Written questions by Downie.

What steps she is taking to ensure work coaches are able to assist people with (a) ADHD and (b) autism in (i) Scotland and (ii) the UK.

In January this year, the Government launched an independent academic panel to advise on boosting awareness and inclusion at work for those with neurodiversity. Many panel members are neurodivergent or have familial experience, alongside their professional expertise. The panel is exploring why neurodivergent individuals often have poor workplace experiences and a low employment rate. Building on the Buckland Review, the panel will recommend employer actions to support neurodivergent inclusion, including in recruitment and daily workplace practices. This government is committed to improving the outcomes for neurodiverse people. All DWP Work Coaches undergo comprehensive training, equipping them with the skills to provide support tailored to each customer’s individual circumstances. Work Coaches have access to a learning product specific to Autism. It covers:adapt how you communicateadapt your body languageshow empathyadapt your environment Work coaches receive specialist advice from Disability Employment Advisers on customising their support for disabled customers, who also offer direct support to customers where additional bespoke assistance is beneficial. Work coaches can also use Additional Work Coach Support to provide personalised assistance to disabled people, helping them move toward and into employment and to access employment and wider services.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her Department's work with Motability.

The Motability Scheme is open to claimants who are in receipt of an eligible benefit. If a claimant elects to join the Scheme, the Department directly transfers the mobility allowance to Motability Operations on behalf of the eligible claimant. The Motability Scheme does not receive any direct funding from the Department for Work and Pensions. A range of external bodies scrutinised the Scheme between 2018 and 2020, and the Government responded to each of the reports. The Motability Foundation is independent of government, and regulated by the Charity Commission, so is wholly responsible for the terms and the administration of the Scheme. The department does however work closely with Motability and is responsible for the disability benefits that provide a passport to the Motability Scheme. Department officials have regular meetings with Motability and will continue to do so.As the Minister for Social Security and Disability, I met with Motability Foundation in November 2024 to discuss the Scheme and its strategic objectives.

With reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of those reforms on people with (a) sarcoidosis, (b) ME and (c) other fluctuating health conditions.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, with some information published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

With reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of those reforms on people with ADHD.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, with some information published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

With reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, what support will be available for new claims for Universal Credit health rate.

We announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper that we would establish a new guarantee of support for all disabled people and people with health conditions claiming out of work benefits who want help to get into or return to work, backed up by £1 billion of new funding As the Green Paper notes, we are keen to engage widely on the design of this guarantee and the components needed to deliver it. To get this right, we will be seeking input from a wide range of stakeholders including devolved governments, local health systems, local government and Mayoral Strategic Authorities, private and voluntary sector providers, employers and potential users. We will confirm further details in due course after we have completed our consultation process.

Whether she plans to continue her Department's relationship with Motability.

The Motability Scheme is open to claimants who are in receipt of an eligible benefit. If a claimant elects to join the Scheme, the Department directly transfers the mobility allowance to Motability Operations on behalf of the eligible claimant. The Motability Scheme does not receive any direct funding from the Department for Work and Pensions. A range of external bodies scrutinised the Scheme between 2018 and 2020, and the Government responded to each of the reports. The Motability Foundation is independent of government, and regulated by the Charity Commission, so is wholly responsible for the terms and the administration of the Scheme. The department does however work closely with Motability and is responsible for the disability benefits that provide a passport to the Motability Scheme. Department officials have regular meetings with Motability and will continue to do so.As the Minister for Social Security and Disability, I met with Motability Foundation in November 2024 to discuss the Scheme and its strategic objectives.

With reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, whether she plans to amend the work allowance for people in receipt of the limited capability for work and work related activity element of Universal Credit.

The work allowance for individuals who are found limited capability for work and work related activity (LCWRA) will remain unchanged to continue to incentivise people to try work. In the reformed system, work allowances will continue to be available to those who receive the UC health element. We want to enable people to take advantage of this strong financial incentive to work, which means they can earn up to £404 a month (or over £673 if they don’t get help with housing costs) without their benefits being affected.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Disability Confident Scheme.

In 2022, the department commissioned a survey to understand from members’ perspectives the impact that signing up to the scheme has had on their recruitment and retention attitudes and practices towards disabled people. The survey can be accessed on gov.uk using the following link: Disability Confident: survey of participating employers, May 2022 - GOV.UK There are currently over 19,000 employers signed up to the Disability Confident scheme. Collectively, these employers estimate over 12 million employees work in their organisations. It is not known how many of these employees are disabled, have a health condition, or are direct users of the scheme. No assessment has been made of the impact of the scheme on the ability of disabled people to find work. I have been discussing with stakeholders in Disability Confident ideas for making the scheme criteria more robust, and plan to bring forward proposals for this in due course.

With reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the limited capability for work and work related activity element of Universal Credit on families of disabled people aged under 22.

No decision has been made on this policy. The key principle of our focus for 18-21 year olds should be helping them to be earning or learning, because of the long-term scarring effects for young people of a period of unemployment. That is why we are consulting on delaying access to the UC health top up until age 22 with savings reinvested into work support and training opportunities. Universal Credit Health caseload statistics are available on DWP Stat-Xplore and were most recently updated with December 2024 data.In December 2024, 13,650 and 68,350 16- to 21-year-olds in Great Britain were in the Limited Capability for Work (LCW) and Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) groups respectively. Table: 16–21-year-olds in (a) Dunfermline and Dollar, (b) Scotland and (c) Great Britain on the UC Health caseload (December 2024) LCWLCWRATotal(a) Dunfermline and Dollar20110130(b) Scotland1,3807,4608,830(c) Great Britain13,65068,35082,000 Statistical disclosure control has been applied to this table to avoid the release of confidential data and are rounded to the nearest 10.Totals may not sum due to this disclosure control and rounding.Figures are a count of the number of people on Universal Credit health on the second Thursday of the month.Figures are Experimental Official Statistics Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/ (opens in new window). An account is not required to use Stat- Xplore, the ‘Guest Login’ feature gives instant access to the main functions.

How many people have used the Disability Confident Scheme.

In 2022, the department commissioned a survey to understand from members’ perspectives the impact that signing up to the scheme has had on their recruitment and retention attitudes and practices towards disabled people. The survey can be accessed on gov.uk using the following link: Disability Confident: survey of participating employers, May 2022 - GOV.UK There are currently over 19,000 employers signed up to the Disability Confident scheme. Collectively, these employers estimate over 12 million employees work in their organisations. It is not known how many of these employees are disabled, have a health condition, or are direct users of the scheme. No assessment has been made of the impact of the scheme on the ability of disabled people to find work. I have been discussing with stakeholders in Disability Confident ideas for making the scheme criteria more robust, and plan to bring forward proposals for this in due course.

With reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, how she plans to introduce more active (a) engagement and (b) support for new claims for Universal Credit health rate.

We announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper that we would establish a new guarantee of support for all disabled people and people with health conditions claiming out of work benefits who want help to get into or return to work, backed up by £1 billion of new funding As the Green Paper notes, we are keen to engage widely on the design of this guarantee and the components needed to deliver it. To get this right, we will be seeking input from a wide range of stakeholders including devolved governments, local health systems, local government and Mayoral Strategic Authorities, private and voluntary sector providers, employers and potential users. We will confirm further details in due course after we have completed our consultation process. In addition, Help to Claim provides tailored practical support to anyone who needs it. It enables individuals requiring additional support to make and maintain their Universal Credit claim, up until their first correct Universal Credit payment. It is also available to those moving from legacy benefits because of managed migration, voluntary moves, or a change of circumstances.

How many people in (a) Dunfermline and Dollar constituency, (b) Scotland and (c) the UK receive the health rate top-up for Universal Credit.

Quarterly statistics for the number of People on Universal Credit with a health condition or disability restricting their ability to work in Great Britain are published on Stat-Xplore. The latest release provides figures up to December 2024 which can be broken down by country, Westminster Parliamentary Constituency and Local Authority. Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract the information required. Universal Credit statistics for Northern Ireland are published by the Department for Communities. Note: the Universal Credit health element is paid at a household level, not to individuals, and Households on Universal Credit statistics can be broken down similarly, by the numbers receiving the Limited Capability for Work Entitlement and by geography.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of fraudulent claims there were for the Personal Independence Payment in each (a) nation and (b) region in each of the last five years.

We publish annual estimates of fraud and error levels in the benefit system in Great Britain, however as these figures are produced using sample data, they are not available below the national level.

When her Department last reviewed its policy on supporting its employees that are kinship carers.

DWP reviews the support it gives to carers in its workforce, including kinship carers, on an ongoing basis across a range of relevant HR policies. DWP last reviewed its policy on supporting its employees that are kinship carers, specifically in respect of time off work, in March 2024.

What support her Department provides to its employees that are kinship carers.

The potential support the Department for Work and Pensions provides to its employees that are kinship carers are, according to each person’s needs, a combination of flexi hours, flexible working patterns, special leave, adjusted duties and a carers’ passport to ensure that effective support can be transported when employees change jobs within DWP. Our employee assistance programme also offers wider support, which includes employee counselling, critical incident and bereavement support and legal/finance advice and signposting.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Flat Rate of Child Maintenance awarded by the Child Maintenance Service.

The Child Maintenance Service believes that both parents have a financial responsibility to contribute towards the cost of bringing up their child, regardless of their financial situation.The level of flat rate maintenance for non-resident parents was last reviewed in 2012 as part of the Child Maintenance Calculation Regulations. The government has committed to reviewing the calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose and reflects today’s trends. Any changes will be subject to consultation and legislation brought forward where necessary for approval.Non-resident parents receiving benefits (including Jobseeker's Allowance and Universal Credit without earnings) or who have gross weekly income between £7 and £100 are required to pay the flat rate of £7 a week. This rate ensures that parents meet their financial responsibility in paying towards their children's upbringing while protecting the welfare of the paying parent to maximise the likelihood of regular payments being made.

Whether she plans to review the formula used by the Child Maintenance Service to calculate the Flat Rate of child maintenance.

The Child Maintenance Service believes that both parents have a financial responsibility to contribute towards the cost of bringing up their child, regardless of their financial situation.The level of flat rate maintenance for non-resident parents was last reviewed in 2012 as part of the Child Maintenance Calculation Regulations. The government has committed to reviewing the calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose and reflects today’s trends. Any changes will be subject to consultation and legislation brought forward where necessary for approval.Non-resident parents receiving benefits (including Jobseeker's Allowance and Universal Credit without earnings) or who have gross weekly income between £7 and £100 are required to pay the flat rate of £7 a week. This rate ensures that parents meet their financial responsibility in paying towards their children's upbringing while protecting the welfare of the paying parent to maximise the likelihood of regular payments being made.

What plans she has to ensure the Flat Rate of Child Maintenance reflects changes in the cost of living.

The Child Maintenance Service believes that both parents have a financial responsibility to contribute towards the cost of bringing up their child, regardless of their financial situation.The level of flat rate maintenance for non-resident parents was last reviewed in 2012 as part of the Child Maintenance Calculation Regulations. The government has committed to reviewing the calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose and reflects today’s trends. Any changes will be subject to consultation and legislation brought forward where necessary for approval.Non-resident parents receiving benefits (including Jobseeker's Allowance and Universal Credit without earnings) or who have gross weekly income between £7 and £100 are required to pay the flat rate of £7 a week. This rate ensures that parents meet their financial responsibility in paying towards their children's upbringing while protecting the welfare of the paying parent to maximise the likelihood of regular payments being made.

When the formula used by the Child Maintenance Service to calculate the Flat Rate of child maintenance was last reviewed.

The Child Maintenance Service believes that both parents have a financial responsibility to contribute towards the cost of bringing up their child, regardless of their financial situation.The level of flat rate maintenance for non-resident parents was last reviewed in 2012 as part of the Child Maintenance Calculation Regulations. The government has committed to reviewing the calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose and reflects today’s trends. Any changes will be subject to consultation and legislation brought forward where necessary for approval.Non-resident parents receiving benefits (including Jobseeker's Allowance and Universal Credit without earnings) or who have gross weekly income between £7 and £100 are required to pay the flat rate of £7 a week. This rate ensures that parents meet their financial responsibility in paying towards their children's upbringing while protecting the welfare of the paying parent to maximise the likelihood of regular payments being made.

What steps she has taken to support people with insufficient national insurance (a) contributions and (b) credits to qualify for the new State Pension.

To qualify for any payments of the new State Pension, people usually need at least 10 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions or National Insurance credits when they reach State Pension age. The contributions could be as a result of employment, self-employment or people could make voluntary National Insurance Contributions. There is also a wide range of National Insurance credits available, ensuring people can achieve the best possible State Pension outcome. In some circumstances, years built while living in countries with a reciprocal arrangement can be taken into account. The Government makes personalised information available through the online Check Your State Pension Forecast service, which includes details about an individual’s National Insurance record and their State Pension eligibility. The Government also provides support to older people on low incomes. Pension Credit provides a safety net for those most in need and is not based on National Insurance contributions. Pension Credit is a means tested benefit which targets help at the poorest pensioners and is a passport to other financial support including the Winter Fuel Payment, help with housing costs, council tax, heating bills and a free TV licence for those over 75.