Every parliamentary written question tabled by Ben Spencer this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–6 of 6 · Department for Work and Pensions
When he plans to respond to correspondence dated (a) 29 September 2025, (b) 28 October 2025 and (c) 2 December 2025 from the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge, case reference BS35015 and MC2025/93558.
The Department has responded to the correspondence in question on Tuesday 13th January 2026.
What steps she is taking to improve (a) enforcement and (b) arrears recovery in child maintenance cases where the paying parent resides abroad.
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) can only be used where the receiving parent, paying parent and any qualifying children are all habitually resident in the United Kingdom (UK). The CMS does not have jurisdiction where this does not apply. The process for handling cases where the paying parent may be non-resident in the UK is managed according to a range of international treaties under the umbrella term REMO (Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders). The UK has arrangements with a number of other countries and territories that allow a parent with care to claim maintenance from a non-resident parent resident in one of those countries. REMO can be used to register and enforce child maintenance orders internationally, or for example, when the paying parent is habitually resident in the UK but has assets and/or income in another country. If the paying parent has moved to an EU country, The CMS may be able to enforce collection of outstanding child maintenance arrears. The CMS works closely with the Ministry of Justice, with whom the process is managed by, and the CMS's caseworkers are trained to signpost parents to that department for advice.
How many Pension Credit applications her Department has received in each of the last 12 months; and how many such applications were processed within the 50 day target.
Pension Credit operational information is produced weekly. Please find data from 1 January 2024 up to the latest available data at end of week commencing 11 November 2024. This data is part of a longer time series published by the Department on 28 November 2024, which shows applications for Pension Credit received since 1 April 2024 up to 17 November 2024. Pension Credit applications and awards: November 2024 - GOV.UK. The next publication of Pension Credit application statistics is due around the end of February 2025 and will cover the data up to week commencing 10 February 2025. Week Commencing Pension Credit Claims Received 01 Jan 243,10008 Jan 244,60015 Jan 244,80022 Jan 244,50029 Jan 244,40005 Feb 245,80012 Feb 245,60019 Feb 245,80026 Feb 247,20004 Mar 246,20011 Mar 245,10018 Mar 245,10025 Mar 243,80001 Apr 243,90008 Apr 244,40015 Apr 244,40022 Apr 244,20029 Apr 243,70006 May 243,40013 May 244,10020 May 244,00027 May 243,30003 Jun 244,20010 Jun 244,00017 Jun 243,40024 Jun 243,20001 Jul 243,80008 Jul 244,10015 Jul 243,30022 Jul 243,50029 Jul 247,90005 Aug 247,30012 Aug 245,90019 Aug 248,40026 Aug 249,00002 Sep 2410,70009 Sep 2413,40016 Sep 2411,80023 Sep 249,80030 Sep 248,30007 Oct 248,20014 Oct 249,60021 Oct 249,00028 Oct 2410,00004 Nov 249,80011 Nov 2410,600 As per the publication of the DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK (ARA), 77.7% of Pension Credit claims were processed within the Department’s planned timescales in the Financial Year 2023 to 2024. The next publication of the ARA will include claims processed in the Financial Year 2024 to 2025, which is due for publication in the summer.
What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the impact of excluding pitch fees from pension credit applications on park home residents.
No such discussions have taken place. Pitch fees can usually be met through Housing Benefit. In cases where there is a tenancy of over 21 years, then the pitch fees are not eligible for Housing Benefit but instead may be met by the housing cost element in Pension Credit, subject to the usual Pension Credit eligibility rules.
With which countries she is negotiating a reciprocal agreement on uprating state pensions.
My department is not negotiating any reciprocal social security agreements.
What estimate she has made of the number of Park Home Residents who are unable to take up Pension Credit due to pitch fees not being treated equivalently to ground rent in the application process.
An award of Pension Credit can include certain housing costs where the dwelling occupied as the home is not owned by the claimant and if these costs cannot be covered by Housing Benefit. Examples of housing costs covered by Pension Credit include: rents or ground rents on long tenanciesservice chargesrent chargesco-ownership schemestenancies or licences of Crown tenantstents and their sites It is not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the number of Park Homes residents whose Pension Credit applications were unsuccessful due to pitch fees not being included in the assessment.