coordinate with all the EEA countries where the claimant has a right to a pension so that each country can determine entitlement under its national legislation.

    Respecting the right of other countries to determine their own pension rules, the UK has also entered into a number of bilateral social security agreements with countries outside the EEA which allow people to protect the pension entitlements they may have earned in each country.

  • Anna Turley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Anna Turley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people who will be affected by the introduction of the individual award limit to the Access to Work scheme.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The annual limit on Access to Work awards of 1.5x average salaries (which currently equates to £40,800 per person per year) will be introduced for new customers from October 1st 2015.

    There are 200 current customers, (approximately 0.5% of the current caseload) who are currently above this level. Current customers with awards above that level as of 1st October 2015 will have their existing award levels protected until 1st April 2018, provided their needs remain the same.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have had their mobility allowance withdrawn requiring them to immediately return their Motability vehicle to the dealer for disposal in each full calendar month in tax years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16; and how many such people have won an appeal against the withdrawal of mobility allowance allowing them to return to a dealer to purchase a second Motability vehicle to aid their mobility.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department does not routinely collect information on the numbers of people who have had to return a Motability vehicle nor on whether they were successful on appeal. This information can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    Motability is an independent registered charity. It is not sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions. The Department works closely with Motability and facilitates the transfer of benefit to Motability on behalf of those claimants who have chosen to join the Motability Scheme. The Scheme purchases vehicles which are then leased to Scheme customers. The purchase of the vehicles is funded by the Scheme and there is no cost to the public purse.

    Responsibility for the charity’s policies and operational strategy falls to the Governors and Director of Motability. Motability is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme including collating its own management information. Questions about the number of vehicles returned to Motability and number of vehicles purchased can be sent to: Declan O’Mahony, Director, Motability, Warwick House, Roydon Road, Harlow, Essex CM19 5PX.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 24 March 2015 to Question 228133, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2015 to Question 748 and pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2015 to Question 9414, why information on the number of hardship applications and the amount claimed in hardship payments will now no longer be available; and if he will make a statement.

    Priti Patel

    Information on the number of hardship applications and awards is available and will be published. Information on how much has been claimed in hardship payments is not available.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many vehicles were purchased through the Motability scheme for each full calendar month in tax years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16; what the cost to the public purse was of those vehicles; and what the cost to the public purse was of vehicles purchased to replace vehicles earlier withdrawn from claimants who lost mobility allowance but later won return of that allowance on appeal.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department does not routinely collect information on the numbers of people who have had to return a Motability vehicle nor on whether they were successful on appeal. This information can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    Motability is an independent registered charity. It is not sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions. The Department works closely with Motability and facilitates the transfer of benefit to Motability on behalf of those claimants who have chosen to join the Motability Scheme. The Scheme purchases vehicles which are then leased to Scheme customers. The purchase of the vehicles is funded by the Scheme and there is no cost to the public purse.

    Responsibility for the charity’s policies and operational strategy falls to the Governors and Director of Motability. Motability is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme including collating its own management information. Questions about the number of vehicles returned to Motability and number of vehicles purchased can be sent to: Declan O’Mahony, Director, Motability, Warwick House, Roydon Road, Harlow, Essex CM19 5PX.

  • Helen Goodman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Helen Goodman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what reasonable adjustments will be made to support any disabled young person required to attend boot camp to prepare for employment under the Earn or Learn policy.

    Priti Patel

    From April 2017, we will be introducing the new Youth Obligation for Universal Credit (UC) claimants aged 18-21 who will be expected and supported to look for work. This new programme of support will help young people develop skills and experience to get and keep work.

    The first three weeks of this will be a Work Coach led Intensive Activity Period (IAP), where young people on the Youth Obligation will complete a set curriculum of activity designed to help establish them as effective full time job-seekers straight away and support them into work as soon as possible.

    Any requirements placed on claimants through the Youth Obligation will be reasonable and tailored to their individual needs and capabilities, taking into consideration any health condition they may have.

    We will set out our policy design for disabled young people under the Youth Obligation in due course.

  • Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many letters of apology for an administrative error have been sent by his Department in each of the last five years.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested is not available.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2015 to Question 10000, whether the milestone set in autumn 2014 of reaching 100,000 universal credit claims by May 2015 was achieved; and if he will make a statement.

    Priti Patel

    The Universal Credit programme has hit, or is on target to achieve, all of the milestones the Secretary of State set out in Autumn 2014.

  • Helen Goodman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Helen Goodman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department provides to disabled young people who are required to take traineeships or unpaid work experience under the Earn or Learn policy.

    Priti Patel

    Jobcentre Plus will help meet the costs of any reasonable adjustments where appropriate to enable the young person to participate in a work experience placement. Certain expenses, such as child care costs and travel can also be reimbursed.

    Young people participating in a traineeship can qualify for existing financial support, including the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund, Free Meals, and Learning and Learner Support funding for 19 to 24 year olds. Access to Work is also available for the work experience placement of their traineeship if they have a disability or health condition that affects their ability to do a job, or means they have to pay extra work-related costs.

    Any policy changes under the Youth Obligation will be set out in due course.

  • Helen Goodman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Helen Goodman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if a disabled young person will be able to make a claim under the Access to Work scheme if required to undergo a traineeship or unpaid work experience under the Earn or Learn policy.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Access to Work is available to individuals aged 16 or over whose disability or health condition affects the way they undertake employment or some pre-employment related activities. This would include a supported traineeship or a Jobcentre Plus Work Trial.