| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
14 Dec 2009 : Column 780W—continued
Employment and Support Allowance
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 11 November 2009, Official Report, columns 779-80W, on employment and support allowance, how many and what proportion of work capability assessments for claimants of employment and support allowance have been completed (a) between three and four, (b) between four and five, (c) between five and six and (d) over six months after the 13-week period from the start of their claim in the latest period for which figures are available. [300659]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer on 23 November 2009]: My response to your previous question on 11 November 2009, Official Report , columns 779-80W, explained how 46 per cent. of completed work capability assessments for employment and support allowance claimants were completed within 13 weeks.
The previous reply also stated that the latest reliable cohort of employment and support allowance claims were for claims starting in April 2009. We use this cohort to estimate Atos-advice timings of the assessment process:
There were 8,900 (34 per cent.) completed between three and four months.
An additional 3,800 (15 per cent.) were completed between four and five months.
An additional 1,300 (5 per cent.) were completed between five and six months.
None were completed after six months.
Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest 100 and percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.
Customers are able to backdate their claims to before they first contacted Jobcentre Plus. For incapacity benefit this was for an average of two weeks, and it is expected that this will be the same for employment and support allowance. Therefore, the figures above show the actual time between when the claim was made and the completed work capability assessment taking place, and not the true time that Jobcentre Plus and Atos have to work on cases which may be shorter.
A more accurate reflection of the amount of cases that pass through the process would be determined by taking into account factors, such as, the time taken to return paperwork, whether their condition can be assessed on paper based evidence alone, whether further medical evidence is required or requested and whether a customer actually attends their initial appointment or it has to be re-scheduled. This information is not currently available but we will continue to undertake analysis of performance as the employment and support allowance regime beds in.
Employment and Support Allowance: Mentally Ill
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of employment support allowance claimants who cite mental health problems as their primary reason for claiming and who have been placed in the work-related activity group, have been referred to specialist mental health providers. [302379]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 30 November 2009]: The information requested is not available.
Employment and Support Allowance: Telephone Services
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether her Department has carried out a disability equality impact assessment for the telephone script it uses for employment and support allowance applications. [304150]
Jonathan Shaw: The employment and support allowance project was disability equality impact assessed. The claim process for employment and support allowance does not involve using a fully scripted computer system therefore this will not have been impact assessed.
Employment Services: Autism
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) when her Department plans to extend autism awareness training to all disability employment advisers at Jobcentre Plus; [304961]
(2) what training in autism awareness personal advisers at Jobcentre Plus receive. [304962]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 10 December 2009]: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is the responsibility of the chief executive, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking what training in autism awareness personal advisers at Jobcentre Plus receive and when her Department plans to extend autism awareness training to all Disability Employment Advisers at Jobcentre Plus. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
Personal Advisers at Jobcentre Plus receive training that includes a general awareness of disability and disability issues. Additionally, this provides an understanding of the specialist roles so that staff are aware of the links with Disability Employment Advisers.
Jobcentre Plus policy is to develop its advisers in the skills required to manage a range of customers and to respect their individual needs, covering a variety of health conditions. The learning programme for Jobcentre Plus advisers focuses on raising awareness of customers' personal circumstances and the impact this may have on their ability to move into sustainable employment. Advisers are signposted to guide notes which include background information on a number of conditions, including Autistic Spectrum Condition, the implications for interviews and how to use questioning techniques in order to support customers.
Disability Employment Advisers, who focus on customers needing more extensive support, receive further levels of skills training appropriate to their customers, including skills practice in interviewing customers with Autistic Spectrum Condition. In addition, advisers including Disability Employment Advisers can seek help from their Work Psychologist colleagues to assist them in supporting customers where appropriate. All Jobcentres have access to Disability Employment Adviser services, either by being located within the Jobcentre or for example in more rural areas access to peripatetic Disability Employment Advisers who provide services across a number of locations.
I can advise you that all Disability Employment Advisers currently receive autism awareness as part of the standard training programme that they receive when they take on this role. I can also confirm that autism awareness will continue to be included in training for any future Disability Employment Advisers.
Housing Benefit
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the cost to landlords of the introduction of direct payment of local housing allowance in (a) 2009-10 and (b) each of the subsequent five years. [304643]
Helen Goodman: The information is not available.
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants in each broad market rental area receive local housing allowance in excess of (a) £385 and (b) £965 per week. [305850]
Helen Goodman [holding answer 10 December 2009]: Local housing allowance information is not available at broad market rental area level.
There are fewer than 100 people getting housing benefit of £1,000 or more under the local housing allowance arrangements-that represents just 0.01 per cent. of the total local housing allowance caseload.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was paid in housing benefit on average to each recipient in each region in each of the last five years. [306519]
Helen Goodman: The most recent available information is in the tables.
| Average weekly amount of housing benefit by Government office region: August 2005 to August 2007 | |||
| £ | |||
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| Average weekly amount of housing benefit by Government office region: November 2008 to August 2009 | ||
| £ | ||
| 2008 | 2009 | |
| Notes: 1. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. The figures have been rounded to the nearest penny. Source: Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. taken in August 2005, August 2006, August 2007. Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE) taken in November 2008 and August 2009. | ||
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discretion local authorities have to make direct payments to landlords through housing-related benefits. [304229]
Helen Goodman: Under the local housing allowance rules for calculating housing benefit, local authorities may pay housing benefit directly to landlords in the following circumstances:
when they consider that the tenant is unlikely to pay their rent; or
when they consider that the tenant is likely to have difficulty in managing their financial affairs; or
when payments have previously been made in the same award directly to the landlord because the tenant was in 8 or more weeks of arrears of rent; or
as a one-off payment where the tenant has moved leaving arrears of rent.
For housing benefit claims that are not assessed and paid under the local housing allowance rules, there are circumstances when the local authority may consider paying landlords directly:
as a one-off payment of arrears when a customer has left an address leaving arrears of rent;
at the customer's request or with his consent; or
without the customer's consent if it is in the interest of the customer and their family.
Where a customer has accrued rent arrears of eight weeks or more payment of housing benefit must be paid direct to the landlord.
In Work Credit
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of eligible lone parents have received the in-work credit since it was introduced. [304382]
Helen Goodman: Since the introduction of in-work credit in April 2004 to March 2009, 134,000 lone parents have taken up this form of support.
We cannot estimate the take up rate as a proportion of all eligible lone parents because to qualify for in- work credit the lone parent must work at least 16 hours per week, and we do not hold data on the number of hours lone parents work when they leave benefit.
Mortgages: Preseli
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have received assistance through the Support for Mortgage Interest scheme in Preseli Pembrokeshire constituency since the scheme was launched. [306654]
Helen Goodman: Information on mortgage interest repayments is not available at constituency level.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |