Written questions by Savage.

Whether Income Tax liabilities arising from simple assessment are taken into account when calculating (a) Housing Benefit and (b) Council Tax Reduction entitlement for pensioners.

The assessment of entitlement to Housing Benefit and Local Council Tax Support takes into account a person’s net income plus the value of any DWP benefits they receive. Taxation is a matter for HMRC. It treats pension income, whether State or occupational, in the same way as other taxable income. However, the Chancellor has said that over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax. The government will set out more detail in due course.No new guidance has been issued to local authorities on this matter.

Whether pensioners issued with a simple assessment are advised to notify their local authority so that their Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction can be reassessed.

The assessment of entitlement to Housing Benefit and Local Council Tax Support takes into account a person’s net income plus the value of any DWP benefits they receive. Taxation is a matter for HMRC. It treats pension income, whether State or occupational, in the same way as other taxable income. However, the Chancellor has said that over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax. The government will set out more detail in due course.No new guidance has been issued to local authorities on this matter.

Whether income tax liabilities arising from simple assessment tax demands are taken into account when calculating Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction for pensioners whose sole income is the pre-2016 State Pension.

The assessment of entitlement to Housing Benefit and Local Council Tax Support takes into account a person’s net income plus the value of any DWP benefits they receive. Taxation is a matter for HMRC. It treats pension income, whether State or occupational, in the same way as other taxable income. However, the Chancellor has said that over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax. The government will set out more detail in due course.No new guidance has been issued to local authorities on this matter.

Whether his Department is taking steps to ensure pensioners issued with simple assessment tax demands are advised to contact their local authority to reassess their entitlement to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction.

The assessment of entitlement to Housing Benefit and Local Council Tax Support takes into account a person’s net income plus the value of any DWP benefits they receive. Taxation is a matter for HMRC. It treats pension income, whether State or occupational, in the same way as other taxable income. However, the Chancellor has said that over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax. The government will set out more detail in due course.No new guidance has been issued to local authorities on this matter.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of changes to Income Tax liabilities on the amount of (a) Housing Benefit and (b) Council Tax Reduction received by pensioners who retired before April 2016.

The assessment of entitlement to Housing Benefit and Local Council Tax Support takes into account a person’s net income plus the value of any DWP benefits they receive. Taxation is a matter for HMRC. It treats pension income, whether State or occupational, in the same way as other taxable income. However, the Chancellor has said that over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax. The government will set out more detail in due course.No new guidance has been issued to local authorities on this matter.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that local authorities are aware of the interaction between new tax liabilities for pre-2016 pensioners and the calculation of means-tested benefits.

The assessment of entitlement to Housing Benefit and Local Council Tax Support takes into account a person’s net income plus the value of any DWP benefits they receive. Taxation is a matter for HMRC. It treats pension income, whether State or occupational, in the same way as other taxable income. However, the Chancellor has said that over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax. The government will set out more detail in due course.No new guidance has been issued to local authorities on this matter.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the frozen personal allowance on entitlement to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction for people in receipt of the pre-April 2016 State Pension.

The assessment of entitlement to Housing Benefit and Local Council Tax Support takes into account a person’s net income plus the value of any DWP benefits they receive. Taxation is a matter for HMRC. It treats pension income, whether State or occupational, in the same way as other taxable income. However, the Chancellor has said that over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax. The government will set out more detail in due course.No new guidance has been issued to local authorities on this matter.

Whether he plans to update or revise the public advice given on the prepare.campaign.gov.uk website.

By following the advice on gov.uk/prepare, people can improve their preparedness for various types of disruption or emergency, irrespective of the cause. We also work closely with local and national partners to ensure they are aware of – and can share – this important advice with the public. We regularly review the website's content and continue to explore options for improving it, and for increasing public awareness of emergency preparedness advice beyond the website.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she intends to establish or increase strategic national food reserves.

The UK has a resilient food supply chain and is equipped to deal with situations that have the potential to cause disruption. Defra works with industry and across Government to monitor risks that may arise. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption to food supply chains.

What steps he takes to ensure that military operations conducted from facilities in the UK are compliant with international law.

UK military operations are conducted in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. Military personnel are bound by the laws of England and Wales for their actions under the Armed Forces Act 2006. All decisions on whether to approve foreign nations’ use of military bases in the UK for operational purposes consider the legal basis for any proposed activity.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the (a) under-occupancy charge and (b) Local Housing Allowance on residents in almshouse accommodation who are in (i) low-paid and (ii) part-time employment.

We acknowledge the vital part that almshouses play in providing much needed low-cost affordable housing. Residents pay a weekly maintenance contribution which is usually much lower than the market rate, which can be paid for through Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. It is the responsibility of the local authority to determine whether housing costs meet the definition to be paid for through Housing Benefit. This will depend on the type of landlord and whether the resident is being provided with care, support or supervision. The level of housing support which the resident will receive is determined by whether the almshouse is privately owned or managed by a social landlord. The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) applies to residents living in the private rented sector who are in receipt of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. LHA determines the maximum housing support for tenants in the private rented sector. Households in similar circumstances living in the same area are entitled to the same maximum rent allowance, regardless of the contractual rent paid. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas. Claimants in receipt of housing support living in the social rented sector have their eligible rent paid in full, unless the level of housing support is reduced because of their income or savings, contributions from non-dependants, or limited by the benefit cap or the removal of the spare room subsidy (RSRS). For those who require further support Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities for low-income renters who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. From April 2026 DHPs for England will be incorporated into the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). DWP systems do not include almshouses as a specific residency type and therefore we cannot identify them in our data.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the eligibility criteria for benefits and trends in the level of housing costs on (a) social isolation and (b) loneliness amongst (i) older and (ii) low-income residents living in (1) almshouses and (2) charitable housing.

We acknowledge the vital part that almshouses play in providing much needed low-cost affordable housing. Residents pay a weekly maintenance contribution which is usually much lower than the market rate, which can be paid for through Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. It is the responsibility of the local authority to determine whether housing costs meet the definition to be paid for through Housing Benefit. This will depend on the type of landlord and whether the resident is being provided with care, support or supervision. The level of housing support which the resident will receive is determined by whether the almshouse is privately owned or managed by a social landlord. The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) applies to residents living in the private rented sector who are in receipt of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. LHA determines the maximum housing support for tenants in the private rented sector. Households in similar circumstances living in the same area are entitled to the same maximum rent allowance, regardless of the contractual rent paid. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas. Claimants in receipt of housing support living in the social rented sector have their eligible rent paid in full, unless the level of housing support is reduced because of their income or savings, contributions from non-dependants, or limited by the benefit cap or the removal of the spare room subsidy (RSRS). For those who require further support Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities for low-income renters who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. From April 2026 DHPs for England will be incorporated into the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). DWP systems do not include almshouses as a specific residency type and therefore we cannot identify them in our data.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the levels of housing costs on the ability of working-age residents in almshouse accommodation in rural areas to remain (a) in employment and (b) financially independent.

We acknowledge the vital part that almshouses play in providing much needed low-cost affordable housing. Residents pay a weekly maintenance contribution which is usually much lower than the market rate, which can be paid for through Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. It is the responsibility of the local authority to determine whether housing costs meet the definition to be paid for through Housing Benefit. This will depend on the type of landlord and whether the resident is being provided with care, support or supervision. The level of housing support which the resident will receive is determined by whether the almshouse is privately owned or managed by a social landlord. The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) applies to residents living in the private rented sector who are in receipt of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. LHA determines the maximum housing support for tenants in the private rented sector. Households in similar circumstances living in the same area are entitled to the same maximum rent allowance, regardless of the contractual rent paid. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas. Claimants in receipt of housing support living in the social rented sector have their eligible rent paid in full, unless the level of housing support is reduced because of their income or savings, contributions from non-dependants, or limited by the benefit cap or the removal of the spare room subsidy (RSRS). For those who require further support Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities for low-income renters who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. From April 2026 DHPs for England will be incorporated into the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). DWP systems do not include almshouses as a specific residency type and therefore we cannot identify them in our data.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the Care Quality Commission’s inspection capacity in Gloucestershire; and what steps are being taken to help ensure that people in (a) South Cotswolds constituency and (b) the UK have access to up-to-date and reliable inspection information when choosing care providers.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. Health is a devolved matter for the rest of United Kingdom.The Department is aware of the need for the CQC to make improvements in the number of assessments it undertakes, following Dr Penny Dash’s review of the CQC’s operational effectiveness, published in October 2025.The CQC is being supported and held to account for making improvements, including increasing the number of provider assessments and the timely publication of assessments reports.Assessment reports are published on the CQC’s website and accessible to the public for information when choosing care providers.From January 2026, the CQC will prioritise inspections of services with outdated ratings and those not previously assessed, while continuing to respond to risks. These steps aim to provide timely and reliable inspection information for individuals choosing care providers, including those in the South Cotswolds.

Whether her Department plans to review how regional cost-of-living disparities are taken into account when calculating student maintenance support, particularly for lower-income students studying in rural university towns with limited housing supply.

To help higher education students with cost-of-living pressures, we are future-proofing maintenance loans by increasing them in-line with forecast inflation every year and reintroducing targeted means-tested maintenance grants of up to £1,000 per year from 2028/29. This year, we increased maximum maintenance loans by 3.1%, to £10,544 for students living away from home studying outside London, £13,762 for students living away from home studying in London, and £8,877 for students living at home.Kathryn Mitchell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Derby, will bring together sector experts and chair the Higher Education Access and Participation Task and Finish Group. Its remit includes developing options to address regional disparities in access for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. We are also working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to encourage universities to work with their local authorities on strategic approaches to meeting student housing needs.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether private contractors operating Household Waste Recycling Centres on behalf of local authorities are permitted to levy charges on residents for the disposal of household waste; and whether the Government will review current guidance or legislation in light of proposals affecting the Purton Household Waste Recycling Centre in Wiltshire.

Local Authorities are responsible for the provision of Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in their area. Householders must be allowed to deposit waste deemed to be ‘household waste’ for free. Where waste does not meet the criteria for being classified as household waste, such as construction waste, then the waste local authorities may charge for this. WRAP provided updated HWRC guidance in March 2025. There is currently no intention to carry out a further review of guidance or legislation. [The Government would encourage local authorities to consider ease of access and availability of services for residents when determining service provision.]

What steps her Department is taking to reduce students’ reliance on paid employment alongside their studies; and how it intends to ensure that students living in rural or employment-scarce areas have equal access to financial security, opportunity, and an acceptable quality of life while in higher education.

To help higher education students with cost-of-living pressures, we are future-proofing maintenance loans by increasing them in-line with forecast inflation every year and reintroducing targeted means-tested maintenance grants of up to £1,000 per year from 2028/29. This year, we increased maximum maintenance loans by 3.1%, to £10,544 for students living away from home studying outside London, £13,762 for students living away from home studying in London, and £8,877 for students living at home.Kathryn Mitchell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Derby, will bring together sector experts and chair the Higher Education Access and Participation Task and Finish Group. Its remit includes developing options to address regional disparities in access for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. We are also working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to encourage universities to work with their local authorities on strategic approaches to meeting student housing needs.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the current student maintenance support system in light of sustained increases in rent, food, and energy costs; and what steps it is taking to ensure that student finance reflects real-world living expenses across all regions, including for students studying at rural institutions.

To help higher education students with cost-of-living pressures, we are future-proofing maintenance loans by increasing them in-line with forecast inflation every year and reintroducing targeted means-tested maintenance grants of up to £1,000 per year from 2028/29. This year, we increased maximum maintenance loans by 3.1%, to £10,544 for students living away from home studying outside London, £13,762 for students living away from home studying in London, and £8,877 for students living at home.Kathryn Mitchell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Derby, will bring together sector experts and chair the Higher Education Access and Participation Task and Finish Group. Its remit includes developing options to address regional disparities in access for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. We are also working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to encourage universities to work with their local authorities on strategic approaches to meeting student housing needs.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the closure of dedicated Long Covid services on patient outcomes; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the long-term effects of Covid-19 are (a) properly identified, (b) monitored and (c) treated.

While no central assessment has been made of the impact of local closures of post-COVID-19 services on patient outcomes and data collection, the Government understands the scale of the issue at hand, particularly the impact of long COVID-19 on health, employment, and the economy.The Government is aware that post-acute infection conditions, such as long COVID-19, can have a devastating effect on those who suffer from them. We are committed to taking a comprehensive and compassionate approach to supporting individuals with post-acute infection conditions such as long COVID-19, recognising the unique challenges these conditions present.Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning specialist services for long COVID-19 that meet the needs of their population, subject to local prioritisation and funding. NHS England has published commissioning guidance for post-COVID-19, or long COVID-19, services, which sets out a blueprint for best practice in supporting people with long COVID-19 and is designed to be adapted to local needs. This guidance is avaiable at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-commissioning-guidance-for-post-covid-services/ Anyone who is concerned about long lasting symptoms after having COVID-19 should contact their general practitioner (GP). If appropriate, their GP will refer them to a National Health Service long COVID-19 service where available, or a suitable alternative, which will assess people and direct them into care pathways which provide appropriate support, treatment, and rehabilitation. To support clinical leadership in this area, NHS England worked in partnership with the British Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine to establish the International Post- Covid and Post-Infection Conditions Society to facilitate the ongoing sharing of best practice to support people affected by long COVID-19. Ongoing projects funded through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Medical Research Council (MRC) aim to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of long COVID-19 and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, as well as to evaluate clinical care. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including long COVID-19. The NIHR and MRC remain committed to funding high-quality research to understand the causes, consequences, and treatment of post-viral conditions, including long COVID-19, and are actively exploring next steps for research into post-viral conditions. On 6 November 2025, the NIHR and MRC hosted a showcase event for post-acute infection conditions, including long COVID-19, research. This brought together people with lived experience, researchers, clinicians, and research funders to help stimulate further research in this field. We are now considering discussions from the showcase event to explore next steps to stimulate further vital research in this area. We are determined to accelerate progress in the treatment and management of long COVID-19. This includes a new funding opportunity for a development award which is focussed on the feasibility of a phase 2 platform clinical trial that tests multiple repurposed pharmaceutical interventions and/or non-pharmacological interventions and devices. This targeted funding opportunity is one component of our approach to improve evidence around the diagnosis, management, and treatment of post-acute infection conditions, including long COVID-19.

What data his Department holds on patient outcomes for those with Long-Covid following the closure of dedicated services; and how many former Long Covid patients are being supported through ME/CFS services.

While no central assessment has been made of the impact of local closures of post-COVID-19 services on patient outcomes and data collection, the Government understands the scale of the issue at hand, particularly the impact of long COVID-19 on health, employment, and the economy.The Government is aware that post-acute infection conditions, such as long COVID-19, can have a devastating effect on those who suffer from them. We are committed to taking a comprehensive and compassionate approach to supporting individuals with post-acute infection conditions such as long COVID-19, recognising the unique challenges these conditions present.Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning specialist services for long COVID-19 that meet the needs of their population, subject to local prioritisation and funding. NHS England has published commissioning guidance for post-COVID-19, or long COVID-19, services, which sets out a blueprint for best practice in supporting people with long COVID-19 and is designed to be adapted to local needs. This guidance is avaiable at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-commissioning-guidance-for-post-covid-services/ Anyone who is concerned about long lasting symptoms after having COVID-19 should contact their general practitioner (GP). If appropriate, their GP will refer them to a National Health Service long COVID-19 service where available, or a suitable alternative, which will assess people and direct them into care pathways which provide appropriate support, treatment, and rehabilitation. To support clinical leadership in this area, NHS England worked in partnership with the British Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine to establish the International Post- Covid and Post-Infection Conditions Society to facilitate the ongoing sharing of best practice to support people affected by long COVID-19. Ongoing projects funded through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Medical Research Council (MRC) aim to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of long COVID-19 and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, as well as to evaluate clinical care. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including long COVID-19. The NIHR and MRC remain committed to funding high-quality research to understand the causes, consequences, and treatment of post-viral conditions, including long COVID-19, and are actively exploring next steps for research into post-viral conditions. On 6 November 2025, the NIHR and MRC hosted a showcase event for post-acute infection conditions, including long COVID-19, research. This brought together people with lived experience, researchers, clinicians, and research funders to help stimulate further research in this field. We are now considering discussions from the showcase event to explore next steps to stimulate further vital research in this area. We are determined to accelerate progress in the treatment and management of long COVID-19. This includes a new funding opportunity for a development award which is focussed on the feasibility of a phase 2 platform clinical trial that tests multiple repurposed pharmaceutical interventions and/or non-pharmacological interventions and devices. This targeted funding opportunity is one component of our approach to improve evidence around the diagnosis, management, and treatment of post-acute infection conditions, including long COVID-19.