Work and Pensions The Secretary of State was asked— Progression out
of Low-Paid Jobs Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con) 1. What steps she is
taking to support progression out of low pay jobs.(905446) The
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Dr Thérèse Coffey) I
associate myself with your comments, Mr Speaker, on the magnificent
service of Her Majesty the Queen. People can use the Train and
Progress scheme to access courses so that they can...Request free trial
Work and
Pensions
The Secretary of State was asked—
Progression out of Low-Paid Jobs
(Waveney) (Con)
1. What steps she is taking to support progression out of low pay
jobs.(905446)
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Dr Thérèse
Coffey)
I associate myself with your comments, Mr Speaker, on the
magnificent service of Her Majesty the Queen.
People can use the Train and Progress scheme to access courses so
that they can progress out of low-paid jobs. We are appointing
progression champions throughout the country and, from April
onwards, will open up access to work coach support to address
skills barriers or wider barriers to progression among people who
are already in work.
I am grateful to my right hon. Friend and constituency neighbour
for that answer. In sectors such as offshore wind and nuclear
power in Suffolk, either there are skills shortages or new
opportunities are emerging. Currently, many people are not able
to acquire the skills needed for such jobs because of the rigid
and complex universal credit conditionality rules. Will my right
hon. Friend agree to a review of universal credit conditionality,
as she and I have discussed and in accordance with the new clause
that I have tabled to the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill?
Dr Coffey
As my hon. Friend is my neighbour, I am conscious of the
opportunities in his constituency thanks to the Government
investment, alongside that of private investors, in our progress
to net zero. I do not agree with him that we need to reshape
student finance in such a way; that is not the purpose of
universal credit, and only a limited number of people can
undertake that training. I assure him that Train and Progress,
which I mentioned, the lifetime skills guarantee and the opening
up of access, as well as apprenticeships to get into a sector in
the first place, are better ways to make sure that we help people
to get on in work.
(Wirral South) (Lab)
I similarly associate myself and all my colleagues with your
remarks before questions, Mr Speaker.
The Government know that, as the hon. Member for Waveney () suggests, there is a problem
with progression out of low pay, because they commissioned the
Ruby McGregor-Smith review, which reported in July last year. In
January this year, the Under-Secretary of State for Work and
Pensions, the hon. Member for Mid Sussex (), told me that the Government
would publish their response “shortly”. Meanwhile, kickstart has
failed to deliver and, as the journalist Ed Conway pointed out
this afternoon, in the past year the average house has earned
more than the average 18 to 29-year-old in this country. That is
a disgrace. Will the Secretary of State announce today when she
will at last publish the Government’s response to the Ruby
McGregor-Smith review of low pay? Will she say how the Government
propose to make progress on two key issues that the review
identified: public transport and childcare?
Dr Coffey
I reject the hon. Lady’s assertion that kickstart is not working.
More than 130,000 young people have now had access to a proper
job in which they have gained employability skills, so it has
been an effective response. At the same time, she will be aware
that there are more people in work on payroll than there were
before the pandemic. People are making good progress in that
regard.
The review is important. I will be candid and say that I am the
person who has held it up, because I want to make sure we have
got all the questions answered as best we can. Meanwhile, we
continue to work across Government on some of the hurdles that
people are trying to get over, such as childcare and similar
issues. I hope that the response will be published shortly.
Menopause: Women Leaving the Workplace
(Swansea East) (Lab)
2. What assessment she has made of the economic impact of women
claiming benefits after leaving the workplace early due to
symptoms of the menopause. (905447)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
Too many women feel forced to leave work, reduce their hours or
take a step back in their careers because of the impact of the
menopause. That is why I asked my Department for Work and
Pensions “50 PLUS: Choices” team to work with employer
organisations and produce the “Menopause and Employment” report.
I will be responding to the recommendations in the report
shortly.
A poll by the Fawcett Society reported that a quarter of
employees currently experiencing the menopause said they would
consider leaving the workforce. Furthermore, 10% are actually
doing so. That is one in 10 experienced and talented women who
have symptoms of the menopause leaving their jobs and their
incomes, and potentially entering the benefit system. I know the
Minister understands the issues that these women are facing, so
would she consider creating a resource specific to women and
their employers to help them overcome those barriers and keep
more women in work?
I absolutely agree about the challenges when it comes to
employment. That leads us to the need for a longer-term plan for
pensions and everything that comes with it. Indeed, one in 100
women experience menopause by the age of 40. The hon. Lady and I
were both in the first cross-Government taskforce, with the
Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, my hon.
Friend the Member for Lewes (), on Thursday. This is a
key agenda point, and I look forward to working with the hon.
Lady on it.
Poverty: Pensioners
(North Shropshire) (LD)
3. What steps her Department is taking to tackle levels of
poverty among pensioners. (905448)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
I welcome the hon. Lady to her place in the House of Commons, and
I welcome back the hon. Member for East Dunbartonshire (). It is good to see her back
in her place—I am pleased to see that.
The practical truth is that pensioner poverty has reduced under
this Government. This Government increased state pension by 2.5%
in 2021-22 and will uprate it by 3.1% in 2022-23. We are also
spending approximately £5 billion to support 1.4 million
pensioners through pension credit.
Pensioners across North Shropshire and the rest of the country
are falling into poverty. Last week, a retired couple from
Ellesmere, in my constituency, contacted me to tell me that even
though they live in a modest bungalow, because of the rising
costs of their food and energy bills they have been put in the
heartbreaking position of having to choose between heating and
eating. That is a choice no one should ever have to make.
Rural communities are being hit hardest by the energy bill price
hike, and they have higher numbers of pensioners hit by the
suspension of the triple lock. In Shropshire, the
Conservative-led council is pushing through the maximum council
tax increase this spring. What steps can the Secretary of State
or the Minister take to ensure that our retired residents are not
put into this dreadful position of choosing between heating and
eating?
I refer the hon. Lady to the specific points set out by the
Chancellor last week, namely the £144 million-worth of
discretionary funding, the non-repayable £150 cash rebate and the
£200 smoothing rebate on energy bills for all households. Those
are in addition to the ability to claim for pension credit, which
is, of course, a passport to many different pension awards in
many different situations.
(Preseli Pembrokeshire)
(Con)
This Government have a very good track record when it comes to
protecting pensioners against poverty, not least through the
state pension triple lock and the pension credit. However, will
the Minister sit down with his colleagues the Employment
Ministers and look at participation rates in the workforce among
older workers? Some estimates suggest that there are now around
200,000 fewer older workers in the economy than there were pre
pandemic. It is important that we bring out all the skills in the
economy, not least to fill some of the employment gaps.
My right hon. Friend makes a very good point, as he should do,
being a former Secretary of State and very wise on these issues.
The Under-Secretary of state, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid
Sussex (), has set out the “50 PLUS:
Choices” programme and the amazing package of work that is
available to people over the age of 50 who wish to return to the
workplace. I am certain that if my right hon. Friend was to sit
down with her, and other colleagues, there would be much that we
can do in this particular space.
(Leicester South)
(Lab/Co-op)
Before I start, I thank the hon. Gentleman for his very moving,
very personal and very brave tribute to our friend last week. It is hugely
appreciated across the House.
I disagree with the Minister: pensioner poverty is increasing. As
we have heard, many pensioners are facing an impossible choice
between heating and eating. Pension credit and the basic state
pension are being cut in real terms today. He mentioned the
package the Chancellor announced. A million pensioners are on the
council tax benefit reduction. Will those million pensioners who
do not pay council tax get the £150 rebate automatically or will
they have to apply for it? If they have to apply, will he
guarantee that 100% of pensioners will get that money this
April?
First, I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his kind comments. I
wanted him to stop there, but I fully understood why he did not.
On his specific point, I understand that the Department for
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is publishing guidance on
that today.
(North West Leicestershire)
(Con)
Can my hon. Friend the Minister confirm that before this
Government came into office in 2009-10, the state pension was £95
a week and that this year it will rise to £185 a week? Does he
agree that this explains why there are over 200,000 fewer
pensioners in absolute poverty than there were a decade ago?
Under the coalition and the Conservative Government there has
been a record increase in the state pension. We have never spent
as much as we now spend on the state pension—£105 billion. It has
almost doubled compared with under the last Labour Government.
The practical reality is that there is £129 billion when all the
other benefits are added in. As I say, it has never been a larger
figure. My hon. Friend is right: there are 200,000 fewer
pensioners in poverty than there were previously.
(Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
(SNP)
Despite what the Minister said at the Dispatch Box earlier, his
Government’s statistics show that even before the effects of the
£700 energy cap kick in, pensioner poverty is at a 15-year high,
with 2.1 million pensioners classed as living in poverty. The Red
Book also shows that the removal of the pension triple lock is
going to take £30 billion out of the pockets of pensioners over
the lifetime of this Parliament. What impact assessment have the
Government undertaken on the removal of the triple lock, and how
many more pensioners are going to be plunged into poverty?
The hon. Gentleman will know that there are 200,000 fewer
pensioners in absolute poverty than in 2009-10. Through the
triple lock and the work that the coalition Government did and
this Conservative Government have done, we have never paid
pensioners more. There are also the three matters set out by the
Chancellor previously. I spent some of the weekend reading
“Scotland’s Future” and I see that the SNP has now abandoned its
previous position on the state pension—a question that SNP
Members did not want to raise today, I conclude.
(Chipping Barnet)
(Con)
Will the Minister ensure that supporting our pensioners remains a
top priority across Government? What is he doing personally to
ensure that as many pensioners as possible benefit from the
Chancellor’s support package on energy prices?
Yes, of course, is the short answer. We are doing a huge amount,
particularly on pension credit, which addresses the situation of
low-income pensioners. We are working with the BBC, various
energy companies, Age UK and many other organisations to get
greater take-up of pension credit. It is a cross-departmental
initiative to ensure that there is take-up of the various things
that are available, as announced by the Chancellor last week.
Disabled People’s Benefits: Cost of Living
(Pontypridd) (Lab)
4. What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy
of benefits for disabled people in the context of increases in
the cost of living. (905449)
The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions ()
The hon. Lady will know that the personal independence payment is
aimed at providing assistance to disabled people with extra
costs. As the Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for
Hexham (), has just outlined, alongside the £9 billion energy
bills rebate announced on 3 February the Government are providing
£12 billion of support over this financial year and next to ease
cost of living pressures, with help targeted at working families,
low-income households, and the most vulnerable.
The increasing cost of living is having a huge impact on so many
people, and instead of doing the right thing, this Government
buried a £70 million stealth cut to disability benefits in the
autumn Budget. For the hundreds of thousands of people impacted,
I ask the Minister: exactly how does she expect disabled people
to manage their rising energy bills while this Government stand
by with woefully inadequate proposals?
I am afraid the hon. Lady has simply misread things. What she is
referring to in the spending review is our intention to create
extra support for the most severely disabled. She needs to read
it again.
(Lewisham, Deptford)
(Lab)
I asked the Minister if she would publish the NatCen report into
disabled people’s experiences of the benefits system. She said
no. The Work and Pensions Committee used its powers to publish
the report instead. Having reviewed this research, it is crystal
clear what the Government were hiding. Disabled people are
struggling on a day-to-day basis. Does she agree that the money
disabled people receive is not enough to cover their additional
living costs? If she does agree, why has her Department not done
anything to address it?
I fear we have some serial misreading going on here. As the
research shows, health and disability benefits, alongside other
income streams, such as passporting and the Motability scheme,
help to meet almost all identified areas of additional need.
Vulnerable Children: Support
(Harlow) (Con)
5. What recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of
State for Education on support for vulnerable children.
(905450)
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Dr Thérèse
Coffey)
I met the Secretary of State for Education in January to discuss
shared priorities on a wide variety of issues, including
vulnerable children.
My right hon. Friend will be aware that our Education Committee
is doing an inquiry into the educational outcomes and
opportunities of children in care. We know that 41% of care
leavers aged 19 to 21 are not in education, employment or
training. I welcome the Government’s bursary scheme, but a care
leaver over the age of 21 is eligible to receive the bursary for
apprenticeships only if they are in education, employment or
training. Will my right hon. Friend look into the policy and work
with colleagues across Government to see what more can be done to
support the 59% of care leavers not eligible for this
support?
Dr Coffey
I welcome my right hon. Friend’s passion for this particular
group of people looking to find work. This is really a matter for
the Secretary of State for Education, but the information I have
been provided is that all care leavers aged up to 25 who take up
an apprenticeship are considered to be in education or training
and therefore would be eligible for the bursary.
(Angus) (SNP)
From April, the Scottish Government are doubling the Scottish
child payment to £20 a week a child. The Scottish child payment,
together with the Best Start grant and Best Start Foods, will
provide a package of financial support worth £8,400 by the time
eligible families’ first child turns six. None of this support is
available anywhere else in the UK. Have the UK Government
considered matching the level of support that the SNP Scottish
Government are offering to families with children in
Scotland?
Dr Coffey
I do not think we have undertaken that assessment. Of course, a
benefit of being part of the United Kingdom is the subsequent
extra money per head that is given through the Barnett formula,
and the Scottish Government can decide what to do with that. I am
sure they will be carefully costing their independence things, or
that sort of financial support will simply not be there.
Armed Forces Champions in Jobcentres
(Berwickshire, Roxburgh and
Selkirk) (Con)
6. What progress is being made by the work of armed forces
champions in jobcentres. (905451)
Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)
10. What progress is being made by the work of armed forces
champions in jobcentres. (905456)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
In April 2021, we updated the offer in our jobcentres, boosting
our network of armed forces champions to 50, supported by 11 area
leads. They are focused on providing key support to our veterans
and other members of the armed forces community to ensure that
their talents and abilities are recognised and that they can move
quickly on to their next step. I saw that in action on Thursday
at the military careers fair in Aldershot with the Veterans
Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Aldershot ().
As the Minister will know, our veterans have particular skills
and needs. Can she confirm that veterans in my constituency in
the Scottish Borders, whether they attend a jobcentre in Hawick,
Galashiels or Eyemouth, will be able to access the support
offered by their district armed forces champion?
Yes, I can confirm that they will. The great work that is being
done by our DWP armed forces champions in my hon. Friend’s
constituency is playing out, for example, in how the local
champion from High Riggs jobcentre has already been working with
the local council to secure bus passes for veterans, alongside
providing veterans with direct employment support.
Karl MᶜCartney
With Lincoln and Lincolnshire continuing to have a growing armed
forces community—with RAF Waddington playing a national role and
the Royal Anglian Regiment 2nd Battalion celebrating its freedom
of the city last Friday—delivering the champions scheme along
with other important parts of the armed forces covenant is
important to my constituents, not least Councillor Bill Mara in
Witham ward. What more can be done in respect of the scheme to
signpost veterans to these services?
I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. In Lincoln, the armed
forces champion is already receiving good feedback in their role.
They work with several councils and local homeless veterans to
make sure that those veterans get suitable housing. In fact, in
the case of West Lindsey council, they worked with adult social
care to get permanent housing for a claimant with a history of
alcohol addiction. They are also helping claimants who are
veterans back into work, using the flexible support fund and
working with local employers and employment agencies.
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
In theory this should be an excellent initiative, but the
Minister will know that the previous veterans action plan, for
2019 to 2021, promised to
“increase the number of Jobcentre Plus Armed Forces Champions and
District Leads from the current position of around 45 unfunded,
part-time posts to funding an Armed Forces lead in each Jobcentre
Plus District and 100 support posts.”
That is not happening, so how can the Minister claim to be
supporting the work of armed forces champions, while cutting the
number of paid posts?
We have a new model of 11 armed forces champion leads across the
DWP districts. We are working with armed forces champions and the
covenant locally. We have 50 armed forces champions across the
jobcentre network. With covid, of course, some of this upskilling
and these add-ons were paused, but we are absolutely committed to
making sure that our veterans get the best service at DWP.
(Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Minister for her response. In Northern Ireland, the
role of the armed forces champions in jobcentres and in district
councils presents difficulties with the security of some
ex-soldiers. What discussions have taken place with the Minister
or with jobcentres in Northern Ireland to ensure that veterans in
Northern Ireland can access these services?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising this issue. Universal
credit now has an identifier to help us enhance support for all
our claimants who may have a veteran background. Many people do
not declare that background and can be working with us for a long
time before they recognise that it needs to be understood. Some
83% of veterans are employed within six months, but we need to do
better and make sure that all are supported.
Young Jobseekers: Support
(Barrow and Furness) (Con)
7. What support her Department is providing to young jobseekers.
(905453)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
Young people claiming universal credit and searching for work are
supported through our boosted DWP youth offer. This includes new,
dedicated support from youth employability work coaches. Despite
the challenges of covid-19, the DWP has opened over 160 new,
specialised youth hubs across Great Britain. These innovative and
vital interventions contributed to over 130,000 young people
starting kickstart roles and, most importantly, to a record low
youth unemployment level.
I thank my hon. Friend for her answer. Last week I was fortunate
enough to visit the jobcentre in Barrow. It is rare to meet such
a dedicated and enthusiastic bunch of people, and they have
really been empowered to do their job, working with young people,
using the kickstart scheme, and making sure that young people are
prepared and have the clothes they need to get to interviews and
get to work. It is absolutely fantastic to see. With that in
mind, could I invite my hon. Friend to Barrow to see the good
work they are doing and hear more about the route into work that
they are planning for young people in the future?
I thank my hon. Friend for such warm, generous feedback. That
work happens up and down the land in our jobcentres and I hear
similar good news stories every day. I invite those on the
Opposition Front Bench to actually step into a jobcentre, see
what is really going on, meet the kickstarters and see what this
has meant to their lives. In fact, at BAE, not far from my hon.
Friend’s constituency, one young man has moved into an
apprenticeship and is now inspiring people through our youth hubs
to do exactly the same by talking about his work journey.
Disabled People: Trust in DWP
(East Ham) (Lab)
8. What steps she is taking to build trust in her Department
among disabled people. (905454)
The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions ()
As we said in our Green Paper, and as I discussed with the right
hon. Gentleman last week, we recognise the need to improve
disabled people’s experience of our services. In response to
feedback, we have already committed to changes for the special
rules on terminal illness. In the British Sign Language Bill and
its supporting work, we also show that we are listening to
disabled people with an advisory board of BSL users.
DWP’s social security advisory committee highlighted just over a
year ago the serious problem that disabled people do not trust
the Department. Burying the NatCen report, in breach of the
cross-Government social research protocol, has made matters
worse. The failure to consult properly on the national disability
strategy has also now been found to be in breach of the law. As a
first step, should the Minister not accept the social security
advisory committee’s recommendation to establish a protocol for
engagement to do the job properly with disabled people?
I do want to engage more with disabled people and continue all
the work that is going on to listen to disabled people and
disabled people’s organisations. That is a priority across a
number of areas of work for all the Ministers on the Front Bench.
I take issue with the right hon. Gentleman’s point about the
NatCen research and the use of the protocol. As has been the
habit of successive Governments, including the one that he served
in, protecting a private space for policy development has always
been a relevant factor and is a permissible technique for
ensuring that we can bring research out at the right time, as we
undertook to do in this case.
(North Swindon) (Con)
In addition to the Minister’s vital work with leading health and
disability charities, can she confirm that she is fully engaged
with the regional stakeholder networks to ensure that a full
diverse range of disability voices has an opportunity to shape
Government work?
I certainly can. My hon. Friend is correct: we need to be able to
listen to disabled people and disabled people’s organisations of
all shapes and sizes. That is what will help us to come to the
right conclusions; for example, in the White Paper that we will
be bringing forward in the summer.
(Battersea) (Lab)
The NatCen report is a shocking read that again highlights the
hostile environment created by the Department. Disabled people
are having to undergo cruel and unfit-for- purpose assessments
for their employment and support allowance and personal
independence payment; face long delays before a decision is made;
and, in most instances, must appeal to a tribunal where they have
to wait even longer for vital support. Can the Minister
understand why, given those experiences, thousands of disabled
people feel let down by the Department? What action will she take
to reduce long delays and unfair waiting times?
We are working to ensure that that benefit gets to the people who
need it most as quickly as possible. I must take issue, however,
with the hon. Lady’s assertion that most claims go to tribunal or
reconsideration. They simply do not. I set out the facts on that
last week in Westminster Hall.
(Stoke-on-Trent Central) (Con)
I welcome the British Sign Language Bill and the important
commitment to ensure that the access to work scheme better meets
the needs of BSL users. Will the Minister commit to driving that
work forward at pace to ensure that more deaf people are
supported in reaching their potential?
I am glad to hear that there is support for the Bill on both
sides of the House. It is an important piece of work and I pay
tribute to the hon. Member for West Lancashire () whose Bill it is and with
whom I am pleased to work to bring it forward. As my hon. Friend
asks, we are all committed to doing that as quickly as we can
because there is so much that we can do to support deaf people to
be better involved in education, employment and wider society,
which is what the Bill aims to do.
Mr Speaker
Before I call question 9, I understand that it has been grouped
with question 13 but not questions 20 and 22, which are
identical. I find that rather strange. Of course, it is up to
Ministers to propose groupings, but I make it clear that if the
hon. Member for Lewisham West and Penge () and the right hon. Member
for Kingston upon Hull North ( ) wish to catch my eye, they
will be called for their supplementaries.
Child Poverty
(Dulwich and West Norwood)
(Lab)
9. What assessment she has made of the reasons for the finding in
the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s “UK Poverty 2022” report that
child poverty in families with more than two children increased
from 33% to 47% between 2012-13 and 2019-20. (905455)
(Jarrow) (Lab)
13. What assessment she has made of the reasons for the finding
in the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s “UK Poverty 2022” report that
child poverty in families with more than two children increased
from 33% to 47% between 2012-13 and 2019-20. (905460)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer Questions 9 and
13—and, with your guidance, probably a whole load
more—together.
We have long championed the principle that work is the best route
out of poverty, based on clear evidence of the importance of
parental employment, particularly where it is full time, in
substantially reducing the risk of poverty. In 2020-21, there
were more children living in a home where at least one person was
working, with nearly 580,000 fewer children living in workless
households than in 2010.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation highlights that child poverty in
families with more than two children has risen, on this
Government’s watch, to levels not seen since before 1997. Those
families are disproportionately affected by increases in the cost
of living and are treated punitively by the benefits system. Does
the Minister really believe that it is acceptable for children to
suffer more just because of the number of siblings they have? If
not, what is he going to do to ensure that all families with
children have the support they need at this very difficult
time?
At a time of record vacancies, the key thing we need to do is to
focus on getting parents into work and helping them to progress
in work. That is our underlying priority. For those with
vulnerabilities, we will make sure that extra support is
available through the household support fund. I understand that
Lambeth alone has £2.7 million to support people in the
borough.
The End Child Poverty coalition reports that of the 20 UK
parliamentary constituencies that have seen the highest increase
in child poverty, 17 are in the north-east of England. My
constituency of Jarrow is at No. 5. Will the Minister say what he
and the Secretary of State are doing to tackle child poverty,
specifically in the north-east?
As I said to the hon. Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (), our key priority at a time of
record vacancies is to encourage people into work. The
opportunities for the north-east highlighted in the recent
levelling-up White Paper and those sponsored by local Mayors and,
indeed, local MPs will be a real boost. Of course, the household
support fund will be available. In South Tyneside alone, £1.4
million is available.
(Lewisham West and Penge)
(Lab)
20. Child poverty and destitution are increasing under this
Government. In Lewisham, 39% of children are growing up in
poverty and more than 14,000 families are on universal credit.
Not only have the Government cut universal credit by £1,000 a
year; today they are again cutting support in real terms. A lone
parent who is out of work will be £300 worse off. That means more
children in Lewisham living in poverty. How is that
fair?(905468)
We need to make sure that we support lone parents into work and
help them realise the opportunities that are available. I
strongly suggest that they take time to speak to their local
jobcentres and work coaches, who can help them get on. Of course,
even in Lewisham £2.6 million has been made available through the
household support fund.
(Kingston upon Hull North)
(Lab)
22. Why do 500,000 children in England not have a bed to sleep in
tonight?(905470)
We want to tackle child poverty in every way, shape and form. As
I said earlier, there are now 580,000 fewer children living in
workless households. That is a really important statistic.
Helping more people get into work means that, over time, they
have the support to stand on their own two feet and look after
their children fully.
(Stafford) (Con)
We know that the chance that a child will grow up in poverty
falls when both their parents are in full-time work. Last Friday,
I visited Stafford College ahead of National Apprenticeship Week.
What are we doing to help more parents into work, in particular
full-time work, to help my constituents in Staffordshire?
We have a full plan for jobs, which sets out a huge range of
initiatives from kickstart for the young through to
SWAPs—sector-based work academy programmes—and restart, and even
a midlife MOT. Those are incredibly important tools that will
help people get their children into a better financial situation.
Of course, childcare is also available. We spend about £6 billion
a year to support childcare. We need to make sure, as the
Secretary of State said, that we make that work better for the
families who rely on it.
(Harrow East) (Con)
I completely agree with my hon. Friend that the best route out of
poverty is work. By lowering the taper on universal credit, we
are enabling people to get into work and retain their benefits.
Does he agree that that combination has to be seen through the
prism of encouraging people to work and to earn their own
living?
I strongly agree. I have seen the amazing work my hon. Friend
does in his constituency and did previously in Brent and he sets
out our clear direction. Through our plan for jobs, and now, in a
time of record vacancies, we are putting huge focus on the Way to
Work, which I think he will agree provides even more incentives
for those getting closer to job readiness to move into a job and
then advance their career.
(Westminster North) (Lab)
We know from the Department’s own recently published abstract of
benefit rates statistics that the real-terms value of child
benefit fell by 16% between April 2010 and April 2021. How many
fewer families would now be in poverty if that and universal
credit had been uprated consistently in line with inflation?
Questions on child benefit are obviously for the Treasury, but
the work we are doing to improve the universal credit taper and
the work allowance will help a huge number of families to have
greater financial security over the years ahead.
Work Coaches in Jobcentres
(Weston-super-Mare) (Con)
11. What steps she is taking to (a) measure, (b) improve and (c)
publish the performance of work coaches in jobcentres.
(905457)
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Dr Thérèse
Coffey)
We often hear in this House about honourable colleagues going
into their jobcentres and seeing the marvellous work of work
coaches, and we see that by the number of people getting back
into work. However, we want to constantly improve the performance
of our work coaches in terms of outcomes for people and we will
continue to do that.
I completely agree that good work coaches can level up
opportunities by breaking glass ceilings that hold people back,
but inevitably some will be better than others, as we have seen
in schools and other public services. If we publish those
findings, every jobseeker and their MP will want to know how
their local service compares and how it might be improved, so
will my right hon. Friend meet me to discuss this as outlined in
my recently published work, “Poverty Trapped”?
Dr Coffey
I do not agree with my hon. Friend’s suggestion about the
external assessment. I have asked one of my team to look into his
report and I am sure we can arrange a suitable meeting, but I
want to assure him that all new work coaches are undertaking a
level 4 City & Guilds qualification in service delivery.
(Rutherglen and Hamilton
West) (Ind)
The DWP is looking to cut thousands of fixed-term contract work
coaches at EO level from jobcentres but reportedly will retain
almost all staff at the lower-paid AO grade. Have the Government
considered how this will impact on lower-grade staff in terms of
workload and stress and how those losing their jobs will afford
their living costs until they can secure a new role?
Dr Coffey
The hon. Lady will recognise that this is an operational matter,
but she is incorrect; I am conscious that she may have been given
that information separately. Last week the permanent secretary
outlined the start of the process potentially for people on
fixed-term contracts. We need to make sure we have the work
coaches in the right parts of the country where they are most
needed for both current claimants and anticipated future
demand.
Autistic People in the Workforce
(Bexhill and Battle) (Con)
12. What steps she is taking to support autistic people into the
workforce. (905458)
The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions ()
We are working with the National Autistic Society to test ways to
make jobcentres more inclusive of people with autism; this test
will inform changes to the wider jobcentre network. We encourage
employers to consider autistic people for roles and can offer
support where needed to Access to Work.
I thank the Minister for that response and the work she is doing.
The Office for National Statistics highlighted back in November
last year that, tragically, only 25% of autistic adults are in
any form of meaningful employment despite record job vacancies. I
am encouraged by the Minister’s additional steps, but what can we
do to get the regional adjustments in place so employers really
take this seriously?
There is a lot that we can do together and this is an effort for
the Government, for employers and for others such as the National
Autistic Society and the all-party group on autism, to which my
hon. Friend gives a lot of time. He asks what we are doing: we
are engaging with employers through the disability confident
scheme; we are supporting jobseekers, workers and employers
through Access to Work; and, as I have said, we are making our
jobcentres and youth hubs inclusive in the way they ought to
be.
(Glasgow North West)
(SNP)
My constituent has a range of conditions, including autism, which
has left him with a mental age of 10. He underwent a telephone
work capability assessment without a parent or guardian present,
which resulted in a reduction in his employment and support
allowance. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the case? What
steps are being taken to ensure that autistic people and those
with additional support needs are helped into work and not
targeted in such a manner?
I would be happy to look in more detail at this case—or ask
officials to do so—which appears to raise a number of issues.
More generally, we are absolutely committed to supporting
disabled people appropriately into employment that might be right
for them. To do that, for example, there is more than £1 billion
of funding in the spending review for disability employment. All
our providers who conduct benefits assessments have training in a
wide range of conditions so that they can properly support those
whom they are working with.
Benefits System: Fraudulent Activity
(Blackpool South) (Con)
14. What steps she is taking to tackle fraudulent activity in the
benefits system.(905461)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
Fraud in the benefits system is an issue that we take extremely
seriously. The Department is working on a proactive and
comprehensive approach to ensure that those who commit fraud are
tracked down and held accountable. That includes undertaking a
targeted review of universal credit claims, investing in advanced
analytics and expanding our serious and organised crime team.
The vast majority of my constituents work hard and pay their
taxes. They rightly expect the welfare state to be there to
support them if they need it, but understandably they have little
time for those who seek to exploit the system for their own ends.
What investment is the Department making to assist efforts to
clamp down on those who seek to rip off the taxpayer?
I understand where my hon. Friend is coming from. In late 2020,
the Department secured an additional £613 million that will
enable a targeted review of universal credit claims and lead to
even greater investment in advanced analytics and in our serious
and organised crime team so that we can crack down on fraudsters
and save the taxpayer billions of pounds.
Topical Questions
(Wythenshawe and Sale East)
(Lab)
T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental
responsibilities.(905471)
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Dr Thérèse
Coffey)
I am pleased that we have launched Way to Work to help job-ready
people get into jobs as quickly as possible. The new approach is
focused in particular on bringing many more employers directly
into the jobcentre so that we can accelerate the process from
application to interview and job offer. In essence, given the
number of vacancies right now—particularly in economically
important sectors—it is important that we take the ABC approach:
any job leads to a better job, which leads to a career.
What assessment has the Secretary of State made about how the
two-child benefit cap negatively affects faith communities, where
larger families are more prevalent?
Dr Coffey
The hon. Member and I are both practising Catholics, and I am
conscious of the point he is making. However, I am also conscious
that the benefit cap takes into account the amount of benefits
available to a family compared with median income. It is
important that we keep that approach, recognising in particular
that the cap can be lifted when people earn, I think, about £605
a month.
(Colne Valley) (Con)
T3. Will my hon. Friend ensure that veterans who leave the
services with skills in strategic sectors such as heavy goods
vehicles are given support through the Way to Work
scheme?(905473)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
DWP already has a range of provisions in place to upskill
jobseekers to take on key roles such as HGV drivers, including
through the sector-based work academy programme, which give
claimants the skills and qualifications that they need directly
to take up local driver roles.
(Leicester South)
(Lab/Co-op)
Mr Speaker, may I associate myself with your remarks and thanks
directed at Her Majesty the Queen?
I read in the newspapers at the weekend that the Secretary of
State is considering resigning over the Prime Minister’s rule
breaking and partying. Before she heads for the exit door, given
that 550,000 children are destitute, half a million children do
not have a suitable bed to sleep in and she has cut universal
credit by £1,000, why is she pushing through real-terms cuts to
support that mean 10 million households will lose £290? How many
more children will be in poverty as a result?
Dr Coffey
Mr Speaker, I want to assure you, the right hon. Gentleman and
the House that I am fully behind our Prime Minister as he gets on
with the job. Not only has he got Brexit done, but we are getting
more people on to the payroll and achieving all the other things
voted for by the British public in 2019. What I will say to the
right hon. Gentleman is that I do not recognise some of the
numbers he used. However, I am conscious of what we will be
voting on later. I am also conscious that elements were based on
the fact that it was a temporary uplift to universal credit,
recognising the impact of what was happening early on, as people
new to the benefit system were able to get a similar amount as
people on statutory—[Interruption.]
Mr Speaker
Order. Can I just remind Members that topicals are meant to be
short and punchy? We cannot have long statements, because there
is a whole list of Members I still have to get in. That is why I
am trying to cough: to speed you up a little—nothing else,
nothing personal.
Dr Coffey
Cutting to the chase, by getting more people into work, people
will be better off not only financially but in other aspects of
their future prospects.
The shadow whipping operation will be pleased that the karaoke
queen is standing by the party and the Prime Minister. The right
hon. Lady talks about getting people into work. Earlier today,
the pensions Minister, the Under-Secretary of State for Work and
Pensions, the hon. Member for Hexham () said that pensioner poverty has gone down. However,
the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report shows that pensioner
poverty is increasing. Why is she today pushing through
real-terms cuts to the pension credit and the basic state
pension, which will result in more pensioners in poverty?
Dr Coffey
As we will discuss later, the one-year approach we take every
year is the basis on which almost all benefits are uplifted. We
will continue to have that consistent approach.
(North West Durham)
(Con)
T5. Last Friday, I paid another visit to Consett jobcentre in my
constituency to see the great work it is doing. This Friday, I am
hosting an apprenticeships fair in my patch. Auto-enrolment in
pensions has transformed the lives of millions of people in
constituencies across the country, including in mine. Those aged
18 to 22, who will be attending my apprenticeships fair and going
into work, will not benefit yet from auto-enrolment. Will the
Minister confirm that he will look at that and do what he can to
ensure that everybody in work benefits from auto-enrolment in
Britain?(905475)
I congratulate my hon. Friend, who is also my constituency
neighbour and a massive improvement on his predecessor.
Auto-enrolment is a massive success as you know, Mr Speaker. I
promise my hon. Friend that we will build on that work with the
automatic enrolment review. I look forward to reading his Bill in
great detail.
(Glasgow East) (SNP)
We know the benefits regime is counterproductive and punitive. In
2016, the National Audit Office told the Department for Work and
Pensions to carry out its own research into benefit sanctions.
The Department is now refusing to release that research, despite
promises to Committees of both Houses, because it was
“unable to assess the deterrent effect”.
Why is the Secretary of State ruthlessly pushing ahead with the
renewed sanctions regime if almost six years later it still
cannot find any evidence that they work?
Dr Coffey
The sanction regime has not changed. In fact, sanctions have been
at a record low over the past year. We are applying a sensible
approach, recognising the number of vacancies, so that we can
help people to get back into work as quickly as possible.
(Eastbourne) (Con)
T8. When the lovely Karen came in to celebrate her new job, I saw
at first-hand the impact of work coaches like Victor and Harlon
at Eastbourne’s Jobcentre Plus. The untold story is perhaps how
brilliantly the same Jobcentre Plus can support employers. What
work is the Minister and the Department doing to promote that
aspect of their work, so we can double down on local unfilled
vacancies?(905478)
We have seen 130,000 people going into work through kickstart,
working with employers. Way to Work is exactly the same, so we
can showcase that local talent to local employers at JCPs.
(Leeds East) (Lab)
T2. Kevin Dooley, the father of a constituent of mine, Leanne
Dooley, took his own life after the DWP decided to stop his
benefits. Leanne was one of five bereaved families who wrote to
the Secretary of State calling for an urgent public inquiry into
deaths related to the benefit system and asking for a meeting.
Six months’ on, the Secretary of State has not replied. Will she
agree today to meet that group of bereaved families, including my
constituent, Leanne?(905472)
Dr Coffey
I am very sorry for the family of the individual to whom the hon.
Gentleman refers. It is the role of the coroners to undertake
appropriate investigations. I am surprised, and am sorry to hear,
that the letter has not gone back. It is not my intention to meet
them, recognising the ongoing work that we continue to do to try
and provide service to such people.
(Basingstoke) (Con)
Afghan refugees in north Hampshire have been supported through
the hard work of many organisations, including our local
jobcentre. Many of those refugees now want to get back into
employment. What specific support is my hon. Friend giving to
that group?
There is incredible work going on across DWP, including the
launch of Jobs First. We are in every bridging hotel, our work
coaches are at the forefront of helping people into work, and we
have great news and great stories every day.
(Wansbeck) (Lab)
T4. The Minister will be very much aware that Dupuytren’s
contracture is a prescribed industrial disease, but the
prescription for that disease is causing so much confusion and
concern. Will the Minister be kind enough to agree to a meeting
with me and others to discuss those outstanding
issues?(905474)
I recognise the points that the hon. Gentleman is making, and I
think he will be pleased to see some updates coming out very
shortly on this matter.
(Batley and Spen) (Lab)
T6. Constituents in Batley and Spen who contact me regarding
issues they are having with PIP, universal credit and other
benefits mention the complexity of both the application and
appeals processes and the length of time they take. Bearing in
mind that many of these people are facing huge physical and
mental stress and, given the current cost of living crisis, are
really struggling financially, what steps are being taken to
simplify and speed up those processes?(905476)
A number of steps are being taken to ensure, as I said earlier,
that we get the right benefits to people at the right time, in
order that they have the support that we recognise they need. In
addition to that general point, we have tried to improve
processes in a number of ways during the pandemic. I would be
happy to write to the hon. Lady with a little more detail so that
she can understand the situation.
(Rugby) (Con)
We have heard on several occasions about visits to jobcentres,
and I have had the opportunity to visit Rugby on several
occasions to see the excellent work of the work coaches there.
Will the Minister thank them for their work, together with the
13,500 extra work coaches that we have provided to deliver the
Way to Work plan?
I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting the daily work that is
going on in our jobcentres through Plan for Jobs, Way to Work,
and our new additional jobcentres—150 more have opened, and 160
youth hubs. They are absolutely changing people’s lives, and we
are committed to helping people to progress.
(Cumbernauld, Kilsyth
and Kirkintilloch East) (SNP)
T7. Recent Citizens Advice research shows that an astonishing 80%
of people with no recourse to public funds are behind with one or
more essential bills, and 60% are behind on rent. When will the
Secretary of State and the Home Secretary get together to stop
forcing people into poverty through these abysmal no recourse to
public funds rules?(905477)
Dr Coffey
As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, it is for the Home Office to
make that decision, and of course, people who are in that
situation can apply to the Home Office for it to be changed. It
is a fundamental principle that if people are coming into the
country, we want people to be able to support themselves, rather
than rely on extra support to which they knew they would not be
entitled.
(Rushcliffe) (Con)
Jobcentre staff across the country are doing excellent work
getting people back into jobs, but a team in the east midlands
led by my constituent Nicola Brindley are also doing fantastic
work on top of their day jobs to spot jobcentre users who are
victims of domestic abuse, and connect them to the help they
need. The scheme is called J9; it is named after a lady called
Janine Mundy, who was murdered by her former husband. Will the
Minister join me in thanking Nicola Brindley and her amazing team
of volunteers, and will she come to Nottingham to meet with the
J9 team and learn more about the incredible work they do?
I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting that brilliant work. It
is efforts such as those—the flexible support fund, the trust and
empowerment that we have in our jobcentres, and working with the
employer covenant on domestic abuse and getting people into work
and back on their feet—that are changing lives every day, in
Rugby and other local areas. I am delighted by DWP staff across
the land, and proud of them.
(Coventry North West)
(Lab)
T10. A constituent sent me the following message: “I am concerned
for April 1st this year. My fire will be turned off and I will
start to feel the cold. At seventy eight years, I did not expect
to face, like many others, a six hundred pound rise in my gas
bill which I cannot afford. How come this government is not
bothered about the people?”That plea comes on top of the news
that, for millions of people, the Government’s new energy bill
rebate will be wiped out by a real-terms cut to their pension.
What will the Secretary of State say to my constituent and to all
the pensioners whose hardship will be compounded by the
Government’s flawed energy rebate plan?(905480)
Dr Coffey
What I will say is that we continue to try to support pensioners
through aspects of pension credit, but it was inaccurate to say
that what was proposed was a statistical anomaly. That is why we
took the steps we took, and that is why we will continue the
debate later today.
(Blyth Valley) (Con)
I recently hosted the first ever jobs fair in Blyth Valley. It
was an amazing success, with more than 50 local businesses taking
part. Will my hon. Friend join me in thanking the Port of Blyth,
the DWP and all the local firms that made it possible?
My hon. Friend, again, raises the work of local DWP teams and
jobs fairs, which we have seen in Way to Work. Up to 409,000 more
people are on payrolls as a result of the DWP’s hard work in my
hon. Friend’s community and more widely.
(Eltham) (Lab)
My disabled constituent Ann’s monthly fuel bills of £95 have now
risen to £140 and will rise to £200 in April; she also faces
inflation-busting care costs. In her budgeting, she has to choose
between heating and eating—exactly the problems that were
highlighted in the NatCen report. Who benefited most from
suppressing that report: my constituent Ann or the
Government?
I am rather more interested in the hon. Gentleman’s constituent
Ann than in party political game playing. I sincerely hope that
his constituent Ann will be able to benefit from the £9 billion
package that the Government have laid out, which comes on top of
£12 billion and is targeted at the most vulnerable. Meanwhile, we
are spending record amounts on health and disability benefits:
£59 billion this year.
(South Basildon and East
Thurrock) (Con)
I recently visited Basildon jobcentre and heard how it is
bringing employers in to engage with work coaches and jobseekers.
Does my hon. Friend welcome that new initiative, which helps to
break the stereotypical view of those who use jobcentres to find
work?
As a result of the pandemic, many people who never expected to
need help have worked with the DWP, as we have heard. Many
Conservative Members have seen just what a change that has meant
for people. Again, I invite Opposition Front Benchers to actually
go down and see what is happening in local communities.
Mr Speaker
What a pleasure it is to see . [Hon. Members: “Hear,
hear.”]
(East Dunbartonshire)
(SNP)
In July 2020, I met my constituent Stacey Conlin—not at a
constituency surgery, but in the physically disabled
rehabilitation unit at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in
Glasgow. We recovered from our strokes alongside each other, and
I got to hear her story.
Too many people like Stacey have survived catastrophic life
events only to be let down by this Government’s woeful welfare
system—unable to work and unable to pay for basic necessities
that many of us take for granted. Will the Secretary of State
commit to revisiting the current levels of universal credit so
that stroke survivors such as Stacey can fully live their lives
instead of barely getting by?
Dr Coffey
I am very conscious of the important work that the hon. Lady has
delivered, including the status that was addressed for her, and I
am conscious that my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham () and I have also undertaken such elements in the
national scheme. I am more than happy to find out about the
specific example that the hon. Lady refers to, but I know that
generally we are trying to make sure that this is the right
approach and that people have that access to work.
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