Contributions
233 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDWorking People’s Income: Universal CreditThat is such a relevant question from my hon. Friend. The key difference between the legacy system and the universal credit system is that work coaches provide such a tailored,…13 May 2019HANSARDWorking People’s Income: Universal CreditIt is good to hear from my hon. Friend quite how enterprising his county is. I reassure him that work coaches provide additional support to allow those who want to become…13 May 2019HANSARDWelfare SanctionsConditionality and sanctions are an important part of the welfare system, motivating claimants to engage with the support on offer to look for work while ensuring the system is…09 May 2019HANSARDPensions Dashboards ConsultationLater today I will publish the Government’s response to the consultation on the pensions dashboard CP75. Pensions dashboards will revolutionise retirement planning. They will…04 Apr 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsThe hon. Lady is right—we are looking at the factors to do with food banks. I want to take a very open approach to finding out what is going on and what the drivers are, because…28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsI thank my hon. Friend for so succinctly summing up the good news for us. I would add that income inequality has also fallen.28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsIt is because I have acknowledged that these figures are disappointing and because I want to address this that I have come here to set out what we are doing, what we have already…28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsWe have still lifted 400,000 people out of absolute poverty since 2010, but I acknowledge that there is more to do. Over the past two Budgets, the Chancellor has put in…28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsThe right hon. Gentleman has raised that with me before. I am always looking at ways to improve the way we deliver universal credit. I have said that I will look at that, and I…28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsThe hon. Gentleman can call it a loan; I can call it an advance. The fact is that it is a way of getting money that will be paid to the claimant to them in advance of the date…28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsI know that the hon. Lady is quite an expert in this area. My colleague the Pensions Minister met StepChange this week. We are committed to ensuring that sufficient advice is…28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsThat is a very good question. As the hon. Gentleman said, we have raised the personal allowance, which has been very successful, but I would like us to do more to help people move…28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsI will be making an Oral Statement on this subject later today. [HCWS1461]28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsBecause of the triple lock, we have protected pensioners’ income. Over the past three decades, pensioner poverty has halved. They are most respected by the Government and we know…28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsI recognise that for single parents it can be hard to manage on funds, and to manage childcare and being able to access work. That is why I am pleased that one of the things that…28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsMy hon. Friend is right. Next week the national minimum wage will go up to £8.21, which is the highest it has ever been. Furthermore, the level at which people start to pay tax is…28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsThe hon. Lady has focused on an important driver of these statistics: the surprising rise of inflation. In the year in question, inflation was 2.8% when it was not expected to be.…28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsAs the hon. Lady will be aware, we have now seen a plateauing in the number of homeless people. We have a successful homelessness reduction strategy. I acknowledge that the number…28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsThe best way for poverty to be solved for families is for parents to be able to access full-time work. I know that the hon. Lady is referring to the fact that some of the people…28 Mar 2019HANSARDHouseholds Below Average Income StatisticsI would hope that personalised attainment support from work coaches will help provide what the right hon. Gentleman is looking for. Furthermore, the pupil premium in schools…28 Mar 2019