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  • Geraint Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Geraint Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geraint Davies on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will implement the provisions of the Pensions Act 2014 on removal of the cap to the Pension Protection Fund.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Government is committed to the implementation of the PPF long service cap. Before the primary legislation can be brought into force, a number of changes need to be made to secondary legislation, so that it will operate as expected in all cases. Therefore we cannot, at this time, commit to a particular implementation date.

  • Karen Buck – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Karen Buck – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karen Buck on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households will be exempted from the household benefit cap in 2015-16 due to the claimant being in receipt of carer’s allowance (a) in total and (b) in each English local authority.

    Justin Tomlinson

    In 2015-16 no households will be exempt from the benefit cap due to a claimant being in receipt of Carer’s Allowance. The exemption from the benefit cap for those in receipt of Carer’s Allowance will be introduced later this year, subject to Parliamentary approval.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2016 to Question 23991, whether calls to make a claim for benefit are free for all (a) pay-as-you-go mobile telephones, (b) monthly contract mobile telephones and (c) landline telephones.

    Justin Tomlinson

    All benefit new claims lines have 0800 numbers and are therefore free whether claimants call from mobile phones or landlines, with the exception of Universal Credit which has an 0345 number as the expectation is that claims are made online.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, following changes to universal credit taking effect in April 2016, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the number of children in poverty of the introduction of universal credit.

    Priti Patel

    The Government is committed to working to eliminate child poverty and improve life chances for children. Work remains the best route out of poverty, and Universal Credit is designed to strengthen incentives for parents to move into and progress in work. Evidence shows claimants move into work significantly faster and earn more than under the current system. In addition, from April 2016 Universal Credit provides for 85% of childcare costs meaning more support for hardworking families.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants his Department estimates will have moved on to universal credit by the end of 2017.

    Priti Patel

    The number of people on benefits is driven by a range of factors. Because of this, the programme measures progress by the successful achievement of milestones of its delivery plan rather than targets for numbers of claimants.

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training is provided to new Ingeus advisers in advising clients with mental health issues; and what plans are in place to ensure all Ingeus advisers are given such training.

    Priti Patel

    The Department does not prescribe how providers delivering welfare to work provision train their staff.

  • Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many companies have signed up to the Veterans Guaranteed Interview scheme in each year since its inception.

    Priti Patel

    The Veterans Interview Programme was launched in November 2012 as a non-political, cross party initiative. It was purposefully set up with light governance arrangements to ensure the focus is on support for veterans and not on completing paperwork. Although DWP provides support for the scheme on this basis, employers are not required to let the Department know once they have decided to take part in the programme. As a result we do not have the information available to answer this question.

  • Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the number of times a universal credit claimant has been paid housing benefit and housing costs at the same time resulting in an overpayment of housing benefit.

    Priti Patel

    The information could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

  • Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, under what change of circumstances a tax credit claimant will naturally be migrated onto universal credit.

    Priti Patel

    The events that can trigger a change of circumstances depend on many factors. They are similar to the circumstances that would trigger a new claim to existing benefits or tax credits, which would also lead to a recalculation of entitlement.

  • Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government plans to provide transitional protection for tax credit recipients who have been naturally migrated onto universal credit.

    Priti Patel

    Natural migration occurs where people have had a significant change of circumstances that would previously have triggered a new claim to benefits or tax credits. They would always have had their entitlement recalculated based on a new set of rules. That principle is maintained in Universal Credit, and therefore transitional protection is not appropriate. Universal Credit is already proving better than the system it replaces with claimants moving into work faster and earning more. It also provides a seamless taper as well as better support for childcare.