Richard Holden: ...those of my hon. Friend the Member for Bishop Auckland (Dehenna Davison), my right hon. Friend the Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Anne-Marie Trevelyan), my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Guy Opperman), and Members in Cumbria and North Yorkshire—remain without electricity. This morning we were informed by Northern Powergrid that the damage is more extensive than initially realised,...
Guy Opperman: It is a privilege and an honour to address the House on behalf of the Government, and to set out our position on this small but very important Bill. Let me first congratulate the hon. Member for Rutherglen and Hamilton West (Margaret Ferrier) on her success in the ballot, because without the ballot she could not have presented any piece of legislation. It is important for people to...
Guy Opperman: ...financially during the Pandemic. For those who cannot work, the benefit system continues to provide a strong safety net. Support is available to those who are unable to work or are on a low income but are not eligible to pensioner benefits because of their age. For those who have reached their State Pension age, Pension Credit also provides invaluable financial support for the most...
Rob Roberts: On a different but related subject, in this place and in the main Chamber, the Pensions Minister, our hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Guy Opperman), has talked about how he is working with the BBC and other broadcasters to do some kind of nationwide campaign to raise awareness of pension credit. Is that something the Department of Health and Social Care could work on for this subject?
Guy Opperman: ...at least in line with earnings. The triple lock will, I confirm, be applied in the usual way for the rest of the Parliament. I would point out to the House that last year, earnings fell by 1% but we still legislated to allow state pensions to be increased by 2.5%. As a result of the triple lock, as I say, the full yearly basic state pension is £875 more than if it had been uprated solely...
Guy Opperman: ...have experienced delays in receiving their initial payments. This has been caused by a number of different factors, which individually would have been successfully managed by the organisation, but collectively, and with the added difficulties presented by the pandemic, created the delays that some customers have experienced. For example, we saw an unanticipated change in customer behaviour...
Guy Opperman: ...is committed to providing a financial safety net for those who need it, including when they near or reach retirement. Support is available to those who are unable to work or are on a low income but are not eligible to pensioner benefits because of their age.
Guy Opperman: ...the situation is that the pandemic has caused delays to state pensions, with issues relating to illness, self-isolation, caring, training, location, staffing, equipment, recruiting. I could go on, but these matters are being addressed.
Guy Opperman: ...set up to address this matter, and with the Local Government Association and energy companies. We have put great efforts into increasing the stats. The stats on valuation and take-up are going up, but clearly more needs to be done, and I welcome his efforts in Kettering and beyond.
Deidre Brock: My constituent contacted the Department for Work and Pensions several times after her universal credit stopped at the end of July because she had reached state pension age, but she received no response. Three months later, I wrote to the DWP on the matter and received a letter on the same day, admitting the error, immediately depositing the outstanding amount and beginning the pension...
Neil Coyle: ...meant I couldn’t open a bank account.” It can be problematic to open a bank account within 28 days and, as the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the hon. Member for Hexham (Guy Opperman), confirmed in June, it can take weeks to access a national insurance number. The average wait for a new national insurance number is 10 to 12 weeks, not the 28 days found in measures for...
Guy Opperman: ...(GI2 – HMI) Serco, G4S PIP New Claims & PIP New Claims Reassessment lines were combined for reporting purposes from April 21. The telephony system does not use the term “waiting time” but instead provides data on the average speed that the call is answered. Average Speed of Answer is the average customer wait time from the point of entering a queue to connection to an agent....
Guy Opperman: ...is shown as a percentage for each month. Debt Management aims to achieve 90% of calls answered. In the table below there are two months where the percentage fell below 90% (March and September) but for both of these months the number of calls received was higher so placing extra demands on the system. January February March April May June July August September Personal...
Lord Tunnicliffe: ...surrounding the Bill raise important questions such as those asked by my noble friends Lord Davies of Brixton and Lord Sikka. I particularly thank the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, for her contribution and for setting out how the senior management regime, in respect of which so much was promised, has failed succeed. I will not provide another account of the events leading up to the...
Kevin Hollinrake: ...this compensation scheme in the first place. It is a pity that the Minister responsible—my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary—is not on duty today, because he deserves personal credit for that, but the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Guy Opperman) is an excellent stand-in. Warren Buffett once said that what we learn from history is...
Guy Opperman: ...HMI) Serco, Capita, G4S Average Speed of Answer is the average customer wait time from the point of entering a queue to connection to an agent. The data supplied does not include Debt lines but includes outsourced lines and CMS calls from April 2020 onwards. The data supplied is derived from unpublished management information which was collected for internal Departmental use only...
Guy Opperman: ..., the vaccine roll-out is key. I was delighted to have my third jab this morning, and I would urge all colleagues to make the case for the vaccine roll-out, which is important for everyone but particularly for those with protected characteristics and those of us who are in the 1% who were shielded throughout the pandemic.
Aaron Bell: It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Coventry North East (Colleen Fletcher). It is also a pleasure to contribute to the debate in which my hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Jill Mortimer) made her maiden speech. When I went up to campaign for her in Hartlepool, I was struck by the reception that we had on the doorsteps and the faith that the people of Hartlepool put in her....
Guy Opperman: In the legacy system, those in work but on low income received support via the Tax Credit system. There was no help in Tax Credits towards mortgage interest payments and that principle was carried forward into Universal Credit. Those with earned income will all benefit from the earnings taper and may also benefit from the work allowances. his means that they are in a better position to meet...
Guy Opperman: In the legacy system, those in work but on low income received support via the Tax Credit system. There was no help in Tax Credits towards mortgage interest payments and that principle was carried forward into Universal Credit. Those with earned income will all benefit from the earnings taper and may also benefit from the work allowances. his means that they are in a better position to meet...
