11 Nov 2025·Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs·Answered
AskedFood and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the affordability of household water bills in Surrey Heath constituency.
ReplyIt is Ofwat's responsibility to independently scrutinise water company business plans and ensure that the prices water companies charge their customers are fair and proportionate. The price controls set as part of Price Review 2024 (PR24) came into effect on 01 April 2025. As part of this approach companies are required to publish their charges before each financial year in their Charges Scheme. Ofwat sets charging rules that companies must follow when developing their charging schemes and differences in charges for different services need to reflect differences in costs. Their licences also prohibit companies from setting charges which show undue discrimination or preference. Ofwat does not approve companies’ charges, but they have the powers to intervene if they are or could be breaching the rules or licence conditions. Water companies must also comply with Ofwat's Paying Fair principles which includes companies needing to make information about services and bills more understandable for all customers – and make it available in a way that best meets their needs. The Government has already announced that funding for vital infrastructure investment is ringfenced and can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment. When money for investment is not spent, companies will be required to refund customers via lower water bills, with money never allowed to be diverted for bonuses, dividends or salary increases. We understand the financial pressures hardworking families are currently facing and we are pushing the sector to ensure support is available for vulnerable customers who are struggling to pay their bills; water companies must ensure support is available for vulnerable customers who are struggling to pay their bills. Moreover, the Government expects industry to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported. We also expect all water companies to put appropriate support in place for customers struggling to pay their bills and to proactively engage with their customers to ensure they know what support schemes are available and how to use them if they need help. All companies have measures in place such as WaterSure, social tariffs, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support. The Government has acted decisively by consulting on reforms to WaterSure – the statutory scheme which caps bills for low-income customers with necessary higher water usage and by introducing new and increased compensation for companies to pay customers in the event of unforeseen disruption to supply. Before the end of the year, the Government will publish a Water White Paper bringing forward root and branch reform to secure better outcomes for customers, investors and the environment and restore trust and accountability. Together with the building blocks the Government has already put in place, this will mark the most fundamental reset to our water system in a generation.
11 Nov 2025·Treasury·Answered
AskedWhether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of employers' National Insurance contribution rates on the financial viability of (a) pubs and (b) breweries in Surrey Heath constituency.
ReplyThe Government closely monitors the health of different sectors across the UK economy and regularly engages with the hospitality sector. The Government protected the smallest hospitality businesses from the recent changes to employer National Insurance through increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500. We have also taken a number of other steps to support the hospitality industry. This includes:Introducing a permanently lower business rates multiplier for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026-27. Ahead of the new multipliers being introduced, the government extended the RHL relief for 2025-26 at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business and frozen the small business multiplier.Responding to the recommendations of the Licensing Taskforce, including developing a National Licensing Policy Framework that will set out national direction for licensing authorities to consider economic growth and cultural value;Protecting hospitality businesses from upward only rent clauses through the English Devolution Bill, and;Introducing a strong new ‘Community Right to Buy’ to help communities safeguard valued community assets – such as pubs.
11 Nov 2025·Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs·Answered
AskedFood and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that water companies maintain transparent billing practices for customers in Surrey Heath constituency.
ReplyIt is Ofwat's responsibility to independently scrutinise water company business plans and ensure that the prices water companies charge their customers are fair and proportionate. The price controls set as part of Price Review 2024 (PR24) came into effect on 01 April 2025. As part of this approach companies are required to publish their charges before each financial year in their Charges Scheme. Ofwat sets charging rules that companies must follow when developing their charging schemes and differences in charges for different services need to reflect differences in costs. Their licences also prohibit companies from setting charges which show undue discrimination or preference. Ofwat does not approve companies’ charges, but they have the powers to intervene if they are or could be breaching the rules or licence conditions. Water companies must also comply with Ofwat's Paying Fair principles which includes companies needing to make information about services and bills more understandable for all customers – and make it available in a way that best meets their needs. The Government has already announced that funding for vital infrastructure investment is ringfenced and can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment. When money for investment is not spent, companies will be required to refund customers via lower water bills, with money never allowed to be diverted for bonuses, dividends or salary increases. We understand the financial pressures hardworking families are currently facing and we are pushing the sector to ensure support is available for vulnerable customers who are struggling to pay their bills; water companies must ensure support is available for vulnerable customers who are struggling to pay their bills. Moreover, the Government expects industry to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported. We also expect all water companies to put appropriate support in place for customers struggling to pay their bills and to proactively engage with their customers to ensure they know what support schemes are available and how to use them if they need help. All companies have measures in place such as WaterSure, social tariffs, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support. The Government has acted decisively by consulting on reforms to WaterSure – the statutory scheme which caps bills for low-income customers with necessary higher water usage and by introducing new and increased compensation for companies to pay customers in the event of unforeseen disruption to supply. Before the end of the year, the Government will publish a Water White Paper bringing forward root and branch reform to secure better outcomes for customers, investors and the environment and restore trust and accountability. Together with the building blocks the Government has already put in place, this will mark the most fundamental reset to our water system in a generation.
11 Nov 2025·Ministry of Justice·Answered
AskedWhat assessment his Department has made of the impact of court delays on the mental wellbeing of victims of sexual violence in Surrey Heath constituency.
ReplyThis Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. It is unacceptable that victims and witnesses are waiting years for justice. This has left tens of thousands of victims facing devastating delays for justice, disrupting their ability to function, work, or maintain relationships.It is not possible to supply data for Surrey Heath constituency. However, data for the Surrey Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB) is published routinely as part of Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly. The latest published data shows that, in Q2 2025, sexual offence cases in the Surrey Crown Court spent an average of 350 days in the court – an improvement down from 468 days in 2024, and 384 in 2023. At the end of June 2025, the open caseload at Crown Court for sexual offences in Surrey stood at 181, an increase from 136 in 2024 and 113 in 2023.We are committed to creating a more sustainable justice system, in which victims and the public can have confidence. Upon taking office, the Deputy Prime Minister took immediate action to allocate additional Crown Court sitting days this financial year, taking the total to 111,250 sitting days.However, demand is currently so high, it is indisputable that fundamental reform is needed. That is why this Government commissioned the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson, to propose once-in-a-generation reform to improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swift justice for victims. Part one of his report has now been published. We are carefully considering Sir Brian’s proposals and will respond in due course.To support all victims of sexual violence, including those impacted by court delays, I have protected dedicated Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) victims spending in the Department this year to ensure help is available to survivors of these awful crimes.
11 Nov 2025·Department of Health and Social Care·Answered
AskedWhat steps his Department is taking to protect vulnerable individuals from Covid during winter months in Surrey Heath constituency.
ReplyThe Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.The JCVI has advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity following recovery from infection and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.The focus of the JCVI advised programme has therefore moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.The Government has accepted the JCVI’s advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups in autumn 2025:adults aged 75 years old and over;residents in care homes for older adults; andindividuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed.The campaign in England began on 1 October 2025 and runs until 31 January 2026. General practitioners have been in direct communication with eligible people to encourage them to book their vaccinations, complemented by millions of targeted emails, texts, and letters sent nationally by the NHS. Appointments including walk-in sessions are available in local pharmacies, general practices, and community clinic drop-in centres across the country.All those individuals who are eligible are encouraged to take up the offer of vaccination.
11 Nov 2025·Ministry of Defence·Answered
AskedWhether his Department has made an assessment of any correlation between the standard of Armed Forces housing and levels of (a) recruitment and (b) retention.
ReplyThe Ministry of Defence (MOD) monitors Service personnel attitudes through the Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey (AFCAS). AFCAS includes questions on satisfaction with certain aspects of accommodation and how provision of accommodation influences decisions to remain in or leave the Services. 40% of Regular personnel report that accommodation provision increases their intentions to stay, whilst 30% state that it increases their intentions to leave. While housing is widely recognised as part of the overall employment offer, there is currently no formal assessment in MOD establishing a link between accommodation quality and recruitment levels. On 1 June 2025, the Defence Secretary, announced £1.5bn of additional funding over the next five years, to deliver longer term and enduring improvements to UK SFA housing. This investment is part of the Government’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which sets a path for the next decade to transform Defence housing helping to support recruitment, retention and morale. To help improve the attractiveness of Service life, in April 2025 we announced the new Consumer Charter, part of the Defence Housing Strategy, designed to deliver tangible improvement for Defence housing and improve the lived experience for our Service Personnel and families across the UK. Progress against the seven Charter Commitments is well underway, with many already completed, and all due to complete by the end of December 2025 - the one-year anniversary of the Annington Deal. As commitments are met, we are communicating progress to Service families. Our Consumer Charter is raising the minimum standard of 1,000 homes to improve the lived experience for Service families this calendar year.
11 Nov 2025·Home Office·Answered
AskedWhat steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce and (b) prevent equipment theft in Surrey Heath constituency.
ReplyWe will be implementing the Equipment Theft Act, making it harder for criminals to sell on stolen vehicles and equipment and assisting the police with identifying the owner.The Act’s secondary legislation will require forensic marking to be applied to new All-Terrain Vehicles and for the details to be registered on a property database, for forensic marking to be applied to all new GPS units for use in agricultural and commercial settings, and for the details to be registered on a property database. This provides an important additional tool to help police identify if an item is stolen and to return it to its rightful owner.Additionally, the Crime and Policing Bill introduces a new power for the police to enter and search premises to which items have been electronically tracked by GPS or other means, which will help the police in tackling stolen equipment and machinery.This financial year we have provided the first Home Office funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit. This funding will enable the Unit to continue to increase collaboration across all police forces, including Surrey Police, to target the serious organised crime groups involved in crimes like equipment theft from farms.
10 Nov 2025·Department of Health and Social Care·Answered
AskedWhat recent assessment has been made of the (a) condition and (b) maintenance standards of NHS hospital estates in Surrey.
ReplyNational Health Service trusts are legally responsible for managing and maintaining their estates using operational capital allocations. As part of this, they regularly assess the physical condition of their estates.The NHS England Estates Related Information Collection survey collects data from trusts on the condition of their estates annually, including backlog maintenance, which is the projected cost of bringing all the buildings on each NHS site into acceptable condition. The latest data, from 2024/25, including from trusts in Surrey, is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/estates-returns-information-collection/summary-page-and-dataset-for-eric-2024-25Repairing and rebuilding our NHS estate is a vital part of our ambition to create an NHS that is fit for the future through our 10-Year Health Plan. The Government’s recently published 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy set out 10-year maintenance budgets for the public estate, confirming £6 billion per year for maintenance and repair of the NHS estate up to 2034/35.
10 Nov 2025·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
AskedWhether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of interim compensation payments made to sub-postmasters affected by Horizon IT in Surrey.
ReplyThe Government has taken several steps to simplify the claims process across the Horizon redress schemes, ensuring that all postmasters have the support they need to set out their claims. We continue to work closely with the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board to explore ways to further improve claimants’ experiences. Eligible claimants across the schemes can access interim payments once their claim has been accepted.
10 Nov 2025·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
AskedWhether his Department is taking steps to help simplify (a) paperwork and (b) accountancy processes required for Post Office Horizon IT compensation claims.
ReplyThe Government has taken several steps to simplify the claims process across the Horizon redress schemes, ensuring that all postmasters have the support they need to set out their claims. We continue to work closely with the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board to explore ways to further improve claimants’ experiences. Eligible claimants across the schemes can access interim payments once their claim has been accepted.
10 Nov 2025·Department of Health and Social Care·Answered
AskedWhat recent estimate has been made of the average waiting time for patients requiring MRI scans following initial consultation at NHS hospitals in Surrey Heath constituency.
ReplyThe Government is committed to putting patients first and is aware of the impact that waiting for diagnostic tests and treatment has for patients. This means making sure that patients are seen on time and ensuring that people have the best possible experience during their care. Earlier access to diagnostic tests is key to supporting earlier diagnosis and earlier treatment if needed.Acute diagnostic services across the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust and the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust serve patients in the Surrey Heath constituency. Patients can also access diagnostic tests, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, at the Milford Community Hospital Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) and at the Godalming and Woking Community Hospital CDC at Woking. Both of these CDCs are open 12 hours a day, seven days a week, and offer a minimum of one diagnostic test in their extended hours.The Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity monthly collection (DM01) measures the current waiting times of patients still waiting for 15 key diagnostic tests or procedures at the end of the month. The DM01 publication includes data on the median amount of time a patient is waiting for a diagnostic test at the end of the month. Details on this collection are available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/monthly-diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/The following table sets out an estimate of the number and percentage of patients waiting for key diagnostic tests, as per DM01, and the median waiting time following initial consultation for an MRI test specifically as of September 2025, for the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, and for England as a whole:Name of NHS trustNumber waiting for key diagnostic tests as of September 2025Number and percentage waiting over six weeks for key diagnostic tests as of September 2025Median waiting time of those waiting for MRI as of September 2025Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust19,2141,493 (7.8%)1.3 weeksRoyal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust7,9722,591 (32.5%)1.6 weeksEngland1,717,121386,849 (22.5%)2.7 weeksNote: DM01 median waiting times do not match waiting times for diagnostic tests 'following initial consultation at NHS hospitals' exactly. The full definition of what is included in DM01 can be found in DM01 guidance on NHS England website.
10 Nov 2025·Department of Health and Social Care·Answered
AskedWhat assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of unfilled training posts on the (a) efficiency and (b) cost-effectiveness of NHS workforce planning in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.
ReplyNational Health Service trusts manage their recruitment at a local level ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan published on 3 July, we will work across the Government to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the NHS for a significant period for specialty training. The plan also sets out that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is greatest need.We will set out next steps in due course.
10 Nov 2025·Department for Work and Pensions·Answered
AskedWhat recent discussions his Department has had with (a) disability employment charities and (b) business representatives on improving access to skilled work for autistic adults in Surrey Heath constituency.
ReplyMy Department has numerous contacts with organisations in the Surrey Heath constituency on these matters. Camberley Jobcentre works with Surrey Choices, which provides specialist employment support for individuals with autism through bi-weekly sessions. The Work Well programme and a newly appointed Connect to Work Employment Specialist are also co-located at the Jobcentre, strengthening support for neurodivergent customers. Additionally, our Disability Employment Advisors provide outreach via GP surgeries and partner with local charities such as Safe New Futures, Voluntary Support North Surrey, and Sight for Surrey to offer tailored support for residents with health conditions and disabilities. Frimley Park Hospital delivers supported internships for healthcare roles, successfully helping individuals into work. At national level, the DWP Strategic Relationship Team work in partnership with two national charitable organisations, Ambitious about Autism, and the National Autistic Society. We have utilised their expertise to deliver upskilling session to build awareness, capability, and confidence in DWP Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers. We have also developed an Autism Toolkit with support from these organisations, bringing together various resources utilised by colleagues to coach and guide our customers. Ambitious about Autism support a quarterly session to employers and partners, raising awareness of autism in the workplace, myth busting and providing some tips on how to create inclusive recruitment and retention of autistic talent. These sessions offer an opportunity for DWP colleagues to arrange follow up conversations with attendees, to influence inclusive recruitment, discuss the DWPs Disability Scheme and any offer general support to meet employer needs.
10 Nov 2025·Department of Health and Social Care·Answered
AskedWhether his Department has issued guidance to GP practices on maintaining equitable access to care for patients who cannot use digital booking platforms in Surrey Heath constituency.
ReplyThe General Practice contract requires that all patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, so those without digital access are not disadvantaged.In February 2025, the General Practice Committee England agreed to make it a contractual obligation for all GP practices to offer access to online services throughout core hours (8:00am–18:30pm, Monday to Friday) bringing online access in line with walk-in and phone access. This will ensure that patients will not have to wait in long phone queues to contact their practice and ensure that those that are not able to use digital booking platforms have an improved user-experience.
10 Nov 2025·Department for Work and Pensions·Answered
AskedWhat assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of unemployment of autistic adults in the (a) South East and (b) Surrey Heath constituency on the economy.
ReplyThe Department has not made an assessment of the potential economic impact of trends in unemployment among autistic adults in the South East or the Surrey Heath constituency. The 2025 publication by DWP on The employment of disabled people reported that, across the UK, 34.0% of disabled people with autism (as either main or secondary condition) aged 16-64 were in employment in 2024/25, compared to 55.3% for all non-disabled people. This data is based on the Annual Population Survey. Data for disabled people for the South East and Surrey Heath constituency is available from the above publication (tables LMS009 and LMS010). However, equivalent data for disabled people with autism is not readily available and would be unreliable due to the small number of responses to the survey for this group in these areas.
10 Nov 2025·Department for Work and Pensions·Answered
AskedWhether his Department plans to make an assessment of the adequacy of back-to-work programmes for autistic people seeking long-term employment in Surrey.
ReplyThe DWP are committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including autistic people, with their employment journey and there are currently a number of initiatives to support individuals, including autistic people, to return to work. These include:- Pathways to Work Advisers are delivering support in Jobcentres for disabled people and people with health conditions to help them move towards and into work, building on and expanding existing evidenced measures like additional work coach support. On 6 March 2025 we announced the deployment of 1000 Pathway to Work Advisers to help people with health conditions and disabled people towards and into work.- Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres offer advice and knowledge on how to help disabled people and people with health conditions into work;- Connect to Work is DWP’s voluntary, locally led Supported Employment Programme that will help disabled people, people with health conditions and those with complex barriers to employment. For neurodivergent people, Connect to Work has a specialist pathway that is dedicated to supporting those with particularly complex barriers. It follows the Supported Employment Quality Framework, which is backed by an international evidence base and has been proven to support neurodivergent people into sustainable employment. Connect to Work will be across all of England and Wales and will support over 300,000 people over five years. For the Surrey Connect to Work delivery area, Surrey County Council are the lead authority. Their Connect to Work service is live and more information, including how to apply for support, can be found here:Connect to Work - Surrey County Council- Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, which combines psychological treatment and employment support for people with mental health conditions; and- WorkWell, a new way to deliver integrated work and health support that is designed by local partnerships. Sites went live from October 2024 in 15 areas in England including Surrey Heartlands and Frimley ICB which covers Surrey Heath. It provides a low intensity holistic support for health and disability related barriers to employment, and a single joined up gateway to existing local work and health service provision. We carry out a wide range of research and evaluations to ensure we can best support people with disabilities and health conditions, and evaluation is a key driver in delivering DWP’s priority outcomes and ensuring alignment with the Government’s Plan for Change. As set out in the DWP Evidence and Evaluation Strategy, ongoing evaluation of new and existing initiatives assesses whether they are achieving intended results and informs future policy design. However, no assessment has been made of adequacy of back-to-work programmes and Government-funded employment support schemes specifically for disabled and neurodivergent people, including autistic people, specifically in Surrey Heath.
10 Nov 2025·Ministry of Defence·Answered
AskedWhat steps his Department is taking to support the wellbeing of service families living in Armed Forces accommodation in Surrey Heath constituency.
ReplyIn April 2025 we announced the new Consumer Charter, part of the Defence Housing Strategy, designed to deliver tangible improvement for Defence housing and improve the lived experience for our Service personnel and families across the UK, including those in Surrey Heath. Progress against the seven Charter Commitments is well underway, with many already completed, and all due to complete by the end of December 2025 - the one-year anniversary of the Annington Deal. As commitments are met, we are communicating progress to Service families. We have also made progress on welfare provisions. In January 2025, our Armed Forces Welfare Support Policy was fully reviewed and updated to ensure welfare structures meet the needs of Service personnel and their families. Each Service has tailored its policies to address unique requirements, supported by the new Welfare HARDFACTS Annex, which provides comprehensive guidance on addressing emotional, medical, housing, financial, and legal concerns. The Tri-Service Welfare Support Agreement ensures collaboration across the Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force to deliver consistent and specialist support, including for those living in the Surrey Heath constituency.
10 Nov 2025·Treasury·Answered
AskedWhether she has had recent discussions with mortgage lenders on later-life lending for pensioners with outstanding borrowing at the end of their mortgage term.
ReplyThe pricing and availability of mortgages, including the extension of additional facilities post maturity or eligibility for suitable later life lending products, are commercial decisions for mortgage lenders in which the Government does not intervene. However, the Government is regularly in contact with mortgage lenders on all aspects of their business, including the provision of finance to different cohorts of borrowers. The UK benefits from a competitive later life lending market and there are various options available to later life borrowers, depending on their circumstances. Prospective borrowers should speak to a later life lending mortgage broker, who will be able to assist them in identifying any products for their circumstances. Where individuals are concerned about their ability to make their mortgage repayments, they should contact their lender to understand what options are available to them. There are significant measures in place to protect vulnerable mortgage borrowers, the Financial Conduct Authority’s rules require lenders to engage individually with their customers who are struggling or who are worried about their payments in order to provide tailored support.
10 Nov 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of (a) transparency and (b) accountability in the private parking sector.
ReplyThe government is aware of concerns about poor practice from a number of parking operators and is determined to raise standards. In accordance with the Private Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019, the government is preparing a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities. The government has recently consulted on its proposals for this new code. The consultation closed on 26 September, and the government will respond in due course.
10 Nov 2025·Department for Work and Pensions·Answered
AskedWhat recent assessment has been made of the adequacy of Government-funded employment support schemes to help (a) disabled and (b) neurodiverse people into work in Surrey.
ReplyThe DWP are committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including autistic people, with their employment journey and there are currently a number of initiatives to support individuals, including autistic people, to return to work. These include:- Pathways to Work Advisers are delivering support in Jobcentres for disabled people and people with health conditions to help them move towards and into work, building on and expanding existing evidenced measures like additional work coach support. On 6 March 2025 we announced the deployment of 1000 Pathway to Work Advisers to help people with health conditions and disabled people towards and into work.- Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres offer advice and knowledge on how to help disabled people and people with health conditions into work;- Connect to Work is DWP’s voluntary, locally led Supported Employment Programme that will help disabled people, people with health conditions and those with complex barriers to employment. For neurodivergent people, Connect to Work has a specialist pathway that is dedicated to supporting those with particularly complex barriers. It follows the Supported Employment Quality Framework, which is backed by an international evidence base and has been proven to support neurodivergent people into sustainable employment. Connect to Work will be across all of England and Wales and will support over 300,000 people over five years. For the Surrey Connect to Work delivery area, Surrey County Council are the lead authority. Their Connect to Work service is live and more information, including how to apply for support, can be found here:Connect to Work - Surrey County Council- Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, which combines psychological treatment and employment support for people with mental health conditions; and- WorkWell, a new way to deliver integrated work and health support that is designed by local partnerships. Sites went live from October 2024 in 15 areas in England including Surrey Heartlands and Frimley ICB which covers Surrey Heath. It provides a low intensity holistic support for health and disability related barriers to employment, and a single joined up gateway to existing local work and health service provision. We carry out a wide range of research and evaluations to ensure we can best support people with disabilities and health conditions, and evaluation is a key driver in delivering DWP’s priority outcomes and ensuring alignment with the Government’s Plan for Change. As set out in the DWP Evidence and Evaluation Strategy, ongoing evaluation of new and existing initiatives assesses whether they are achieving intended results and informs future policy design. However, no assessment has been made of adequacy of back-to-work programmes and Government-funded employment support schemes specifically for disabled and neurodivergent people, including autistic people, specifically in Surrey Heath.