Written questions by Taylor.

What the evidential basis is for changes to the Access to Work awards.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of bereavement payments not being payable to cohabiting partners.

Bereavement Support Payment is currently available to those who are married, in a cohabiting relationship with dependent children, or in a civil partnership. A marriage or civil partnership is a legal contract associated with certain rights, including entitlement to benefits derived from another person's National Insurance contributions such as Bereavement Support Payment. The Government keeps the eligibility of all benefits, including Bereavement Support Payments, under review.

Whether he plans to take steps to provide compensation to women impacted by changes to the state pension age.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in his oral statement on 11 November 2025, we have decided to retake the decision made last December as it relates to the communications on state pension age. The work is underway, and we will update the House on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.

If he will implement the recommendations of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s 2025 report entitled Women’s state pension age: our findings for the Department for Work and Pensions’ communication of changes.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in his oral statement on 11 November 2025, we have decided to retake the decision made last December as it relates to the communications on state pension age. The work is underway, and we will update the House on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.

What steps he is taking to ensure that future reforms to Personal Independence Payment are accompanied by the publication of impact assessments on (a) mental health and (b) poverty.

We have launched the Timms Review to ensure Personal Independence Payment is fair and fit for the future. To ensure lived experience is at the heart of its work, the Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, and other experts.The Review will report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by autumn 2026, and we have committed to holding a general debate in Parliament on its outcomes in government time.The Government routinely considers impacts to inform ministerial decisions, and information on impacts will be published in line with usual practice, including alongside any legislation.

What steps he is taking to help increase the uptake of Pension Credit among eligible pensioners.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all pensioners receive the support to which they are entitled. That is why we have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit taken-up campaign, promoting Pension Credit to eligible pensioners and their family and friends through adverts on television and radio; on social media and on digital screens in GP surgeries and Post Offices, as well as in the press. The latest burst of the campaign began in September, and further promotional activity is planned until the end of the financial year. We are making better use of data to directly target potentially eligible households. Since February, all new Housing Benefit claimants who may be eligible have been invited to apply for Pension Credit. In September, the Department conducted a trial in partnership with Age UK and Independent Age targeting 2,000 households in England identified using HMRC and DWP data.We are also undertaking research specifically looking into the factors that motivate people to make a claim as well as why some older people do not claim benefits to which they could be entitled, in order to build the evidence of what works to increase take-up.

What steps is he taking to simplify the pension credit application process.

The Department is committed to modernising the Pension Credit service and regularly reviews the user experience to balance simplification with ensuring accurate awards.A key objective of DWP’s Service Modernisation Programme is to make services more user-friendly and accessible. We are streamlining application routes by using information held internally to reduce the number of questions customers need to answer.Claims can be made online, by telephone, or by post. The most popular method is online, where claims can be made 24/7 with help from a family member, friend, or third party. The online form now requires a maximum of 48 questions, and for some customers as few as 35. On average, it takes just 16 minutes to complete, with around 90% of new customers applying online or by phone.For telephone claims, callers are guided through the process by an agent. We will continue to keep the Pension Credit application process under review to ensure it remains simple and accessible.

What steps he is taking to help improve the financial security of people at the end of life.

This Government is committed to providing a financial safety net for those who need it. The primary way the Department supports people nearing the end of life is through special benefit rules which are known as the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who have 12 months or less to live to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods and, in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit.

What assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the report from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hospice and End of Life Care entitled Inquiry into the financial impact of a terminal diagnosis, published on 9 September 2025.

The Department supports people nearing the end of life through the Special Rules for End of Life. These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods, and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit. The recent UC bill ensures that all Special Rules for End of Life claimants will receive the higher LCWRA rate, no matter when they make their claim. The Department values the insights and perspectives provided by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hospice and End of Life Care and has noted the many recommendations made in the report.

If he will ask the Pensions Commission to consider expansion of access to the State Pension for people of working age with terminal illnesses.

The Terms of Reference for the Pensions Commission, which set out the scope for the Commission, were published on the 21st July. As set out in their Terms of Reference, the Commissioners will consider what is required in the long term to deliver financial security in retirement through a pensions framework that is stronger, fairer and more sustainable. The Commissioners will engage with a wide range of issues relevant to their terms of reference and will publish their findings in due course.

Whether he plans to review the effectiveness of the Special Rules for End of Life fast-tracking benefits system.

The primary way the Department supports people nearing the end of life is through special benefit rules which are known as the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit. The Government is committed to ensuring that the fast-tracked access to benefits via SREL is maintained, while continuing to keep the effectiveness and efficiency of current system delivery under review.

What discussions she has had with (a) Citizens Advice, (b) disabled people and (c) carers as part of the upcoming Timms Review.

We are committed to co-producing the Timms Review with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. This will include carers' organisations so that the voices of unpaid carers are heard. I have been engaging widely over the summer, including with welfare rights organisations, to consider how to approach the review and how it can best be co-produced. I will share more details on this and how disabled people and other stakeholders will be involved in the review as plans progress.

What steps she plans to take to increase the Universal Credit rate for people under 25 ahead of the Autumn Budget 2025.

There are currently no plans to increase the Universal Credit rate for people under 25. Under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 the Secretary of State is required by law to review State Pension and benefit rates each year to see if they have retained their value in relation to the general level of prices or earnings. We have uprated benefit rates for 2025/26 in line with inflation, with 5.7 million Universal Credit households forecast to gain by an average of £150 annually. In addition, we have introduced our Universal Credit bill which legislates to rebalance Universal Credit by bringing in, for the first time ever, a sustained above inflation increase to the UC standard allowance for all claimants.

If she will launch an investigation into the Co-op’s lone working practices.

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 the child poverty strategy will include the removal of the (a) two-child limit and (b) benefit cap.

The Child Poverty Taskforce is continuing its urgent work and is exploring all available levers, including considering social security reforms, to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty. Our focus is on bringing about an enduring reduction in child poverty in this parliament, as part of a 10-year Strategy for lasting change, thereby reversing the trend that is seeing forecasts of child poverty continuing to increase. More details, including on the timeframes, will be set out in the strategy publication.

Whether the child poverty strategy will look beyond the 10-year timeframe.

The Child Poverty Taskforce is continuing its urgent work and is exploring all available levers, including considering social security reforms, to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty. Our focus is on bringing about an enduring reduction in child poverty in this parliament, as part of a 10-year Strategy for lasting change, thereby reversing the trend that is seeing forecasts of child poverty continuing to increase. More details, including on the timeframes, will be set out in the strategy publication.

How many eligible pensioners have applied for Pension Credit in Sutton and Cheam constituency since 1 August 2024.

National statistics published on 28 November, show that 150,000 Pension Credit claims were received between 29 July 2024 and 17 November 2024 - Pension Credit applications and awards: November 2024 - GOV.UK. Please note, this information is published weekly and the nearest available date to 1 August was used. We do not hold this data at constituency level.

What steps she plans to take with local authorities to encourage pensioners to check their eligibility for Pension Credit.

The Government wants everyone eligible for Pension Credit but not currently claiming it to receive the benefits they are entitled to. The Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions wrote to all local authorities on 20th August. The letter acknowledged the vital role local authorities play in supporting their communities. The Government recognises that many local authorities already do a huge amount of work to promote benefit take-up. We are asking that local authorities support our national Pension Credit campaign and help us reach those eligible pensioners who have not claimed Pension Credit, so they continue to receive an annual Winter Fuel Payment. We will continue to work with external partners, local authorities and the devolved governments to boost the take-up of Pension Credit.