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To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the recent Thanksgiving holiday in the United States on the ability of pensioners abroad to receive their weekly state pension.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the recent Thanksgiving holiday in the United States on the ability of pensioners abroad to receive their weekly state pension.
We wish all Americans a happy Thanksgiving.
Payments to British citizens living overseas in countries other than the United States were not impacted by the recent Thanksgiving Holiday.
Payment dates will only be impacted where they land on a Bank Holiday in the country of residence and in this instance payment is made on the next available working day.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the appropriateness of exclusively using an American company to process payments of the state pension to British citizens living overseas which leaves claimants without payment in weeks of American state holidays.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the appropriateness of exclusively using an American company to process payments of the state pension to British citizens living overseas which leaves claimants without payment in weeks of American state holidays.
DWP utilise services provided by the pan-government Money Transmission Services (Lot 3) contract, owned by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to make payment to entitled customers who reside abroad. The contract was awarded in 2015 following procurement in compliance with Public Contract Regulations.
Citibank is a global provider of international payments and provides a reliable and secure payment route for DWP customers in over 200 countries.
Claimant payments are only affected by bank holidays in the country of residence and the payment is available for the customer on that country’s next working day.
Payments to British citizens living overseas are not impacted by American state holidays.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current level of staffing of the Child Maintenance Service.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current level of staffing of the Child Maintenance Service.
The number of people working within the Child Maintenance Service is reviewed regularly to ensure we have sufficient resources to answer customer calls and progress cases. Since 2020, we have recruited 790 people into the Child Maintenance Service on temporary contracts, this has been to backfill against resource lost to Universal Credit and other primary benefits. We have a very robust demand model and will continue to review the volumes of work against that model to ensure that we adjust staffing levels as required.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the 12 month limit for back-payments to those couples affected by the underpayment of their state pension where the wife of a man who turned 65 before 17 March 2008 did not initially make...
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the 12 month limit for back-payments to those couples affected by the underpayment of their state pension where the wife of a man who turned 65 before 17 March 2008 did not initially make...
Prior to 17 March 2008 a married woman who reached State Pension age could qualify for a Category BL basic State Pension based on her husband’s National Insurance contributions once he had reached State Pension age and claimed his State Pension, if she had insufficient National Insurance contributions herself to qualify for a basic State Pension.
Under section 1(1) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, no one could be entitled to category BL without first having made a claim for it.
The law provides backdating for a maximum period of up to 12 months from when a claim is made. That remains the position today. There are no plans to change this.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the eligibility criteria are for a claimant to receive their payments through her Department's Payment Exception Service when Post Office card accounts end.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the eligibility criteria are for a claimant to receive their payments through her Department's Payment Exception Service when Post Office card accounts end.
The Payment Exception Service has been designed for customers who cannot open or manage a basic bank or standard accounts and enables them to obtain cash payments via the PayPoint network or from their Post Office.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that when rectifying the underpayment of the State Pension, the women affected are contacted by an appropriate means that caters to any disabilities or impairments they may have.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that when rectifying the underpayment of the State Pension, the women affected are contacted by an appropriate means that caters to any disabilities or impairments they may have.
DWP is committed to ensuring our services are accessible to all. This includes making reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of all our customers who have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010, as well as supporting customers who may be deemed to need additional support.
DWP ensures that communications with anyone who has been underpaid State Pension meet an individual’s requirements by using the information we have recorded on our systems at the claims stage. This includes the adoption of communications aids such as: Audio / British Sign Language, Induction Loop, Type-talk, Braille and large print letters.
Regular monitoring of telephone calls and written correspondence ensures that we maintain service standards and meet each individual’s specific communication requirements.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September to Question 41749 on State Retirement Pensions, Administrative Delays, how many staff have been redeployed from universal credit to retirement services.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September to Question 41749 on State Retirement Pensions, Administrative Delays, how many staff have been redeployed from universal credit to retirement services.
The Department is re-deploying circa 700 staff from other areas across DWP to help to stabilise the service further.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff working for her Department are employed on a fixed-term contract; and how many of those contracts are due to end each month in the next 12 months.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff working for her Department are employed on a fixed-term contract; and how many of those contracts are due to end each month in the next 12 months.
DWP has 14,651 employees on Fixed Term Contracts as of 31 August 2021.
The full breakdown by month is not currently held centrally. We have recently extended a number of contracts and are in the process of updating our records on the HR and Payroll system.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any departmental business has been conducted on private email addresses; and what mechanisms are in place to ensure that full records are kept of that business.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any departmental business has been conducted on private email addresses; and what mechanisms are in place to ensure that full records are kept of that business.
I refer the Hon. Member to the Cabinet Office guidance to departments on use of private emails.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether a risk assessment has been carried out on the secure holding of CCTV footage within her Department.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether a risk assessment has been carried out on the secure holding of CCTV footage within her Department.
As has been the case under successive Administrations, it is not government policy to comment on security procedures in government buildings.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department has spent from the public purse on contesting court cases in each of the last three years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department has spent from the public purse on contesting court cases in each of the last three years.
The Department does not keep this information centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will provide the records of any meetings she or her Ministers have had with (a) the People's Pension and (b) NEST in the last four years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will provide the records of any meetings she or her Ministers have had with (a) the People's Pension and (b) NEST in the last four years.
The Government publishes an unprecedented amount of transparency data; Departments publish quarterly details of Ministers and Permanent Secretaries meetings with external organisations.
Published transparency returns can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dwp-ministers-hospitality-and-gifts
The Department is the sponsor Government Department of Nest and routinely meets with representatives of this organisation to discuss matters relating to policy, service and delivery through its governance and stewardship arrangements.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has referred any Freedom of Information requests received by her Department to the central Cabinet Office Clearing House on Freedom of Information requests for advice on handling, in the last two years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has referred any Freedom of Information requests received by her Department to the central Cabinet Office Clearing House on Freedom of Information requests for advice on handling, in the last two years.
FOI requests are referred to the Clearing House in line with the published criteria available on gov.uk. The Clearing House, which has been in existence since 2004, provides advice to ensure a consistent approach across government to requests for information.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the risk of bogus self employment among its external providers.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the risk of bogus self employment among its external providers.
The Department has robust controls in place to ensure taxpayers’ money is protected. All job outcome payments to contracted employment providers, including self-employment, are subject to a strict validation and assurance regime to ensure that they are legitimate.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many married women have made claims to claim the underpayment of their state pension to date.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many married women have made claims to claim the underpayment of their state pension to date.
Written statements about the State Pension Correction Exercise were provided to both houses on 4 March 2021 and 21 April 2021. The Department for Work & Pensions intends to publish further information on the progress of the State Pension correction activity around the time of the next fiscal event.
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-04-21/debates/21042129000008/StatePensionUnderpayments
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by what date her Department plans to complete settling outstanding underpayments of married women's state pension.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by what date her Department plans to complete settling outstanding underpayments of married women's state pension.
Written statements about the State Pension Correction Exercise were provided to both houses on 4 March 2021 and 21 April 2021. The statement of 21 April 2021 explained that The Department for Work & Pensions aims to complete the correction activity by the end of 2023.
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-04-21/debates/21042129000008/StatePensionUnderpayments
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has met representatives of the Public and Commercial Services Union since her appointment as Secretary of State.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has met representatives of the Public and Commercial Services Union since her appointment as Secretary of State.
The Secretary of State has not personally held meetings with Public and Commercial Services Union.
However, officials from her Department continue to meet with PCS representatives on a regular basis.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 28 July 2020 to Question 76930, whether it remains her policy to extend eligibility for (a) widowed parent's allowance and (b) higher rate bereavement support payment to cohabitees with children.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 28 July 2020 to Question 76930, whether it remains her policy to extend eligibility for (a) widowed parent's allowance and (b) higher rate bereavement support payment to cohabitees with children.
It remains our intention to take forward a Remedial Order that will extend eligibility for Widowed Parent’s Allowance and Bereavement Support Payment to cohabitees with children. We are currently considering the detail and implementation of the draft Remedial Order, which will be laid before the House in due course.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any officials in her Department receive remuneration for paid work for organisations or companies outside of government.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any officials in her Department receive remuneration for paid work for organisations or companies outside of government.
On 23 April, the Cabinet Secretary wrote to the Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on the management of outside interests in the Civil Service.
The Committee published this letter on 26 April. It can be found here:
https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/5623/documents/55584/default/
The Cabinet Secretary’s letter sets out a series of steps to improve processes. This programme of work will also take account of any recommendations that emerge from Nigel Boardman’s review.
The Civil Service Management Code sets out, at paragraph 4.3.4, the requirement that civil servants must seek permission before accepting any outside employment which might affect their work either directly or indirectly. The applicable principles are those set out in the Business Appointment Rules. The Civil Service Management Code is published here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-servants-terms-and-conditions
Where the civil servant is a member of the departmental board any outside employment, as well as other relevant interests will be published as part of the Annual Report and Accounts or other transparency publication.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish the details of all meetings held by special advisors in her Department since her appointment as Secretary of State.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish the details of all meetings held by special advisors in her Department since her appointment as Secretary of State.
The information requested is not centrally collated.
The Government publishes an unprecedented amount of transparency data; departments publish quarterly details of Ministers and Permanent Secretaries meetings' with external organisations, and Special Advisers' meetings with senior media executives.
Published transparency returns can be found here
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dwp-special-advisers-hospitality-and-gifts#2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many additional staff her Department has employed during the covid-19 outbreak.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many additional staff her Department has employed during the covid-19 outbreak.
As of Friday 5 March 2021, the Department of Work and Pensions has recruited 21,709 staff on permanent, temporary, fixed term and agency contracts and also people loaned from other Government Departments
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many additional staff her Department has employed on fixed-term contracts during the covid-19 outbreak; and if she will list when each of those contracts will end.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many additional staff her Department has employed on fixed-term contracts during the covid-19 outbreak; and if she will list when each of those contracts will end.
Since 1 April 2020 we have recruited 11,400 people on fixed term contracts. Of those who have started since 1 April 2020, we have 10,642 employees who remain in the business. Their contract end dates are set out in the following table reflecting, the position as at 28 February 2021, which is a continuously changing picture, given that people are actively being extended and recruited, and we will also lose people naturally through turnover before their end dates are due.
|
|
| Contract end dates |
Mar-21 | 2102* |
Apr-21 | 417* |
May-21 | 264* |
Jun-21 | 130* |
Jul-21 | 348* |
Aug-21 | 82* |
Sep-21 | 234 |
Oct-21 | 135 |
Nov-21 | 1523 |
Dec-21 | 766 |
Jan-22 | 1204 |
Feb-22 | 1327 |
Mar-22 | 16 |
Apr-22 | 1063 |
May-22 | 728 |
Jun-22 | 81 |
Jul-22 | 142 |
Aug-22 | 55 |
Sep-22 | 1 |
Oct-22 | 6 |
Nov-22 | 7 |
Dec-22 | 5 |
Jan-23 | 6 |
Total | 10642 |
*Some contract end dates for people due to leave in these months are in the process of being extended.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people employed by her Department claim in-work benefits.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people employed by her Department claim in-work benefits.
This information is not available.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims were made for Support for Mortgage Interest in each of the last 12 months (a) in total and (b) by (i) disability, (ii) ethnicity and (iii) family type.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims were made for Support for Mortgage Interest in each of the last 12 months (a) in total and (b) by (i) disability, (ii) ethnicity and (iii) family type.
The figures below show the number of Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) claimants in Great Britain each month that received their first SMI loan. Breakdowns by disability, ethnicity and family type are not available.
Month | On-flows |
Dec-19 | 170 |
Jan-20 | 150 |
Feb-20 | 160 |
Mar-20 | 140 |
Apr-20 | 80 |
May-20 | 90 |
Jun-20 | 100 |
Jul-20 | 90 |
Aug-20 | 80 |
Sep-20 | 90 |
Oct-20 | 100 |
Nov-20 | 100 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to tackle the disparity in eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments for UK nationals living in different European Economic Area countries.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to tackle the disparity in eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments for UK nationals living in different European Economic Area countries.
In 2015 legislation was introduced that stopped winter fuel payments being made to those EEA countries with warmer winter temperatures than the warmest winter area of Great Britain - South West England. This resulted in payments no longer being made to those living in Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece, France, Malta and Gibraltar. There are no plans to amend this legislation.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the suspension of processing applications for new national insurance numbers for EU nationals and EU/UK dual nationals since March 2020 on those groups.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the suspension of processing applications for new national insurance numbers for EU nationals and EU/UK dual nationals since March 2020 on those groups.
The Department is aware of the effect that not having a National Insurance Number (NINo) may be having on some individuals.
It is worth noting that it is possible for an individual to start work before they receive a NINo as long as they are able to prove they have the Right to Work in the UK. The following link provides examples of how an individual is able to prove this:
https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Custom’s (HMRC) guidance to employers makes it very clear that they are able to employ individuals without a NINo. However, it is of course important that individuals make an application for a NINo once the process recommences, as this will enable their contributions to be recorded against their National Insurance account.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's issuing of incorrect letters in relation to the winter fuel payment, what assessment her Department has made of the potential for delays in payments of the winter fuel allowance in 2020-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's issuing of incorrect letters in relation to the winter fuel payment, what assessment her Department has made of the potential for delays in payments of the winter fuel allowance in 2020-21.
Every year the DWP send out approximately 12 million winter fuel payment letters. In these letters the bank account details are updated automatically. This year a computer error meant that, of the 12 million letters, sixty thousand contained our customers previous bank or building society account details, rather than their updated account details. All payments have been issued to the correct accounts. No payments will be delayed as a result of incorrect letters being issued to customers.
We aim to pay winter fuel payments to everyone who is entitled by Christmas as is the normal practice. If customers haven’t received a payment by 13 January or believe they have received an incorrect payment they should contact the winter fuel payment helpline on 0800 731 0160.
Further details about winter fuel payments can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department holds on the average number of separate pension pots held by people who are also a member of an auto-enrolment scheme.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department holds on the average number of separate pension pots held by people who are also a member of an auto-enrolment scheme.
There is currently no single data source that provides information on the the average number of pension pots belonging to members of automatic-enrolment schemes.
As at May 2020, over 10 million individuals had been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension. The Pensions Regulator estimates that there are around 55 million pension entitlements in total. However, not all of these entitlements will belong to individuals who have been automatically enrolled.
Pensions Dashboards will help consumers to keep track of their various pensions and see what they have online and in one place to help support them in their retirement planning. The Government is legislating to compel pension schemes and providers to make their data available to consumers via pensions dashboards.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of enabling the electronic submission of life certificates from UK pensioners overseas during the covid-19 outbreak.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of enabling the electronic submission of life certificates from UK pensioners overseas during the covid-19 outbreak.
During the Emergency period DWP has suspended the issue of Life Certificates to customers living abroad, recognising the difficulties securing independent verification would present while Foreign Countries experience different phases of Lock Down. The situation is under regular review and the process will be reintroduced at an appropriate point. In the meantime, verification clearance has been undertaken by telephone for those who have already received Life Certificates, ensuring our customer service standards are not compromised. We continue to explore alternative means of International verification and have recently introduced arrangements with USA to align to their death registration process removing the future requirement for dispatching Life Certificates to customers living in the USA.