Written questions by Baker.

What steps are being taken to consider the impact of autistic burnout when shaping policies on disability employment, to ensure autistic people achieve positive outcomes and receive appropriate support.

In January 2025, DWP launched an independent panel of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity to advise us on boosting neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. The panel considered the reasons why neurodivergent people (including autistic people) have poor experiences in the workplace, and a low overall employment rate. This included reflections on the challenges autistic people face. We will consider its findings alongside the work of the Keep Britain Working Review, which has now entered its Vanguards Phase to test new employer-led approaches to improving support for individuals to stay in work. Employers already have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments, including workplace flexibilities, where a disabled person or person with a long-term health condition would otherwise be put at a substantial disadvantage. This includes chronic and fluctuating health conditions and disabilities. DWP provides tailored guidance through its Support with Employee Health and Disability online service and the Disability Confident Scheme encourages employers to create disability inclusive workplaces including guidance on flexible working. DWP policies also help neurodivergent people into work. Our new supported employment programme - Connect to Work - provides a dedicated specialist employment support adviser who works alongside participants to understand their career goals and help them to address any specific barriers to employment. Connect to Work has a specialist pathway that is dedicated to supporting those with particularly complex barriers. We are also training DWP staff to better understand the needs of autistic people. In September 2023, DWP’s Learning Delivery and Design Team introduced autism learning for all of our Jobcentre staff, including Disability Employment Advisors and Work Coaches.

What steps she is taking to provide financial support to people on lower incomes in Aldershot constituency.

We are committed to tackling poverty. We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty so this will be the foundation of our approach. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launche...

What recent assessment she has made of trends in the number of young people not in education, employment or training.

The Office for National Statistics estimate that nearly 1 in 8 young people are not in education, employment or training. This is 872,000 young people, a number which has risen by 74,000 over the last year.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of people eligible for but not claiming Pension Credit in Aldershot constituency.

Information relating to Pension Credit eligibility is only available via take-up statistics. The latest available Pension Credit take-up statistics for Great Britain cover the financial year 2021 to 2022 and are available at: Income-related benefits: esti...

What steps her Department is taking to support people with learning difficulties who are seeking paid employment in Aldershot constituency.

We believe learning disabled and neurodiverse people should have an equal opportunity to work. In our plan to make work pay, we committed to raising awareness of neurodiversity in the workplace. In Aldershot, we have a dedicated Disability Employment Advi...

What assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of long-term youth unemployment in (a) Aldershot constituency and (b) Hampshire; and what (i) financial and (ii) other steps she is taking

There are 100,000 people aged 16-24 who have been unemployed for over 12 months, 16.8% of all 16-24s who are unemployed.The sample sizes from survey data for Aldershot and Hampshire are too small, so it is not possible to make a robust estimate of the lev...

What steps she is taking to reduce the levels of child poverty in Aldershot constituency.

Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. The Child Poverty Taskforce, co-chaired by the Work and Pensions and Education Secretaries, has started urgent work to publish the UK wide Child Pov...

How many and what proportion of claimants for Personal Independence Payments were (a) initially turned down and (b) successful on appeal in Aldershot constituency in the latest period for which data is

In Aldershot in the Financial Year 2022/23, 450 people who had registered to claim PIP were disallowed after assessment, this is 51% of all initial decisions. Of these, 40 claims were subsequently awarded PIP following an appeal, this is 5% of all initial...

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of Local Housing Allowance for residents in (a) Aldershot constituency and (b) Hampshire.

The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum housing support for tenants in the private rented sector. It ensures that claimants in similar circumstances living in the same area are entitled to the same maximum rent allowance regardless of the...

How many people are recipients of Universal Credit in (a) Aldershot constituency and (b) Hampshire.

Official statistics for the number of people on Universal Credit are published each month on Stat-Xplore, with breakdowns available by various geographies including Westminster Parliamentary Constituency and local authority. The latest statistics are to A...

How many universal credit claims were subject to deductions in Aldershot constituency in the most recent month for which data is available.

The requested information will be published as part of Universal Credit Official Statistics in November 2024.

What the average waiting time was for a Work Capability Assessment in Aldershot constituency in the latest period for which data is available.

The information requested is not available at a constituency level. Information on Employment Support Allowance (ESA) Work Capability Assessment (WCA) clearance times for initial claims is published at a national level on DWP Stat-Xplore. This can be acce...

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of inflation on living standards of pensioners in (a) Aldershot constituency and (b) Hampshire.

No such assessment of inflation on living standards has been made. The Government is committed to the Triple Lock, which means that in April 2025, the basic and new State pension will increase by the higher of the growth in average earnings, price increas...