Written questions by Garnier.

What consideration is made when awarding work capability assessment contracts of potential additional costs to the Exchequer involved in contractors awarding bonuses or making performance related salary uplifts.

Functional Assessment Services contracts (including delivery of Work Capability Assessments) are outsourced to four prime contractors. The Department awarded these contracts following fair and open competition to deliver the best value for taxpayers. This included evaluating all of the proposed costs of delivery (including all remuneration to employees).

Whether the Department provides work capability assessment contractors with additional funding for them to award bonuses or performance related salary uplifts.

Functional Assessment Services contracts (including delivery of Work Capability Assessments) are outsourced to four prime contractors. All reward and remuneration to employees, including any potential incentivisation to meet contractual requirements, is for contractors to determine.

Whether he will launch the Pensions Dashboard by the end of 2026.

When we have assurances that the service is safe, secure and thoroughly user-tested, the Secretary of State will provide industry 6 months’ notice ahead of the launch of the government-backed MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard. Insights gained from the launch and operation of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard will help inform the launch date of private sector pensions dashboards.

What steps his Department is taking to check the compliance of PIP assessment facilities.

Where the department provides estate for the delivery of Personal Independence Payment assessments, we ensure that all assessment centres meet relevant legislative requirements, including full compliance with the Equality Act 2010.For assessment centres sourced by our contracted suppliers, those suppliers are contractually required to provide the department with an annual assurance statement confirming that their estate meets all legislative requirements and, as a minimum, meets the same standards as department provided assessment centres.

How many PIP assessment officers there were in each month since January 2025.

The information requested is not held in the format specified.However, while data on the monthly totals for average health professional (HP) full‑time equivalents (FTEs) working on the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) contracts, and overall HP FTE leavers, is not currently published by the department, we will be sharing this information in a future statistical release.

How many PIP assessment officers left their role in each month since January 2025.

The information requested is not held in the format specified.However, while data on the monthly totals for average health professional (HP) full‑time equivalents (FTEs) working on the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) contracts, and overall HP FTE leavers, is not currently published by the department, we will be sharing this information in a future statistical release.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that pension scheme communications are made more transparent and understandable for the general public.

Pension schemes are under legal obligations to provide key information to members. Schemes should ensure that all communications are accurate, clear, concise, relevant and in plain English.Simpler Annual Benefit Statements, introduced in 2022, make defined contribution automatic‑enrolment pension statements shorter and more consistent, helping members see what they’ve saved; what they might have at retirement; and what actions they can take. When launched, pensions dashboards will allow people to view their pensions, including State Pension, securely and in one place online. Dashboards will include clear contextual information alongside the values shown, supported by user testing, to ensure the information is easy to understand. Decision making about how to use pension assets to secure an income can be complex. The Guided Retirement provisions in the Pension Schemes Bill require trustees to provide information in plain and simple language to support informed member decision making. The Government intends to consult on the Guided Retirement communications journey, ensuring that communications are structured, accessible, and delivered at the right points to help savers understand both the default pension plan and the options available to them. The Government ensures everyone has access to free, impartial pensions guidance through the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS).

How many people receive the basic state pension and the additional state pension.

In Great Britain in 2025/26, around 8.1 million individuals were forecast to receive the basic State Pension (this is the State Pension under the pre-2016 system), with around 6.9 million of these individuals forecast to receive the Additional State Pension*. These estimates all refer to pensions administered by DWP for State Pensions accrued in Great Britain. *The Additional State Pension is an earnings-related element of the pre-2016 State Pension and could include Additional Pension, State Earnings-Related Pension Scheme (SERPS) and State Second Pension (S2P) elements. Source: Benefit Expenditure and Caseload Tables 2025

How many people on the basic State Pension have inherited part of the additional State Pension from their deceased spouse or partner.

The Department does not hold published readily accessible data on the number of individuals in receipt of the Basic State Pension who have inherited part of the Additional State Pension from a deceased spouse or partner.

With reference to his Oral Statement on 11 November 2025 entitled Pensions, if he will publish the research findings from the Department's 2007 evaluation on the effectiveness of automatic pension forecast letters.

Report no.447 “Evaluation of Automatic State Pension Forecasts” is publicly available and can be accessed at:https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20121212081018mp_/http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep447.pdfAs confirmed in the Written Statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 11 November, a copy of DWP Research Report no.447 “Evaluation of Automatic State Pension Forecasts” has also been deposited in the Libraries of the House.

With reference to his Oral Statement on 11 November 2025 entitled Pensions, whether the 2007 report on the effectiveness of automatic pension forecast letters is the one referenced in the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's report entitled Women's State Pension Age: our findings on the Department for Work and Pension's communication of changes.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s reports titled “Women’s State Pension age: our findings on the Department for Work and Pensions’ communication of changes”, published 19 July 2021, and “Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues”, published 21 March 2024, both refer to findings from DWP’s ‘Evaluation of Automatic Pension Forecast’ research. In retaking the decision, we will review the evidence from DWP’s ‘Evaluation of Automatic Pension Forecasts’ Research Report, no.447 alongside evidence previously considered. The process to retake the decision has already begun.

Whether the 2007 report on the effectiveness of automatic pension forecast letters is the one referenced in the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's report entitled Women's State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s reports titled “Women’s State Pension age: our findings on the Department for Work and Pensions’ communication of changes”, published 19 July 2021, and “Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues”, published 21 March 2024, both refer to findings from DWP’s ‘Evaluation of Automatic Pension Forecast’ research. In retaking the decision, we will review the evidence from DWP’s ‘Evaluation of Automatic Pension Forecasts’ Research Report, no.447 alongside evidence previously considered. The process to retake the decision has already begun.

How many pensioners receive the full state pension as their only income.

The Department does not hold readily available information to identify how many pensioners receive the full State Pension as their only income. Information is, however, available from Departmental survey data which shows, in 2023/24, around 1.1m pensioner families in the UK received the State Pension and other state benefits as their only source of income. This information is published in the Pensioner Incomes series.

What data his Department uses, other than the Labour Market Force survey, to estimate the population of people who are not in education, employment or training.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) uses multiple data sources to inform our view of how young people are performing in the labour market and whether young people are not in education, employment or training (NEET). These include statistics based on survey and administrative data sources. The quarterly estimates for young people (aged 16-to-24 years) who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the UK can be found here: Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) - Office for National Statistics. This is an official statistic in development, which is used to inform our view of NEETs in the UK. The Department for Education produces estimates of young people (aged 16 to 24 years old) who are NEET for England, which can be found here: NEET age 16 to 24, Calendar year 2024 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK. This is an official statistic in development which is used to inform our view of NEETs in England. Currently, there is no Official Statistical release that shows the trends in 16–24-year-olds NEETs at the local level. The Department for Education does produce a yearly release for those aged 16-17 at local authority level for England. This can be found here: Participation in education, training and NEET age 16 to 17 by local authority, Academic year 2024/25 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK. This uses the National Client Caseload information system to estimate the number of 16–17-year-olds in England who are not in education, employment or training. The ONS publish the educational status and labour market status for people aged from 16-24. This can be found here: A06 SA: Educational status and labour market status for people aged from 16 to 24 (seasonally adjusted) - Office for National Statistics. This is an official statistic in development, derived from the LFS and published monthly. The Annual Population Survey (APS) is used to see youth labour market trends at various geographical levels. This can be access from here: Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics. The APS has a larger sample size than the LFS but is less timely. We also use the monthly estimates of the ONS claimant count by age group. This can be found here: CLA02: Claimant Count by age group - Office for National Statistics. This administrative source shows us the number of young people who are currently in the intensive work search regime. This is for UC/JSA claimants who are unemployed or earning below the Administrative Earnings Threshold. Another administrative data source we use, is the ONS-HMRC Pay As You Earn Real Time Information (RTI). This can be found here: Earnings and employment from Pay As You Earn Real Time Information, seasonally adjusted - Office for National Statistics. This is a monthly released administrative source of information, which tells us how many young people are currently employed on company payrolls. We also use the departments own administrative data through the publicly available Stat Xplore. This can be found here: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/. This service holds data relating to a range of different benefits/programmes for various age groups.

What steps his Department plans to take to distribute funding for people not in education, employment or training through the Youth Guarantee scheme in each region.

As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are developing a Youth Guarantee to ensure young people aged 18-21 can access high-quality training, apprenticeships, and personalised support to find work. As a first step, we are working with eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers across England who are testing innovative approaches to identify and deliver localised support to young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET. This includes strengthening local coordination, through local leadership, and outreach to better connect young people with opportunities. In August 2025, we confirmed we are extending the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers for a further year, to continue supporting young people in 2026/27. The insights gained from the Trailblazers will inform the future design and delivery of the Youth Guarantee.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of social factors on trends in the number of people who are not in education, employment or training.

DWP recognises that a range of social factors contribute to trends in the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Research by the Youth Futures Foundation (published December 2023 - Risk factors for being NEET among young people - Youth Futures Foundation), has identified several key risk factors that increase the likelihood of young people becoming NEET. These include low educational attainment, often linked to early years development, socio-economic background, and parental education, as well as having a limiting health condition or disability, early parenthood, and care experience or family estrangement. Further analysis from Impetus (2025) (Impetus Youth Jobs Gap - Exploring compound disadvantage) and the Resolution Foundation (2025) (False starts • Resolution Foundation) underscores the importance of addressing compound disadvantage: young people facing multiple challenges, such as having Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND); coming from certain ethnic backgrounds; or from an area of economic disadvantage; are more likely to become and remain NEET. As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, our vision for a Youth Guarantee is to ensure all young people aged 18 to 21 are learning or earning, to prevent them from becoming economically inactive before their careers have even begun. The Youth Guarantee Trailblazers, which launched in Spring 2025, are identifying and engaging young people who require additional support to connect them to opportunities. We will use the learning from the Trailblazers to inform the future design and development of the Youth Guarantee.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of mental health on trends in the number of people who are not in education, employment or training; and whether this is reflected in support pathways.

We know that quality employment, education, and training have a positive impact on mental health, and leads to greater independence and a feeling of fully participating in society. That is why, as set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, DWP and DfE are developing a Youth Guarantee, which will ensure that all 18–21-year-olds in England have access to education, training, or help to find a job or an apprenticeship. This will build on the wide range of support Department for Work and Pensions already offers to help young people and those with health conditions or disabilities to move into work. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and personalised support delivered by work coaches based in Jobcentres and in local communities working alongside partners. One such programme is Connect to Work, a voluntary, locally commissioned Supported Employment programme. It is open for anyone who is disabled, has a health condition or is experiencing non-health related barriers to work. Participants are given a dedicated specialist employment support adviser who helps them to identify their career goals and overcome any specific barriers to employment. The Government is also investing in mental health support services for young people. We are expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) to ensure that every school and college has access to specialist mental health professionals, providing access to early support to address problems before they escalate. Additionally, we are also launching Young Futures Hubs, which will bring together services at a local level to support children and young people, helping to ensure that young people can access early advice and wellbeing intervention.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) local and (b) regional factors on trends in the number of people who are not in education, employment or training.

The quarterly estimates for young people (aged 16-to-24 years) who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the UK can be found here: Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) - Office for National Statistics. Currently, there is no regional or local breakdown in these Official Statistics. The most recent release from the ONS shows that the NEET rate in the UK has gradually increased on the year to 12.8% in Apr-Jun 2025. The Department for Education produces estimates of young people (aged 16 to 24 years old) who are NEET for England, which can be found here: NEET age 16 to 24, Calendar year 2024 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK. Currently, there is no Official Statistical release that shows the trends in 16–24-year-olds NEETs at the local level. The Department for Education does produce a yearly release for those aged 16-17 at local authority level for England. This can be found here: Participation in education, training and NEET age 16 to 17 by local authority, Academic year 2024/25 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK. This uses the National Client Caseload information system to estimate the number of 16–17-year-olds in England who are not in education, employment or training. The Get Britain Working White Paper set out our ambitions to transform employment support and tackle economic inactivity. As part of this, local areas in England are producing Local Get Britain Working Plans to develop a system-wide approach to identifying and addressing local labour market challenges. The Youth Guarantee Trailblazers, which launched in Spring 2025, are identifying and engaging young people who require additional support to connect them to opportunities. We will use the learning from the Trailblazers to inform the future design and development of the Youth Guarantee.

Whether his Department plans to continue to use the Labour Market Force survey as the basis for estimating the number of people categorised as NEET.

Official statistics on the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training aged 18-24 years old are estimated using the Labour Force Survey – a large, nationally representative household survey. These official statistics publications include:DfE NEET 16 to 24 year olds in England, which include NEET estimates for 18-24 year olds for England.ONS Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK - Office for National Statistics, which includes NEET 18-24 year old estimates for the UK. DWP uses NEET Official Statistics estimated using the LFS alongside other data sources - such as administrative data from the benefit system like the youth claimant count and administrative data from the PAYE system of employees on payroll – to form a view of what is happening with young people in the labour market. The ONS have faced challenges collecting data via the LFS. These challenges means that LFS-based labour market statistics are currently badged as Official Statistics in Development. As a result of the smaller survey participation rates, additional caution should be taken when interpreting results from the LFS since late 2023. This is transparently explained in Official Statistics publications from DfE and the ONS. The ONS introduced an LFS recovery and sustainability in 2023/2024 and a wider Survey Improvement and Enhancement Plan in 2025 to improve responses across the survey resulting in significant improvements to numbers interviewed since 2023. The latest update on actions taken by the ONS to recover the LFS sample and the latest response rates/sample sizes can be found in the following publications - Labour Force Survey quality update - Office for National Statistics and Labour Force Survey performance and quality monitoring reports - Office for National Statistics. These show that sample sizes have started to recover as a result of actions taken by the ONS. At official level DWP regularly engages with ONS and DfE colleagues to help understand their data collection and statistics production; and to help improve the quality of the data and ensure it is useful for DWP’s business needs. The ONS are transforming how they collect and produce LFS data to improve the quality of these statistics. One key aim of the TLFS is to develop it as an online-first multi-mode survey, to ensure it is as easy as possible for respondents to engage. Further information on the TLFS can be found here: Labour market transformation – update on progress and plans - Office for National Statistics. The publication of TLFS headline labour market statistics is currently scheduled for November 2026, although this may extend into 2027 if assessment of TLFS data quality requires more data to be collected and assessed before transition to using TLFS data as the basis from Labour Market Statistics. DfE and ONS plan to continue using LFS/TLFS data to estimate the number of young people categorised as NEET.

What discussions he has had with the Office for National Statistics on the potential impact of trends in participation rates in the Labour Market Force on the accuracy of its estimates of the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training.

Official statistics on the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training aged 18-24 years old are estimated using the Labour Force Survey – a large, nationally representative household survey. These official statistics publications include:DfE NEET 16 to 24 year olds in England, which include NEET estimates for 18-24 year olds for England.ONS Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK - Office for National Statistics, which includes NEET 18-24 year old estimates for the UK. DWP uses NEET Official Statistics estimated using the LFS alongside other data sources - such as administrative data from the benefit system like the youth claimant count and administrative data from the PAYE system of employees on payroll – to form a view of what is happening with young people in the labour market. The ONS have faced challenges collecting data via the LFS. These challenges means that LFS-based labour market statistics are currently badged as Official Statistics in Development. As a result of the smaller survey participation rates, additional caution should be taken when interpreting results from the LFS since late 2023. This is transparently explained in Official Statistics publications from DfE and the ONS. The ONS introduced an LFS recovery and sustainability in 2023/2024 and a wider Survey Improvement and Enhancement Plan in 2025 to improve responses across the survey resulting in significant improvements to numbers interviewed since 2023. The latest update on actions taken by the ONS to recover the LFS sample and the latest response rates/sample sizes can be found in the following publications - Labour Force Survey quality update - Office for National Statistics and Labour Force Survey performance and quality monitoring reports - Office for National Statistics. These show that sample sizes have started to recover as a result of actions taken by the ONS. At official level DWP regularly engages with ONS and DfE colleagues to help understand their data collection and statistics production; and to help improve the quality of the data and ensure it is useful for DWP’s business needs. The ONS are transforming how they collect and produce LFS data to improve the quality of these statistics. One key aim of the TLFS is to develop it as an online-first multi-mode survey, to ensure it is as easy as possible for respondents to engage. Further information on the TLFS can be found here: Labour market transformation – update on progress and plans - Office for National Statistics. The publication of TLFS headline labour market statistics is currently scheduled for November 2026, although this may extend into 2027 if assessment of TLFS data quality requires more data to be collected and assessed before transition to using TLFS data as the basis from Labour Market Statistics. DfE and ONS plan to continue using LFS/TLFS data to estimate the number of young people categorised as NEET.