Clause 47 - Work-focused interviews for partners
Employment
5:00 pm
Mr Norman Lamb (North Norfolk, Liberal Democrat)
I want to voice some concerns and put some questions to the Minister about the clause's impact. There has been concern about its impact on carers who are the partners of disabled people. Those concerns might be allayed by the way in which the regulations are framed.
I note that new section 2AA(6) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 provides for exemptions from the requirement to attend a work-focused interview. The concern is that to require a person who is the partner of a disabled person and their full-time carer to attend a work-focused interview as a condition for benefit to be paid at the higher rate would undermine the legitimacy of what they do, which is care full time for their partner. Furthermore, a partner may have learning difficulties and may not
understand the request for the interview, or he or she may be unable to attend because of illness. Will such people be protected by the way in which the regulations are framed?
The explanatory notes state on page 32:
''There is no intention to set out in regulations the categories of people for whom this would be appropriate.''
In other words, regulations will not identify those people who will not be required to attend a work-focused interview. The notes continue:
''Such decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, depending on the circumstances of the individual.''
I do not know whether internal guidance to staff who will have to make such decisions will give the necessary information to protect people, particularly full-time carers who may feel that their role is undermined by the requirement to attend the interview. I understand that, provided the interview is framed correctly, it could benefit even the categories of person that I have described, enabling them to discuss the benefits to which they could be entitled. They may be given guidance on how to improve their position if work, in itself, is not appropriate.