Tag: Neil Gray

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Gray on 2015-11-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect on claimants of the extension of time for personal independence payment reassessments referred to in the OBR forecasts of November 2015; and what steps he is taking to address the concerns of people on disability living allowance whose reassessments will take longer to process as a result.

Justin Tomlinson

The Government is committed to delivering Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in a safe and secure way, ensuring that we continue to roll it out to existing recipients of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) based on capacity, to ensure an effective and efficient service for claimants. Full PIP roll out started in July this year in a controlled way, allowing us to test, learn and improve the service before we ramp up at scale. From October, in line with previously published plans, we began the full rollout of PIP nationally. There are no delays in the claiming system and we are currently working at business as usual capacity. Existing DLA claimants are being kept informed about reassessment activity, including when or under what circumstances they may be invited to claim PIP, through a range of communication measures including information provided in the annual uprating letter or through information available on www.gov.uk.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Gray on 2016-03-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects the findings of the review of industrial injuries disablement benefit to be published.

Justin Tomlinson

The review is ongoing and we will report our findings in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Gray on 2015-11-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the reductions in housing benefit announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 on claimants who receive housing benefit for housing that has been purpose-built for disabled people.

Justin Tomlinson

This policy was introduced because in some areas the increases in social rents have outstripped the increases in private rents.

This policy will cap social sector rents at the relevant Local Housing Allowance rate for the area, but will only apply from April 2018 where a new tenancy is taken out or a tenancy is renewed after April 2016. By only applying the cap when a new tenancy is taken on or an existing tenancy is renewed will mean that claimants will have the opportunity to consider whether they can afford to take on the property before committing to the tenancy.

The Discretionary Housing Payment scheme will be available for those living in accommodation that has been purpose built or significantly adapted to meet the needs of a disabled person, in the same way as it is for those who receive a reduction in their eligible rent for the removal of the spare room subsidy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Gray on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his oral evidence to the Work and Pensions Committee of 11 May 2016, when his Department plans to publish its Green Paper on the proposed new Work and Health programme.

Priti Patel

As the Secretary of State has said, we will be publishing a Work and Health Green Paper later in the year. Separately, it was announced in the 2015 Spending Review that the Department for Work and Pensions would introduce a new Work and Health Programme, following the end of referrals to both the current Work Programme and Work Choice. This programme will be implemented in 2017 and will help to achieve the Government’s ambition of halving the disability employment gap.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Gray on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants were sanctioned in (a) 2015, (b) 2014, (c) 2013, (d) 2012 and (e) 2011; how many such claimants were (i) disabled and (ii) lone parents in each such year; and how many dependents such claimants had in each such year.

Priti Patel

The specific information requested, in respect of claimants who are sanctioned and have dependents and lone parents on Employment and Support Allowance, is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The information that is available, on the number of sanction referrals and adverse sanction decisions, in respect of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) is published and available at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:

https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started—SuperWEB2.html

Information about Income Support lone parents (ISLP) is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/income-support-lone-parent-regime-figures-on-sanctions-and-work-focused-interviews–2

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Gray on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much funding his Department (a) has allocated since 2011 and (b) plans to allocate by 2020 to the Work Programme.

Priti Patel

The Departmental Annual Report for 2014/2015 includes the final outturn numbers for Employment Programmes from 2011/12 to 2014/15 (page 181 of the report). These figures have been audited.

2011/12	2012/13	2013/14	2014/15
Outturn	Outturn	Outturn	Outturn
£m	£m	£m	£m
876	802	1,037	950

The Annual Report also includes separately published values for the Work Programme for the years 2011/2012 (£283m), 2012/2013 (£453m) and 2013/2014 (£636m). Work Programme spend has not been separately published beyond 2013/2014.

Figures for the year 2015/2016 and beyond cannot be provided as they are subject to change and have not been published.

Sources:

2011/12 to 2014/15: DWP Departmental Annual Report 2014/2015: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445950/dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2014-to-2015.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Gray on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people who died by suicide were social security claimants in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland in each of the last three years.

Alistair Burt

The data requested is not collected centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Gray on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will provide additional financial support to disabled people whose income will be reduced as a result of (a) changes in the employment and support allowance work-related activity group and (b) the universal credit work allowance as a result of provisions in the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016.

Priti Patel

No existing Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit claimants will be affected by the change to the work-related activity or limited capability for work components. We have committed to providing £60m a year from 2016/17, rising to £100m a year by 2020/21, in new, practical support for claimants with limited capability for work to help them move closer to the labour market and, when they are ready, into work. If a disabled person in work is affected by the recent changes to work allowances, additional help has been made available to help them overcome specific barriers to increasing their earnings.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Gray on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with multiple sclerosis who were awarded the daily living component of personal independence payment scored all of their points due to aid and appliances.

Justin Tomlinson

For Multiple Sclerosis, the number of individuals awarded the Daily Living component of PIP who scored all of their points due to aids and appliances is 2,200.

This data relates to the period April 2013 to 30^th September 2015, and includes Normal Rules awards only.

DWP are currently running a consultation to seek views on how support can best be provided to help meet the costs of disability which are faced by people who are currently awarded points due to aids and appliances. The department is keen to hear views from all interested parties, especially disabled people and disability organisations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Gray on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of working parents and carers receiving universal credit who will be required to work increased hours under in-work conditionality that (a) are unable to work full-time hours and (b) will require flexible working arrangements.

Damian Hinds

The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.