The following shows a count of completed Spot Check Assessments in each week between 22/03/2020 and 24/03/2021. The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) Covid Spot Check Programme started in May 2020, so there are no completed Spot Checks for Mar/Apr 2020.

* partial week (22/03 – 24/03)

The following table shows the number of completed Spot Check Assessments by month over the last year where the Spot Check was part of a targeted campaign on Schools or the SIC code starts with 85. (SIC Code group Education = 85). HSE’s Covid Spot Check Programme for schools started in the new August 2020 term. The table does not include additional HSE Spot Check Activity where checks were done in line with the Spot Check approach but not targeted as part of the Spot Check Programme.

* Schools were closed from Jan-March 2021 due to the national lockdown.

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.

Information relating to the total number of welfare claimants whose benefit cap grace period has ended since March 2020 is not available.

A benefit cap grace period is applied irrespective of whether or not the household has sufficient benefit income to be in scope for the cap. This ensures that a claimant will benefit from the grace period exemption should any change of circumstances bring them into the scope of the cap during that period. Many claimants who have the grace period applied will not be in scope of the cap when the grace period ends.

We are not currently able to lift the suspension on medical assessments for the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) due to the nature of assessments. However, we are urgently exploring the feasibility of developing other assessment channels. Further, we will restart face to face assessments in a safe manner with adherence to the latest public health guidance as soon as we are able to.

However, for claimants with the most serious or terminal conditions, claims continue to be processed and decisions made as normal. Reassessment case awards have been extended to ensure that payments continue unhindered on those cases. Any deteriorations which would have meant an increase in award, will be backdated once face-to-face assessments recommence, to ensure no one is left out of pocket.

Our priority throughout this pandemic has been the health and safety of our customers and staff. This has meant that we have had to suspend face to face medical assessments for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits, and the on-going public health concerns means that it will not yet possible to restart face to face medical assessments.

There are currently 5,120 Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit claims outstanding as a result of the suspension of medical assessments. I can assure customers that no one will lose out on any entitlement to payments due to these delays. We have throughout continued to make decisions on claims from those customers who claiming under the Special Rules for Terminal Ill.

Statutory Maternity Leave, Adoption Leave, and Parental Bereavement Leave are ‘day 1’ rights which means that an employee will qualify for these entitlements even if they have recently changed jobs.

In order to qualify for Statutory Paternity Leave and Shared Parental Leave, an employee must have been continuously employed by their current employer for 26 weeks at the ‘relevant date’.

In order to qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay, Adoption Pay, Paternity Pay, Shared Parental Pay and Parental Bereavement Pay, an employee must have earned at least the lower earnings level (currently £120 a week) in an 8 week reference period and worked continuously for their employer for 26 weeks at the ‘relevant date’. Additional qualifying criteria attach to Paternity, Shared Parental and Parental Bereavement Pay.

The ‘relevant date’ differs depending on whether the employee is a ‘birth parent’, a bereaved parent or an ‘adopter’. But in the case of Statutory Maternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay an employee will qualify for pay if they have 26 weeks continuous service at the ‘relevant date’ even if they subsequently leave their job or are made redundant. They will, however, cease to qualify if they end their parental leave to start working for a new employer.

Further information is on the eligibility criteria for parental leave and pay is on GOV.UK.

The Government have taken unprecedented action in the design of their new schemes, recognising that some businesses right around the country are still experiencing a loss in demand. As a consequence, we have developed two different schemes, one of which is “a third, a third, a third” in terms of helping people with their cost of living. Where we believe, in conjunction with local leadership, that it is the right thing for certain sectors to be closed in areas, the two-thirds support of wages is important. Of course if people do come under a certain threshold, they may well be eligible for UC, which would help top up their ongoing income during these difficult times.

All new UC claimants are able to request a new claim advance during the first assessment period, of up to 100% of their estimated monthly award. Advances can be repaid over the following year, allowing new claimants to receive 13 payments during the year instead of 12. We are extending the maximum repayment period to two years from October 2021 to reduce the impact of taking an advance even further.

There is financial support available for individuals transitioning to UC from specific legacy benefits. As of 22 July 2020, a two-week run on of Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance has been available for all claimants whose claim to UC ends entitlement to these benefits to provide additional support for claimants moving to UC.

This is in addition to the Transition to UC Housing Payment, a two-week extension of Housing Benefit.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s priority throughout the coronavirus outbreak has been to protect the public and save lives. That remains its priority as it restarts its services.

The DVSA has been in constant dialogue with the Trade Unions throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and continues to engage and consult on its start up plans. All of the DVSA’s revised Standard Operating Procedures and Risk Assessments have been shared with and cleared by the Trade Unions.

The DVSA has consulted with Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive and has released an updated version of its standard operating procedure and risk assessments to driving examiners, which contains social distancing measures and safety precautions, to ensure the safe restart of driving tests. The DVSA is currently engaging with Scottish and Welsh Governments to ensure it engages with Health advisors before services are resumed in both.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) priority throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been the safety of its staff and the wider public. That remains its priority as it restarts its services.

Driving instructors are responsible for ensuring their services remain safe. The DVSA has released an updated version of its standard operating procedure to driving examiners, which driving instructors might wish to refer to when developing their own health and safety procedures. The DVSA will be sending this directly to driving instructors and it will be hosted on the National Associations Strategic Partnership website.

The DVSA would encourage all driving instructors to keep up to date with the driving instructors’ National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP) website for further advice and information: http://www.n-a-s-p.co.uk/

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) priority throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been the safety of its staff and the wider public. That remains its priority as it restarts its services.

Driving instructors are responsible for ensuring their services remain safe. Guidance on how they can carry out risk assessments can be found on the Health and Safety Executive’s website.

The DVSA would encourage all driving instructors to keep up to date with the driving instructors’ National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP) website for further advice and information: http://www.n-a-s-p.co.uk/