Police: Elected Commissioners
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has received a request from (a) the Welsh Government and (b) the Secretary of State for Wales to meet to discuss the role of elected police commissioners in Wales between 6 May and 20 May 2011. [57469]
Nick Herbert: No, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), has not received a request from (a) Members of the Welsh Government or (b) the Secretary of State for Wales between 6 May and 20 May 2011 to meet to discuss the role of elected police commissioners in Wales.
Police: Complaints
Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if she will bring forward proposals to enable the Independent Police Complaints Commission to consider a broader range of complaints against the police; [57578]
(2) if she will bring forward proposals to ensure greater independent oversight of police handling of complaints. [57577]
Nick Herbert: The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill contains a range of proposals designed to make improvements to the police complaints system. The underlying principles are that complaints should be dealt with at the appropriate level and that the system should focus more on improving the service the public receives rather than simply apportioning blame.
The Chief Officer of the force concerned will be responsible for dealing with low level complaints which are suitable to be dealt with by the local force and which do not amount to an allegation which would justify criminal or disciplinary proceedings. Complainants will have a right of appeal to the Chief Officer if they feel their concerns have not been adequately addressed at the local level. Police and Crime Commissioners will be given a new power to direct Chief Officers to take action where there is failure to deal with a complaint appropriately and the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) will retain its power to ‘call in’ any case.
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The Bill will change the definition of the conduct that can be the subject of a complaint, making it clear that decisions, as well as acts, omissions and statements are included. In cases where a complaint reveals that the performance of a police officer is unsatisfactory, the IPCC will have the power to recommend and direct that unsatisfactory performance proceedings are brought against an officer. This provides the IPCC with the same power as they currently have in respect of misconduct matters.
Police: North Wales
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will assess the effects of reductions in expenditure by local government on the effectiveness of police co-operation with local authorities in North Wales. [57161]
Nick Herbert: Decisions about how local agencies co-operate are the responsibility of community safety partnerships at local level. These partnerships consult with their communities in order to formulate crime reduction plans to address priority issues and make the best use of collective local resources. The effectiveness of agency co-operation can be challenged through the overview and scrutiny arrangements provided by local authority crime and disorder committees.
Police: Surveillance
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what (a) EU and (b) international laws undercover police officers are subject when operating outside the UK. [57421]
James Brokenshire: UK police officers operating outside the UK do so with regard to the domestic laws of the country in which they are operating. A request to the overseas authority to deploy an undercover officer is usually brokered through a network of police liaison officers who provide assurance on both the appropriateness of the request and validity of the host nation authority.
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will publish the guidelines issued by her Department for undercover police officers operating outside the UK. [57423]
James Brokenshire: Guidance is contained in Chapter 4 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 statutory code of practice on the use of covert human intelligence sources. A copy is available in the House Library.
Serious Organised Crime Agency: Manpower
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employees of the Serious Organised Crime Agency are in receipt of a police pension. [57509]
Nick Herbert: As of 24 May 2011, 94 SOCA employees are in receipt of a police pension.
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Trade Unions
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff of (a) her Department, (b) the Criminal Records Bureau, (c) the Identity and Passport Service and (d) the UK Border Agency are entitled to work (i) full-time as trade union representatives and (ii) part-time on trade union activities; how many such staff are paid more than £25,900 annually; and what the cost to the public purse of employing such staff on such duties was in the latest period for which figures are available. [56444]
Damian Green: The 23,939 staff in Home Office headquarters (HOHQ) and the UK Border Agency (UKBA) (a and d) are supported by one group of trade union officials. The 3,760 staff in the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) (c) are supported by a separate group of trade union officials, as again are the 631 staff in the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) (b).
There are seven full-time trade union posts.
Due to the low numbers of people concerned and the risk of breaching data protection it would be inappropriate to specify the number of these staff paid over £25,900.
Additionally, during the year 2010-11 there were 414 members of staff in HOHQ and UKBA who were entitled to request ad-hoc time off for trade union activity following election/appointment to a union role.
The actual cost to the public purse of employing staff with the entitlement to work part-time or full-time in their trade union role in the latest period for which figures are available is not centrally recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Based on allocations to all union roles within HOHQ and UKBA the cost of facility time in the year 2010-11 equates to approximately 0.2% of the pay bill.
There are four full-time trade union posts.
Due to the low numbers of people concerned and the risk of breaching data protection it would be inappropriate to specify the number of staff paid over £25,900.
Additionally, during the year 2010-11 there were 67 members of staff in IPS who were entitled to request ad-hoc time off for trade union activity following election/appointment to a union role.
The actual cost to the public purse of employing staff with the entitlement to work part-time or full-time in their trade union role in the latest period for which figures are available is not centrally recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Based on allocations to all union roles within IPS the cost of facility time in the year 2010-11 equates to approximately 0.2% of the pay bill.
There is one full-time union representative and one part-time union representative.
Due to the low numbers of people concerned and the risk of breaching data protection it would be inappropriate to specify the number of staff paid over £25,900.
Additionally, there is a number of staff who work on a facility time basis, as and when required.
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The actual cost to the public purse of employing staff with the entitlement to work part-time or full-time in their trade union role in the latest period for which figures are available is not centrally recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Based on allocations to all union roles within CRB the cost of facility time in the year 2010-11 equates to approximately 0.2% of the pay bill.
Work and Pensions
Access to Work Programme
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the future (a) level of funding and (b) eligibility criteria of the Access to Work programme. [25213]
Maria Miller: The Government will continue to review welfare to work programmes to ensure the support they provide remains appropriate, effective and offers value for money. We are committed to ensuring disabled people are given the right support they need to get a job and remain in employment.
One of our key priorities is to ensure equality in the labour market for those with disability-related barriers to work, Access to Work can help with this. In 2009-10 Access to Work was funded to help 37,300 disabled people to stay in employment and we are on course to help even more in 2010-11.
There are currently no plans to change the eligibility criteria for Access to Work.
In December 2010, I asked Liz Sayce, chief executive of Radar, to lead a review of specialist disability employment programmes, including Access to Work. The review is a practical example of both our absolute determination to get employment support for disabled people right and our ongoing commitment to co-producing the changes we need to achieve this. The recommendations of the review will be published in summer 2011.
Autism
Dr Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent assessment is of the extent to which adults with autism are able to access appropriate services provided by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [49576]
Maria Miller: Jobcentre Plus is constantly reviewing ways that it can improve the customer service experience for all, including disabled people and people with Hidden Impairments such as Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) including: Asperger’s syndrome.
In February 2010, in response to several requests from disability organisations, Jobcentre Plus established the Hidden Impairment National Group (HING), which is attended by leading medical professionals, disability specific organisations such as the National Autistic Society, Autism Plus, Addept and representatives with Hidden Impairments that are Jobcentre Plus service users. The main aim of the group is to improve the skills and knowledge of Jobcentre Plus staff by developing
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practical support tools to help them deliver an effective customer service experience at all stages of the individuals journey.
Jobcentre Plus provides appropriate and flexible support to ensure customers, regardless of their disabilities, are informed about and can access its services. The majority of Jobcentre Plus customers currently make their claims over the telephone to a contact centre. They are asked a range of questions to identify the most appropriate benefits available to them and the information is recorded electronically, removing the need for a claim form to be completed.
If a call of this type might prove difficult for a customer with autism, they can consent to a representative giving the information on their behalf. Customers can involve third party support at any stage in the process to access services if they think it is necessary.
Increasingly, customers are opting to apply for jobseeker’s allowance online via the “Do it online” section of the Directgov website. This provides the flexibility to access Jobcentre Plus services from their own homes, at a pace that suits them and allows them to be assisted in completing the application by an advocate or representative. Customers can also submit an initial application for employment support allowance via the internet claim service.
Should a customer be unable to use either of the options above, clerical forms can be issued or, where appropriate, a face to face interview at the customer's local Jobcentre Plus office organised.
Our work, with national partners such as the Citizen Advice Bureau at a strategic and operational level, offers a holistic and joined up service for disabled people, including those with autism.
Jobcentre Plus staff have the opportunity to learn more about the autism agenda through the 'Raising the Game on Disability' seminar, which covers a range of pan disability topics, but can also specifically include a session around ASD, to improve the customer service experience for individuals.
Care Homes: Disability
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of 9 March 2011, Official Report, columns 236-37WH, on disability living allowance, what steps he plans to take to review the responsibilities of care homes to provide mobility for disabled people; and if he will make a statement. [49469]
Maria Miller: We announced when the Welfare Reform Bill was introduced that we no longer intend to remove the mobility component of DLA for people in residential care in October 2012.
DWP officials have been reviewing the available evidence and gathering more to inform a final decision on this policy. We will continue to consider the needs of people living in residential care at the same time as all other DLA recipients as we develop the Personal Independence Payment.
In the course of reviewing this policy, I have visited several care homes and spoken to residents, their families and care home staff about how mobility support works in practice on the ground.
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Issues affecting care homes have been considered as part of the Law Commission review and are part of the Dilnot review.
Note:
In England the role of the SCSWIS is fulfilled by the Care Quality Commission and in Wales by the Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales. In Northern Ireland, the role is carried out by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority.
Child Tax Credit
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what savings his Department expects to arise from the abolition of the disability element of child tax credit and its replacement with provision under universal credit in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16. [53357]
Maria Miller: The disability element of child tax credit is being replaced by additional support for disabled children under universal credit. Any savings will be reinvested in the new structure of additions, which will result in higher levels of support for severely disabled adults and children.
Departmental Manpower
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to publish monthly information on changes in the numbers of his Department's employees categorised by (a) seniority, (b) voluntary redundancy, (c) natural wastage and (d) involuntary redundancy. [57604]
Chris Grayling: The Government are committed to transparency and the availability of data and are currently exploring options for the more frequent publication of this type of work force management information across the civil service.
The Department for Work and Pensions will continue to publish its work force management information via the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey, pending the outcome of this review.
Departmental Pensions
Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of his Department's budget he expects to be spent on staff pensions in each of the next five years. [54571]
Chris Grayling: In the Department's most recent full year accounts, for 2009-10, we reported employer pension contributions of approximately 13% of total staff costs or 5% of the Departmental Expenditure Limit for Resource. This information is available from our resource accounts:
www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/resource-acs-2009-10.pdf
These proportions are unlikely to change much in 2010-11 and 2011-12 but it is difficult to make forecasts beyond that timeframe given the prospective changes to public sector pensions provision, following the recent review by the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission chaired by Lord Hutton.
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Departmental Travel
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much each Executive agency of his Department has spent on travel by (a) private hire vehicles, (b) trains, (c) buses, (d) commercial aircraft and (e) private aircraft since May 2010. [56069]
Chris Grayling: In line with the Government’s austerity agenda, the Department for Work and Pensions has taken vigorous action to enhance business travel policy. Overall this has produced savings in the region of 45%, measured against last year’s expenditure. The DWP’s business travel policy actively discourages travel, unless the alternatives have been examined and exhausted and where travel is deemed appropriate, encourages the use of the most cost-effective modes of transport. The Department has also implemented a total ban on first-class rail travel.
The reduction in expenditure has varied across the Executive agencies as shown in the following tables.
| Jobcentre Plus | |||
|
|
May 2010 to March 2011 (£) | May 2009 to March 2010 (£) | % change |
| Pension, Disability and Carers Service | |||
|
|
May 2010 to March 2011 (£) | May 2009 to March 2010 (£) | % change |
| Corporate and shared services | |||
|
|
May 2010 to March 2011 (£) | May 2009 to March 2010 (£) | % change |
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The total expenditure set out above needs to be seen in the context of a Department with over 100,000 staff based in over 900 locations throughout Great Britain.
The above expenditure also includes elements of the cost of provision of transport, to meet the Departments’ obligations, under the Disability Discrimination Act.
It should be noted that in order for the DWP to provide the full scope of services, in line with its key objectives, a certain degree of business travel is required, for example, trainers will travel to multiple sites; fraud investigation staff will conduct surveillance exercises; Jobcentre Plus and Pension, Disability and Carers Service staff carry out outreach activity outside of the Government estate, all in the course of their duties. The use of official cars and taxis by civil servants, including special advisers, is governed by the requirements of the Civil Service Management Code.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on travel in respect of (a) each of his Department's executive agencies and (b) the chief executive of each such agency since May 2010. [56183]
Chris Grayling: In line with the Government's austerity agenda, the Department for Work and Pensions has taken vigorous action to enhance business travel policy. Overall this is projected to produce savings in the region of 40%, measured against last year's expenditure. The DWP's business travel policy actively discourages travel, unless the alternatives have been examined and exhausted and where travel is deemed appropriate, encourages the use of the most cost effective modes of transport.
Measuring the expenditure since May 2010, against a comparable period last year illustrates that the expenditure oh travel has fallen significantly by.
| Jobcentre Plus | |||
|
|
May 2010 – March 2011 (£) | May 2009 - March 2010 (£) | Percentage change |
| Pension, Disability and Carers Service | |||
|
|
May 2010 – March 2011 (£) | May 2009 - March 2010 (£) | Percentage change |
The total expenditure set out above needs to be seen in the context of a Department with over 100,000 staff based in over 900 locations throughout Great Britain.
The above expenditure also includes elements of the cost of provision of transport, to meet the Departments' obligations, under the Disability Discrimination Act.
It should be noted that in order for the DWP to provide the full scope of services, in line with its key objectives a certain degree of business travel is required, for example trainers will travel to multiple sites; fraud
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investigation staff will conduct surveillance exercises; Job Centre Plus staff carry out Outreach activity outside of the Government estate, all in the course of their duties.
DWP has taken steps to review the business travel policy and gain best value for money where travel is unavoidable. For example the introduction of a ban on first class rail travel has resulted in significant savings.
Disability Living Allowance: Barnsley
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in Barnsley East constituency who will be affected by the planned changes to disability living allowance. [58047]
Maria Miller: Support in personal independence payment will be focused on those who face the biggest barriers to independent living. The assessment is being developed and at this stage, therefore, an assessment is not available of the impact changes could have on existing disability living allowance, or future recipients. We are working with disabled people and organisations that represent them on the detailed design and delivery of personal independence payment and the outcomes from this work will be reflected in updates to the impact assessment for this change. We have already announced that personal independence payment will be a non-taxable, non means-tested benefit payable to people in and out of work.
The number of recipients of disability living allowance in the Barnsley East parliamentary constituency who are 16 to 64 years old are provided in the following table.
| Recipients of disability living allowance in the Barnsley East parliamentary constituency, age 16 to 64, November 2010 | |
|
|
Number |
| Notes: 1. Case load figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Data is for the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and excludes people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example, if they are in hospital. 3. These figures are published at: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 100% WPLS. | |
Disability Premium: Shared Housing
Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what proportion of single local housing allowance claimants aged between 25 and 34 years who are in receipt of a disability premium are considered unable to move into shared accommodation; [57672]
(2) what estimate he has made of the cost to the Discretionary Housing Payments budget of supporting individuals aged between 25 and 34 who are affected by the extension of the Shared Accommodation Rate and are unable to move into shared accommodation due to a disability in the comprehensive spending review period. [57673]
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Steve Webb: As is currently the case for claimants aged under 25, it is not for the Department to set criteria under which claimants in receipt of the disability premium would be considered unable to move in to shared accommodation.
Claimants who receive the severe disability premium will continue to be exempt from the shared accommodation rate, as will those who have an overnight carer, so it remains the case that people with the most severe disabilities will not be expected to move into shared accommodation.
Some claimants who receive a disability premium will become entitled to only the shared accommodation rate for housing benefit from January 2012. In our equality impact assessment published on 9 May, it was estimated that once those who are entitled to the severe disability premium are excluded, 18% of single local housing allowance claimants without dependent children in the 25 to 34 age group receive a disability premium.
Local authorities are best placed to judge whether a claimant's disability or other circumstances mean that shared accommodation is inappropriate, and to make use of discretionary housing payments if necessary. No estimate has been made of the cost to the discretionary housing payment budget.
Employment and Support Allowance
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of excluding from the 365 day period of eligibility for contributory employment and support allowance any days occurring before the relevant sections of the Welfare Reform Act 2011 are expected to come into force in each of the next five financial years. [57660]
Chris Grayling: As part of the Welfare Reform Bill we have set out our intention to introduce a time limit of one year for those claiming contributory Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and who are placed in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG). The intention is that introduction of the time limit in April 2012 will have an immediate effect on people who are currently claiming contributory ESA as well as new claims after that date. In total the policy is expected to generate annual benefit savings of around £400 million in 2012-13 rising to £1.1 billion by 2014-15.
If the proposal were to change so that the one year time limit would be calculated from date of implementation for new and existing claims for contributory ESA in the WRAG, this would reduce the expected benefit savings.
The following table shows the expected change in the annual savings, if this change to the policy were made. It shows that all the expected savings in 2012-13 would be eliminated. That is, there would be a cost to the Exchequer of around £420 million in 2012-13. However, there would be no impact on the expected savings from 2013-14 onwards, as subsequent years will remain unchanged since they represent all cases eligible for time limiting, including those that would have become eligible in earlier years.
|
|
2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 |
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Figures are in cash terms, and are for Great Britain. They are rounded to the nearest £10 million or 10,000 claimants.
Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many employment and support allowance appeals were submitted by people whose (a) allowance had been stopped and (b) application had been refused in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) the latest period for which figures are available. [57319]
Chris Grayling: The Department holds data covering employment and support allowance (ESA) appeals where the outcome is known and so does not cover appeals that are still ongoing. Detailed information on the reason an ESA appeal was made is not recorded centrally, however it can be inferred that where an appeal outcome is recorded on a claim that was found fit for work at the work capability assessment (WCA), the appeal is against this decision. Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to the Tribunals Service and heard, it is likely that there are more appeals that have not yet been heard.
For new ESA claims starting between April 2009 and February 2010 (the latest data available), 235,400 were found fit for work at the initial work capability assessment (WCA). Of these, 80,200 had had an appeal heard against this decision by February 2011.
The Department regularly publishes information on employment and support allowance and the initial work capability assessment. The latest report was published in April 2011 and can be found at the following link. Table 3 covers information on appeals heard.
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/index.php?page=esa_wca_arc
Note :
All figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
Sources:
Data on the outcome of the WCA are sourced from Atos Healthcare, data on appeals are sourced from the Tribunals Service.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of contributory employment and support allowance recipients in the work-related activity group in steady state and without additional time limits would be expected to receive the benefit for less than one year. [57431]
Maria Miller: It is estimated that in steady state, around 25% of all claimants of contributory employment and support allowance (ESA) who are assessed to be in the work related activity group at initial assessment, will leave ESA within one year, so before the proposed time limit is applied. This does not include people who leave ESA before they are assessed using the work capability assessment and are therefore not assigned to the work related activity group or support group.
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For those who leave contributory ESA as a result of the time limit, it is estimated that around 60%, or approximately 400,000 people, are expected to be fully or partially compensated by income-related ESA, so will retain entitlement to ESA.
This information is consistent with the modelling underlying the Budget 2011 forecasts. It does not include claims from former incapacity benefit cases as these will all have duration of one year or more from 2015-16 onwards. The modelling is subject to change as more information becomes available on ESA claims with longer durations.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of restoring eligibility to 365 days of contributory employment and support allowance to each claimant leaving the support group in each of the next five financial years. [57656]
Chris Grayling: As part of the Welfare Reform Bill we have set out our intention to introduce a time limit of one year for those claiming contributory employment and support allowance (ESA) and who are placed in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG). This is expected to generate annual benefit savings of £400 million in 2012-13 rising to £1.1 billion by 2014-15.
If the proposal were to change to allow claimants receiving contributory employment and support allowance (ESA) and who move in and out of the Support Group, to start a fresh 365 day period each time they move back to the Work Related Activity Group, this would change the estimated benefit savings.
In this case, the financial effect of the change is difficult to model, partly because there are so few cases that move from the WRAG to the Support Group and back to the WRAG.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of excluding from the 365 day period of eligibility for contributory employment and support allowance any days that the claimant spends in the assessment phase in each of the next five financial years. [57661] [Official Report, 21 June 2011, Vol. 530, c. 2MC.]
Chris Grayling: As part of the Welfare Reform Bill we have set out our intention to introduce a time limit of one year for those claiming contributory employment and support allowance (ESA) and who are placed in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG). The intention is that time spent in the assessment phase will count towards the 365 day period of the time limit. In total the policy is expected to generate annual benefit savings of £400 million in 2012-13 rising to £1.1 billion by 2014-15.
If the proposal were to change so that the time limit period is extended by the length of time it takes for each person to undergo a work capability assessment to determine entitlement to ESA, this would reduce the expected benefit savings.
The following table shows the expected change in the annual savings if the time spent in the assessment phase were excluded from the, period of the time limit. It shows estimated overall costs to the Exchequer of around £200 million by 2014-15.
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|
|
2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 |
| Note: Figures are in cash terms, and are for Great Britain. They are rounded to the nearest £10 million or 10,000 claimants. | |||||
Employment and Support Allowance: Winchester
Mr Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) claimants received both contributory and income-related employment and support allowance, (b) applicants were refused employment and support allowance following assessment and (c) employment and support appeals were lodged by applicants in Winchester constituency in each quarter in the last three years. [57315]
Chris Grayling: The number of people receiving both contributory and income-related employment and support allowance (ESA) in the Winchester constituency is provided in Table 1. This information can be found using the “Tabulation Tool” on the departmental website at:
http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html
Note that ESA was introduced in October 2008, so quarterly data are available from November 2008 onwards.
| Table 1: Caseload receiving both contributory and income related ESA in Winchester constituency | |
| Quarter | Caseload |
Table 2 presents data on the number of ESA claims (of all payment types) in the Winchester local authority area found fit for work at the initial work capability assessment (WCA) whose claims started in the periods shown. Information is not available for parliamentary constituencies so data are presented for the Winchester local authority area. Data on new claims for ESA are available for claims starting up to August 2010.
The table also presents data on the number of appeals that have been heard by the Tribunals Service as at February 2011. Data on appeals are available for claims starting up to February 2010. Due to the time it takes
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for appeals to be submitted to the Tribunals Service and heard, it is likely that there are more appeals that have not yet been heard.
| Table 2: Numbers of claims starting in the period shown found fit for work where an appeal has been heard by the Tribunals Service for the Winchester local authority area | ||
| Quarter | Fit for work | Appeals |
The Department regularly publishes information on employment and support allowance and the initial work capability assessment. The latest report was published in April 2011 and can be found at the following link:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/index.php?page=esa_wca_arc
Caseload data are taken from the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. Data on the outcome of the WCA are sourced from departmental administrative data and Atos Healthcare. Data on appeals are sourced from the Tribunals Service. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
Employment: Young People
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment his Department has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Community Task Force element of the Young Person's Guarantee. [57258]
Chris Grayling: No assessment of the cost-effectiveness of the Community Task Force element of the Young Person's Guarantee has yet been made.
The Department is planning to assess the feasibility of conducting an impact assessment of the Community Task Force later this year.
Incapacity Benefit
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average duration of an incapacity benefit claim was in each year since 1997. [53388]
Maria Miller: Most recent figures show that more than 2 million people are in receipt of incapacity benefit (IB) and more than 1.4 million people have been in receipt of IB for over five years.
Since October 2008 incapacity benefit has been replaced by employment support allowance (ESA) for all new claimants. We are currently reassessing existing IB recipients for ESA—full roll-out of national reassessment began on 4 April 2011.
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| Table 1: Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claimants by duration of current claim: Great Britain and abroad, August 1997 to August 2010 | ||||||||
| Duration of current claim | ||||||||
| As at August: | All cases | Up to three months | Three months up to six months | Six months up to one year | One year and up to two years | Two years and up to five years | Five years and over | Unknown duration |
| Table 2: Employment and support allowance claimants by duration of current claim: Great Britain and abroad, August 2009 and August 2010 | ||||||||
| Duration of current claim | ||||||||
| As at August: | All cases | Up to three months | Three months up to six months | Six months up to one year | One year and up to two years | Two years and up to five years | Five years and over | Unknown duration |
| n/a = Not applicable or not available. * = Nil or negligible. Notes: 1. Incapacity benefit was introduced in April 1995. The start dates of claims transferred from invalidity benefit are not reliable, therefore breakdowns of longer durations are not available until August 2000. 2. Figures from 5% samples have been uprated using 100% WPLS totals. 3. Figures from 5% samples have been rounded to the nearest 100 and 100% figures to the nearest 10. Some additional disclosure has been applied. 4. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 5. From 6 April 2001, no new claims to severe disablement allowance were accepted. In addition, incapacity benefit was replaced by employment and support allowance (ESA) for new claims from 27 October 2008. 6. Data is available on the Department’s tabulation tool at: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html Source: 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) (from August 1999) DWP Information Directorate 5% samples (before August 1999) | ||||||||
Dame Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applicants for incapacity benefit withdrew their application before a final decision had been made in the five years prior to the introduction of the employment and support allowance. [56688]
Maria Miller: This information requested is not available for incapacity benefit claimants prior to the introduction of employment and support allowance (ESA).
The data systems the Department uses to monitor and publish information on the work capability assessment for ESA claims were not in place until the latter half of 2008, just before ESA was introduced in October 2008. We cannot produce equivalent information on the number of incapacity benefit claims which ceased before assessment was complete in the five years prior to the introduction of ESA.
Incapacity Benefit: Medical Examinations
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of incapacity benefit reassessments were conducted by home visit in each assessment centre area in the latest period for which figures are available. [57046]
Chris Grayling: Between 15 March 2011 and 19 May 2011 incapacity benefit reassessments were undertaken by domiciliary visits in the following assessment centre areas:
Of the 617 exams completed in Scotland, 14 (2.27%) domiciliary visits were made.
Of the 556 exams completed in Manchester, 10 (1.77%) domiciliary visits were made.
Of the 28 exams completed in Wales, one (3.57%) domiciliary visit has been made.
No domiciliary visits were undertaken for incapacity benefit reassessment in any other area of the country.
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish the criteria for the conduct of incapacity benefit reassessment home visits. [57047]
Chris Grayling: I believe that this question is seeking details of the criteria used to determine whether an incapacity benefit reassessment home visit is appropriate. This answer is based on that assumption.
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Prior to a medical appointment, ATOS Healthcare undertake a “pre-board” assessment of the customer questionnaire (ESA50). This will determine, in the first instance whether or not the customer should be assessed by a Health Care Professional (HCP). Where an assessment is necessary, the HCP will consider, based on the ESA50, whether the customer should attend a medical assessment or whether a home visit is appropriate.
In making this determination the HCP will use their professional judgment to consider the customer’s medical condition and other further medical evidence available to them. This can result in one of the following courses of action:
home visit is agreed;
HCP requests further information from the customer’s GP to inform the decision; or
home visit is declined and an appointment is made for the customer to attend a medical assessment.
In the event of a home visit being declined the customer may contact the ATOS Healthcare Virtual Contact Centre to ask that this be reconsidered. ATOS Healthcare will inform the customer that they should provide evidence from their GP to substantiate their case for a home visit. This further evidence is assessed by the ATOS Healthcare HCP and if appropriate a home visit is arranged.
Incapacity Benefit: Oxford West and Abingdon
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Oxford West and Abingdon constituency have been in receipt of incapacity benefits for more than (a) six months, (b) 12 months, (c) 18 months, (d) two years, (e) three years and (f) five years. [47957]
Maria Miller: The information requested is as follows:
| Incapacity benefit (IB)/severe disablement allowance (SDA) and employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants in Oxford West and Abingdon parliamentary constituency by duration on benefit—August 2010 | ||
|
|
IB/SDA | ESA |
| n/a = not applicable Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament 2010. 4. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study | ||
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Incapacity Benefit: Peterborough
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals in Peterborough city council area were claiming incapacity benefit as a result of being diagnosed with a mental health condition in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. [57414]
Maria Miller: The information requested is as follows:
| Number of incapacity benefit (IB)/severe disablement allowance (SDA) and employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants in Peterborough local authority: November 2001 to November 2010 | ||||
| IB/SDA | ESA | |||
| Date | Total claimants | Claimants with mental and behavioural disorders | Total claimants | Claimants with mental and behavioural disorders |
| n/a = not available Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10/ 2. To qualify for incapacity benefit (IB), claimants have to undertake a medical assessment of incapacity for work called a personal capability assessment. Under the employment and support allowance regime, new claimants have to undergo the work capability assessment. From April 2011 incapacity benefit recipients have begun also to undertake this assessment. The medical condition recorded on the claim form does not itself confer entitlement to incapacity benefit or employment and support allowance. So, for example, a decision on entitlement for a customer claiming IB or ESA on the basis of mental and behavioural disorders would be based on their ability to carry out the range of activities assessed by the personal/work capability assessment. 3. Data include people in receipt of benefit and also those who fail the contributions conditions but receive a national insurance credit, i.e. ‘credits only cases’. 4. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. 5. Data by medical condition for ESA is only available from 2010. 6. Data are published on www.nomisweb.co.uk Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% WPLS. | ||||
Industrial Health and Safety
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance the Health and Safety Executive issues to employers on temperatures in the workplace above 30 degrees in order to limit the long- and short-term physical and psychological effects of such temperatures on workers. [58165]
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Chris Grayling: Guidance on the HSE website covers situations of high temperature where heat stress may occur. The guidance does not specify a specific temperature at which control measures should be put into place.
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people with illnesses (a) caused or (b) exacerbated by exposure to high temperatures in the course of their employment. [57939]
Chris Grayling: There is insufficient evidence to allow a reliable estimate to be made. HSE carried out a survey into high workplace temperatures in 2009, to which 2,933 responses were submitted. This offered no evidence of significant numbers of illnesses caused or exacerbated by exposure to high temperatures in the course of their employment. At the time of this survey, HSE contacted the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, as they monitor scientific reports and publications about occupational diseases. They reported that no research or evidence on the effect of heat at work on certain occupations has been brought to their attention.
Industrial Health and Safety: Scotland
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the effects of reductions in the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) budget on the number of HSE inspectors working in Scotland over the comprehensive spending review period. [58058]
Chris Grayling: At 1 April 2011, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) had 173(1) full-time equivalent (FTE) inspectors based in Scotland, who work either for all or part of their time in Scotland or its offshore waters. By 31 March 2012, the number is forecast to be 183(1) FTE inspectors, subject to the outcome of approved recruitment and natural turnover. The net increase reflects the planned increase in inspectors regulating offshore oil and gas.
The HSE also has other specialist inspectors who, although based elsewhere in Great Britain, work across national boundaries, including in Scotland. Their effort is not usually planned or accounted for on a nation-by-nation basis and they are not included in the numbers above.
My statement of 21 March 2011, "Good Health and Safety, Good for Everyone" announced a number of changes to the health and safety system in Great Britain. HSE is still undertaking the necessary planning and work to implement these changes and projections of staff numbers beyond 2012-13 are not available at present.
(1) The figures are rounded to the nearest whole number.
Means-Tested Benefits: Peterborough
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in each electoral ward of the Peterborough City Council area lived in households in receipt of means-tested benefits in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [57413]
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Maria Miller: There were 8,620 children aged 15 and under in Peterborough at May 2010 who were living in households where a parent or guardian was claiming income support, jobseeker's allowance, income-based employment and support allowance or pension credit. The breakdown by electoral ward of the Peterborough city council area is in the table.
| Ward name | Total children aged 15 and under |
| Source: DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data and HMRC Child Benefit administrative data. Total may not sum due to rounding. | |
Pensioners: Bexleyheath
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of pensioners in Bexleyheath and Crayford who have received (a) winter fuel allowance and (b) free television licences in the last 12 months. [57158]
Steve Webb: Winter fuel payment information is available in the document winter fuel payment recipients 2009-10 by parliamentary constituencies and gender. This is available in the Commons Library and on the internet at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wfp
The information on free television licences for people aged 75 or over is not held by Government. Department for Culture, Media and Sport have policy responsibility for free TV licences. However I understand that free TV licences are issued by TV Licensing as agents for the BBC. The BBC does not collate information on licence holders aged 75 or over by geographical area.
Child Poverty
Chris Ruane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of children were living in poverty in each of the last
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30 years; and what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of children likely to be living in poverty in each of the next four years. [56725]
Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of children living in poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or ‘equivalised’) for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
The latest year of data which are available is 2009-10. The following table shows the number and proportion of children with income below 60% of contemporary median income, before housing costs (BHC) in each of the last 30 years.
Modelled tax and benefit reforms announced since Budget 2010 may have a small reduction in child poverty in 2011-12 and 2012-13; however given the uncertainty around these types of estimates, this change may be on the edge of statistical significance.
| Number and proportion of children falling below 60% of contemporary median income, before housing costs (BHC) | |||
| Publication | Period | Number of children | |
|
|
|
Million | Percentage |
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| Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS) and Family Expenditure Survey (FES). The FRS and FES uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 2. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. The reference period for Households Below Average Income figures are single financial years. 4. Numbers of children in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest 100,000, while proportions have been rounded to the nearest percentage point. 5. These statistics are based on incomes Before Housing Costs. 6. Relative poverty is defined as children living in households with less than 60% of contemporary median household income. 7. FRS figures are for Great Britain up to 1997/98, and for the United Kingdom from 1998-99, with estimates for Northern Ireland imputed for the years 1998/99 through 2001-02. The reference period for FRS figures is single financial years. 8. FES figures are for the United Kingdom. These are single calendar years for 1979, 1981, and 1987; two combined calendar years from 1988 to 1993 and two financial years combined from 1993-94 to 1994-95. 9. These statistics are publicly available in the Households Below Average Income Report on the DWP website: http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=hbai Source: Households Below Average Income, DWP |
Remploy: Manpower
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what financial assistance he plans to provide for the supported employment Remploy factories in each of the next four financial years; [39548]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of supported employment Remploy factories which will continue to be in operation in (a) Glasgow, (b) Scotland and (c) the UK in each of the next four years. [39549]
Maria Miller: There are two Remploy factories in Glasgow located at Clydebank and Springburn, nine in Scotland and 54 in the UK.
The coalition Government confirmed, despite severe fiscal constraints, as part of the spending review that Remploy's operational budget for the five-year modernisation plan from 2008-09 to 2012-13 remains protected at £555 million.
Remploy are operating in challenging economic conditions and are rebalancing the role of the Employment Services arm of their business and factories to ensure they keep within the funding available, This includes a programme of voluntary redundancies to around 30,000 staff in Remploy factories of which around 2,500 are supported employees. Remploy have received over 700 applications from factory staff including over 500 supported employees. Remploy will not accept any redundancies that impact on factory operations and no factory will close as a result of this.
An independent review of the support the Government provide to disabled people who want to work, including the support provided by Remploy, will be published in the summer.
Retirement Age
Rachel Reeves:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the savings to the Exchequer which would result from an increase in the
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state pension age from 65 to 66 years between April 2020 and April 2021. [57666]
Steve Webb: Increasing the state pension age from 65 to 66 between April 2020 and April 2021 would result in savings of £21.7 billion (in 2020-21 prices) between 2020-21 and 2025-26. This is significantly less than the savings of £30 billion (in 2020-21 prices) between 2016-17 and 2025-26 resulting from the Pensions Bill 2011 timetable.
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the savings to the Exchequer which would accrue from implementing the increase in the state pension age to 67 years from 2025. [57668]
Steve Webb: The savings which would accrue from increasing the state pension age gradually to 67 between 2025 and 2027 are £59.3 billion (in 2010-11 prices) between 2025-26 and 2035-36.
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will estimate the number of (a) women and (b) men who would be affected by increasing the state pension age for both men and women from 65 to 66 years between 2020 and 2021 and then increasing it gradually to 67 years by 2025; [57669]
(2) if he will estimate the maximum additional time for a (a) man and (b) women to wait to receive a state pension in the case where the state pension age for both men and women increased from 65 to 66 years between 2020 and 2021 and then increased gradually to 67 years by 2025; [57670]
(3) if he will estimate the savings which would accrue to the Exchequer from increasing the state pension for both men and women from 65 to 66 years between 2020 and 2021 and then gradually to 67 by 2025. [57667]
Steve Webb: Assuming that the increase to 67 would occur gradually between 2023 and 2025, the number of women and men affected by an increase in the State Pension age from 65 to 66 between 2020 and 2021 and then to 67 by 2025 would be 6.4 million and 6.3 million, respectively.
The maximum delay for both men and women compared to the currently legislated timetable in the case where the state pension age for both men and women increased from 65 to 66 between 2020 and 2021 and then increased over two years to 67 by 2025 would be 23 months.
The savings which would accrue from increasing the state pension age from 65 to 66 between 2020 and 2021 and then gradually to 67 between 2023 and 2025 are £32.2 billion (in 2010-11 prices) between 2020-21 and 2025-26, and £58 billion (in 2010-11 prices) between 2026-27 and 2035-36.
This timetable would result in savings of just 2.2 billion (in 2010-11 prices) between 2016-17 and 2020-21. This is significantly lower than the savings of £10.5 billion (in 2010-11 prices) during the same period resulting from the Pensions Bill 2011 timetable.
Mr Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the number of women who will work for
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longer before reaching pension age in each of the 10 years following the date of implementation of such changes. [58162]
Steve Webb: The information requested is in the following table. This is an expanded version of the table presented in the equality impact assessment which accompanies the Pensions Bill 2011 (page 40 of annex A), which includes years 2017 and 2019.
| Impact on numbers in employment, compared to legislated timetable; women aged 55 to 66 | |
|
|
Number increase |
The modelling assumes the rises in state pension age beyond 66 remain unchanged.
The announcement of an increase in state pension age is assumed to increase the age at which males would exit the labour market from age 55 onwards; for instance, a 66-year-old man would adopt the exit rate from the labour market currently adopted by a 65-year-old. Women’s exit rates are assumed to converge to men’s exit rates as a result of state pension age equalisation. This modelling was done by DWP using HM Treasury’s cohort employment model.
Separation
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much he expects to allocate from the annual budget for information and support through the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission to supplement grant funding to relationship support services with respect to family separation in the next four years. [57637]
Maria Miller: As set out in the Government consultation on child maintenance, previous administration have not before had a co-ordinated Government approach to family support. We are working with Department for Education, Ministry of Justice and devolved Administrations to build evidence of what support works for different families. Then we will be able to make sure resources are being used to best effect.
The Department for Education is investing £30 million in relationship support services over the next four years, including their grant funding to voluntary and community sector organisations to support separating couples. We will be working with the Department for Education to ensure the Government approach is as joined up as possible. DWP currently spends around £5.6 million a year on information and support provided through the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
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The Government consultation on child maintenance ended on 7 April and we are currently considering the responses received. We plan to publish the Government response to this consultation in July.
Social Fund
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what funding his Department provided to social fund (a) budgeting loans, (b) crisis loans and (c) community grants in each of the last five years. [43503]
Steve Webb: HM Treasury allocates funding for the Social Fund. Over the past five years the discretionary fund (which comprises budgeting loans, community care grants and crisis loans) has been allocated new annually managed expenditure funding as follows:
| HM Treasury allocated money | |||
| £ million | |||
|
|
Annually managed expenditure | Additional annual managed expenditure for loans | Total annual managed expenditure for loans |
| Allocation between elements of the discretionary social fund | |||
| £ million | |||
|
|
Amount allocated to CCGs | Amount allocated to Contingency reserve | Amount allocated to loans |
| Note: Additional money was given in 2010-11 and 2009-10 to accommodate increased applications during the recession. Additional money was given in 2008-09, 2007-08 and 2006-07 to accommodate changes to the scheme in 2006-07. This information is taken from previous Social Fund annual reports. Remaining loans are funded through recoveries of existing loans within each year. | |||
Social Security Benefits
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the cost to the Exchequer of exempting from the total household benefit cap households living in social housing as defined by section 68 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 in each of the next five financial years. [57426]
Chris Grayling:
The spending review 2010 announced that from 2013 we will introduce a cap on the total amount of benefit that working-age people can receive so that households on out-of-work benefits will no longer receive more in welfare payments than the average weekly wage for working households. The benefit cap is intended to promote fairness between those in and out
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of work and to increase incentives for people to move into work or increase their hours of employment.
On its introduction we estimate that household benefit payments will be capped at around £500 per week for couple and lone parent households and around £350 per week for single adult households.
If the benefit cap were applied as described in the spending review the savings to the Exchequer are estimated to be £225 million in 2013-14 and £270 million in 2014-15.
If households in social housing were exempt from the benefit cap, savings would fall to approximately £70 million in 2013-14 and £80 million in 2014-15. Figures for 2015-16 and beyond are not available.
Analysis of those affected by the benefit cap has been modelled using survey data—as such there is a degree of uncertainty around the results.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the cost to the Exchequer of exempting from the total household benefit cap households where someone is owed a duty to be supported with interim or temporary accommodation under sections 188, 190, 193 or 200 of the Housing Act 1996 in each of the next five financial years. [57427]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
The costing model used to estimate the effects of the benefit cap is based on data from the 2008-09 Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS does not record information on whether a household is owed a duty to be supported with interim or temporary accommodation under sections 188, 190, 193 or 200 of the Housing Act 1996.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the additional cost to the Exchequer of exempting from the total household benefit cap households where someone has left work due to redundancy or illness or for other reasons relating to the care of a child in each of the next five financial years. [57430]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
The costing model used to estimate the effects of the benefit cap is based on data from the 2008-09 Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS does not record information on whether an out-of-work member of a household left work due to redundancy or illness or for other reasons relating to the care of a child.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the cost to the Exchequer of exempting from the total household benefit cap households where no member has received a reasonable offer of a job, within the previous (a) one year and (b) three years in each of the next five financial years. [57432]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
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The costing model used to estimate the effects of the benefit cap is based on data from the 2008-09 Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS does not record information on whether a member of a household has received a reasonable offer of a job within the previous (a) one year and (b) three years.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate (a) the level of the household benefit cap and (b) the cost to the Exchequer of setting the cap at the level of estimated earnings plus any in-work benefits that an average earner might expect to receive in each of the next five financial years. [57658]
Chris Grayling: The spending review 2010 announced that from 2013 the Government will introduce a cap on the total amount of benefit that working-age people can receive so that households on out-of-work benefits will no longer receive more in welfare payments than the average weekly wage for working households.
On its introduction we estimate that household benefit payments will be capped at around £500 per week for couple and lone parent households and around £350 per week for single adult households.
If the benefit cap is applied as announced the savings to the Exchequer are estimated to be £225 million in 2013-14 and £270 million in 2014-15.
We estimate that in 2013-14 the average amount of in-work benefit received by working age households at the average earnings level will be approximately £20 per week.
If household benefit payments are capped £20 per week higher than outlined in the spending review 2010, at £520 per week for couple and lone parent households and at £370 per week for single adult households, savings to the Exchequer would fall to £170 million in 2013-14 and £210 million in 2014-15. Figures for 2015-16 and beyond are not available.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of excluding from the amount liable for the total household benefit cap (a) housing benefit, (b) temporary accommodation costs and (c) any amount of universal credit paid in respect of housing costs in each of the next five financial years. [57659]
Chris Grayling: On its introduction we estimate that household benefit payments will be capped at around £500 per week for couple and lone parent households and around £350 per week for single adult households.
If the benefit cap were applied as announced the savings to the Exchequer are estimated to be £225 million in 2013-14, £270 million in 2014-15 and £270 million in 2015-16.
Estimates suggest that excluding (a) housing benefit from the benefit cap would reduce savings to less than £20 million in 2013-14 and 2014-15. Figures are not available for 2015-16 and beyond.
Information on (b) temporary accommodation is not available. The costing model used to estimate the effects of the benefit cap is based on data from the 2008-09 Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS
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does not record information on whether a household is in temporary accommodation.
Note that estimates above are based on the current benefit system including changes announced in the spending review 2010, but excluding universal credit.
Information on section (c) is not available as the estimated savings from the benefit cap in universal credit will depend upon final detailed design issues regarding the treatment of in-work households.
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the additional cost to the public purse of exempting from the total household benefit cap households that live in supported or sheltered accommodation in each of the next five years. [57903]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
The costing model used to estimate the effects of the benefit cap is based on data from the 2008-09 Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS does not record information on whether the household lives in supported or sheltered accommodation.
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the additional cost to the public purse of exempting from the total household benefit cap households that have been offered accommodation under the prevention and relief of homelessness powers and duties under part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 in each of the next five financial years. [57904]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
The costing model used to estimate the effects of the benefit cap is based on data from the 2008-09 Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS does not record information on whether a member of a household has been offered accommodation under the prevention and relief of homelessness powers and duties under part 7 of the Housing Act 1996.