Written questions by Leadbeater.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of support available to homeowners with children who are claiming Universal Credit, in the context of the difference between non-repayable housing

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his Department has made of the accessibility and effectiveness of the Personal Independence Payment system for carers supporting disabled family members; and what steps he is taking to r

It is important that all claimants can access our services and that they do not face obstacles in applying and communicating with the Department and its providers, either personally or through a third party such as a carer. We are committed to ensuring pe...

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of (a) regulatory oversight and (b) consumer protection for Small Self-Administered Schemes (SSAS); and if she will take steps to (i) improve regulatory oversight of SSAS trustees and (ii) ensure that people who have suffered losses relating to SSAS are able to access compensation.

DWP officials work closely with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) to ensure people’s pension savings are protected and that the regulatory regime remains fit for purpose in a changing pensions landscape.A Small Self-Administered Scheme (SSAS) is an occupational pension scheme typically set up by the directors of a business (often a small or family-run business) who want more control over the investment decisions relating to their pension and often the ability to invest in employer-related assets.The Pensions Regulator regulates those SSAS which are required to register with it (only occupational pension schemes with two or more members must register with TPR). A SSAS with only one member would be exempt and is unlikely to be registered with TPR. In addition, SSASs are excepted from many pensions regulatory requirements because all the members of these schemes, through being trustees, are responsible for the decisions made. SSASs are therefore not usually eligible for Government compensation arrangements.Unfortunately, in a few cases SSAS appear to have been misused as a means of avoiding the regulatory regime which helps ensure that members’ pensions are secure. Individuals have been encouraged to use a SSAS inappropriately. Any member who has suffered a loss in connection with a SSAS should contact the Pensions Ombudsman in the first instance.

What steps she is taking to ensure that people who are unable to work due to (a) long-term illness, (b) disability, and (c) other circumstances are adequately supported following her planned reforms to the welfare system.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper set out plans to reform the health and disability and employment support system. Our reforms will ensure we can always protect people who will never be able to work – now and into the future. But, for those that can, we know that good work brings hope, dignity and self-respect and can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty. We are taking steps to support those who will never be able to work and to make sure they receive the support that they need. The changes to PIP eligibility will not affect those who are unable to complete activities at all or who require more help from others to complete them, who will continue to receive financial support. For new claimants on the Universal Credit health element after April 2026, we are proposing that those with the most severe, life-long health conditions, who will never be able to work, will see their incomes protected. We will also aim to guarantee that for both new and existing claims, those in this group will not need to be reassessed in the future.

With reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, when information on how the Government plans to use the extra £1 billion investment in preparing people for work will be available.

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 has made an assessment of the impact of carers losing access to Carers Allowance once they become entitled to the State Pension on those carers.

Although there is no upper age limit to claiming Carer’s Allowance, it cannot normally be paid with the State Pension. It has been a long held feature of the UK’s benefit system, under successive Governments, that where someone is entitled to two benefits...