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21 July 2009 : Column 1332W—continued
There is no clear evidence for the increase in mental illness as the main disabling condition. Informed suggestions for the increase are multi-factorial and include:
(i) Better diagnosis-particularly of behavioural conditions such as autism;
(ii) Less stigma-more people are willing to talk about the mental health issues affecting them;
(iii) Better treatment of physical conditions-particularly musculo-skeletal conditions; and
(iv) The changing nature of business-work intensity.
The Government believe that, with the right help and support, many more people with a mental health condition or disability can achieve independent and fulfilling lives, including through employment.
We have successfully introduced the more work-focused employment and support allowance for new customers, engaging with people more actively and ensuring they are aware of support and opportunities available. Pathways to Work, including the condition management programme, is available to everyone receiving incapacity benefits and employment and support allowance in Great Britain. Evidence on its effectiveness for customers with mental health conditions is mainly positive. A study of existing customers found that the employment impact for customers with mental health conditions was higher than for those without.
We have also committed to ensuring that the personalised support delivered through Pathways to Work is as co-ordinated as possible with the increase in mental health treatment provision delivered through the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme in England, and similar programmes in Scotland and Wales.
From December, we will pilot an occupational health helpline for employers, especially small and micro businesses, to help them to manage and support people who have mental health conditions to remain in or return to work.
Social Security Benefits: Standards
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many outstanding claims for (a) incapacity benefit and (b) employment and support allowance have there been in each benefit delivery centre in each month of the last two years; [274990]
(2) what the average actual clearance time for (a) incapacity benefit and (b) employment and support allowance claims has been in each month of the last two years for which figures are available; [274991]
(3) for what reasons average actual clearance times (AACTs) for (a) incapacity benefit and (b) employment and support allowance exceed her Department's target times; and what steps she is taking to ensure that AACTs targets for each such benefit are met; [275025]
(4) what assessment she has made of her Department's performance in the introduction of employment and support allowance; [275027]
(5) what assessment she has made of her Department's performance in implementing the employment and support allowance; and if she will make a statement. [275550]
Jonathan Shaw: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the right hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking:
how many outstanding claims for (a) incapacity benefit and (b) employment and support allowance have there been in each benefit delivery centre in each month of the last two years;
what the average actual clearance times for (a) incapacity benefit and (b) employment and support allowance claims have been in each month of the last two years for which figures are available;
for what reasons average actual clearance times (AACTs) for (a) incapacity benefit and (b) employment and support allowance exceed his Department's target times; and what steps he is taking to ensure that AACTs targets for each such benefit are met;
what assessment he has made of his Department's performance in the introduction of the new employment and support allowance; and
what assessment he has made of his Department's performance in implementing the employment and support allowance; and if he will make a statement.
This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
The available information about AACTs over the last two years has been placed in the Library. The AACT for Incapacity Benefit is calculated from the date a properly completed claim form is received by Jobcentre Plus to the date a decision is made on the claim. Our benefit processing system calculates the AACTs by taking each claim's clearance time using the dates as described and calculates an average across the volume of claims processed.
The Department also published experimental monthly early estimates for Employment and Support Allowance and incapacity benefits caseload figures on 17 June 2009. Furthermore there will be an independent evaluation report published in summer 2010.
Social Security Benefits: Young People
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will commission research to examine the adequacy of benefit provision for the basic living costs of people under 25 years; and if she will make a statement. [282606]
Jim Knight: I have no plans to commission research. Benefits for people under 25 years are uprated each year in line with prices which ensures that they maintain their value in real terms. Additional provision is available for help with housing costs and for disabled young people. Young families with children will be eligible for child benefit and the working tax credit and child tax credit.
State Retirement Pensions
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will estimate the average weekly payment of the basic state pension for (a) men and (b) women in (i) 2010, (ii) 2020, (iii) 2030, (iv) 2040 and (v) 2050; and if she will make a statement. [287327]
Angela Eagle: The information is in the following table.
| Average weekly amounts of the basic state pension, Great Britain | |||||
| £ | |||||
| 2010 | 2020 | 2030 | 2040 | 2050 | |
| Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £1. 2. Forecasts of basic state pension average amounts in 2010-11 are based on the Budget 2009 forecasts. Basic state pension average amounts from 2020-21 onwards are based on the latest published long-term projections which were published Budget 2008. 3. The real terms figures are calculated from the Budget 2008 GDP deflator. Source: Budget 2009 forecasts and Budget 2008 long-term projections. | |||||
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of the 25p age addition; when the size of the addition was last reviewed; how much it would be if it had been uprated in line with (a) prices and (b) earnings since its introduction; and if she will make a statement. [287682]
Angela Eagle: There are currently 2.7 million people in receipt of 25p age addition. The 25p weekly age addition was introduced in 1971 for those pensioners over the age of 80. This amount has not been uprated by successive governments.
(a) Uprating the 25p age addition by prices since 1971 would make it worth £2.90 in 2009-10.
(b) Uprating the 25p age addition by earnings since 1971 would make it worth £4.91 in 2009-10.
Travelling People: Housing Benefit
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on the eligibility of occupants of illegal Traveller sites for housing benefit. [284094]
Helen Goodman: We have not issued any specific guidance on this subject.
Unemployment
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will place in the Library a copy of the Jobcentre Plus National Workload Projection update for July 2009. [287780]
Jim Knight: The information is not available in the format requested.
Unemployment Benefits: Lone Parents
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to page 11 of the Explanatory Memorandum to the Social Security (Lone Parents and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2008, if she will update her estimate of the number of lone parents projected to be on out of work benefits. [278417]
Helen Goodman: The estimates of the number of lone parents projected to be on out of work benefits were based on the best available data and were sensitive to the particular assumptions used. The information necessary to revise these estimates is not available as the latest data do not yet reflect the impact of lone parent obligations on the number of lone parents on out of work benefits.
Unemployment: Essex
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps her Department is taking to reduce levels of youth unemployment in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point. [287501]
Jim Knight: The Government are committed to giving everyone the support they need to find employment as quickly as possible, whatever their age and wherever they live.
On 6 April 2009, as part of the Government's response to the economic downturn, the Department for Work and Pensions put in place extra support for newly unemployed customers, including information and advice about the latest job search techniques and coaching on how to make the most of transferable skills. Extra help for those who have been claiming jobseeker's allowance for six months was also introduced, including opportunities to volunteer, support to become self-employed, recruitment subsidies and work-focused training.
Since last autumn, the Department has also quadrupled the available funding for the Rapid Response Service, which provides advice and support to customers facing redundancy. It has extended Local Employment Partnerships, the Adviser Discretion Fund and Access to Work so they are available to customers from the first
day of their claim, alongside the support they receive from their Jobcentre Plus personal adviser.
The introduction of the flexible new deal across phase 1 areas from October 2009 will give providers the freedom to offer personalised, tailored support to everyone who has been claiming jobseeker's allowance for 12 months, helping them overcome their individual barriers to work. We expect to introduce flexible new deal in phase 2 areas from October 2010.
This will be available to jobseeker's allowance customers of all ages, throughout England, Scotland and Wales, to ensure that everyone has the best possible chance of finding work.
Furthermore, from next year all customers aged 18-24 who are approaching 12 months of their claim to jobseeker's allowance will have access to the young person's guarantee. This will offer the following from January 2010:
1. A new job created through the Future Jobs Fund;
2. Support to move into an existing job in a key employment sector;
3. Work-focused training; or
4. A work experience place through the Community Task Force.
Some elements of the guarantee will be available sooner. In October of this year the first jobs created by the Future Jobs Fund will be available. Training to enter key employment sectors will be available in the autumn.
Unemployment: Young People
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent representations her Department has received on youth unemployment; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce levels of youth unemployment in (a) England, (b) the North West, (c) Merseyside and (d) Cheshire. [284131]
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent representations her Department has received on youth unemployment; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce youth unemployment in (a) Hemel Hempstead, (b) Hertfordshire, (c) the South of England and (d) England. [284444]
Jim Knight: The Department receives representations on youth unemployment from a wide range of people.
The Department is committed to giving everyone the support they need to find employment as quickly as possible, whatever their age.
On 6 April 2009, as part of the Government's response to the economic downturn, the Department for Work and Pensions put in place extra support for newly unemployed customers, including information and advice about the latest job search techniques and coaching on how to make the most of transferable skills. Extra help for those who have been claiming jobseeker's allowance for six months was also introduced, including opportunities to volunteer, support to become self-employed, recruitment subsidies and work-focused training.
Since last autumn, the Department has also quadrupled the available funding for the Rapid Response Service, which provides advice and support to customers facing redundancy. It has extended Local Employment Partnerships, the Adviser Discretion Fund and Access
to Work so they are available to customers from the first day of their claim, alongside the support they receive from their Jobcentre Plus personal adviser.
The introduction of the Flexible New Deal across Phase 1 areas from this October will give providers the freedom to offer personalised, tailored support to everyone who has been claiming jobseeker's allowance for twelve months, helping them overcome their individual barriers to work. It is expected that Flexible New Deal will be introduced in Phase 2 areas from October 2010.
This will be available to jobseeker's allowance customers of all ages, throughout England, Scotland and Wales, to ensure that everyone has the best possible chance of finding work.
Furthermore, from next year all customers aged 18-24 who are approaching 12 months of their claim to jobseeker's allowance will have access to the Young Person's Guarantee. This will offer the following from January 2010:
A new job created through the Future Jobs Fund;
Support to move into an existing job in a key employment sector;
Work-focused training; or
A work experience place through the Community Task Force.
Some elements of the guarantee will be available sooner. In October of this year the first jobs created by the Future Jobs Fund will be available. Training to enter key employment sectors will be available in the autumn.
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