Every parliamentary written question tabled by Helen Whately this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 221–240 of 462 · this parliament
How many and what proportion of Universal Credit claims are managed exclusively through the online journal without in-person Jobcentre visits.
The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost to develop the appropriate code and analyse the raw data.
How many non-UK nationals claiming Universal Credit are affected by the two-child limit.
Statistics about the policy that provides support for a maximum of 2 children in Universal Credit are published annually. The latest publication is available here: Universal Credit claimants statistics on the two child limit policy, April 2025 - GOV.UK
Whether her Department has targets for employing more staff to carry out face-to-face assessments.
As outlined in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we are planning to increase the number of face-to-face health assessments. At the same time, we remain committed to offering alternative assessment channels to accommodate individuals who require a different approach, such as those needing reasonable adjustments. All assessment suppliers have contractual requirements to increase the proportion of assessments conducted face-to-face. To meet these requirements, suppliers are expected to plan and manage recruitment accordingly with progress regularly reviewed. The department is working closely with suppliers to explore ways to boost capacity for face-to-face assessments. A key focus is increasing the recruitment of suitably qualified health professionals to support delivery in assessment centres. Suppliers continue to develop and implement strategies to enhance recruitment, training, and retention, ensuring that skilled staff are in place to support claimants effectively.
How many non-UK nationals claiming Universal Credit have (a) three, (b) four, (c) five, (d) six (e) seven and (f) eight or more children in their household.
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
How many face-to-face PIP assessments have been conducted in each region of the UK since July 2024.
The number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) face-to-face assessments carried out each month from July 2024 to August 2025 can be found in the table below. MonthFace-to-FaceJul-246,000Aug-243,000Sep-241,000Oct-243,000Nov-244,000Dec-243,000Jan-254,000Feb-254,000Mar-254,000Apr-254,000May-254,000Jun-255,000Jul-255,000Aug-254,000 Please Note All volumes have been rounded to the nearest 1000.All the above data is derived from contractual management information produced by the assessment suppliers.The above data is derived from unpublished management information which is collected for internal departmental use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics Publication standards.The dip in September is due to the introduction of the Functional Assessment Service contracts on 9 September 2024. For a brief period, face to face assessments were limited to allow for a smooth transition from the old Health and Disability Assessment Service to the new Health Assessment Advisory Service across the country. The number of PIP face-to-face assessments conducted is not available at a regional level. However, we can provide the information split by Lot. The number of PIP face-to-face assessments carried out by Lot from July 2024 to August 2025 can be found in the table below. Lot 1 - Northern EnglandLot 2 - Midlands & WalesLot 3 - South-WestLot 4 - London, South-East & East AngliaJul-242,0002,0002,000Aug-241,0002,000700Sep-242001,000<100Oct-242002,000100500Nov-241,0001,0003001,000Dec-249001,000200800Jan-251,0001,0003001,000Feb-251,0001,000400900Mar-251,0001,0004001,000Apr-251,0001,0004001,000May-251,0002,000400900Jun-252,0002,0005001,000Jul-252,0002,000600800Aug-251,0001,000500700 Please Note All volumes greater than or equal to 1000 have been rounded to the nearest 1000, all volumes less than 1000 have been rounded to the nearest 100.All the above data is derived from contractual management information produced by the assessment suppliers.The above data is derived from unpublished management information which is collected for internal departmental use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics Publication standards.Please note that for the period July- September 2024, Lot 3 and Lot 4 data is combined due to the old contractual reporting structure.
How many face-to-face PIP assessments have taken place since July 2024, broken down by month.
The number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) face-to-face assessments carried out each month from July 2024 to August 2025 can be found in the table below. MonthFace-to-FaceJul-246,000Aug-243,000Sep-241,000Oct-243,000Nov-244,000Dec-243,000Jan-254,000Feb-254,000Mar-254,000Apr-254,000May-254,000Jun-255,000Jul-255,000Aug-254,000 Please Note All volumes have been rounded to the nearest 1000.All the above data is derived from contractual management information produced by the assessment suppliers.The above data is derived from unpublished management information which is collected for internal departmental use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics Publication standards.The dip in September is due to the introduction of the Functional Assessment Service contracts on 9 September 2024. For a brief period, face to face assessments were limited to allow for a smooth transition from the old Health and Disability Assessment Service to the new Health Assessment Advisory Service across the country. The number of PIP face-to-face assessments conducted is not available at a regional level. However, we can provide the information split by Lot. The number of PIP face-to-face assessments carried out by Lot from July 2024 to August 2025 can be found in the table below. Lot 1 - Northern EnglandLot 2 - Midlands & WalesLot 3 - South-WestLot 4 - London, South-East & East AngliaJul-242,0002,0002,000Aug-241,0002,000700Sep-242001,000<100Oct-242002,000100500Nov-241,0001,0003001,000Dec-249001,000200800Jan-251,0001,0003001,000Feb-251,0001,000400900Mar-251,0001,0004001,000Apr-251,0001,0004001,000May-251,0002,000400900Jun-252,0002,0005001,000Jul-252,0002,000600800Aug-251,0001,000500700 Please Note All volumes greater than or equal to 1000 have been rounded to the nearest 1000, all volumes less than 1000 have been rounded to the nearest 100.All the above data is derived from contractual management information produced by the assessment suppliers.The above data is derived from unpublished management information which is collected for internal departmental use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics Publication standards.Please note that for the period July- September 2024, Lot 3 and Lot 4 data is combined due to the old contractual reporting structure.
How many additional staff have been employed to carry out face-to-face PIP assessments since July 2024.
The number of additional health professionals (HPs) employed to conduct face-to-face Personal Independence Payments (PIP) assessments is not held. This is because the data cannot be split to show the HPs recruited to deliver a specific type of assessment and the majority of the suppliers have multi-skilled HPs who deliver across multiple channels.
What estimate he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the number of young people not in education, employment or training.
My department has published a set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This analysis is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
What estimate she has made of the cost of administering Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners with an income of more than £35,000.
The Government announced in June 2025 that the Winter Fuel Payment will be made universal in England and Wales from winter 2025. Subsequently, the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive have confirmed that they will mirror the approach for England and Wales.Individuals who are of State Pension age and have total income over £35,000 will have their Winter Fuel Payment recovered through the tax system. The amount recovered will be equal to the full value of the Winter Fuel Payment.If a pensioner’s total income is above the income threshold, the tax will be automatically recovered through PAYE, or through their Self-Assessment return if they pay tax that way.For the majority of individuals, tax recovery will be made through PAYE automatically, meaning pensioners will not need to take any further action. For those in Self Assessment, HMRC will pre-populate their tax return with the amount of the payment, using data provided by Department for Work and Pensions, or Social Security Scotland for payments made in Scotland. Pensioners do not need to register for Self-Assessment just to declare their Winter Fuel Payment.The Government will publish further details of the operational impacts, including staffing and IT delivery costs of HM Revenue and Customs making these changes in a Tax Information and Impact Note at Budget 2025, alongside draft Finance Bill legislation on the tax recovery of the Winter Fuel Payment.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the labour market in (a) rural and (b) coastal communities.
My department has published a set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This analysis is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
Whether his Department has conducted a sectoral analysis of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on employment levels.
My department has published a set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This analysis is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on levels of regional employment.
My department has published a set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This analysis is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
What steps her Department plans to take to (a) recruit and (b) reallocate staff to deliver the Winter Fuel Payment in 2025-26.
The Government announced in June 2025 that the Winter Fuel Payment will be made universal in England and Wales from winter 2025. Subsequently, the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive have confirmed that they will mirror the approach for England and Wales.Individuals who are of State Pension age and have total income over £35,000 will have their Winter Fuel Payment recovered through the tax system. The amount recovered will be equal to the full value of the Winter Fuel Payment.If a pensioner’s total income is above the income threshold, the tax will be automatically recovered through PAYE, or through their Self-Assessment return if they pay tax that way.For the majority of individuals, tax recovery will be made through PAYE automatically, meaning pensioners will not need to take any further action. For those in Self Assessment, HMRC will pre-populate their tax return with the amount of the payment, using data provided by Department for Work and Pensions, or Social Security Scotland for payments made in Scotland. Pensioners do not need to register for Self-Assessment just to declare their Winter Fuel Payment.The Government will publish further details of the operational impacts, including staffing and IT delivery costs of HM Revenue and Customs making these changes in a Tax Information and Impact Note at Budget 2025, alongside draft Finance Bill legislation on the tax recovery of the Winter Fuel Payment.
How many staff will be required to administer the Winter Fuel Payment in 2025-26.
The Government announced in June 2025 that the Winter Fuel Payment will be made universal in England and Wales from winter 2025. Subsequently, the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive have confirmed that they will mirror the approach for England and Wales.Individuals who are of State Pension age and have total income over £35,000 will have their Winter Fuel Payment recovered through the tax system. The amount recovered will be equal to the full value of the Winter Fuel Payment.If a pensioner’s total income is above the income threshold, the tax will be automatically recovered through PAYE, or through their Self-Assessment return if they pay tax that way.For the majority of individuals, tax recovery will be made through PAYE automatically, meaning pensioners will not need to take any further action. For those in Self Assessment, HMRC will pre-populate their tax return with the amount of the payment, using data provided by Department for Work and Pensions, or Social Security Scotland for payments made in Scotland. Pensioners do not need to register for Self-Assessment just to declare their Winter Fuel Payment.The Government will publish further details of the operational impacts, including staffing and IT delivery costs of HM Revenue and Customs making these changes in a Tax Information and Impact Note at Budget 2025, alongside draft Finance Bill legislation on the tax recovery of the Winter Fuel Payment.
What (a) funding and (b) other resources her Department plans to provide to support the process of recouping the Winter Fuel Payment from pensioners with an income of more than £35,000.
The Government announced in June 2025 that the Winter Fuel Payment will be made universal in England and Wales from winter 2025. Subsequently, the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive have confirmed that they will mirror the approach for England and Wales.Individuals who are of State Pension age and have total income over £35,000 will have their Winter Fuel Payment recovered through the tax system. The amount recovered will be equal to the full value of the Winter Fuel Payment.If a pensioner’s total income is above the income threshold, the tax will be automatically recovered through PAYE, or through their Self-Assessment return if they pay tax that way.For the majority of individuals, tax recovery will be made through PAYE automatically, meaning pensioners will not need to take any further action. For those in Self Assessment, HMRC will pre-populate their tax return with the amount of the payment, using data provided by Department for Work and Pensions, or Social Security Scotland for payments made in Scotland. Pensioners do not need to register for Self-Assessment just to declare their Winter Fuel Payment.The Government will publish further details of the operational impacts, including staffing and IT delivery costs of HM Revenue and Customs making these changes in a Tax Information and Impact Note at Budget 2025, alongside draft Finance Bill legislation on the tax recovery of the Winter Fuel Payment.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the caseload of Jobcentre Plus offices.
My department has published a set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This analysis is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
What discussions her Department has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the potential merits of introducing (a) specific criminal offences and (b) criminal sanctions for using catapults to harm animals.
In view of the ongoing concerns about the misuse of catapults, especially against wildlife, I have written to Dan Zeichner MP, the relevant Minister in DEFRA, who has responsibility for the protection of animals and birds.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to address the use of catapults in causing suffering to (a) pets and (b) wild mammals.
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales. While it does not specifically include catapults in the list of weapons that must not be used to kill wildlife, it is still illegal to deliberately attempt to kill, injure, or harm protected species, whether by using a catapult or any other harm-causing device. There are a range of other offences found in further legislation to protect wildlife from cruelty such as the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996. Where pets and livestock are concerned, it is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to cause an animal any unnecessary suffering. The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 increased the sentences available for the most serious cases of animal cruelty by increasing the maximum penalty for this offence to 5 years’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. The Government takes crimes against animals seriously. While Defra is keeping the law in this area under review, existing powers are already available for the police to tackle the misuse of catapults and there are therefore no current plans for further assessment of the legal (a) sale and (b) possession of catapults.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has any plans to review the regulation of catapults in relation to animal welfare concerns.
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales. While it does not specifically include catapults in the list of weapons that must not be used to kill wildlife, it is still illegal to deliberately attempt to kill, injure, or harm protected species, whether by using a catapult or any other harm-causing device. There are a range of other offences found in further legislation to protect wildlife from cruelty such as the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996. Where pets and livestock are concerned, it is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to cause an animal any unnecessary suffering. The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 increased the sentences available for the most serious cases of animal cruelty by increasing the maximum penalty for this offence to 5 years’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. The Government takes crimes against animals seriously. While Defra is keeping the law in this area under review, existing powers are already available for the police to tackle the misuse of catapults and there are therefore no current plans for further assessment of the legal (a) sale and (b) possession of catapults.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the legal (a) sale and (b) possession of catapults on animal welfare.
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales. While it does not specifically include catapults in the list of weapons that must not be used to kill wildlife, it is still illegal to deliberately attempt to kill, injure, or harm protected species, whether by using a catapult or any other harm-causing device. There are a range of other offences found in further legislation to protect wildlife from cruelty such as the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996. Where pets and livestock are concerned, it is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to cause an animal any unnecessary suffering. The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 increased the sentences available for the most serious cases of animal cruelty by increasing the maximum penalty for this offence to 5 years’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. The Government takes crimes against animals seriously. While Defra is keeping the law in this area under review, existing powers are already available for the police to tackle the misuse of catapults and there are therefore no current plans for further assessment of the legal (a) sale and (b) possession of catapults.