Written questions by Shannon.

How many claimants are awaiting reassessment for Personal Independence Payment.

Awaiting answer.

How many households receiving Universal Credit are subject to deductions for advance repayments and other debts.

Awaiting answer.

What the projected cost is of maintaining the state pension triple lock over the next five years.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of employment support programmes delivered through Jobcentre Plus.

Awaiting answer.

What the average waiting time is for an assessment for Personal Independence Payment.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to increase uptake of Pension Credit among eligible households.

Awaiting answer.

What the average processing time is for new claims for Universal Credit.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of payment levels under Universal Credit in meeting essential living costs.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of decision-making in cases involving Autism Spectrum Disorder in disability benefit assessments.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of households affected by the benefit cap.

Awaiting answer.

What the claimant count is for people receiving unemployment-related benefits.

Awaiting answer.

How many sanctions were applied to benefit claimants in the most recent reporting period.

Awaiting answer.

How many people aged 16-24 are claiming the Universal Credit health element while in full-time non-advanced education.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 20 April 2026 to Question 125932.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of restricting young people’s eligibility for the Universal Credit health element on a) poverty and b) employment.

We have launched The Young People and Work Report to investigate the persistently high numbers of young people out of work, education and training, with a holistic view of the welfare, health, skills and employment system. Led by former Health Secretary Alan Milburn, it will also identify areas for reform. The report will examine why increasing numbers of young people are falling out of work or education before their careers have begun. The Author will produce an interim Report this May, with a full and final report in September To ensure we can take a decision in the round we are awaiting the Young People and Work Reports conclusions before making any decisions on whether to delay access to Universal Credit Health Element to 22. The Universal Credit Act 2025, which came into force on 6 April 2026, delivered the first sustained, above inflation rise in the basic rate of UC since it was introduced. This means a little under four million households will benefit overall from government’s decision to increase the UC standard allowance, estimated to be worth around £760 annually in cash terms for a single parent aged 25 (£250 above inflation) or over £1195 (£400 above inflation) for a couple where one is aged 25 or over with children by 2029/30. A little under 4 million households will benefit from the sustained, above-inflation increase to the UC standard allowance - worth around £295 in 2026/27, in cash terms around £110 above inflation, for a single person aged 25 or over and around £760, around £250 above inflation, by the end of the decade. For couples, where one member is aged 25 or over, it will increase by around an additional £465 this year, around £180 more than if up-rated by inflation alone. Claimants who declared a health condition or disability before 6 April 2026 and are subsequently found to have Limited Capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA), receive the higher rate - £429.80 per month. This applies even if the decision on their LCWRA entitlement was made on or after 6 April 2026. In our Pathways to Work Green Paper we set out our Pathways to Work offer, backed by £1 billion a year of new funding by the end of the decade. Our Pathways to Work support offer will ensure a coherent and navigable offer of support, building on and bringing together initiatives such as Connect to Work, WorkWell and local Trailblazers. Since July 2025, there have been around 1000 (full-time equivalent) Pathways to Work Advisors in place in Jobcentres across England, Scotland and Wales helping disabled people and people with health conditions towards and into work. This increased deployment will help ensure that everyone impacted by the recent changes to the Universal Credit Health Element is offered support. People affected by the changes, including young people, will be able to access a conversation about their needs, goals and aspirations; offered one-to-one follow-on support, and given voluntary help to access additional work, health and skills support that can meet their needs.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing the Universal Credit health element from young people on their ability to a) meet essential costs and b) participate in employment support programmes.

We have launched The Young People and Work Report to investigate the persistently high numbers of young people out of work, education and training, with a holistic view of the welfare, health, skills and employment system. Led by former Health Secretary Alan Milburn, it will also identify areas for reform. The report will examine why increasing numbers of young people are falling out of work or education before their careers have begun. The Author will produce an interim Report this May, with a full and final report in September To ensure we can take a decision in the round we are awaiting the Young People and Work Reports conclusions before making any decisions on whether to delay access to Universal Credit Health Element to 22.

What steps he is taking to prevent pensioner poverty.

The Government is committed to supporting pensioners, ensuring they have financial security and dignity in retirement. From 6 April, both the basic and new State Pensions will increase by 4.8%, benefitting over 12 million pensioners by up to £575. Our commitment to maintain the Triple Lock throughout this Parliament – helping to raise the value of the State Pension over time – will see pensioners’ yearly incomes rising by up to £2,100. Pension Credit continues to provide a vital financial safety net by guaranteeing a minimum level of income – called the Standard Minimum Guarantee – which will also increase by 4.8% from 6 April, protecting pensioners on the lowest incomes. Crucially, receipt of Pension Credit also opens the door to a whole range of additional support, which is why maximising Pension Credit take-up is a key departmental priority. We have been running the biggest campaign to date encouraging pensioners and their families to check their eligibility and to apply. Housing Benefit continues to support pensioners who rent, and pensioner homeowners on income-related benefits, including Pension Credit, may receive Support for Mortgage Interest to help with interest on eligible secured loans. And around nine million pensioners in England and Wales will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment from Winter 2025/26. From April, the new Crisis and Resilience Fund will provide a long-term mechanism for local authorities to support vulnerable households at risk of hardship. The Fund will provide a safety net for people on low incomes who face financial crisis, including unforeseen increases in essential costs, and need immediate support. We have also revived the Pensions Commission, which will make recommendations to government on a future pensions framework that is strong, fair and sustainable - one that delivers financial security in retirement and supports those approaching retirement. The Pensions Commission is expected to publish an interim report this Spring.

What assistance his Department provides to families affected by long-term illness.

There is a wide range of support available through the benefits system for families who have a member affected by a long-term illness. Universal Credit can provide financial help for eligible households including additional support in respect of health conditions or caring responsibilities, depending on their circumstances. Additionally Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is designed to help people aged 16 to state pension age with the extra costs arising from a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability. It is intended to support individuals in leading full, active, and independent lives.

How universal credit payments are being managed to ensure timely support.

The latest monthly statistics on payment timeliness are available in the Households on Universal Credit section of the official quarterly Universal Credit Statistics published on 17 February 2026, with more detailed statistics available in tables 5 and 6 of the Households on Universal Credit dataset on Stat-Xplore. Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract information. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.

What the component costs are to facilitate a social security appeal hearing.

The information is not centrally recorded and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.

What steps he is taking to improve levels of employment for people with disabilities.

Good work is good for health, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched in November 2024 is driving forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity. The Northern Ireland Executive received consequential funding in the usual way. Disabled people and people with health conditions can face a wide range of unique, yet intersecting barriers, relating to not just their health, but their employment and circumstance (Work aspirations and support needs of health and disability customers: Final findings report - GOV.UK). We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Existing measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care and WorkWell. We are also rolling out Connect to Work, our supported employment programme for anyone who is disabled, and has a health condition or is experiencing more complex barriers to work. We set out our plan for the Pathways to Work Guarantee in our Pathways to Work Green Paper and we are building towards our guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for disabled people and those with health conditions on out of work benefits. The guarantee is backed by £1 billion a year of new, additional funding by the end of the decade. We anticipate the guarantee, once fully rolled out, will include: a support conversation to identify next steps, one-to-one caseworker support, periodic engagement, and an offer of specialist long-term work health and skills support. The 10 Year Health Plan, published in July, builds on existing work to better integrate health with employment support and incentivise greater cross-system collaboration, recognising good work is good for health. The Plan states our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. It outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work. In Northern Ireland, health, skills, careers and employment support are transferred matters. My officials work closely with those in the Northern Ireland Executive, sharing best practice on providing employment support to disabled people.