Contributions
635 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDSocial Security Benefits: Claimant DeathsI have only seconds left, I am afraid, so I cannot take an intervention. There is a real commitment from the Department to learn the lessons and to continue to improve the support…24 Feb 2020HANSARDSocial Security Benefits: Claimant DeathsI am conscious that I have not got long to respond to this very important and serious subject. I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth (Debbie Abrahams),…24 Feb 2020HANSARDSocial Security Benefits: Claimant DeathsNo, there is not.24 Feb 2020HANSARDPersonal Independence PaymentI would like to update the House on the Department’s progress in making backdated payments to personal independence payment claimants who are benefiting from the MH and RJ…11 Feb 2020HANSARDDiffuse Mesothelioma Payment SchemeThe Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (Levy) Regulations 2014 require active employers’ liability insurers to pay an annual levy, based on their relative market share, for the…29 Jan 2020HANSARDPeople with Disabilities: AssessmentsWe have made improvements to reduce assessments for work capability and personal independence payments. This includes reducing review frequency for pensioners and people with…27 Jan 2020HANSARDContracted-out Health AssessmentsAs I have set out in previous answers, we are now spending an additional £6 billion through personal independence payments to support some of the most vulnerable people in…27 Jan 2020HANSARDBenefits: Tribunal AwardsThese are the figures for the most recent period for which data is available: DLA 69%; ESA 77%; and PIP 76%.27 Jan 2020HANSARDBenefits: Tribunal AwardsMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is often the case that additional written and oral evidence is presented at the tribunal stage, which is why we have made significant…27 Jan 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe hon. Gentleman flagged up that issue with me earlier. We are investigating urgently, because that should not be the case.27 Jan 2020HANSARDBenefits: Tribunal AwardsI have just set out the answer. The hon. Lady does not need to wait. We actually made significant changes last year to gather that missing additional written and oral evidence…27 Jan 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe proof is in the pudding. Under PIP, 32% of claimants get the highest rate; that figure was only 16% under the legacy benefit. However, we have rightly identified that the…27 Jan 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsWe rightly welcome the fact that we are now providing an additional £6 billion to some of the most vulnerable people in society through the PIP system, but we recognise that more…27 Jan 2020HANSARDBenefits: Administrative ErrorsI can confirm that there is absolutely no target, and on PIP, DLA and attendance allowance combined we are now spending £6 billion more than we did in 2010 and rightly so.27 Jan 2020HANSARDBenefits: Administrative ErrorsThe reality is that under PIP 32% of claimants now receive the highest rate of support compared with just 15% under the legacy system—that is worth £15.05 per week—and there are…27 Jan 2020HANSARDBenefits: Administrative ErrorsLast year, administrative errors in UC fell from 2.3% to 2.1% in respect of wrong payments. We recognise that this is still a relatively new system, and we will continue to work…27 Jan 2020HANSARDBenefits: Administrative ErrorsEach UC or PIP application is judged on its own merit, taking into account the information provided by the claimant, and robust quality assurance processes are in place to reduce…27 Jan 2020HANSARDPeople with Disabilities: AssessmentsMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. As we have seen under PIP, 32% of claimants now access the highest rate of support, compared with just 15% under DLA. It is the hidden…27 Jan 2020HANSARDPeople with Disabilities: AssessmentsThe hon. Lady calls for something to be scrapped while not setting out what the alternative would be. We recognise that when Labour introduced the work capability assessment it…27 Jan 2020HANSARDWork Capability Assessments: Claimant HealthI absolutely agree with the hon. Gentleman, who, as I know from first-hand experience, has raised this issue repeatedly. We are working with stakeholders, charities and claimants…27 Jan 2020