Written questions by Duncan-Jordan.

What percentage of the Household Support Fund is spent on the provision of furniture and white goods; and if his Department will work with the Crisis and Resilience Fund team to ensure that furniture provision becomes a core component of crisis and resilience spending.

Percentages of Household Support Fund (HSF) spend by category are published and available here: Household Support Fund management information - GOV.UK Table 2 shows a breakdown of HSF spending by category. Furniture and white goods are included within the “wider essentials” category, which also covers items such as clothing, period and hygiene products, and essential transport-related costs. We do not hold data on the proportion specifically spent on furniture and appliances. We are working closely with local authorities and external stakeholders on the detailed design of the Crisis and Resilience Fund, and we plan to publish scheme guidance in January 2026.

What percentage of the Household Support Fund is spent on furniture and appliances.

Percentages of Household Support Fund (HSF) spend by category are published in DWP’s management information, based on data provided by local authorities. This information is available here: Household Support Fund management information - GOV.UK For each release, Table 2 shows a breakdown of HSF spend by category. Furniture and appliances are included within the “wider essentials” category, which also covers items such as clothing, period and hygiene products, and essential transport-related costs. We do not hold data on the proportion specifically spent on furniture and appliances, so cannot provide a further breakdown. The first release of management information (covering 6 October 2021 to 31 March 2022) did not include this category, as it was not collected at that time.

Whether the new Crisis and Resilience Fund will encourage local authorities to offer direct provision of furniture and white goods to those in need; and will the guidance explain the benefits of furniture provision in building up resilience for extremely low-income households.

The new Crisis and Resilience Fund will be introduced from 1 April 2026. This represents the first ever multi-year settlement for locally delivered crisis support. This longer-term funding approach aims to enable local authorities to provide preventative support to communities – working with the voluntary and community sector – as well as assisting people when faced with a financial crisis We plan to publish guidance for the Crisis and Resilience Fund in January 2026.

What assessment has been made as to the impact on placement students following the changes to the apprenticeship levy.

This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will give greater flexibility to employers and learners and support the industrial strategy. In August, we introduced new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors, as well as shorter duration apprenticeships. These flexibilities will help more people learn new high-quality skills at work and fuel innovation in businesses across the country. From April 2026, we will introduce new short courses as part of the growth and skills offer with the first wave called apprenticeship units. They will be available in critical skills areas such as artificial intelligence, digital and engineering. Further details will be shared in due course. An apprenticeship is a job with training, rather than a placement which is something that is part of some further or higher education courses.

What steps he is taking to support disabled people to access employment by (a) ensuring that the Access to Work scheme is properly resourced and (b) addressing delays in (i) award decisions and (ii) reimbursements.

Access to Work has been providing support for over 30 years, and we know that for many, this support has been invaluable. Demand for the service has increased. In 2024/5 the number of customers in receipt of payment reached 74,190. This is an increase of 10% compared with 2023/24. Access to Work will continue to be funded as part of the Spending Review 2025. This will ensure continued support for disabled people and people with health conditions to stay and remain in the workplace.We recognise the importance of clearing the backlog, which is why we increased the number of staff working in this area by 27%. In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the programme to help more disabled people into work and support employers. We are currently considering responses to the consultation that closed on 30 June and we will set out our plans as soon as we are in a position to do so.

What assessment he has made of the impact of the 10% decrease in the number of Access to Work claims approved between March 2024 and March 2025 on the number of disabled people being supported into work.

While the number of people who were approved for any Access to Work provision was 61,670 in 2024/25, the number of customers in receipt of payment in 2024/25 increased to 74,190. As Access to Work awards are approved for up to three years, customers receiving payments in 2024/25 may have been approved for support at any point between 2021/22 and 2024/25. In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of the Access to Work scheme. We also considered the role of employers in creating accessible and inclusive workplaces as well as how we can shape the market for aids, appliances and assistive technology, to reduce their cost and spread their adoption. We are considering responses to the consultation and will set out our plans in due course.

With reference to the Written Statement of 5 November 2025 on Keep Britain Working Review: Government Response, HCWS1020, if he will publish a categorisation of the nature of the health problems affecting the additional 800,000 people that have become economically inactive since 2019.

DWP publishes data, as part of its Employment of Disabled People Official Statistics publication, on the number of people who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness. These statistics are broken down by main and main or secondary long-term health condition (Tables EIA016 and EIA017). The latest data covers the period from April to June 2013 to the same quarter of 2025.

When the Minister for Disability plans to meet (a) the British Assistive Technology Association and (b) other disability sector organisations.

I regularly meet with disability sector organisations, details of meetings are published here: DWP ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings - GOV.UK.

With reference to the Written Statement of 5 November 2025 on Keep Britain Working Review: Government Response, HCWS1020, whether the Vanguard phase will include involvement with representative trade unions.

Following publication of Sir Charlie Mayfield’s Keep Britain Working review report on 5 November, we welcome his findings and recommendations. Employers have a vital role, and we are committed to working alongside employees and employers to 'Keep Britain Working’, reforming the system and shifting our focus from welfare to work, skills, and opportunities. Trade Unions fed into the review throughout and we plan to continue engagement with them and other representative groups through the implementation of the Vanguard Phase. We are pleased that Sir Charlie has agreed to continue this work in partnership with DWP, DBT and DHSC. We are immediately launching Vanguards to test new employer-led approaches to support individuals to stay in work. Over 70 businesses and 6 regions, giving access to their employer networks, have already expressed an interest to be involved and support the next stage of the review.

What discussions his Department is having with relevant stakeholders on supporting small and medium sized businesses to provide apprenticeship schemes in Poole constituency.

The government facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises 2,500 employers and apprentices who volunteer to promote the benefits of apprenticeships. It operates across England through nine regional networks. These networks provide buddying and mentoring support to small and medium sized businesses to help them recruit and train apprentices, often for the first time. The South-East AAN network is actively engaging small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across the region including in Poole. In addition, through Skills England, the government is simplifying the skills system and strengthening support for SMEs. Skills England provides the single, authoritative view of skills needs, working with employers, training providers and local leaders to ensure training reflects real labour-market demand. Skills England’s regions teams work with Employer Representative Bodies through Local Skills Improvement Plans. In Poole, this is led by the Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, covering Bournemouth, Christchurch and the wider Dorset area. To ensure its work is shaped by real business experience, Skills England maintains regular dialogue with the B5 group of major employer organisations, including the Federation of Small Businesses. It also has a dedicated SME sponsor on its board and an executive team actively engaging SMEs across the country, ensuring smaller firms have a strong voice in shaping the skills system.

What recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of child poverty in Poole constituency.

Statistics on the number of children living in relative poverty on a before housing costs basis for Poole constituency are published annually in the “Children in low income families: local area statistics” publication. An assessment of trends in child poverty in Poole can be made using Table “5_Relative_ParlC” in the latest published version, available here: Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2024 - GOV.UK. The Child Poverty Taskforce is progressing work to publish our ambitious, UK-wide Child Poverty Strategy this autumn, that will deliver measures to tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty.

What recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of foodbank use by (a) working age and (b) pension age people in Poole constituency.

Statistics on food bank use by working-age and pension-age people are published annually in the Households below average income statistics report. The most recent publication is available here: Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2024 - GOV.UK National and England regional breakdowns should be calculated using three-year rolling aver-ages via Stat-Xplore. Due to small sample sizes, it is not possible to produce estimates of food bank use at the constituency level, including for Poole. We are committed to tackling poverty and reducing mass dependence on emergency food parcels. To inform this work, DWP officials have engaged with a range of organisations to better understand the complex food support landscape. To further support struggling households, we are providing £742 million to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) in England until 31 March 2026, enabling local authorities to continue to provide vulnerable households with immediate crisis support towards the cost of essentials, such as energy, water and food. Starting from 1 April 2026, we have announced a further £842 million a year (£1 billion including Barnett consequential) to reform crisis support with the new Crisis and Resilience Fund, supporting our wider mission to reduce child poverty by reducing dependence on food parcels, preventing homelessness and making sure people can access urgent support when they need it.

Whether he has had recent discussions with his Australian counterpart on uprating the UK state pension for British overseas pensioners living in Australia.

The policy on up-rating UK State Pensions paid overseas is longstanding and has been in place for over 70 years. UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.

If he will review the Child Maintenance Service and Government Legal Department procedures so as to minimise (a) unlawful enforcement and (b) the wasting of court time.

Where a paying parent fails to pay on time or in full, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) aims to take immediate action to recover the debt and re-establish compliance. The CMS is committed to using its wide-ranging enforcement powers proportionally, and in the best interests of children and separated families. Enforcement actions taken by Child Maintenance Service (CMS) must comply with the Human Rights Act 1998. A number of administrative enforcement powers are available to the CMS that do not require the use of court time, in order to re-establish payments to children eg: a deduction from earnings order. A parent who is unhappy with the exercise of such powers can either appeal to an independent tribunal to reconsider their calculation and therefore what they owe, or, in the case of the more intrusive powers, can appeal directly to a court.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of reducing the Housing Benefit taper rate from to 55 per cent to bring it in line with Universal Credit.

It remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. The Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those living in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department will consider the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders.Like Universal Credit, Housing Benefit has an income taper. As Housing Benefit may be claimed by those both in work and out of work, there are no rules around the number of hours that someone may work; instead, there are income tapers which apply. The income taper in Housing Benefit ensures people in work are better off than someone wholly reliant on benefits. In addition to any financial advantage, there are important non-financial benefits of working. These benefits include learning new skills, improved confidence and independence as well as a positive effect on an individual's mental and physical health. However, the treatment of earnings in Housing Benefit is less generous than that of Universal Credit. Therefore, although customers living in Supported Housing are better off working than doing no work at all, they can be financially better off limiting the hours they work to ensure they retain a small amount of Universal Credit entitlement.Changing the current rules would require a fiscal event and funding at a Budget. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.

How much money was saved following the means-testing of the winter fuel allowance in 2024-2025, net of the increase in successful Pension Credit claims during the same period.

Linking Winter Fuel Payment eligibility to Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits in England & Wales for winter 2024/25 was estimated to save around £1.3 billion, inclusive of an estimated increase in Pension Credit take-up of five percentage points as a result of the policy change. This figure has been published in the Office of Budget Responsibility’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook (October 2024), available here: https://obr.uk/docs/dlm_uploads/OBR_Economic_and_fiscal_outlook_Oct_2024.pdf. Final 2024/2025 expenditure figures for Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Credit will be available in the next edition of the Benefit Caseload and Expenditure tables.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the Housing Benefit earnings disregard from £5 to £57 for young people.

It remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. The Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those living in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department will consider the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders.Like Universal Credit, Housing Benefit has an income taper. As Housing Benefit may be claimed by those both in work and out of work, there are no rules around the number of hours that someone may work; instead, there are income tapers which apply. The income taper in Housing Benefit ensures people in work are better off than someone wholly reliant on benefits. In addition to any financial advantage, there are important non-financial benefits of working. These benefits include learning new skills, improved confidence and independence as well as a positive effect on an individual's mental and physical health. However, the treatment of earnings in Housing Benefit is less generous than that of Universal Credit. Therefore, although customers living in Supported Housing are better off working than doing no work at all, they can be financially better off limiting the hours they work to ensure they retain a small amount of Universal Credit entitlement.Changing the current rules would require a fiscal event and funding at a Budget. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.

Whether existing claimants of Employment Support Allowance, who leave the social security system and later need to return to claim (a) Employment Support Allowance and (b) Universal Health, will be considered new claimants.

Customers who leave the social security system and later need to return to claim New Style Employment Support Allowance or the Universal Credit health element will be considered new claimants, unless they stopped receiving Universal Credit as a result of increased earnings and then return to payment within six months. All new claimants who apply for the Universal Credit health element from 6 April 2026 will receive the lower rate unless they meet the Severe Conditions Criteria or qualify under Special Rules for End of Life.

Whether people in the Employment and Support Allowance Support Group will be classed as being a new claimant when they migrate onto Universal Credit for the purposes of the Universal Credit Bill.

We are rebalancing Universal Credit to fix a system which encourages people to claim health benefits and shuts the out of employment support. It’s a targeted reform that protects those with the most serious, long-term conditions and existing claimants, while providing work, health and skills support to everyone who is affected by changes to LCWRA. I can confirm that customers who move to Universal Credit from Employment & Support Allowance (Income-Related), with no gap between those awards, will not be treated as a new customer and will retain the higher rate of the LCWRA addition.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to Universal Credit on poverty levels.

The Department has published an updated assessment of the poverty impacts of the benefit changes announced at Spring Statement with revisions to reflect the proposed changes since tabled, which includes changes to Universal Credit. The assessment is available at Spring statement social security changes – updated impact on poverty levels in Great Britain, July 2025 - GOV.UK.