Every parliamentary written question tabled by Shivani Raja this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 20 · Department for Work and Pensions
What adult skills funding was allocated per head of population to (a) Leicester and Leicestershire, (b) the East Midlands Combined County Authority area, (c) the West Midlands Combined Authority area, a
The department does not hold this data and it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Following the failiure of his Department to respond to my correspondence of 22nd January 2026 regarding an ongoing constituent case, as well as four seperate chases, when he plans to provide a substanti
Thank you for raising this matter. The department has investigated the case, and we have provided a response on Friday 15 May 2026.
What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the interaction between Universal Credit and student finance results in appropriate support for eligible students.
Students are generally expected to access support for tuition fees and living costs through the student support system. This means most full‑time students are not usually eligible for Universal Credit, unless they fall into specified exception groups (e.g. disabled students, students with children, some young people without parental support).Students who are eligible for Universal Credit have their maintenance loans treated as income for the purpose of Universal Credit. The student support system is designed to meet their living cost needs during study.Tuition fee loans are disregarded in the calculation of a Universal Credit award, along with grants such as those recognising a disability or for childcare costs. Any Special Support Loan/Grant is also disregarded in these calculations.
What assessment he has made of trends in the number of carers who are in poverty because they have accrued National Insurance credits through caring responsibilities but are not eligible for contributory working-age benefits.
Support for unpaid carers on low incomes is primarily provided through Universal Credit and Pension Credit, which include carer amounts in addition to the standard allowance or Standard Minimum Guarantee. These additions are worth up to £2,500 a year. In England and Wales, support is also available through Carer’s Allowance. For those who are able to balance paid work with their caring responsibilities, this is also a means of increasing household income. It also contributes to the wellbeing of the carer, and to the skills available to employers. The Carer’s Leave Act 2023 gives employees a right to time off to provide care, and the Government will be consulting on further changes to care leave. The Employment Rights Act 2025 contains provisions to support improved work‑life balance, including measures to strengthen access to flexible working. Unpaid carers receiving Carer’s Allowance receive a Class 1 National Insurance Credit which helps protect entitlement to the State Pension and contributory working-age benefits. Those receiving Universal Credit or a Carer’s Credit receive a Class 3 National Insurance Credit which helps protect entitlement to the State Pension. In all cases other contributions and entitlement conditions for the benefits or pension concerned would also need to be satisfied.
What estimate he has made of the number of Personal Independence Payment claimants who have been in receipt of the benefit for more than a) two years b) three years and c) five years without reassessment.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Pursuant to the Answer of 18 February 2026 to Question 112415 on Social Security Benefits: Higher Education, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the number of people who leave higher education without completing their course on (a) the number of people receiving welfare benefits and (b) youth unemployment.
No specific assessment has been made, or evaluation conducted, of the link between leaving higher education without completing and welfare benefits but we know qualifications matter. Data from the 2021 census showed, 1 in 5 young people aged 16-24 in full-time education or employment had no qualifications or qualifications below Level 2. Among those who were unemployed or economically inactive, the proportion with no qualifications or qualifications below level 2 was twice as high. This government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. When this Government came into power there were 921,000 young people not in education, employment and training (NEET), an increase of 250,000 since 2021. For many years our young people have not had the opportunity and support they deserve. That is why this Government is investing in young people’s futures. On 16 March we announced a further £1 billion investment in young people, taking the total investment to £2.5 billion over the next three years though the Youth Guarantee and additional investment in the Growth and Skills Levy. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. The Government will also prioritise prevention, building on measures announced in the Skills White Paper. The Government will improve support in schools, monitor attendance, increase access to work experience and work with local authorities to pilot auto-enrolling young people in further education, if needed.
Pursuant to Question 112415, what evaluation he has conducted of the link between students leaving higher education without completing their studies and subsequent reliance on out-of-work benefits among 16‑24‑year-olds.
No specific assessment has been made, or evaluation conducted, of the link between leaving higher education without completing and welfare benefits but we know qualifications matter. Data from the 2021 census showed, 1 in 5 young people aged 16-24 in full-time education or employment had no qualifications or qualifications below Level 2. Among those who were unemployed or economically inactive, the proportion with no qualifications or qualifications below level 2 was twice as high. This government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. When this Government came into power there were 921,000 young people not in education, employment and training (NEET), an increase of 250,000 since 2021. For many years our young people have not had the opportunity and support they deserve. That is why this Government is investing in young people’s futures. On 16 March we announced a further £1 billion investment in young people, taking the total investment to £2.5 billion over the next three years though the Youth Guarantee and additional investment in the Growth and Skills Levy. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. The Government will also prioritise prevention, building on measures announced in the Skills White Paper. The Government will improve support in schools, monitor attendance, increase access to work experience and work with local authorities to pilot auto-enrolling young people in further education, if needed.
What recent estimate he has made of the number of people who leave higher education having completed their course and subsequently claim out-of-work benefits within (a) three months, (b) six months and (c) one year of leaving university.
This information is not held.
What recent estimate he has made of the number of people who leave higher education without completing their course and subsequently claim out-of-work benefits within (a) three months, (b) six months and (c) one year of leaving university.
This information is not held.
How many and what proportion of asylum seekers who have received a positive asylum decision have been granted access to Universal Credit during the current Parliament.
The Department publishes Universal Credit (UC) immigration status and nationality statistics as part of the Universal Credit statistics publication. ‘Table 1’ in the latest Universal Credit immigration status and nationality data tables provides information on the number of people with refugee status on Universal Credit for each month from April 2022 to October 2025.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to disability benefits on vulnerable individuals in Leicester; and what steps she will be taking to ensure those most
We want to change the system of health and disability benefits across Great Britain to enable people better to enter and remain in work, and to respond to the complex and fluctuating nature of the health conditions many people live with today. We will bri...
What steps her Department is taking to reduce levels of child poverty in Leicester.
Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity, and the Child Poverty Taskforce is working to publish the Child Poverty Strategy in Spring 2025. We published our framework ‘Tackling Child Poverty:...
What steps her Department is taking to support low-income families by (a) improving access to opportunities for children to play and learn, and (b) enhancing financial independence and living standards.
Through our Opportunity Mission, this Government will break the link between a child’s background and their future success. We will deliver across four areas including helping every child to achieve and thrive through excellent teaching and high standards...
What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of compensating women impacted by changes to women's State Pension age in Leicester; and what steps she is taking to support the wo
In their investigation into communication of changes to State Pension age, the Ombudsman did not examine changes to the State Pension age itself, they examined how the policy was communicated. So, we have done no such assessment. We are committed to suppo...
Whether her Department plans to review the two child benefit cap.
The Child Poverty Taskforce is exploring how we can harness all available levers to reduce child poverty before publishing a strategy in Spring 2025.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting Armed Forces personnel in receipt of Government compensation from means-tested benefits.
The receipt of War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) awards is already fully ignored when calculating eligibility for Universal Credit. The first £10 per week of a War Pension or AFCS award is disregarded in: income-related Employment a...
How many people in Leicester East constituency will be impacted by the decision to abolish universal winter fuel payments.
To be comparable with the Winter Fuel Payment statistics, the Pension Credit data that has been used is based on the 2010 Westminster Parliamentary constituencies, not 2024.It is estimated that around 11,000 pensioners in Leicester East constituency (2010...
What assessment she has made of the potential impact on the (a) financial and (b) physical well-being of pensioners who will be ineligible for Winter Fuel Payments under eligibility criteria to be introduced from winter 2024-25; and what steps she plans to take to mitigate any potential negative impact on those affected.
This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. The Government is committed to a preventative approach to public health. Keeping people warm and well at home and improving the quality of new and existing homes will play an essential part in enabling people to live longer, healthier lives and reducing pressures on the NHS. Over the next five years, we expect over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pensions increase by thousands of pounds as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock. Protecting the Triple Lock even in the current economic climate shows our steadfast commitment to pensioners. We are also providing support through our Warm Homes Plan which pensioners will benefit from. This will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals. The Government is also ensuring pensioners are supported through our commitment to protect the Triple Lock, over 12 million pensioners will benefit, with many expected to see their State Pension increase by around a thousand pounds over the next five years. Finally, the Household Support Fund is being extended for a further 6 months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £500 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF, including funding for the Devolved Administrations through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion.
What steps she plans to take to communicate the changes to Winter Fuel Payments to people affected; and what support she plans to provide to help pensioners (a) understand their eligibility and (b) access alternative support.
From mid-October, all pensioners will receive a letter explaining the changes to Winter Fuel Payments this year and encouraging anyone who may eligible to claim Pension Credit by 21st December. The Winter Fuel Payment page on Gov.uk has been updated with the new eligibility rules. The Department will proceed at pace with its communication campaign to raise awareness of the changes and to promote Pension Credit. This will be followed by a Paid Partnership and national media campaign. There will then be continued marketing activity promoting the take-up of Pension Credit.The Household Support Fund is also being extended for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.The Warm Home Discount scheme in England and Wales provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate on their electricity bill. This winter, we expect over three million households, including over one million pensioners, to benefit under the scheme.
What steps she is taking to ensure that changes to Winter Fuel Payments do not disproportionately affect pensioners in colder regions of the UK; and how regional variations in winter heating costs were considered in the decision to make those changes.
This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control.Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80. In England and Wales, Cold Weather Payments continue to be paid to pensioners in receipt of Pension Credit (and certain working age qualifying benefits). This is a weekly payment of £25 for every seven-day period when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0 degrees C or below over seven consecutive days. Our continued commitment to the triple lock means the full new state pension is forecast to increase by a further £1,700 over the course of the parliament. We are also providing support through our Warm Homes Plan which pensioners will benefit from. This will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals. In making a decision on Winter Fuel Payment eligibility, the government had regard to the equality analysis in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty requirements.