Written questions by McDonald.

What the (a) mean and (b) median value was of deductions to social security payments for people in Middlesbrough and Thornaby East constituency in each of the last five years.

Some of the requested information for Universal Credit is published and available here: Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 10 October 2024 - GOV.UK. Table 6 in the Universal Credit deductions statistics, supplementary data tables breaks down households with deductions by Advance deductions, Government deductions and Third Party deductions for each parliamentary constituency in August 2024. The remaining information for Universal Credit is provided in the separate spreadsheet. Information regarding other social security payments is not readily available, as it requires merging of different data tables from several sources, and to provide it would be at disproportionate cost.

What steps her Department has taken to assess the (a) number and (b) causes of incorrect deduction orders.

The data requested is not held centrally. To extract this data would involve the manual review of all relevant cases to identify those deduction orders with an error and the reason which would be at a cost to the department and taxpayer. CMS has taken positive steps to ensure the correct administration of deduction orders. Improvements include updates to CMS computer system 2012, amendments to operational procedures and inclusion in the Quality Assurance framework. When any error is identified CMS undertake a thorough review of the case and action to correct the error. Each case is used as a learning opportunity with staff and to review and update our operational procedures to prevent future reoccurrences.

How many recipients of social security payments are subject to deductions in Middlesbrough and Thornaby East constituency; and for what reasons those people are subject to deductions.

Some of the requested information for Universal Credit is published and available here: Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 10 October 2024 - GOV.UK. Table 6 in the Universal Credit deductions statistics, supplementary data tables breaks down households with deductions by Advance deductions, Government deductions and Third Party deductions for each parliamentary constituency in August 2024. The remaining information for Universal Credit is provided in the separate spreadsheet. Information regarding other social security payments is not readily available, as it requires merging of different data tables from several sources, and to provide it would be at disproportionate cost.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of the appeals process for deduction orders.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) takes the accessibility of the appeals process for Regular Deduction Order (RDO) or Lump Sum deduction Order (LSDO) seriously.Guidance on how to appeal the deduction order is enclosed with the final lump sum deduction order letter when it is sent to the paying parent. The guidance clearly points out the time limits associated with an appeal.The Family Court rules determine the 21 days afforded to appeal a deduction order is absolute. Neither CMS nor the courts have the power to extend the period to appeal beyond 21 Days.The Judicial Review Team is aware that the Family Courts in England and Wales are experiencing unprecedented demand for their services and as such there is a delay in responding to customers’ deduction order appeals. To mitigate matters for the customer, measures have been put in place to hold the secured funds with the deposit taker for longer provided the customer can provide evidence the appeal was filed in the court within the 21-day appeal window.The Judicial Review Team do investigate the lawfulness of the application of the deduction order. If errors are identified, action is taken to remedy those errors. This may involve reducing the amount of the sums frozen or discharging the funds completely. However, if the deduction order is lawful the Judicial Review Team will mount a defence to the appeal instructing a solicitor from the Government Legal Department to assist. Appeals are determined by a District Judge sitting in the Family Court.

How many people have had their driving license suspended for failure to pay child maintenance in each of the last five years.

From January to September 2024, the courts issued 1 immediate and 5 suspended disqualifications for driving. From January to December 2023, the courts issued 4 suspended disqualifications for driving. From January to December 2022, the courts issued 1 immediate and 8 suspended disqualifications for driving. From January to December 2021, the courts issued 1 immediate and 4 suspended disqualifications for driving. From January to December 2020, the courts issued 2 suspended disqualifications for driving. Current legislation for driving license and passport removal requires repayment of the debt within six months, whereas legislation covering commitment to prison allows the courts to order the paying parent to repay debt in instalments over a two-year period. This longer period is generally more appropriate, so the commitment to prison power is used more often.It should also be noted that these are actions of last resort and are intended to have a deterrent effect. The low number of sentences given may not reflect the number of people persuaded to pay by the prospect of these powers being used.

How many recipients of social security payments were subject to one or more deduction in each of the past five years; and what the (a) mean and (b) median monthly deduction was by constituency.

Some of the requested information for Universal Credit is published and available here: Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 10 October 2024 - GOV.UK. Table 6 in the Universal Credit deductions statistics, supplementary data tables breaks down households with deductions by Advance deductions, Government deductions and Third Party deductions for each parliamentary constituency in August 2024. The remaining information for Universal Credit is provided in the separate spreadsheet. Information regarding other social security payments is not readily available, as it requires merging of different data tables from several sources, and to provide it would be at disproportionate cost.

What steps she is taking to ensure that direct deduction orders do not leave people in relative poverty.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) encourages paying parents to pay their maintenance on time in order to avoid accrual of arrears. Where a paying parent fails to pay on time or in full, the Service is committed to using its wide-ranging enforcement powers proportionately to recover the debt and re-establish compliance to ensure children receive the financial support they need and deserve. When appropriate, CMS can implement one of two types of deduction order, Regular deduction order (RDO) or Lump sum deduction order (LSDO). The Department has a range of safeguards in place to prevent deductions from pushing people in to poverty. Decisions about enforcement actions are made on a case-by-case basis, considering the welfare of all parties, potential financial hardship of paying parents, and the most appropriate action to give the greatest chance of securing money for children. RDOs should not exceed 40 per cent of the paying parent's gross weekly income, and LSDOs can only be made if the account has a credit balance above a minimum amount of £110.

What the average length of time is for a PIP assessment to be completed; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of these waiting times on applications for the carers allowance.

The median clearance time from a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) registration to a DWP decision is 15 weeks for both new claims under normal rules and reassessments from Disability Living Allowance, as of July 2024. For new claims with Special Rules, ...

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the PIP application system; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) simplifying the application process and (b) introducing meas

The Personal Independence Payment application process, which was developed with the assistance of disabled people, is kept under constant review. This is to ensure that it is accessible to claimants, and that it helps the Department reach an accurate asse...

If she will respond to correspondence of 15 May 2024 from the Work and Pensions Select Committee to her predecessor, o making recommendations in relation to the report by the Parliamentary and Health Se

We will need time to review and consider the Ombudsman’s report along with the evidence provided during the investigation. We need to consider the views that have been expressed on all sides including the recommendations made by the Work and Pensions Sele...

With reference to the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, published on 21 March 2024, whether sh

As a newly formed Government we will need time to review and consider the Ombudsman’s report along with the evidence provided during the investigation. Now the election has concluded we need to consider the views that have been expressed on all sides. The...

Whether she accepts the findings of maladministration in her Department in the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and

As a newly formed Government we will need time to review and consider the Ombudsman’s report along with the evidence provided during the investigation. Now the election has concluded we need to consider the views that have been expressed on all sides. The...

What estimate her Department has made of the number of pensioners living in (a) relative poverty and (b) absolute poverty that are not in receipt of Pension Credit.

For the financial year 2022/23, the latest year that data that is available, 1.6m pensioners living in households not in receipt of Pension Credit were in relative poverty after housing costs, and 1.2m pensioners living in households not in receipt of Pension Credit were in absolute poverty after housing costs. Statistics on the number of pensioners living in absolute and relative poverty in the UK are published annually in the “Households Below Average Income” publication at Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab). The latest available data with breakdowns by receipt of Pension Credit can be found on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/) in the ‘Households Below Average Income’ dataset. The latest statistics published on 21 March 2024 are for the financial period 2022/23. Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: Getting Started (dwp.gov.uk). An account is not required to use Stat- Xplore, the ‘Guest Login’ feature gives instant access to the main functions.

What steps her Department plans to take to help support low income pensioners that will no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment.

This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged 80 and over. Over the next five years we expect over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pensions increase by thousands of pounds as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock. Protecting the Triple Lock even in the current economic climate shows our steadfast commitment to pensioners. We are prioritising support for pensioners through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals. We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.As part of the current Pension Credit Week of Action, we have joined forces with national charities, broadcasters and local authorities to encourage pensioners to check their eligibility and make a claim.From 16 September, we will be running a national marketing campaign on a range of channels. The campaign will target potential pension-age customers, as well as friends and family who can encourage and support them to apply.Our future campaign messaging will also focus on encouraging pensioners to apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December 2024, which is the last date for making a successful backdated claim for Pension Credit in order to receive a Winter Fuel Payment.We will work with external partners, local authorities and the Devolved Governments to boost the take-up of Pension Credit.

What discussions she has had with stakeholders on the decision to withdraw eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments from those not in receipt of Pension Credit.

This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. The Department met with Age UK, the Local Government Association and Citizens Advice prior to the Chancellor’s statement, which included the Winter Fuel Payment announcement. Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need. The Government will work with external partners and local authorities to boost the uptake of Pension Credit and to target additional support to the poorest pensioners.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the uptake of pension credit by those eligible in Middlesbrough and Thornaby East constituency.

The latest available Pension Credit take-up statistics cover the financial year 2021 to 2022 and are available at: Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). These statistics are only available at Great Britain level and cannot be broken down to smaller geographical areas.The Government is determined to ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.As part of the current Pension Credit Week of Action, we have joined forces with national charities, broadcasters and local authorities to encourage pensioners to check their eligibility and make a claim.From 16 September, we will be running a national marketing campaign on a range of channels. The campaign will target potential pension-age customers, as well as friends and family who can encourage and support them to apply.Our future campaign messaging will also focus on encouraging pensioners to apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December 2024, which is the last date for making a successful backdated claim for Pension Credit in order to receive a Winter Fuel Payment.We will work with external partners, local authorities and the Devolved Governments to boost the take-up of Pension Credit.

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

The latest available Pension Credit take-up statistics cover the financial year 2021 to 2022 and are available at: Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). These statistics are only available at Great Britain level and cannot be broken down to smaller geographical areas.The Government is determined to ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.As part of the current Pension Credit Week of Action, we have joined forces with national charities, broadcasters and local authorities to encourage pensioners to check their eligibility and make a claim.From 16 September, we will be running a national marketing campaign on a range of channels. The campaign will target potential pension-age customers, as well as friends and family who can encourage and support them to apply.Our future campaign messaging will also focus on encouraging pensioners to apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December 2024, which is the last date for making a successful backdated claim for Pension Credit in order to receive a Winter Fuel Payment.We will work with external partners, local authorities and the Devolved Governments to boost the take-up of Pension Credit.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Prime Minister of 17 July 2024, official report, column 57, what the terms of reference are for the Child Poverty Taskforce; and when she expects the Child Poverty Taskforce to complete its work.

The new Ministerial Taskforce will drive cross-government action on child poverty, starting with overseeing the development of our ambitious new strategy, in line with the Opportunity Mission. After initial engagement, the formal work to develop the new child poverty strategy will begin and we will publish a Full Terms of Reference in the coming weeks. Recognising the wide-ranging causes of child poverty, we will explore how we can use all the available levers we have across government and wider society to drive forward the change our children need.