Household Support Fund Greg Smith (Buckingham) (Con) 1. What steps
she is taking to ensure that the household support fund helps the
most vulnerable during winter 2021-22. The Secretary of State for
Work and Pensions (Dr Thérèse Coffey) We have made £500 million
available across the UK to support vulnerable households this
winter. It really is for local authorities, which are closer to
their communities, to use the funding to support those with needs
for food,...Request free trial
Household Support Fund
(Buckingham) (Con)
1. What steps she is taking to ensure that the household support
fund helps the most vulnerable during winter 2021-22.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Dr Thérèse
Coffey)
We have made £500 million available across the UK to support
vulnerable households this winter. It really is for local
authorities, which are closer to their communities, to use the
funding to support those with needs for food, utilities and wider
essentials. They are best placed to design schemes that support
those most in need locally.
The £500 million household support fund is extremely welcome and
my local council is busy ensuring that support reaches those who
need it through their excellent Helping Hand scheme. Will my
right hon. Friend join me in congratulating Buckinghamshire
Council on ensuring that a comprehensive package is available for
those who are sadly unable to put food on the table or heat their
homes, and will she set out what more can be done to ensure that
those in such distressing circumstances know that local
authorities have the resources and should be the first port of
call?
Dr Coffey
My hon. Friend is right to praise Buckinghamshire Council, which
was allocated £2.4 million from the fund. It is fair to say that
local authorities delivering the household support fund have
access to elements relating to health visitors, social workers
and housing departments, and access to the benefits system
through the Searchlight portal, to identify people who may need
help at this time and are most in need. Of course, people should
turn to their councils for that support, and they should be
warmly welcomed.
(Westminster North) (Lab)
According to the Resolution Foundation, the combined effect of
the removal of the £20 universal credit uplift and the Budget
measures means that 3.6 million households on universal
credit—three quarters of the total—will still be worse off this
winter. These measures take £3 billion out of support for the
poorest, so how far does the Secretary of State estimate that the
£500 million household support fund, which is equivalent to just
one sixth of the amount that has been removed, will reduce the
level of hardship for people this winter?
Dr Coffey
The hon. Lady will recognise that some of the announcements made
in the Budget recently will, I expect, provide some direct
support for people working or, indeed, encourage people into
work. However, the £500 million, being a targeted fund, will be a
great support, with people identified by local councils that know
who to target in this regard. It is also fair to say, as has been
said many times, that the uplift was temporary, recognising the
situation that we are in, and candidly, it was far more generous
than ever happened—or rather, never happened—when we had the
2009-10 financial crisis.
(Wycombe) (Con)
Like my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham (), I pay tribute to
Buckinghamshire Council for all that it has done with the Helping
Hand scheme. Does the Secretary of State agree that in a place
such as High Wycombe, where riches and poverty are often found so
close together, it is imperative that we equip councils to
provide local people with the local help that they need?
Dr Coffey
I strongly agree. That is why we are working through local
authorities, which understand their communities well, without
there being blanket schemes. It is important that that is
reflected around the country, including in places such as High
Wycombe.
State Pension: Payment Delays
(Glasgow Central)
(SNP)
2. What steps her Department is taking to tackle delays in
payment of the state pension.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
I am advised that all delayed claims have been processed, except
for those that require further customer information. Some 70% to
80% of claims are now made digitally by Get your State Pension,
with over 50% being cleared the same day. We are, however,
introducing a new tele-claims service that will supplement the
paper applications, which we accept have been lengthy and have
incurred delays.
I thank the Minister for that answer. Two of my constituents
should have started receiving their state pensions at the start
of August and were on the verge of destitution when I was
contacted in October by the welfare rights officer at Glasgow
West housing association. Following the intervention from my
office, both have now received what they were due from the
Department for Work and Pensions, but they are by no means the
only people to be hit by this latest DWP shambles. I am really
concerned for people who do not have anybody like a housing
association or an MP to advocate for them, so will the Minister
tell me how many people he estimates have been affected by this
altogether? What more can he do to put it right and make sure
that those who do not have somebody advocating for them do not
get left behind?
We accept that there have been delays, and we have taken
significant action in the form of the redeployment of 700 staff
to address those. I am pleased that the cases of the two
constituents that the hon. Member outlined have now been
addressed. The particular problem has been in respect of the
receipt of further information from particular applicants, and
those matters are being addressed on an ongoing basis.
(Reading East) (Lab)
People work hard all their lives and pay in to save for their
retirement; they deserve to be paid their state pension on time.
Colleagues across the House, as we have heard, are reporting more
and more cases of delays in payment, some of which are as long as
three months. This is a basic service provided by the Government,
which we all rely on. How on earth did these delays come about?
When will the Government take this seriously, and when will
pensions finally be paid on time?
Obviously, the hon. Gentleman did not listen to my earlier
answer. This matter was addressed by the end of October. The
reality of the situation is that the pandemic has caused delays
to state pensions, with issues relating to illness,
self-isolation, caring, training, location, staffing, equipment,
recruiting. I could go on, but these matters are being
addressed.
Mr Speaker
We now come to the SNP spokesperson.
(Glasgow East) (SNP)
There are not just delays to the state pension, but
underpayments. The British Government are also set to hammer
pensioners’ incomes, with a cut of £2,600 on average over the
next five years as a result of their plan to break the pensions
triple lock, which the House of Lords rejected last week with a
majority of 102—led, indeed, by a Conservative. Will the Minister
do the right thing and U-turn on his plans to scrap the triple
lock on pensions? If not, is it not the case that the British
Government just cannot be trusted with pensions, and that the
only way to ensure dignity and fairness in retirement for Scots
is with independence?
I have heard it all. How on earth the Scottish Government, were
they in any event to get independence, would be able to pay
ongoing state pensions is a mystery that no Scottish politician
has ever been able to answer. The factual reality is that the
state pension, by reason of the triple lock, is up £2,000 per
person, something that would never happen under an independent
Scotland—that is for sure.
Universal Credit Standard Allowance: End of Uplift
(Richmond Park) (LD)
3. What steps she is taking to support families affected by the
end of the uplift to the standard allowance of universal
credit.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
The Government have always been clear that the £20 uplift was a
temporary measure. Universal credit recipients in work will soon
benefit from the reduction in the taper rate from 63% to 55%,
with work allowances increasing by £500 a year, meaning that
nearly 2 million working households will keep about an extra
£1,000 a year on average.
My constituent Simon Holroyd lost his mother to covid and is a
single father to 10-year-old twins. He worked in the hospitality
industry all his life to a senior level, but since the pandemic
he has struggled to find work and is reliant on universal credit.
His life before the uplift was removed was, in his words,
“a revolving mess of balancing debts”.
Now his situation is desperate. The Minister and the Secretary of
State have both referred to the uplift as temporary, but for
claimants such as my constituent who were not claiming universal
credit before the uplift, the removal of the £20 is experienced
only as a loss. Will the Minister commit to reintroducing the
uplift?
With 1 million vacancies and above in the UK and with a
comprehensive plan for jobs, our focus absolutely has to be on
helping people into work, particularly in the hospitality sector,
where there are vacancies. I hope that there might be a vacancy
for the hon. Member’s constituent.
(Preseli Pembrokeshire)
(Con)
May I thank the Minister and especially the Secretary of State
for really pushing for the cut to the universal credit taper rate
that we saw in the Budget? It will make a real difference to
families on low incomes. There are more than 1 million job
vacancies right now, plus the Budget measures to strengthen work
incentives—cutting the withdrawal rate, boosting the work
allowance and increasing the national minimum wage. Does that not
all add up to the best opportunity in more than a generation to
bear down on long-term unemployment in this country?
Absolutely. I credit my right hon. Friend: I know that he has
been a champion of improving the taper rate over many years, and
it was a pleasure to work with him as a Parliamentary Private
Secretary when he was Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
Now is the time for us to take forward opportunities for people,
given the Budget measures that have been put in place, and help
long-term unemployed people into work through the sector-based
work academy programme and the restart programme, which the
employment Minister—the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend
the Member for Mid Sussex ()—is taking forward with her
characteristic verve and enthusiasm.
Mr Speaker
I call the Chair of the Select Committee on Work and
Pensions.
(East Ham) (Lab)
Unemployment support is now at the lowest level in real terms for
more than 30 years, even though the economy has grown by more
than 50% in real terms over that period. As a proportion of
average earnings, it is the lowest ever—lower than when Lloyd
George introduced unemployment benefit 110 years ago. Why has
unemployment support been set at this historically extremely low
level?
It is always important to have a safety net, but it is also very
important to make sure that we get people into the world of work,
and that is what our focus is, as I have said repeatedly in my
answers today. With 1.1 million vacancies and with a plan for
jobs, that has to be our focus.
(Runnymede and Weybridge)
(Con)
Does my hon. Friend agree that we must look at both money in and
money out, and that the cost of living is causing pressures for
worse-off families? Will he update the House on the work that the
Department is doing in looking at the cost of living,
particularly childcare and housing costs?
We have already provided a range of measures. Eighty-five per
cent. of childcare costs are covered by universal credit, and
extra support has been provided through the increase in the local
housing allowance. So steps are being taken, but I understand my
hon. Friend’s point about childcare. Clearly, we need to focus on
it further, and we will.
Universal Credit Claimants: Support
(Rutherglen and Hamilton
West) (Ind)
4. What support her Department is providing to universal credit
claimants who are unable to secure employment.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
Our plan for jobs provides tailored support for people of all
ages, helping them to prepare for, get into and progress in work.
The additional 13,500 work coaches whom we have recruited are
ensuring that people receive the personalised advice that they
need, and have access to the employment programmes or training
that are right for them.
Research conducted by the End Child Poverty coalition shows that,
in my constituency, 25% of children were living in poverty in
2019-20: that is 4,815 children. Since 2015, poverty has
increased by 2.2%: that is 482 more children. I want to see the
numbers going down, not up. Does the Minister agree that the best
way to make that happen would be to reinstate the £20-a-week
uplift in universal credit?
I think we have heard across the Chamber that the way out of
poverty and the way to make progress is through a pay packet,
which gives people so much more than just pay: it gives them the
confidence that enables them to make progress and move forward.
The hon. Lady will be interested in the report from the in-work
commission, to which we will respond shortly. In Scotland, our
new programme, job entry: targeted support—JETS—has moved more
than 1,500 people into employment since January this year. I
think that she has visited her jobcentre, so she should feel
confident that there is help out there to ensure that no one is
left behind.
(Scarborough and Whitby)
(Con)
I recently received a letter from a local bakery which is
desperate for 30 people to come and work there. In fact we have
hundreds of jobs, in hospitality, agriculture, social care and
food processing. While it is disappointing that the Scottish
Administration are not creating jobs for people in Rutherglen and
Hamilton West, does the Minister agree that those people should
come to places in North Yorkshire, such as Scarborough, where
they will receive not only a warm welcome, but a great job and a
great future?
Long-term unemployment is a devolved matter for the Scottish
Government to attend to, but I am delighted that my right hon.
Friend has raised this important matter. We at the DWP are
organising Hospitality Rocks events to bring people into the
industry. It is possible to earn significant sums in a couple of
years with the necessary training and support, and people should
definitely be taking those jobs in Scarborough and beyond.
(Ealing Central and Acton)
(Lab)
The fact that universal credit is an in-work benefit is commonly
overlooked. There will be a great many more claimants in west
London, where Ocado Zoom is treating its workforce appallingly.
It has not taken them in-house as it promised, and they now have
much worse terms and conditions. I know that the Government are
ruling out fire and rehire legislation generally, but will the
Minister—I know she is a reasonable person, and everyone loved
her the other day when she met our all-party parliamentary group
on single parent families—look into this case, which the
Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain has been actively
pursuing? The chief executive of Ocado Zoom will not even talk to
me.
The hon. Lady should raise the issue with the Department for
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, because employee rights
are a matter for that Department. However, she has made an
important point. We have an employees’ market, with more than 1
million job vacancies, many of them in London. I hope that her
constituents will say to that employer, “We are off somewhere
else”. Whether that is in hospitality or elsewhere, they will
receive a warm welcome, and so they should. They should be well
rewarded for the work that they do, which is why the increase in
the national living wage is so important.
Universal Credit System Resilience: Covid-19
(East Surrey) (Con)
5. What assessment she has made of the resilience of the
universal credit system during the covid-19 outbreak.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Dr Thérèse
Coffey)
The universal credit system stood up to the challenge of the
pandemic, which meant that people received vital financial
support at their time of need. On one day alone we received just
over 100,000 new claims, 10 times the average. The old system
would not have coped with the unprecedented pressure that we have
seen over the past 18 months, and that is yet another reason why
universal credit is working.
During the pandemic, the universal credit system proved not only
its resilience but its agility in providing people with the
emergency support that they needed. Now that the Government are
rightly focusing on getting people back into work, could my right
hon. Friend set out the timetable for the very welcome changes
that she has made to the universal credit taper rate and to work
allowances?
Dr Coffey
I was not the only person to cheer loudly when the Chancellor
announced to the House that we were increasing work allowances
and reducing the taper rate to 55% no later than 1 December. I am
pleased to inform my hon. Friend that the latest information I
have is that we intend to try to bring that in from 24 November,
which means that an extra 500,000 claimants will benefit, even
more than might have been predicted just a couple of weeks
ago.
(Chesterfield) (Lab)
The Department for Work and Pensions makes substantial efforts to
assure itself that people who are on universal credit and not in
work are entitled to that payment, either because of the
disabilities that they have or because they have made every
possible effort to find work. On that basis, why would the
Government reassure themselves that it is okay to plunge those
people into poverty, when they have done everything that the
Government have asked them to do in terms of trying to find work?
Why not just reintroduce that £20 payment?
Dr Coffey
The £20 uplift was a temporary measure reflecting the nature of
what happened in the pandemic, and the greatest financial impact
was on those who had gone from having earnings to having no
earnings at all. We have doubled the number of work coaches and
we are striving to help people to get into work, because we know
that that is the best way to get on in life. I am sure the hon.
Gentleman will welcome the change that happened in the Budget,
which shows, perhaps even quicker than initially predicted, that
work genuinely pays.
(Harrogate and Knaresborough)
(Con)
My right hon. Friend is aware that Harrogate has been the
location for the pilot work on the managed migration from legacy
benefits. Is she able to update the House on how that is going?
Before the pandemic, it was going very well indeed. Is she now in
a position to recommence the pilot, or to move on to the next
stage of the migration?
Dr Coffey
My hon. Friend is right to point out that we undertook some pilot
work in Harrogate on the managed migration element of moving
everybody to universal credit. I am pleased to say that there was
a considerable amount of learnings from that time in Harrogate,
and we have also learned a lot during the pandemic. As such, I am
not envisaging a need for the pilot to be resumed in Harrogate,
but it has informed our plan, which is still in preparation, on
resuming the managed move to universal credit.
Disabled People: Support in Work
(Edinburgh North and Leith)
(SNP)
6. What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that
disabled people are supported in work.
The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions ()
The Department delivers national programmes as well as
initiatives in partnership with the health system to support
disabled people to start, stay and succeed in employment. These
include Access to Work and intensive personalised employment
support, which continues to provide that support after work has
begun.
It is essential to ensure, particularly as we approach the
winter, that all workers have access to a liveable sick pay and
do not put themselves and others at risk. However, the current
earnings threshold disproportionately affects disabled people and
those with long-term health conditions. What concrete actions
will the UK Government take to finally fix the wholly inadequate
sick pay system?
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for raising those points, and it
is a pleasure to work with her once again; I have done on various
topics. The Government previously consulted on reform to
statutory sick pay, as she will know, but we did not think that
the pandemic was the right time to introduce changes to it, as
that would have placed an immediate and direct cost on employers
at a very difficult time. Instead, we prioritised changes to the
wider welfare system. However, I can assure her that our work on
this is ongoing and I look forward to talking to her and others
further about this.
(Lewisham, Deptford)
(Lab)
I would like to welcome the Minister to her new role. She will be
aware that the disability pay and employment gap remains far too
large. The figures might appear to show a narrowing in recent
years, but academics believe that this has been offset by an
increase in the number of people identifying as disabled. Today,
on the 26th anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act
1995, it is clear that urgent action is required. The
Government’s strategy for disabled people offers only a
consultation on mandatory reporting. Will she be bolder than her
predecessor and bring in mandatory reporting now?
I look forward to working with the hon. Lady on these vital
issues. She is right that our national disability strategy
demonstrates our intention to consult on workforce reporting. She
asked an additional question about pay gap reporting, but those
are two slightly different things. Pay gaps are, of course,
caused by a range of factors, and to address them we must ensure
that everybody has equal access to opportunities. That will be my
passion in this role. I hope she welcomed the disability
employment statistics out only last week; they show that some
progress is being made, but there is a heck of a lot more to do,
and I will be there doing it.
I gave the Minister a straightforward policy ask with no
additional financial commitment, so it is regrettable that she
cannot do it straight away. However, clearly money is required to
deliver a fully inclusive society. Can she confirm that the
spending review contained no extra funding linked to the
strategy, other than for education and employment? Does she have
plans to speak to the Chancellor about further funding, and will
she now push for a full debate to show disabled people that her
Government are giving the strategy the attention it rightly
deserves?
That strategy and its implementation will be one of my utmost
priorities; I look forward to discussing it in a constructive
manner with the hon. Lady and everybody else here today, but I
think she may have misread the £1.1 billion in targeted support
for those with disabilities that was in the Budget and the
spending review last week, which covers access to work, more work
coaches and the Work and Health programme.
(Basingstoke) (Con)
I have seen at first hand how assistive technology can change the
lives of young people with disabilities at Treloar School and
College in Alton in Hampshire. Can my hon. Friend update the
House with any further details on the national centre for
assistive and accessible technology, which could do so much to
support adults with a learning disability and other disabilities
to get into employment?
I am really pleased that my right hon. Friend has raised that
point, and I agree on the centrality of assistive and accessible
technology. That is why our national disability strategy
contained a commitment to invest up to £1 million in 2021-22 to
develop a new centre for assistive and accessible tech, reporting
on progress by next year. I look forward to working with her to
do that.
(Gower) (Lab)
The Minister will know that many disabled people work and receive
their personal independence payments, but when someone is given a
telephone appointment, they are told that they can only arrange
the appointment once. That is hardly fair; if it is scheduled
when they are working and the assessments can take up to an hour,
that is not possible. What are the Government doing to make it
easier for people to be in work and have that access?
The hon. Lady raises a good point, which I will be happy to take
away and look into. In general terms, I can say that we made
commitments in our Green Paper published in July to improve the
assessment process overall, across both the work capability
assessment and the PIP assessment. She will also know that we
have been using telephone methods through the pandemic and are
looking to see what will continue to be the best methods. I look
forward to discussing that further with her, and I will take away
the point she raises and look into it further.
(North Swindon) (Con)
We can be rightly proud of delivering record disability
employment, but to meet our commitment of 1 million more disabled
people in work by 2027, we must expand opportunities through
disability apprenticeships, a key commitment within the national
disability strategy. Will the Minister confirm that she will
continue to press our Department for Education colleagues to
ensure we deliver that vital commitment?
I certainly will. It will be my passion to deliver all the
commitments in the national disability strategy, to support more
disabled people to be in work, stay in work and thrive in work. I
also thank my hon. Friend for the foundational work he did on
this, which I look forward to continuing.
(Glasgow North West)
(SNP)
It is good to hear some of the commitments the Government are
making, but unfortunately we have heard them before. Many
disabled people, particularly those who are trying to get
employment and support allowance or PIP, will struggle through
their assessment because their disabilities are hidden. What work
is the Minister doing on that, including with providers of those
assessments, to ensure that those with hidden disabilities are
given a fair chance?
Again, the hon. Lady raises a common-sense point, on something
that I will want to make sure is working well in our system. As I
said in response to a previous point, we have indicated that we
are keen to look at how the assessments in general can be
improved. We have that commitment to this House in our Green
Paper, published in July, which I will be looking forward to
developing further. I can let the House know that we have
received more than 4,500 consultation responses to that Green
Paper, which gives us a very sound basis for hearing the voices
of disabled people and acting on what is needed.
Young Jobseekers
(Clacton) (Con)
7. What support her Department is providing to young
jobseekers.
(East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con)
12. What support her Department is providing to young
jobseekers.
(Eastleigh) (Con)
25. What support her Department is providing to young
jobseekers.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
A year since the first placements began, almost 100,000 young
people have started a kickstart role. I am delighted that
kickstart will now continue through to March next year, offering
exciting opportunities and crucial experience to even more young
people through this extension. We are also extending our enhanced
Department for Work and Pensions youth offer, expanding
eligibility to 16 and 17-year-olds, so that all under-25s
claiming universal credit or searching for work can benefit from
more targeted support, through our youth hubs, mentoring circles
and tailored support from youth employability work coaches.
I thank my hon. Friend for her answer. She will know, however,
that we have a persistent problem with youth unemployment in
Clacton, because I have raised this issue frequently. As we level
up and build back better, can she assure me that we will not
overlook areas of deprivation in the coastal regions of the
south, so that we level up not only up and down, but
sideways?
We are absolutely determined that no region is left behind, and
we have invested in and strengthened our support offer, as I have
outlined. My hon. Friend will be pleased to know that on 18
November we are hosting a kickstart employer day at Clacton
Jobcentre Plus, matching employers directly with those young
people in need to find them suitable roles.
I thank my hon. Friend for coming along to the DWP centre in
Worthing and meeting a kickstarter working for the youth hub
there, and for joining me in doing a shift working tables at the
Fat Greek Taverna afterwards, as a result of which we were both
offered jobs—the way things are going, that might come in quite
handy. What more can we do to have outreach services, to make
sure that young people get into those youth hubs in the first
place, where they are given all the support they need on
interviews and writing CVs, and that they turn up at interviews
when they are given a job prospect?
I like to think it was tenacious Tim and me together working on
the hospitality shift. I know my hon. Friend is passionate about
youth employment, and we did enjoy that visit. He saw that youth
hub just last week, which shows that vital new link in the
community, bringing together local partners. That wraparound
support is key for the under-25s, particularly those who are not
engaged with the Government at any other level; that is where our
youth employment coaches come into their own. We have to remove
those barriers to work for all.
I am delighted to see a new DWP youth hub open in Eastleigh
today. It will make a huge difference to my constituents. Will
the Minister set out how youth hubs will help our young people
boost their skills and find new opportunities as we recover from
the pandemic?
My hon. Friend is right on this. We have one youth hub opening
today in Eastleigh and another in nearby Romsey; crucially, they
are working in partnership with councils. Along with training,
skills and employment opportunities—the DWP train and progress
scheme, the sector-based work academy programme and the kickstart
scheme—this means that everyone in this Chamber should know that
the answer and the way to progress is through work.
Anum Qaisar (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)
What message does the Minister think the UK Government send to
young people with wage rates that discriminate based on their
age, with a £5,000 gap between the one for an 18-year-old and the
one for a 25-year-old?
My daughter started her first job today, on £9.50 an hour. She is
delighted and she is doing that alongside her studies. I
understand the challenge on different wage rates, but the
national minimum wage rise really helps people, alongside the
taper rate and the skills and opportunities provided through
youth hubs and more widely. So I do not think that young people
should feel anything other than that there are great
opportunities out there, with more than 1 million vacancies and
seasonal work, which can be the first step on to the employment
ladder and the next stage in their career.
(Birmingham, Selly Oak)
(Lab)
I recently visited Selly Oak jobcentre and have to say that I was
quite impressed by what I saw and what I heard about the
kickstart scheme, but one thing that surprised me was the number
of students who are taking places on the scheme. Does the
Minister share my concern that there might be a slight
displacement effect, with the students understandably seeking
work experience but thereby taking places on a programme that was
conceived for young people with fewer qualifications and less
access to the job market? If that is the case, what might she do
about it?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for visiting that fantastic jobcentre.
We have jobcentres doing that work up and down the country, and
it is crucial that 100,000 young people are getting that first
step on the employment ladder. He is right to point out that
there should be no cherry-picking of the easiest people to move
into employment. Kickstart is about getting young people on to
the first rung on the employment ladder, which is why we have
kickstart quick start and direct meetings with employers, so that
nobody is left behind. The flexible support fund will address any
barriers and we will make sure that everybody is job ready and
nobody is left behind.
(Glenrothes) (SNP)
In May this year, the then Minister for Disabled People, Work and
Health, the hon. Member for North Swindon (), told the Work and
Pensions Committee that the Department did not routinely collect
information on disabilities from young people who enter the
kickstart scheme and that it had no immediate plans to do so.
That means it is impossible to monitor how accessible or
inaccessible the kickstart scheme is for young people who have
disabilities. Will the Minister confirm whether that is still the
case? If it is, when is she going to sort it?
The hon. Gentleman makes an important point that will be picked
up in the evaluation. The hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak
() mentioned the fact that we
should not be cherry-picking; the kickstart scheme is about
people with the biggest barriers and the highest likelihood of
long-term unemployment, and nearly 100,000 young people have got
on to the employment ladder because of it. We will look at the
issue the hon. Gentleman raised, but the reality is that with the
Access to Work programme and all the other interventions that
come alongside a kickstart role, if someone has disabilities,
that should not prevent them from being on the programme.
End of Universal Credit Uplift: Household Budgets
(Sheffield Central)
(Lab)
8. What assessment she has made of the potential effect of ending
the universal credit uplift on household budgets.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
The Government have always been clear that the £20 uplift was a
temporary measure to support households affected by the economic
shock of covid-19. Now that the economy has reopened, the
Government are giving nearly 2 million working households an
increase, on average, of £1,000 per year, thanks to the reduction
in the universal credit taper rate from 63% to 55% and a £500
increase in the work allowance.
More than 9,000 Sheffield households, including 4,500 children,
have together lost around £10 million as a result of the
Government’s decision, and the taper adjustment compensates for
just a third of that lost income. There are also deep problems
caused by a backlog of work capability assessments. For some
claimants, the new-style employment and support allowance is
expiring as it has taken more than a year to secure an
assessment. Others on universal credit face long delays in
getting their correct entitlement. What is being done to clear
the backlog and ensure that people with disabilities get the
benefits they deserve?
I assure the hon. Gentleman that we are working flat out to
ensure that people get their entitlement as speedily as possible,
which is certainly the case for the vast majority of people. We
saw during the pandemic that universal credit was particularly
agile in responding to a huge number of people—hundreds of
thousands—who needed support.
(North West Durham)
(Con)
We have a record 1.1 million vacancies, and we are cutting the
taper rate and raising the income threshold; how many families in
North West Durham and throughout the country will benefit?
We are going to see many people—
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
Hundreds.
More than hundreds—millions of people are going to benefit,
because not only will they see the financial benefit but, as they
start to get involved with their work coaches and understand what
is available to them through the plan for jobs and in-work
progression, they will see massive improvements in their
financial situation and gain confidence in the workplace.
End of Universal Credit Uplift: Risk of Poverty
(Portsmouth South) (Lab)
9. What assessment she has made of the potential effect of ending
the universal credit uplift on the risk of poverty among benefit
claimants.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
The Government have always been clear that the £20 uplift was a
temporary measure to support households affected by the economic
shock of covid-19. We believe that work is the best route out of
poverty, which is why our comprehensive plan for jobs is
supporting people to prepare for, get into and progress in
work.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation finds that the Government’s
universal credit cut will affect 21% of working-age families in
my constituency and nearly half of those with children. To make
matters worse, the Bank of England says that, after tax, which
the Tories continue to raise, and inflation, salaries are now
forecast to fall by 1.25% this year. What plans does the Minister
have to support my constituents immediately, as they will be
feeling that the pound in their pocket is worth less this
winter?
The hon. Gentleman’s constituents will have the opportunity to
fill the vacancies that are no doubt in his patch as well as
across the country. I can also assure him that we do understand
that there will be vulnerable families who need extra support
this winter, which is why £1.8 million has been allocated to
families in Portsmouth through the local authorities there.
State Pension and Pension Credit: Kettering
(Kettering) (Con)
10. How many people (a) receive the state pension and (b) claim
pension credit in Kettering constituency.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
The most recent statistics show that 17,942 people receive the
state pension and 1,888 receive pension credit in the Kettering
constituency.
Mr Hollobone
Pension credit is a tax-free, means-tested benefit aimed at
retired people on low incomes. It can be worth up to £3,000 a
year and trigger extra help with heating bills, council tax, free
dental care and free TV licences for the over-75s, yet, at a time
when many pensioners are struggling with household bills, up to 1
million pensioners are not claiming £1.8 billion in pension
credit. What can the Minister do to encourage take-up in
Kettering and across the country?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that point. We
continue to make the case with the BBC, which I have met on two
occasions, with the pension credit taskforce, which we
specifically set up to address this matter, and with the Local
Government Association and energy companies. We have put great
efforts into increasing the stats. The stats on valuation and
take-up are going up, but clearly more needs to be done, and I
welcome his efforts in Kettering and beyond.
Universal Credit: Predecessor Schemes
(Gainsborough) (Con)
11. What assessment she has made of the (a) utility and (b) value
of universal credit compared to predecessor schemes.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
Universal credit is a modern, tailored, resilient benefit
responding effectively to economic conditions. It replaces six
outdated and complex benefits with one, helping to simplify the
benefits system and providing a safety net in times of need and,
of course, making work pay.
When the Centre for Social Justice originally designed the
universal credit system, it was with a 55p taper, so this reform
is long overdue and very welcome. The fact remains, though, that
there are still record numbers of people on universal credit, 60%
of whom are not working at all, yet we have record job vacancies
and a labour shortage. Will the Minister tell me what more can we
do? How can we get more people back into work?
The thing that has impressed me the most since taking on this
ministerial responsibility is the sheer enthusiasm of our work
coaches. I definitely recommend that my right hon. Friend’s
constituents speak to the work coaches to find out what
opportunities are available to them, particularly through skills
and through restart, to get involved in new sectors through the
sector-based work academy programme. Huge opportunities are
available for people, and they need to be explored.
Pensioners: Poverty Levels
(North Ayrshire and Arran)
(SNP)
13. What steps her Department is taking to tackle levels of
poverty among pensioners.
(Liverpool, West Derby)
(Lab)
15. What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of
the state pension in tackling levels of poverty among pensioners;
and if she will make a statement.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
Since 2010, the full yearly amount of the basic state pension has
risen by more than £2,050. Latest figures show that 200,000 fewer
pensioners are in absolute poverty after housing costs compared
with 2009-10.
With women born in the 1950s having their pension age increased
with little or no notice, with state pension payments delayed,
causing real financial distress, with more than 2 million older
people living in poverty, and with the triple lock abandoned with
many pensioners set to be £520 worse off next year, to what
extent is the Minister proud of this Government’s record of
standing up for pensioners?
The hon. Lady will be aware that the triple lock has raised the
state pension and that this year’s decision is a temporary one,
for one year only. In respect of her campaign for 1950s-born
women, that matter was decided in both the High Court and the
Court of Appeal. If Scotland wishes to take action on this, there
are various sections of the Scotland 2016 that she could address
herself to.
Figures show that one in five pensioners in the UK are living in
poverty; 1.3 million retirees are under-nourished; and 25,000 die
each year due to the cold weather. With bills rising and in the
teeth of a pandemic, the Government want to break a manifesto
promise and scrap the triple lock on what is already one of the
least supportive state pensions by international comparison. What
impact assessment has the Department for Work and Pensions made
of scrapping the triple lock, and how many more pensioners in
Liverpool, West Derby will be living in poverty and unable to
afford food as a result?
As you will be aware, Mr Speaker, the reality of the situation is
that we have taken the state pension—which was languishing under
the previous Labour Government and had not been increased in any
real way whatever—and massively increased it to £105 billion,
with £24 billion on top of that. It has never been higher—never,
ever. There has been a £2,000 increase compared with 2010 thanks
to the triple lock and the actions of this Conservative
Government.
Benefit Claimants: Cost of Living Increases
(Manchester, Withington)
(Lab)
14. What steps her Department is taking to help support benefit
claimants with increased costs of living.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
From next April, the national living wage will rise by 6.6% to
£9.50 an hour. This real-terms pay increase will leave more money
in the pockets of hard-working people. The Government are taking
action to make work pay for low-income households on universal
credit by reducing the universal credit taper rate and increasing
the work allowance.
On Friday, I visited the Fallowfield and Withington food bank. It
is as busy as ever and expecting a surge in demand as a result of
the recent changes to benefits. If Government support for people
on benefits is adequate, why does the Minister think that so many
of my constituents are having to rely on food banks?
We recognise that there are people who will require support over
the winter period, which is why we have introduced the £421
million household support fund in England. I am sure that the
hon. Member will welcome the £6.4 million that has been allocated
to Manchester.
Topical Questions
(Edinburgh North and Leith)
(SNP)
T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental
responsibilities.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Dr Thérèse
Coffey)
Since the last Work and Pensions oral questions, I am pleased to
welcome the Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions,
my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich North (), and the Under-Secretary of
State for Work and Pensions, my hon. Friend the Member for
Macclesfield () to join our ministerial team.
I congratulate the Under-Secretary of State for Education, my
hon. Friend the Member for Colchester () on moving to his new role,
looking after childcare. I also thank my hon. Friend the Member
for North Swindon () for the great work that
he did during his time in the Department; he should be proud of
his achievements, including the changes to accessibility of
benefits for those with terminal illness, and the national
disability strategy.
Last week I was in Glasgow for COP26. I know you were also there
at the weekend, Mr Speaker, to have discussions at that important
climate conference. I was meeting my international counterparts
and leading industry figures to discuss how to unlock the global
superpower of pension funds to help us to achieve net zero. The
UK is already leading the way. We need to mobilise climate
finance, but together—with the resolve and readiness of countries
and companies to act—the commitment that we secured in Glasgow
will deliver prosperity and protection for people and the
planet.
My constituent contacted the Department for Work and Pensions
several times after her universal credit stopped at the end of
July because she had reached state pension age, but she received
no response. Three months later, I wrote to the DWP on the matter
and received a letter on the same day, admitting the error,
immediately depositing the outstanding amount and beginning the
pension payments that my constituent was due. I listened to the
excuses of the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions,
the hon. Member for Hexham (), on this earlier, but I still cannot understand how
it could have happened. Will the Secretary of State apologise to
my constituent for the very great anxiety that she has suffered
because of the DWP’s blunders?
Dr Coffey
The hon. Member just shows her effectiveness as a Member of
Parliament in responding to her constituent and taking the issue
up with us. If there are specific details that she would like to
go into, I think the Under-Secretary of State for Work and
Pensions, my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (), will be more than happy to respond. It is right to
say that universal credit is not paid to people who are of
pension age, but I flag to her some of the issues addressed by my
hon. Friend earlier when considering the backlog in paying out
pensions.
(Stalybridge and Hyde)
(Lab/Co-op)
May I add my welcome to the new Ministers on the Front Bench
today?
In the year before the pandemic, 380,000 sanctions were handed
out by the DWP to the British people. Of course, there must be
rules in any system, but since the Conservatives came to power in
2010, there has been a heavy focus on punitive sanctions, often
for minor infractions, yet when the Home Secretary breaks the
ministerial code by bullying, she gets off scot-free; when the
Electoral Commission tries to investigate the Prime Minister’s
flat refurbishment, it gets its wings clipped; and last week,
when broke the rules on paid
advocacy, this Government tried to do away with the rules all
together. These are not one-offs. This is a pattern of behaviour.
Does the Secretary of State appreciate that many people are
comparing how the DWP operates with how the Conservative party
behaves, and are asking, “Why is there one rule for the
Government and another for everybody else?”?
Dr Coffey
Well, what can I say? The interests of the British public are
best served when the Conservative party is in power and in
government. We are seeing a rise in employment. We are seeing a
universal credit benefit system that is more generous than the
legacy system that was there. We are finally removing a lot of
the thresholds that actually prevented people from working more
than 16 hours per week. I am proud of not only our policies but
our civil servants in delivering an excellent record in trying to
make sure that money gets to the people who deserve it the
most.
People simply want to know that everyone in this country is
playing by the same rules, and I think that is reasonable.
Let me turn to another crisis of the Government’s own making—the
problems in the labour market we have seen over the past few
months that left the pumps dry and the shelves sparse. As we left
the single market it was obvious which sectors would be most
disrupted: transport, logistics, and social care and the NHS.
Regardless of how people voted, we have to make this work, which
it clearly does not at the moment because of Government
incompetence. This Government often claim they have a plan for
jobs, but surely any credible plan would have tackled these
shortages head on and got unemployed people the skills the
economy needs to keep Britain moving. So, very simply, why was
there no plan in place to prevent these problems?
Dr Coffey
Very evidently, the plan for jobs is working. We are seeing more
people on the payrolls than was happening pre-pandemic. I hear
what the hon. Gentleman says about some of the skills that may be
required. I am conscious that many people who campaigned
vigorously to stay in the European Union are still trying to use
the excuse of leaving the European Union for why certain sectors
are still under-supplied. The reality is that nearly 6 million
people registered for the EU settlement scheme and they have an
entitlement to live in this country if they so wish. I think
there are some aspects of covid that are perhaps hindering people
in coming back into the UK who are considering a return to their
native countries. Let me say very clearly that we are working on
this right across Government. We have the Prime Minister’s
lifetime skills guarantee. We are encouraging people to consider
swapping sectors, as is happening with aspects such as
SWAPs—sector-based work academy programmes—for people who are
unemployed. There are also the bootcamps for skills and the
incentives to take on apprentices that have given been to
employers right across the country. I can honestly assure the
hon. Gentleman that the plan for jobs is certainly working.
(North Devon) (Con)
T4. North Devon still sees twice the number of jobseekers
as pre-pandemic, yet employers across my constituency are
desperate for staff of all skill levels. What steps is my right
hon. Friend taking to match jobseekers with vacancies?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
Jobcentres work directly with local employers using programmes
such as SWAPs to fill those vacancies and gaps. We are providing
training and work experience, and a guaranteed interview. The
Chancellor has announced £1.3 million investment in new
technology to better match claimants and vacancies with a new
job-matching tool. I can confirm that that is out to tender and
we will update the House shortly.
(Glasgow South West)
(SNP)
T2. I refer to my entry in the Register of Members’
Financial Interests. DWP staff report that Serco telephony
services are causing excessive call times because the private
sector staff are poorly trained. How much is this outsourcing
obsession costing the taxpayer, and is it fair on claimants who
face hours hanging on the phone only to receive often
questionable advice?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
If the hon. Gentleman wants to write to me I will try to get a
more detailed answer, but the bottom line is this: he will be
aware that there is a regular review of all contracts put out by
the DWP, and in respect of Serco the latest data was published on
24 September 2021 and is available on the gov.uk website.
(Eastleigh) (Con)
T5. Will the Minister update me on the In-Work Progression
Commission’s report and explain how this will help my
constituents to earn more and progress in their careers?
My hon. Friend will be pleased to hear that the Government will
publish the response to that report by the end of the year. It
will help his constituents and all those facing barriers to
progressing in work. Almost £100 million was announced by the
Chancellor to support a new in-work progression programme.
(Glasgow East) (SNP)
The British Government’s statutory minimum wage is not a real
living wage; in fact, it is a sham. It does not meet the minimum
income needed for an acceptable living standard, and the
differing rates for young people, including in the Secretary of
State’s constituency, are wholly unjust and discriminatory. What
action will she take to ensure that all workers, regardless of
age, get a real living wage, as set by the Living Wage Foundation
in April, that actually reflects the rising cost of living, and
not the sham supported by this British Government that Scotland
did not vote for?
Dr Coffey
We have a separate body that already makes recommendations. It is
called the Low Pay Commission, and the differential in wages is
out there. The hon. Member can cite whatever campaigning body he
likes; we have seen a huge increase in the national living wage,
and that is to be welcomed right across the country as we head
towards the national living wage being 66% of median
earnings.
(Delyn) (Ind)
T6. Almost exactly a year ago, I had the privilege of
serving on the Bill Committee for the Pension Schemes Act 2021,
which was widely appreciated by the industry as being an
outstanding piece of legislation. One of the best parts of that
Bill was pensions dashboards, which enable people to better
understand and impact on their pension savings. Can my hon.
Friend in a short time give an update on the implementation of
pensions dashboards and undertake to write to members of the
Committee with a more detailed response?
I can do that. It is a herculean IT project with 43,000 pension
providers, 22 million private pensions and state pensions all
coming to your mobile phone, your laptop or your device at home.
It will be groundbreaking and will be ready in 2023.
(York Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
T3. In breaking the pensioners’ promise by unlocking the
triple lock, many pensioners in my constituency, where there is
an extremely high cost of living, will struggle this winter with
heating and food. What steps will the Minister take to ensure
that they receive the money they rightly deserve and that he
promised the electorate to get through this winter?
The hon. Member will be aware that the pension has gone up by
more than £2,000 in cash terms since 2010. There will be a double
lock this coming year, subject to the will of Parliament, and
there is also the enhanced take-up of pension credit, which I
urge her to ensure her constituents apply for.
(South Basildon and East
Thurrock) (Con)
T7. Many sectors, as we have heard, are struggling to get
the staff they need, such as social care, hospitality, janitorial
services, haulage and logistics. Can my right hon. Friend tell
the House what further steps she is taking to enable jobseekers
to find jobs, and businesses to find the staff they depend on to
remain prosperous in my constituency?
The DWP helps fill vacancies directly with work coach support
through our plan for jobs programmes, including via the
sector-based work academy programmes, and kickstart. We have
doubled the number of our work coaches, particularly to support
sectors with shortages, and we have a virtual job help platform
with job search advice, a showcase of sectors and signposts
directly to those vacancies, including in HGVs and logistics.
(Makerfield) (Lab)
T8. The new Help to Claim contract tender only specifies
digital and telephone channels, yet a large number of claimants
who need this service find those channels impossible to use and
need face-to-face advice. Can the Minister confirm that there
will be no removal of funds from face-to-face services and that
potential claimants will still be able to access help via
face-to-face advice?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
We are committed to making sure that the best advice is available
to people. We have clearly moved on from the depth of the
pandemic, and we are looking at how best we respond. I will come
back to the hon. Lady with more detail on how we propose to move
things forward.
(Bury South) (Con)
T9. Since leaving the EU, it is right that all those in the
UK who are entitled to benefits receive them, so what steps is my
right hon. Friend taking to ensure that our post-Brexit benefit
rules are applied fairly and consistently for UK and EU citizens
alike?
Dr Coffey
We have been working consistently to try to ensure that for
people who receive benefits, for which immigration status is
required, we exhaust all avenues to encourage them to apply to
the EU settlement scheme to maintain that benefit entitlement. I
am pleased to say that the vast majority of people have done so,
and we will keep working to try to ensure that, whether people
have received letters, UC journal messages, invitations to come
to face-to-face appointments, or supportive officers have been
sent round to help them with the process, we are taking every
action possible to try to ensure they do so. I encourage hon.
Members to ensure that people know they must apply for EUSS
status so that they continue to be eligible for the benefits.
(East Renfrewshire)
(SNP)
Like other Members, I welcome the modest reduction in the
universal credit taper rate, but it does not come close to
compensating for the effect of the £20 a week cut to universal
credit, to say nothing of the national insurance hike, rising
inflation and soaring energy prices. In a written answer to me in
September, the Minister for welfare delivery, the hon. Member for
Macclesfield () confirmed that prior to
cutting universal credit, the Department had not assessed the
effect of the cut or the increase in energy costs on child
poverty. Will the Secretary of State act now to correct that
omission and conduct and publish an up-to-date assessment of how
the cut to universal credit and the rising cost of living will
impact on child poverty?
Dr Coffey
Given that it was a temporary uplift, recognising the effect of
aspects of the pandemic on people new to benefits, no impact
assessment was undertaken. With the removal of the temporary
uplift, therefore, no impact assessment has been undertaken
either.
(Harrow East) (Con)
The cut to the taper rate from 63% to 55% was clearly a vital
measure to support people on low incomes. What consideration has
my right hon. Friend given to lowering the taper rate further so
that we can ensure that people who go to work continue to work
and benefit as a result?
Dr Coffey
I congratulate my hon. Friend on championing the announcement of
the reduction of the taper rate from 63% to 55%. He may be aware
that that was the original design of the universal credit system.
The Chancellor agreed with me and the Prime Minister that, in
trying to ensure that work pays, it was the right moment to do
it. It recognises the labour market opportunities and makes sure
that people are better off working. With my right hon. Friend the
Chancellor having already provided for costs of about £2.5
billion annually, I am not convinced that we will seek to change
the taper rate further; instead, we will be seeking to ensure
that all the current job vacancies are taken up so that work
really does pay.
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
In answering an earlier question about 1950s women, the
Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the hon. Member
for Hexham (), referred to the High Court but not the
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report. Given that
the report explicitly urged the Government not to drag their feet
and to proactively co-operate with the next stages of the
investigation, will he assure me that he will break the habit of
a lifetime and do just that?
The hon. Gentleman seems to have forgotten that the PHSO was set
up under a Labour Government. It has a three-stage process. We
are observing the process that his Blair-Brown Government, which
he obviously now disowns, set up and insisted that we take.
(Waveney) (Con)
Motor neurone disease is a cruel and relentless condition. Too
many people with MND and other terminal illnesses are struggling
to access the benefits that they need. The Northern Ireland
Executive have committed to introducing legislation this month to
reform the unfair six-month rule. Will the Government follow
their lead?
The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions ()
I share my hon. Friend’s desire to see those changes made as
quickly as possible, which is why we are taking a two-stage
approach. That will allow us to introduce changes to universal
credit and employment and support allowance via secondary
legislation in April. Parliament will need to pass primary
legislation to amend the special rules in other benefits, which
we will introduce as soon as the parliamentary timetable allows.
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