Every parliamentary written question tabled by Bell Ribeiro-Addy this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 66 · Department for Work and Pensions
What assessment her Department has made of the impact of menopause symptoms on women’s labour market participation.
The Department has conducted a literature review to collate evidence on women’s employment and menopause, which was published in July 2025: Menopause in the Workplace Literature Review - GOV.UK The economic costs of the menopause on the labour market has been estimated by the following study: Womens health economics investing in the 51 per cent
What consideration his Department makes of trends in the costs of essential goods and services when setting the basic rate of Universal Credit during the uprating process.
The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) estimates how the prices of goods and services bought by households rise or fall and is used as an indication of inflation in Universal Credit uprating. Last year, The Secretary of State increased most working age benefits across Great Britain for 2026/27 by 3.8% in line with CPI in the year to September 2025.
With reference to the publication of Trussell’s End of Year food bank stats, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Universal Credit’s standard allowance covers essential costs.
The Government has taken important steps to improve the support available to help people with the cost of essentials and has legislated to deliver the first sustained above inflation rise in the basic rate of Universal Credit since it was introduced. In April 2026, the standard allowance rose by 3.8% in line with the Consumer Prices Index to September 2025, followed by a further 2.3%, meaning a single person aged 25 or over will receive around £295 more this year - over £110 more than if uprated by inflation alone. Additional amounts are added to provide for individual needs such as housing, disability, and childcare costs. Each household will always have different requirements depending on their circumstances. We will continue to consider evidence and insights from a range of organisations and people with lived experiences, to ensure the social security system provides the support people need. The Government recognises that the level of household food insecurity in the UK is unacceptable. We have announced action to expand free school meals, support parents with the cost of healthy food in the school holidays with the Holidays and Activities and Food Programme and transform our food system to ensure it delivers access to affordable, healthy food. Over £600m has been confirmed for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for the next three financial years from 2026/27. Government has also taken further action to support low-income households including through the increase in the National Living Wage to £12.71 an hour from April 2026. On 1 April 2026 we launched a new Crisis and Resilience Fund. This longer-term funding approach aims to enable local authorities to provide preventative support to communities – working with the voluntary and community sector – as well as assisting people when faced with a financial crisis, to support our ambition to end mass dependence on emergency food parcels.
Whether he has considered commissioning independent advice, including from people with direct experience of living on a low income, on the adequacy of Universal Credit’s standard allowance.
The Government has taken important steps to improve the support available to help people with the cost of essentials and has legislated to deliver the first sustained above inflation rise in the basic rate of Universal Credit since it was introduced. In April 2026, the standard allowance rose by 3.8% in line with the Consumer Prices Index to September 2025, followed by a further 2.3%, meaning a single person aged 25 or over will receive around £295 more this year - over £110 more than if uprated by inflation alone. Additional amounts are added to provide for individual needs such as housing, disability, and childcare costs. Each household will always have different requirements depending on their circumstances. We will continue to consider evidence and insights from a range of organisations and people with lived experiences, to ensure the social security system provides the support people need. The Government recognises that the level of household food insecurity in the UK is unacceptable. We have announced action to expand free school meals, support parents with the cost of healthy food in the school holidays with the Holidays and Activities and Food Programme and transform our food system to ensure it delivers access to affordable, healthy food. Over £600m has been confirmed for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for the next three financial years from 2026/27. Government has also taken further action to support low-income households including through the increase in the National Living Wage to £12.71 an hour from April 2026. On 1 April 2026 we launched a new Crisis and Resilience Fund. This longer-term funding approach aims to enable local authorities to provide preventative support to communities – working with the voluntary and community sector – as well as assisting people when faced with a financial crisis, to support our ambition to end mass dependence on emergency food parcels.
How many and what proportion of Personal Independence Payment applicants where the main disabling condition was Anaemia - Sickle cell a) lodged an appeal after a completed Mandatory Reconsideration, b) had their appeal lapse prior to reaching tribunal and c) had their initial decision overturned at tribunal between April 2020 and March 2025.
The response is covered by the table below. All data below refers to claims under normal rules in areas under DWP policy ownership, where the claimants’ primary health condition is Anaemia – Sickle cell, with initial decisions made between April 2020 and March 2025. VolumePer cent (%) of total PIP initial assessment decisionsClaimants who received an MR outcome who then lodged an appeal29011Claimants who had their appeal lapse prior to reaching tribunal502Claimants who had their initial decision overturned at tribunal1205 PIP initial assessment decisions comprise awards and disallowances following a PIP assessment. They do not include pre-assessment decisions, award review decisions or changes of circumstances decisions. All volumes have been rounded to the nearest 10 and percentages have been rounded to the nearest percentage point.
Pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2025 to Question 99887, how many Condition Insight Reports are made available to health professionals making Personal Independence Payment assessments; and whether sickle cell disorder is the subject of a Condition Insight Report.
Health assessments are not medical consultations and do not require health professionals (HPs) to diagnose conditions or recommend treatment. Instead, they are functional assessments designed to evaluate how an individual’s health conditions or impairments affect their ability to carry out daily living activities.HPs carrying out Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments have access to a suite of 54 Condition Insight Reports (CIRs). These reports provide background information on a range of health conditions and their potential functional impacts, supporting them in carrying out evidence-based assessments.Sickle cell disorder is not currently the subject of a dedicated CIR. However, the CIRs and Continuing Professional Development documents available to HPs provide detailed and quality-assured information on many of the symptoms commonly associated with sickle cell disorder.
What guidance on sickle cell disease his Department provides to Health Professionals making Personal Independence Payment assessments.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments are not medical assessments and do not require health professionals (HPs) to diagnose conditions or recommend treatment. Instead, they are functional assessments designed to evaluate how an individual’s health condition (such as sickle cell disease) or impairment(s) affects their ability to carry out daily living activities. HPs conducting assessments are trained specialists in disability analysis, focusing on understanding the functional impact of a claimant’s condition rather than its clinical diagnosis. All HPs conducting these assessments receive comprehensive training on assessing the effects of both physical and mental health conditions. HPs have access to a broad suite of Core Training and Guidance Materials. These include Condition Insight Reports and Continuing Professional Development documents, which provide detailed, quality-assured information on many of the symptoms commonly associated with sickle cell disease.
Whether he will require NHS employers to provide ongoing education, training and health surveillance for all staff (a) who handle or (b) may be exposed to hazardous medicinal products.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 October 2025 to Question UIN 84444.
What steps he is taking to promote the use of engineering controls such as (a) biological safety cabinets and (b) closed system drug transfer devices during the preparation and administration of hazardous medicinal products.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 October 2025 to Question UIN 84444.
Whether his Department plans to develop a list of hazardous medicinal products and require safety data sheets for finished medicines.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 October 2025 to Question UIN 84436.
Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the forthcoming changes to Universal Credit Health element for new applicants from 2026 on costs to local government.
The Department set out its plans to monitor and evaluate the changes in the published Impact Assessment. Around 4 million households will benefit overall from Government’s decision to increase the Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance – estimated to be worth £725 annually by 2029/30 in cash terms based on Spring Statement 2025 economic assumptions - £250 annually above inflation for a single household aged 25 or over. For existing UC Health Element recipients and customers with severe, lifelong conditions the combined rate of the UC standard allowance and the UC Health Element will rise at least in line with inflation every year for the next four years.
Whether his Department plans to make further savings after the implementation of the Universal Credit Act in April 2026.
This Government is committed to a social security system which raises employment and living standards by supporting and incentivising people into work and to work more, supports those who can never work to live with dignity, reduces poverty, promotes fairness and controls overall spending to ensure the long-term sustainability of the system for future generations.
Whether his Department has assessed the potential impact of raising the Housing Benefit earnings disregard for people in supported accommodation on employment rates.
We acknowledge there is a challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those living in supported and temporary accommodation. We are considering options to improve work incentives for residents of supported and temporary accommodation, while taking into account the views of stakeholders. The Department recognises that an increased earnings disregard for people living in supported accommodation is likely to have a net positive impact on employment rates. It remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.
When the Housing Benefit earnings disregard for young people in supported accommodation was last reviewed; and whether her Department plans to reassess its adequacy.
There is a challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in supported housing and temporary accommodation. We are considering options to improve work incentives for residents of supported housing and temporary accommodation, while taking into account the views of stakeholders. Currently, a broad spectrum of customers receive their rent support through Housing Benefit. This includes pensioners, residents in Supported or Temporary Accommodation and customers who have not yet migrated to Universal Credit. Any amendment to the Housing Benefit taper rules would apply to all these groups. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of reducing waiting times for gynaecology services on women’s ability to return to or remain in work.
The Joint Work and Health Directorate is collaborating with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to improve the evidence on the relationship between health and labour market outcomes. The ONS plans to link NHS waiting times data (that they recently acquired access to) to Census, DWP Benefits and HMRC PAYE records to analyse the relationship between waiting time duration (for various health conditions and procedures) and labour market outcomes (such as employment status, gross pay and benefit receipt) in England. This should help identify the potential impact of trends in waiting lists for various healthcare services, including gynaecology services, on the number of people out of work. In the short-term, the ONS is supporting NHS England and HM Treasury to produce estimates of the employment impacts of reducing waiting times for elective hospital treatment. The 10 Year Health Plan, published in July, stated our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. The Plan sets out the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of health and care needs. Furthermore, it outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.
What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on aligning the Housing Benefit taper rate with the Universal Credit taper rate for young people in supported accommodation.
The department does not routinely collect management information on reports of customers limiting working hours or turning down employment opportunities but we do have anecdotal evidence of this occurring. This is why it remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. The department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department is considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders and other government departments. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.
Whether she plans to review the housing benefits earnings disregard threshold for individuals in supported accommodation.
The department does not routinely collect management information on reports of customers limiting working hours or turning down employment opportunities but we do have anecdotal evidence of this occurring. This is why it remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. The department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department is considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders and other government departments. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.
What recent estimate her Department has made of the number of young people in supported accommodation who have (a) reduced working hours and (b) turned down employment opportunities due to the tapering of housing benefit.
The department does not routinely collect management information on reports of customers limiting working hours or turning down employment opportunities but we do have anecdotal evidence of this occurring. This is why it remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. The department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department is considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders and other government departments. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.
If she will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of Co-Op's Project Lunar proposals.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has the policy lead for regulation of workplace health and safety in Great Britain. The primary responsibility for managing risk to health and safety lies with employers. An employer is the person or organisation that is legally responsible, under health and safety law, for managing and controlling risks created by their work activities. It is for the employer to determine the best way to manage those risks taking account of the circumstances of their business and work activity. There may be greater risks for lone workers without direct supervision or someone to help them if things go wrong, and an employer must identify the risks to lone workers and put control measures in place to protect them. HSE provides guidance on lone working: Lone working: Protect those working alone - HSE which includes advice on violence in the workplace. HSE has not made an assessment of the Co-op’s Project Lunar.
Whether benefit claimants are informed when their claims are assessed using algorithmic tools.
DWP’s Personal Information Charter (PIC) (Personal information charter - Department for Work and Pensions - GOV.UK) outlines how DWP processes personal data related to and its use of both Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automated Decision Making (ADM). DWP does not use AI to replace human judgement to determine or deny a payment to a claimant.