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Tag: Tom Pursglove

  • Tom Pursglove – 2023 Statement on Supporting People Nearing the End of their Lives

    Tom Pursglove – 2023 Statement on Supporting People Nearing the End of their Lives

    The statement made by Tom Pursglove, the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work on 29 March 2023.

    The Government are committed to providing support to people who are nearing the end of their lives. For people in this position, special rules allow simple and fast access to financial support through the benefits system.

    Today, I am pleased to announce the commencement of the Social Security (Special Rules for End of Life) Act 2022, which will apply from 3 April 2023.

    The Act enables more people nearing the end of their lives to get fast-tracked access via the special rules. It applies to three key disability benefits: personal independence payment, disability living allowance and attendance allowance.

    This change means that people nearing the end of their lives who meet the eligibility criteria for one of these benefits, can receive vital support in their final year, six months earlier than they can currently. Those eligible under the “special rules”, get their claims fast-tracked, which means they do not have to wait as long to start getting payments. They are not required to take part in a medical assessment and, in most cases, those claiming will qualify for the highest rate of benefit.

    The new 12-month special rules criteria align with the end-of-life approach in the NHS where, for those with 12 months or less to live, clinicians are encouraged to think about what help their patient may need, including financial help.

    The Government introduced similar changes to universal credit and employment and support allowance on 4 April 2022. The Act ensures a consistent approach across five key health and disability benefits.

    These changes to the special rules for end of life are a culmination of many years of work since the then Secretary of State launched an in-depth evaluation of how the benefits system supports people nearing the end of their lives in 2019. I would like to pay tribute to her and my predecessors in my role, the hon. Member for North Swindon (Justin Tomlinson) and my right hon. Friend the Member for Norwich North (Chloe Smith).

    I would also like to thank the many people nearing the end of life, groups and charities that have supported the Department for Work and Pensions. Their input has helped improve the support provided by the benefits system in this area.

    I am proud to say that when someone is in their last year of life, they can now benefit from improved support from the benefits system. By expanding eligibility, we will provide thousands more people with financial support to allow them to focus on sharing the valuable time they have left with the people who matter most to them.

  • Tom Pursglove – 2023 Statement on Personal Independence Payments

    Tom Pursglove – 2023 Statement on Personal Independence Payments

    The statement made by Tom Pursglove, the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, in the House of Commons on 16 March 2023.

    Today, the department will publish the latest statistics on making backdated payments to personal independence payment claimants who are affected by the KT and SH decision of the upper tribunal. The release will be published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-upcoming-releases-of-management-information-and-ad-hoc-analyses.

    The KT and SH UT decision, handed down on 21 August 2020, concerned how we decide whether hearing impaired or deaf people need an aid, appliance, or supervision, to wash or bathe safely under the PIP assessment.

    The department revised the guidance used for the PIP assessment process, for all new decisions, on 17 May 2021. We started the administrative exercise to check eligible claims back to the date of the UT decision on 4 April 2022.

    Since April 2022, we have reviewed around 4,000 cases against the KT and SH decision. This includes cases where claimants have previously been assessed as needing an aid or appliance to hear. All reviews have been carried out by a case manager within the department.

    Around 4,000 arrears payments, totalling around £11 million, have been made. No one should have seen their PIP reduced because of this exercise.

    Although we have completed the exercise, claimants can still ask the Department for Work and Pensions to conduct a review of their case, if they think they are affected.

    Our approach demonstrates that we have prioritised claimants who are most likely to benefit, to make backdated payments as quickly as possible.

  • Tom Pursglove – 2023 Statement on the Health and Disability White Paper

    Tom Pursglove – 2023 Statement on the Health and Disability White Paper

    The statement made by Tom Pursglove, the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, in the House of Commons on 16 March 2023.

    Yesterday, the Secretary of State published “Transforming Support: The Health and Disability White Paper”. This White Paper is a significant milestone, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to ensuring that disabled people and people with health conditions can lead independent lives and fulfil their potential. It sets out an ambitious policy reform package that will transform the health and disability benefits system, and help disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay in and succeed in work.

    We will deliver action in three ways. First, we will transform the future benefits system so that it focuses on what people can do, rather than on what they cannot, including by removing the work capability assessment. In our new system, there will be no need to be found to have limited capability for work or work-related activity in order to receive additional income-related support for a disability or health condition. We will introduce a new universal credit health element that people receiving both personal independence payment and universal credit will be entitled to, which will enable people to try work without the fear of losing their benefits. We will roll this out carefully from 2026-27, and we will ensure that no one currently on universal credit and with limited capability for work or work-related activity will lose out once they move on to the new system.

    Secondly, while de-risking work is one side of the coin in supporting disabled people and people with health conditions into work, we know that we also need to provide more employment and health support for this group. The White Paper sets out how we will introduce a new personalised approach to employment support and engagement, with the aim of helping people to reach their potential and live a more independent life. We are investing in additional work coach time and tailored support. The Chancellor also set out yesterday that we will introduce a new programme called universal support, which will provide wraparound support for individuals and employers, as well as additional money to provide more mental health and musculoskeletal treatment for this group.

    Finally, we will ensure that people can access the right support at the right time, and have a better overall experience, by testing new initiatives to make it easier to apply for and receive health and disability benefits. I am certain that our White Paper reforms will support more people to reach their full potential and reap the health and wellbeing advantages of work.

  • Tom Pursglove – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Pursglove – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Pursglove on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civil servants in his Department are members of trades unions; how much working hours facility time is claimed by each such civil servant; and what the cost of that facility time is to his Department.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) no longer holds data on employees who are members of Trades Unions (TUs), following the removal of automatic TU subscription-fee deductions from employees’ salary in January 2015.

    The MOD makes certain facilities available to civilian employees who are accredited representatives, but not paid officials of, TUs recognised by the Department. The amount of time off and the purposes for which it is allowed is in accordance with the ACAS Code of Practice Time off for Trade Union duties and activities. This is recorded as facility time (FT).

    In FY 2014-15 some 9,865 staff days were spent on FT at a cost of £1.13 million, which is significantly lower than comparable figures for FY 2011-12 when an estimated 27,060 staff days were spent on FT at a cost of £3.65 million. The number of Departmental staff who were recorded as being 100% FT has also fallen from 53 in 2013 to zero in 2015.

  • Tom Pursglove – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Tom Pursglove – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Pursglove on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the contribution of recreational spaces to local sporting and community life.

    Tracey Crouch

    The government is committed to supporting recreational spaces across the country. Our new sport and physical activity strategy recognises that these spaces can be crucial in getting people active and are an important part of the nation’s sporting infrastructure.

  • Tom Pursglove – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Tom Pursglove – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Pursglove on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding has been allocated to (a) Corby and (b) East Northamptonshire to tackle flooding in the last five years.

    Rory Stewart

    The Government has spent £2.6 million on flood risk management capital and maintenance works in Corby and East Northamptonshire between 2011/12 to 2015/16. This figure is combined, as the funding is allocated to, and work undertaken in, ‘Flood Risk Management Systems’. These systems relate to the watercourses in these areas and the consequences of flooding, rather than to political boundaries. For example, the river Harpers Brook flows in and out of both Corby and East Northamptonshire several times and so the funding for these areas is combined.

    Maintenance works include routine maintenance, such as blockage removal, and incident management response during a flood. Capital works include capital project work, including studies, refurbishment and improvement works.

    In accordance with data retention rules, the Environment Agency does not hold financial records for more than five years.

  • Tom Pursglove – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tom Pursglove – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Pursglove on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 May 2016 to Question 37198, how many of the leaflets entitled Why the Government believes that voting to remain in the European Union is the best decision for the UK have been returned to his Department; and what the postage cost to the Government has been of such returns.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    I refer the Hon Member to the Prime Minister’s response of 25th May 2016. This information is not collated centrally by the Department.

  • Tom Pursglove – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tom Pursglove – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Pursglove on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many civil servants in her Department are members of trades unions; how much working hours facility time is claimed by each such civil servant; and what the cost of that facility time is to her Department.

    Nick Gibb

    The Department for Education does not hold records on how many civil servants are members of a trade union.

    The Cabinet Office publishes data relating to civil service facility time on a quarterly basis. The latest data is Quarter 4, 2014 and is available online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/trade-union-facility-time

    “

  • Tom Pursglove – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Pursglove – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Pursglove on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of how many (a) children, (b) women and (c) men have been killed by Daesh/ISIL; and what his Department’s estimate is of the number of women who have been raped by Daesh.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Government is not able to estimate the number of people who have been murdered, raped or subjected to sexual violence at the hands of Daesh. However, the UN and other international organisations have reported on the scale of Daesh violence in Iraq and Syria.

  • Tom Pursglove – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tom Pursglove – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Pursglove on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what help is available to people with hepatitis C infection from contaminated blood.

    Jane Ellison

    Under the current support arrangements, people infected with hepatitis C through the use of National Health Service blood products are offered a lump sum payment of £20,000 on registering and the option to apply for certain discretionary support: both financial and non-financial. Should they develop “Stage 2” hepatitis C, the later stage of the disease, patients are then offered an additional lump sum of £50,000 and a regular annual payment of £14,749. Those people co-infected with hepatitis C stage 2 and HIV are offered a regular annual payment of £29,498. Currently 595 people are receiving these regular annual payments. In addition, 242 people are receiving regular payments for HIV infection.

    However, the Department is consulting on options for a future support scheme which aims to ensure all of those infected with hepatitis C and registered with the payment schemes would receive regular annual payments, up to £15,000. There are currently 2,424 people with “stage 1” hepatitis C currently registered with the payment schemes who would benefit additionally from this proposed change.