Baroness Stedman-Scott: There is a statutory duty to review the levels of the cap at least once in every five years and this will happen at the appropriate time. The current unusual economic period with potentially counter intuitive and shifting trends will need to be considered in the context of any decision regarding a review. The benefit cap provides a strong work incentive and fairness for hard-working...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: We do not currently hold this information. We have deliberately kept the rules for these payments as simple as possible. This is the only way we can ensure that we can develop the systems and processes required to make these payments. Unfortunately, it is not possible to distinguish between those that have had a permanent increase to their earnings, and those whose earnings are temporarily...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: We are currently considering the results from the research, and should we decide to publish any findings, we will of course ensure that they are made available to both Houses.
Baroness Stedman-Scott: I refer the Noble Lord to my previous answer to question HL1125 of 4 July 2022.
Baroness Stedman-Scott: In December 2020 the Minister for Women and Equalities set out a new approach to tackling inequality, including in relation to gender. This involves moving beyond the previous roadmap and narrow focus of protected characteristics; and reflects the new expanded remit of the Equality Hub. Since then, the Hub has been concentrating on improving the quality of evidence and data about disparities...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: DWP staff provide benefit and employment support across Great Britain through our national network of Jobcentres, who work in partnership with a variety of organisations that offer local budgeting and debt advice support. The Government is keen to ensure that everyone accesses the benefits they are entitled to, which is why we have just launched an eligibility checker that can be found on the...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: Workplace temperature is one of the potential hazards that employers should address to meet their legal obligations under health and safety law. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 place a legal obligation on employers to provide a ‘reasonable’ temperature in indoor workplaces. Detailed guidance for employers on workplace temperature and thermal comfort is...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: There are no plans at this time to abolish the two-child cap on claims for universal credit and child tax credit. Statistics on the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children are published every year. The latest stats for April 2022 were published on July 14. These can be found on the GOV.UK website.
Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Department has not made an assessment. However, DWP takes every care to recover benefit debt without causing undue financial hardship. To that end we have lowered the standard cap on deductions from Universal Credit twice over recent years, firstly from 40% to 30% in October 2019 and then to 25% in April 2021. We also ensure that any deductions are taken in priority order, which...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: The latest published statistics show that in 2021/22, Universal Credit Official Error overpayments were at their lowest recorded level of 0.7%, having fallen for the 3rd year in a row. Where overpayments do occur, Section 105 of The Welfare Reform Act 2012 states that any overpayment of Universal Credit, new style JSA or ESA in excess of entitlement, is recoverable. The Department therefore...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: No assessment has been made. However, the vast majority of people receiving Housing Benefit will be in receipt of another qualifying benefit for the Cost-of-Living Payment. To support people who need additional help, the Government is providing an extra £500 million of local support. In England this will be via the Household Support Fund, which will be extended from this October to March...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Department was allocated specific funding for Armed Forces Champions work in the then Chancellor’s 2019 Spending Round, to be used in 2020/21. The Department’s main priority during the pandemic was to focus on processing claims and paying people quickly, while supporting all those using Jobcentre Plus services. As a result, the planned restructuring of the Armed Forces Champions...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: Most veterans make a very successful transition back to civilian life. 83 percent of those supported by the Career Transition Partnership gain employment within 6 months of discharge – higher than the employment rate of the wider population. This success will mostly be down to the efforts of the individuals concerned. But support from the Career Transition Partnership and DWP Work Coaches...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: When the review was undertaken once in each Parliament this created potential uncertainty, given the possibility of an early election. This was dealt with by a specific reference to the Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011. The repeal of that Act meant that there would be no certainty as to the time period in which the duty had to be complied with and therefore, a significant risk of...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: We have achieved our Way to Work target of moving 500,000 claimants into work by the end of June. The Department is looking at how it might be able to evaluate different aspects of the campaign. The analysis is in ongoing development and the advice from SSAC will be considered.
Baroness Stedman-Scott: The removal of the spare room subsidy is an important tool to make better use of the existing social housing stock, enable mobility within the social rented sector and contain growing housing support expenditure. It also aligns the size criteria rules used in the private rented sector in the social sector. The policy allows for the provision of an additional bedroom to support disabled people...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: There is growing evidence to show that when salary information is not transparent, it has an impact on how people, particularly women and those from ethnic minorities, negotiate pay. This can ultimately result in lower starting salaries and smaller pay rises. On International Women’s Day this year, we called on all employers to provide salary information in all of their job adverts, and to...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: As a country with a proud history on LGBT equality, and with one of the world’s most comprehensive and robust legislative frameworks, the UK Government continues to be a leading funder of work to protect LGBT rights. The Government has provided over £6 million in funding to prevent and respond to bullying in schools, including LGBT-related bullying, of which £1 million was announced this...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: No such assessment has been undertaken. UC recipients in work now benefit from a reduction in the UC taper rate from 63% to 55%, and for those eligible customers an increase in the work allowance by £500 per year meaning that working households will be able to keep more of what they earn and strengthening incentives to move into and progress in work. The National Living Wage has risen...
Baroness Stedman-Scott: The UK Government committed to provide £1.3bn over the SR21 period for employment support for disabled people and people with health conditions in the Levelling-Up White Paper. This includes commitments set out in joint DWP-DHSC consultation response “Health is Everyone’s Business” (HiEB). We are working with stakeholders including the Medical Research Council, Economic and Social...