Every parliamentary written question tabled by Rupert Lowe this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 81–100 of 143 · Department for Work and Pensions
How much was spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for people contacting her Department in 2024.
A) The spend on translation for people contacting the Department in 2024 was £882,118. B) The spend on interpretation for people contacting the department in 2024 was £6,345,275. This includes access costs such as BSL etc.
How much was spent on translation in Jobcentres in 2024.
The total spent on translation in Jobcentres in 2024 was £882,118. This figure includes International Pension Service.
What the average (a) waiting time for people calling and (b) time people spent on hold for her Department was in 2024.
The table below shows the Average Speed of Answer and Total Hold Time, in an hours, minutes and seconds (hh:mm:ss) format, for all people calling DWP during the calendar year, 2024. Calendar YearAverage Time to Answer (hh:mm:ss)Average Hold Time (hh:mm:ss)202400:07:3300:00:24 DISCLAIMER Please note this information is derived from the Department’s management information, designed solely for the purpose of helping the Department to manage its business. As such, it has not been subjected to the rigorous quality assurance checks applied to our published official statistics. As DWP holds the information internally, we have released it. However, it is possible information held by DWP may change due to operational reasons and we recommend that caution be applied when using it.
What estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the approach taken under the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy.
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of low skilled migrants' entitlement to benefits on the public purse.
The Department has no current plans to make such an assessment.
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of low skilled immigration worker visa grants on job opportunities for low skilled domestic workers.
This would be a matter for UK Visas & Immigration and the Home Office.
What percentage of people with a High Potential Individual visa are in employment.
The information requested is not held by this Department.
How many refugees were in receipt of Personal Independence Payment in each of the last five years; and what the cost to the public purse was.
The Department does not hold the requested information on refugees in receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Decision-makers check that an individual has leave to remain in the UK with recourse to public funds and meets all other eligibility requirements. Once this is established, the claim is processed like any other claim. Refugee claims are not flagged or marked on PIP administrative systems separately that would allow us to provide the information requested.
What proportion of people convicted for their involvement in Pakistani heritage grooming gangs were in receipt of (a) Universal Credit and (b) another benefit when they committed their crimes.
The requested information is not held.
How many and what proportion of officials in her Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.
All Civil Service departments work within the Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit. ● Departments will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010. ● The Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity - not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve. ● The Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-25 Promoting Fairness and Performance, published in February 2022, is positioned as an essential lever to deliver a Modern Civil Service, where our values are to serve with integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality; driving our vision to be a skilled, innovative and ambitious Civil Service equipped for the future. This strategy sets out a broader definition of diversity, to include geographical, social and career backgrounds alongside the protected groups. ● As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.
How many staff employed by her Department are responsible for staff welfare; and whether her Department has any contracts with external organisations for staff welfare services.
The DWP Wellbeing Team includes a resource of 8 employees who are responsible for ensuring we proactively support the health and wellbeing of colleagues across DWP, creating a safe and healthy culture for colleagues at work. DWP has a contract for Occupational Health provision and delivery of a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme with People Asset Management (PAM). DWP also has an Eyecare contract with Specsavers which provides an eyecare service for DWP employees who use display screen equipment at work and offers a free eye test once every two years.
If she will publish a list of companies contracted by her Department to undertake training for staff.
The Department’s main route for Learning is via the Cabinet Office led Learning Frameworks contracts whose main suppliers are KPMG and Ernst and Young. Any other learning is by exception and this information is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
How many contacts to the Pension Service there were in each month of the last five years.
The attached table shows volumes of telephone calls received within Pension Service over the last 5 years and includes the following services:State PensionPension CreditInternational GroupAttendance AllowanceCarers AllowanceWinter Fuel PaymentBereavementFuture Pension ServiceIncludes all G4S outsourced. Information regarding other contacts is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
If she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of pension payments made to deceased recipients in each of the last ten years.
Due to data archiving in accordance with GDPR, we can only provide data from the last five financial years. Direct Payments made into an account after the death of a customer represent only around 0.1% of total annual expenditure on pensions. Although these are treated as non-recoverable and are not enforceable by law, we can request the money back as a voluntary payment. So far, we have recovered around half of the overpayments, to avoid this becoming a long-term cost to the taxpayer. State PensionPension CreditTotalYearOverpaidVoluntary repaymentNetOverpaidVoluntary repaymentNetOverpaidVoluntary repaymentNet2019/20£71.8m£43.3m£28.5m£8.6m£4.0m£4.6m£80.4m£47.3m£33.1m2020/21£54.5m£20.4m£34.1m£6.7m£2.0m£4.7m£61.1m£22.4m£38.8m2021/22£106.6m£53.8m£52.9m£13.4m£5.4m£8.0m£120.0m£59.1m£60.9m2022/23£81.0m£48.5m£32.5m£10.1m£4.6m£5.5m£91.1m£53.1m£38.0m2023/24£143.9m£67.3m£76.7m£15.2m£5.9m£9.3m£159.2m£73.2m£86.0m *Above table identifies the New Debt Value and the value of recoveries of RP & PC DPADs in each financial year.The repayments in a specific year might not match the overpayments that occurred in that year, as repayment sometimes lags.Data is GB only and classification information is current.Payments may have later been reversed.Debts have not necessarily all been fully recovered.Net value has been identified using the following Overpaid - Voluntary repayment = Net.
What proportion of refugees are (a) employed, (b) unemployed, (c) in receipt of Universal Credit and (d) in receipt of other social security benefits.
The Department does not hold the information to produce the requested calculation. Data on the total number of individuals with refugee status is held by the Home Office. For a) and b), it is not possible to produce this information using the Office for National Statistics’ Labour Force Survey (LFS). For part c), the Department is exploring the feasibility of developing suitable official statistics related to the immigration status of non-UK / Irish Universal Credit customers including refugees. For part d), the Department does not hold the requested information on refugees in receipt of social security benefits other than Universal Credit.
Pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 16633 on Department for Work and Pensions: Freedom of Information, if he will publish a breakdown of refugees in receipt of Universal Credit in 2023 by nationality.
The Department is exploring the feasibility of developing suitable official statistics related to the immigration status of non-UK / Irish Universal Credit customers including refugees.
To provide a breakdown of all religious festivals celebrated by the Department in 2023.
The Faith & Belief Network (FBN) supports DWP colleagues and managers and the department by providing insight into issues relating to Faith, Belief and Non-Belief. In 2023, DWP celebrated or signposted to the following faith festivals and events, via blogs, live events and podcasts: World Religion Day - 15/01/23Holocaust Memorial Day - 27/01/23World Hijab Day – 01/02/23Tu Bishvat and Imbolc (Pagan and Jewish colleagues reflect on the festivals of Tu Bishvat and Imbolc) – 06/02/23Month of Festivals (Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Paganism and Jewish networks as we celebrate Ramadan, Easter, Holi, Hola Mahalla, Spring Equinox and Purim) – March 2023Easter celebration – 04/04/23Jewish Passover – 05/04/23Eid-Ul-Fitr Celebration – 17/04/23Buddha Day – 26/05/23World Humanist Day - 21/06/24Summer Solstice – 25/06/23Hajj & Pilgrimage Event (Eid) – 03/07/23Pioneers Day (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) – 24/07/23South Asian Heritage Month – 18/07/23 – 17/08/23Jewish festival of Rosh Hashanah – 15/09/23Autumn Equinox – 21/09/23Black History Month – 10/23Halloween and the Pagan New Year – 31/10/23Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM) – 11/23Interfaith Week - 12-19/11/23Diwali Celebration - 11/11/23Christmas Celebrations - 06/12/23Winter Solstice – 21/12/23
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of her Department's policy not to initiate fraud investigations under £5,000 on public finances.
The department is committed to using public money in an effective and efficient manner to pursue criminality where it is suspected. The value of the expected overpayment is one factor in considering whether to undertake a criminal investigation, but any case where there is a suspicion of fraud can be investigated. Aggravating factors, such as the use of false identification or previous offending, will initiate a criminal investigation regardless of the value. Where any overpayment has been identified, the claimant is required to repay all debts accrued.
Pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2024 to Question 15704 on Jobcentres and Universal Credit: Telephone Services, what the costs were to her Department of translation and interpretation for each language code since 2021.
Further to our previous answer to Question 15704, we are unable to provide a full response to this follow up question. Following consultation with the supplier we consider the release of the specific costing information requested would prejudice commercial interests.
How many of her Department's staff have transferred from Work Coach roles to roles assisting irregular migrants with benefits claims.
Irregular migrants cannot access public funds benefits. To access public funds benefits, individuals are required to hold an immigration status which does not prevent them from accessing public funds, which irregular migrants will not hold. Since irregular migrants do not have access to benefits, DWP staff are unable to support irregular migrants with benefit claims.