Written questions by Shannon.

What steps she is taking to allow flexible working patterns for those that suffer with (a) autism, (b) ADHD and (c) other behavioural disorders.

ADHD and Autism are neurodevelopmental conditions which are often disabilities considered under the Equality Act 2010. The Equality Act 2010 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 require employers to make reasonable adjustments and to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees. If an employee would be substantially disadvantaged without flexible working patterns on grounds of their disability, they would be entitled to reasonable adjustments. Additionally, the Employment Rights Bill contains measures to make flexible working the default for all employees, except where it is not reasonably feasible. As a government, we want to support all forms of neurodiversity in the workplace, and we are looking to build on the findings of the Buckland Review of Autism Employment by gathering expert advice in line with this expanded focus. Our support to employers includes the online Support with Employee Health and Disability service, to support employers managing health and disability in the workplace. This includes questions of disclosure and equipping employers to feel confident having conversations about health and disability. The Disability Confident scheme also signposts employers to expert resources which support the employment of disabled people, including those with autism and ADHD.We recently announced Keep Britain Working, a major independent review of the employer’s role in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces, led by Sir Charlie Mayfield.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of housing poverty.

Poverty statistics are published on both a before housing costs and after housing costs basis. An assessment can therefore be made on the impact of housing costs on poverty over time. Statistics on the number of individuals living in absolute and relative poverty in the UK are published annually in the “Households Below Average Income” publication at Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab). The latest available data can also be found on Stat-Xplore: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/. The latest statistics published on 21 March 2024 are for the financial period 2022/23.

What steps she is taking to support people claiming (a) Jobseekers Allowance, (b) Employment and Support Allowance and (c) Universal Credit to find employment.

This Government is committed to achieving an 80% employment rate by implementing a locally led system of work, skills and health support for all who are economically inactive by bringing together existing locally delivered employment support into a single, coherent offer that is part of local growth plans. Backed by £240m funding, the Get Britain Working White Paper focuses on building a thriving labour market, reducing economic inactivity, and increasing the number of people in work. Key proposals include:Creating a new jobs and careers service by merging Jobcentre Plus with the National Careers Service in England to support more people into work and help them progress in their careers.Introducing a Youth Guarantee for all 18-21 year olds in England, ensuring they have access to education, training, or help to find work.Developing local Get Britain Working plans to tackle economic inactivity at a local level, led by Mayors and local areas.Launching the Keep Britain Working review, an independent review into the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and promoting healthy and inclusive workplaces.Reforming health and disability benefits to support people who can work to remain in or start employment.

If she will make an estimate of the number of unpaid carers over the State Pension age that have an entitlement to but are not claiming (a) a Carer Addition and (b) Pension Credit.

Estimated numbers of unpaid carers are provided by survey data such as the Family Resources survey. The sample size for unpaid carers over State Pension Age is too small to estimate the number that have an entitlement but are not claiming Carer’s Addition and Pension Credit, and therefore the department does not hold this information.

If she will make an estimate of the number of unpaid carers that were entitled to the (a) Carer Premium and (b) Carer Addition in each year since 2000; and what proportion of those recipients were women.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

How many carers have Carer’s Allowance overpayment debt in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland.

This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society, including pensioners and disabled people. We are determined to provide unpaid carers with the support they need and deserve. From April 2025, the Government is boosting the Carer’s Allowance earnings threshold by £45 a week to £196, benefitting more than 60,000 carers by 2029/30. This is the biggest ever cash increase in the earnings threshold for Carer’s Allowance. Claimants have a responsibility to ensure they are entitled to benefits they claim and to inform the DWP of any changes in their circumstances that could impact their award. We understand that providing care can be a demanding role, which is why we are trialling new ways of communicating with customers to support them in fully understanding their responsibilities to report changes in their circumstances, such as employment, including through a trial of text message reminders. An independent review into the issue of overpayments of Carer’s Allowance in cases where earnings have exceeded the entitlement threshold has begun. The review will investigate how overpayments of Carer’s Allowance related to earnings have occurred, how we can best support those who have accrued them, and how to reduce the risk of these problems occurring in future. Timelines and terms of reference were published on Gov.uk on 9 December for reference. We expect review findings and recommendations to be submitted to the Department in early summer 2025. Liz Sayce OBE, the Independent Reviewer, is keen to hear from interested parties. Where overpayments do occur, the Department has a duty to the taxpayer to protect public funds and to ask for money to be paid back. We remain committed to working with anyone who is struggling with their repayment terms and will always look to negotiate sustainable and affordable repayment plans. Information on the volume of customers with an outstanding Carers Allowance debt and the volume of customers with a Carer’s Allowance overpayment debt as a result of breaching the earnings limit is provided below. This will include people who are no longer receiving Carers Allowance, people who are no longer carers and people who made fraudulent claims and were never entitled to carers allowance. Volume of customers with an outstanding CA debt Volume of Customers with an Outstanding CA Debt with the E-Referral Overpayment Reason of - 'Earnings over CA Limit' English postcode116,87481,503Welsh postcode7,6575,359Scottish postcode13,9229,112Northern-Irish postcode5,4693,375 The data has been sourced from internal DWP management information, which is intended only to help the Department to manage its business. It is not intended for publication and has not been subject to the same quality assurance checks applied to our published official statistics.

How many carers have a Carer’s Allowance overpayment debt as a result of breaching the earnings limit in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland.

This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society, including pensioners and disabled people. We are determined to provide unpaid carers with the support they need and deserve. From April 2025, the Government is boosting the Carer’s Allowance earnings threshold by £45 a week to £196, benefitting more than 60,000 carers by 2029/30. This is the biggest ever cash increase in the earnings threshold for Carer’s Allowance. Claimants have a responsibility to ensure they are entitled to benefits they claim and to inform the DWP of any changes in their circumstances that could impact their award. We understand that providing care can be a demanding role, which is why we are trialling new ways of communicating with customers to support them in fully understanding their responsibilities to report changes in their circumstances, such as employment, including through a trial of text message reminders. An independent review into the issue of overpayments of Carer’s Allowance in cases where earnings have exceeded the entitlement threshold has begun. The review will investigate how overpayments of Carer’s Allowance related to earnings have occurred, how we can best support those who have accrued them, and how to reduce the risk of these problems occurring in future. Timelines and terms of reference were published on Gov.uk on 9 December for reference. We expect review findings and recommendations to be submitted to the Department in early summer 2025. Liz Sayce OBE, the Independent Reviewer, is keen to hear from interested parties. Where overpayments do occur, the Department has a duty to the taxpayer to protect public funds and to ask for money to be paid back. We remain committed to working with anyone who is struggling with their repayment terms and will always look to negotiate sustainable and affordable repayment plans. Information on the volume of customers with an outstanding Carers Allowance debt and the volume of customers with a Carer’s Allowance overpayment debt as a result of breaching the earnings limit is provided below. This will include people who are no longer receiving Carers Allowance, people who are no longer carers and people who made fraudulent claims and were never entitled to carers allowance. Volume of customers with an outstanding CA debt Volume of Customers with an Outstanding CA Debt with the E-Referral Overpayment Reason of - 'Earnings over CA Limit' English postcode116,87481,503Welsh postcode7,6575,359Scottish postcode13,9229,112Northern-Irish postcode5,4693,375 The data has been sourced from internal DWP management information, which is intended only to help the Department to manage its business. It is not intended for publication and has not been subject to the same quality assurance checks applied to our published official statistics.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of simplifying the application process for unpaid carers claiming Pension Credit.

The Government appreciates the vital contribution made by carers every day in providing significant care and continuity of support to family and friends. We recognise the challenges they face and we are determined to provide unpaid carers with the help and support they need and deserve. Pensioners who are entitled to Carer's Allowance – or in Scotland, Carer Support Payment – can also qualify for the additional amount for carers in their Pension Credit award in recognition of their caring responsibilities. The overlapping benefit rules generally mean that Carer’s Allowance at the full rate cannot normally be paid with the State Pension. However, where Carer’s Allowance cannot be paid or is not paid in full, the person will keep underlying entitlement to the benefit, which still gives access to the additional amount for carers in Pension Credit of £45.60 a week. Unpaid carers go through the same claim process as any other claimant for Pension Credit. However, where they haven’t already claimed Carer’s Allowance, there is a requirement for them to make a claim for it. This is because it is a legal requirement for entitlement to Carer’s Allowance to be established before the additional amount for carers can form part of the Pension Credit award.

What steps she is taking to encourage people on long-term sickness back to work.

Backed by £240m investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched on 26 November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. We are committed to reforming the system of health and disability benefits so that it promotes and enables employment among as many people as possible. The system must also support disabled people to live independently. It is also vital to ensure that the system is financially sustainable in the long term. We are working to develop proposals for reform in the months ahead and will set them out in a Green Paper ahead of the Spring Statement later this year.Appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live.Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. 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.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 and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care.Employers play a key role in increasing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, to thrive as part of the workforce. Our support to employers includes increasing access to Occupational Health, a digital information service for employers and the Disability Confident scheme.

What assessment has been made of the adequacy of the uptake of Universal Credit in under 21s in the last 12 months.

Monthly statistics for the number of Starts to Universal Credit in Great Britain by age, are published quarterly on Stat-Xplore, and are currently available to October 2024, with statistics to January 2025 due to be published on Tuesday 18th February 2025. Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract the information required. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide. The Department’s Youth Offer provides individually tailored Work Coach support to young people aged 16 to 24 who are claiming Universal Credit. This support includes the Youth Employment Programme, Youth Employability Coaches for young people with additional barriers to finding work, and Youth Hubs across Great Britain.

Whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of the financial compensation available to those that have been exposed to asbestos in the workplace.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) provides specific support for people with asbestos-related conditions via a range of schemes. Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) provides non-contributory, “no-fault” benefit for disablement because of an accident at work, or because of one of over 70 prescribed diseases known to be a risk from certain jobs. IIDB is a weekly award that can be worth up to £11,500* per year and has been consistently uprated in line with inflation. The department also provides one-off lump-sum compensation payments under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979 (the ‘1979 Act scheme’) to individuals who suffer from one of the dust-related diseases covered by the scheme, subject to the wider eligibility criteria being satisfied. This scheme is designed to cover people who are unable to claim damages from any relevant employers because they have gone out of business. Asbestos-related diseases covered by IIDB and the 1979 Act scheme include pneumoconiosis (including asbestosis), diffuse mesothelioma, unilateral or bilateral diffuse pleural thickening and asbestos-related primary carcinoma of the lung. Subject to Parliamentary approval, both IIDB and the 1979 Act scheme are due to be uprated by 1.7 per cent from April this year. In addition to these schemes someone suffering from long-term disabling affects due to an asbestos-related condition may be eligible for further financial support via Personal Independence Payment, or through Universal Credit and New Style Employment and Support Allowance for those with a health condition that limits their ability to work. Those who have been exposed to asbestos in the workplace may pursue a civil compensation claim against an employer. Where their employer no longer exists or their employer’s insurer cannot be traced, individuals diagnosed with diffuse mesothelioma may also be eligible for an award under the 2014 Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme if there is evidence that their exposure was due to employer negligence. *Figure rounded to the nearest hundred.

What steps she is taking to make workplaces more accessible for disabled people.

We are committed to boosting opportunity and championing the rights of disabled people. We will work closely with disabled people and their representative organisations to ensure that their needs and voices are at the heart of everything we do. Employers play a key role in increasing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, to thrive as part of the workforce. Under the Equality Act 2010, there is a duty on employers to, on request, make reasonable adjustments for both job applicants and employees who meet the Act's definition of disability. Our support to employers includes increasing access to Occupational Health, a digital information service for employers and the Disability Confident scheme. The Disability Confident scheme encourages employers to create disability inclusive workplaces and to support disabled people to get work and get on in work. Employers participating in the scheme must agree to several commitments, many of which relate to making the workplace more accessible. These include ensuring the recruitment process is inclusive and accessible, communicating and promoting vacancies through accessible channels, and anticipating and providing reasonable adjustments as required. Disability Confident is a voluntary scheme, developed by disabled people, employers and disability organisations representing disabled people. I plan to consider ways to make the scheme criteria and requirements more robust. Disabled People can also access support through the Access to Work Scheme. The Access to Work Scheme provides grant funding to disabled people, as well as those with a health condition. The grant supports workplace adjustments that go beyond what would normally be expected from an employer through their duty to provide reasonable adjustments as outlined in the Equality Act 2010. The grant provides personalised support and workplace assessments, travel to work, support workers, and specialist aids and equipment. The Scheme also includes the Mental Health Support Service (MHSS) which provides up to nine months of non-clinical support for people who need additional help with their wellbeing while in employment. In 23/24 the Access to Work Scheme supported 67,000 people with a workplace adjustment to move into or stay in work. The Equality (Race and Disability) Bill will enshrine in law the full right to equal pay for disabled people, including disability pay gap reporting for large employers. We will support disabled people to access flexible working, breaking down barriers to opportunity. This work will be relevant to all those who meet the definition of disability set out in the Equality Act 2010, and we will be engaging with a range of stakeholders to understand their lived experiences. In addition to existing support, as part of the Get Britain Working plans set out in the recent white paper, the Government has launched Keep Britain Working, an independent review into the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces, led by the former Chair of John Lewis, Sir Charlie Mayfield.

What steps she is taking to support newly recognised refugees into employment in the agricultural sector.

DWP provides a wide range of support in Great Britain to help refugees into work. Employment support in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter. DWP Support for refugees includes access to Restart, Sector Based Work Academies, work experience and help with English language skills where appropriate. We also work with national employers, trade associations and partners across a wide range of labour market sectors, including those from the agricultural sector, encouraging local Jobcentre link ups and the use of Find a Job to support people into work. To support agricultural recruitment specifically, DWP is working with Defra and key Trade Associations to develop and deliver their long-term strategy designed to build and develop a skilled workforce for both seasonal and long-term roles in the agriculture sector.

What steps her Department is taking to encourage people with physical illnesses to work from home.

Backed by £240m investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched on 26 November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. As part of the Get Britain Working plans the Government is launching Keep Britain Working, an independent review into the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. Appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. We want people to avoid poverty, and for this to happen we must ensure that disabled people and people with health conditions have the opportunity to work and save for as long as they wish and are able to. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. Through the Employment Rights Bill we are taking steps to improve the Right to Request Flexible Working so that an application is only refused if it is not reasonably feasible. Flexible working can include home working. Employers play a key role in increasing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, to thrive as part of the workforce. Our support to employers includes increasing access to Occupational Health, and the Disability Confident scheme. We also 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. 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 and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care.

What estimate she has made of how many people have been absent from work because of long term sickness over the last six months.

The latest available data for long-term sickness absence covers the period from July 2023 to June 2024. In July 2023 to June 2024, 1.55 million people in the UK had been absent from work because of long-term sickness. This statistic can be found in the employment of disabled people 2024 table SAB001.

If she will take steps to make the application process for Universal Credit more accessible for people (a) who are not able to go online and (b) with learning difficulties.

DWP provides alternative channels to make a claim to UC for those who are unable to use the digital channel, this includes telephone or Jobcentre attendance. A home visit may also be considered if additional support is required. A range of support is available to support customers asked to move to UC. This includes information on gov.uk and support from the Help to Claim service provided by Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland. Help to Claim offers independent support to customers making a claim to UC, right up until their first full correct payment. Those individuals who are unable to access support via these channels, can go to their local jobcentre where staff will identify the right support to meet their needs to make and/or manage their Universal Credit claim.

When the most recent review of the frozen pensions policy was.

There has been no recent review of the policy. The policy on the uprating of UK State Pensions paid overseas is a longstanding one of successive Governments, which has been in place for over 70 years. UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating. Up-rating is based on levels of earnings growth and price inflation in the UK which has no direct relevance where the pensioner is resident overseas. Over many years, priority is given to those living in the United Kingdom when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that people who emigrate to (a) Canada and (b) Australia are aware that their state pensions will be frozen.

For a number of years, advice has been provided to the public that the UK State Pension is not uprated overseas except where there is a legal requirement to do so - for example where there is a reciprocal agreement that allows for uprating. Information on moving or retiring abroad is available on GOV.UK and this includes advice on how State pension is affected. Advice can also be obtained by calling the International Pension Centre on 0191 218 777 or from the Pension Service on 0800 731 7898

With reference to the Gingerbread report entitled Fix the Child Maintenance Service, published on 25 November 2024, what assessment she has made of the impact of non-receipt of child maintenance on child poverty levels.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to encouraging parents to meet their responsibilities to provide their children with the financial support they need to get a good start in life. Child Maintenance payments from both CMS and family-based arrangements keep 160,000 children out of poverty each year. The CMS has a low percentage of unpaid maintenance. 8% of the total maintenance due to be paid since the CMS began remains to be collected.The CMS has recently consulted on significant reforms and responses are being analysed. Proposals included removing the Direct Pay service and managing all CMS cases in one service to allow the CMS to tackle non-compliance faster. The Government will publish a response in due course.The CMS continues to engage regularly with stakeholders, including Gingerbread, as we consider reform.

What steps her Department is taking to (a) identify and (b) address barriers to separated families setting up maintenance arrangements through the Child Maintenance Service.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) supports separated parents to work together in the interests of their children and to set up a child maintenance arrangement that is right for them.Get Help Arranging Child Maintenance is an online service that provides free information and support to help parents make decisions about CM and make a CMS application if they choose to.Applications to the CMS have been increasing. In the 12 months to September 2024, there has been a 13% increase in applications compared to the previous 12 months.Legislation to remove the £20 application fee was introduced in February 2024, removing a financial barrier to parents wishing to access the CMS.A consultation on proposed reforms to the CMS was published by the previous Government on 8 May 2024. This included removing Direct Pay and managing all CMS cases in one service to allow the CMS to tackle non-compliance faster and explore how victims and survivors of domestic abuse can be better supported.The consultation also sought views on how we can ensure parents can access resources and support to help separated families agree on child support arrangements.The consultation was extended by the Government at the end of July and ran until 30th September 2024.We are analysing the responses we have received, and the Government will publish a response in due course.