Written questions by Darling.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of raising the standard rate of Universal Credit on the number of people claiming incapacity benefits.

Universal Credit awards include a standard allowance, which is the core component of any award and is paid according to age and household unit. The purpose of the standard allowance is to provide towards basic living costs. Additional amounts are added to provide for individual needs such as housing, children, disability, and childcare costs. On 18 March 2025 we announced the first permanent above-inflation rise in the Standard Allowance, benefitting millions of people. That is an increase of up to £775 annually in cash terms by 2029/30 for single households on UC aged over 25. This avoids people having to choose between employment or adequate financial support, and addresses the current issue where people on the health element receive over double the rate of the standard allowance, creating an incentive for people to prove they are unfit to work to claim the health element and access greater financial support. The government will publish the OBR-certified costings of individual measures on the day of the Spring Statement on 26 March and we will be publishing estimated impacts on claimants, including for changes to the Standard Rate of Universal Credit, on the same day.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the introduction of Universal Credit on the ease of applying for (a) the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity element and (b) other incapacity benefits.

We are always looking to make improvements to the service we provide to customers, including how they apply for benefits As a modern digital service Universal Credit is iterated all the time. It is developed taking into consideration the users of the service. Before and after any changes are made Universal Credit undertakes user research with claimants, including those with health conditions, to gain feedback on their experience and suggestions for improvements.

Whether she has made an assessment of the impact of the removal of the additional Limited Capability for Work payment in 2017 on the likelihood of claimants applying for the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity payment.

The removal of the Work-Related Activity Component in the 2017 change made the financial distinction between those found to have Limited Capability for Work (LCW) and those with Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity (LCWRA) sharper. The Department has not made an assessment of whether this led to rising LCWRA claims. Although, in their “Welfare trends” report for October 2024, the Office for Budget Responsibility did mention this issue. Specifically, the OBR noted an increase of people’s claims to incapacity benefits being approved from 2018-19 to 2022-23, nearly entirely in the more severe incapacity group. They say that this might be in part explained by the reduced generosity of the 2017 policy for the less severe incapacity group creating higher incentives to be placed in the more severe group, as well as a reflection in claimants having more serious health conditions than in the past.

What the (a) average wait time and (b) number of calls received were for the Winter Fuel Payment helpline in each winter since 2015.

We have provided a response from 2017 only as we do not hold the required data for the years prior. The tables in the response show Total Calls Offered (Volume) and Average Speed of Answer (in an hh:mm:ss format) for each month within each business year for the period Apr 17 to Mar 25. The most current table for business year 2024/2025 is to date only, up to and including 02/03/2025. To note, the business year 2017/2018 data for the month of Nov 17 is unavailable.Month YearTelephony Service LineCalls OfferedAverage Speed of Answer (hh:mm:ss)Apr-2024Winter Fuel Payments4,45900:04:18May-2024Winter Fuel Payments2,42000:02:08Jun-2024Winter Fuel Payments1,70900:01:36Jul-2024Winter Fuel Payments2,05900:00:45Aug-2024Winter Fuel Payments3,41900:00:59Sep-2024Winter Fuel Payments4,87200:01:12Oct-2024Winter Fuel Payments32,69800:04:53Nov-2024Winter Fuel Payments35,75600:01:50Dec-2024Winter Fuel Payments19,89400:03:58Jan-2025Winter Fuel Payments22,64200:07:32Feb-2025Winter Fuel Payments13,19000:02:51Total 143,11800:03:462024/2025 Business Year is to date only, up to and including 02/03/2025Month YearTelephony Service LineCalls OfferedAverage Speed of Answer (hh:mm:ss)Apr-2023Winter Fuel Payments5,30500:03:30May-2023Winter Fuel Payments4,04300:01:50Jun-2023Winter Fuel Payments2,29300:01:14Jul-2023Winter Fuel Payments1,85400:01:07Aug-2023Winter Fuel Payments2,18500:01:17Sep-2023Winter Fuel Payments4,28400:02:04Oct-2023Winter Fuel Payments68,99900:04:07Nov-2023Winter Fuel Payments101,23100:02:27Dec-2023Winter Fuel Payments50,25100:04:03Jan-2024Winter Fuel Payments44,37300:04:22Feb-2024Winter Fuel Payments18,89100:03:55Mar-2024Winter Fuel Payments8,49200:06:04Total 312,20100:03:30 Month YearTelephony Service LineCalls OfferedAverage Speed of Answer (hh:mm:ss)Apr-2022Winter Fuel Payments4,32300:02:34May-2022Winter Fuel Payments4,24100:02:20Jun-2022Winter Fuel Payments3,88200:02:00Jul-2022Winter Fuel Payments3,39400:01:46Aug-2022Winter Fuel Payments7,50200:07:26Sep-2022Winter Fuel Payments9,97200:06:19Oct-2022Winter Fuel Payments66,05700:00:52Nov-2022Winter Fuel Payments124,82600:02:36Dec-2022Winter Fuel Payments65,84700:08:38Jan-2023Winter Fuel Payments61,96900:04:38Feb-2023Winter Fuel Payments20,09500:01:54Mar-2023Winter Fuel Payments14,47900:03:19Total 386,58700:03:37 Month YearTelephony Service LineCalls OfferedAverage Speed of Answer (hh:mm:ss)Apr-2021Winter Fuel Payments12,05800:18:39May-2021Winter Fuel Payments4,47100:06:12Jun-2021Winter Fuel Payments2,98300:02:57Jul-2021Winter Fuel Payments2,92100:02:39Aug-2021Winter Fuel Payments3,78000:03:46Sep-2021Winter Fuel Payments6,93100:04:11Oct-2021Winter Fuel Payments87,69000:06:24Nov-2021Winter Fuel Payments118,40200:03:10Dec-2021Winter Fuel Payments30,36900:01:10Jan-2022Winter Fuel Payments47,90300:03:32Feb-2022Winter Fuel Payments18,10200:01:38Mar-2022Winter Fuel Payments9,77000:03:06Total 345,38000:04:04 Month YearTelephony Service LineCalls OfferedAverage Speed of Answer (hh:mm:ss)Apr-2020Winter Fuel Payments49000:00:12May-2020Winter Fuel Payments47500:00:14Jun-2020Winter Fuel Payments49400:00:10Jul-2020Winter Fuel Payments51800:00:19Aug-2020Winter Fuel Payments2,41800:00:36Sep-2020Winter Fuel Payments4,85100:00:53Oct-2020Winter Fuel Payments50,46000:08:55Nov-2020Winter Fuel Payments154,83100:19:51Dec-2020Winter Fuel Payments142,77900:13:31Jan-2021Winter Fuel Payments83,95200:15:21Feb-2021Winter Fuel Payments28,37700:03:09Mar-2021Winter Fuel Payments22,05000:09:37Total 491,69500:13:38 Month YearTelephony Service LineCalls OfferedAverage Speed of Answer (hh:mm:ss)Apr-2019Winter Fuel Payments1,70300:00:31May-2019Winter Fuel Payments1,09600:00:18Jun-2019Winter Fuel Payments92400:00:23Jul-2019Winter Fuel Payments96700:00:11Aug-2019Winter Fuel Payments1,02500:00:09Sep-2019Winter Fuel Payments3,20900:01:06Oct-2019Winter Fuel Payments10,93500:01:08Nov-2019Winter Fuel Payments84,69700:03:48Dec-2019Winter Fuel Payments45,55700:01:01Jan-2020Winter Fuel Payments37,42500:03:15Feb-2020Winter Fuel Payments7,49600:00:45Mar-2020Winter Fuel Payments1,32800:00:39Total 196,36200:02:32 Month YearTelephony Service LineCalls OfferedAverage Speed of Answer (hh:mm:ss)Apr-2018Winter Fuel Payments3,19300:00:56May-2018Winter Fuel Payments15,29000:01:12Jun-2018Winter Fuel Payments22,62400:01:59Jul-2018Winter Fuel Payments19,13000:01:27Aug-2018Winter Fuel Payments16,39300:01:39Sep-2018Winter Fuel Payments8,41800:01:07Oct-2018Winter Fuel Payments18,59000:01:05Nov-2018Winter Fuel Payments112,84600:04:53Dec-2018Winter Fuel Payments57,27500:03:08Jan-2019Winter Fuel Payments39,45000:01:36Feb-2019Winter Fuel Payments14,06400:01:04Mar-2019Winter Fuel Payments4,76100:01:29Total 332,03400:02:47 Month YearTelephony Service LineCalls OfferedAverage Speed of Answer (hh:mm:ss)Apr-2017Winter Fuel Payments5,26600:00:34May-2017Winter Fuel Payments3,97800:00:27Jun-2017Winter Fuel Payments5,14700:00:38Jul-2017Winter Fuel Payments33,87300:00:39Aug-2017Winter Fuel Payments38,33400:00:49Sep-2017Winter Fuel Payments23,02800:00:30Oct-2017Winter Fuel Payments21,80400:00:50Nov-2017Winter Fuel Payments*Data Unavailable*Data UnavailableDec-2017Winter Fuel Payments64,38600:01:03Jan-2018Winter Fuel Payments48,79300:01:18Feb-2018Winter Fuel Payments17,91900:01:12Mar-2018Winter Fuel Payments11,20800:02:17Total 273,73600:00:59*No data is available for Nov 17 due to inconsistencies with the HMI Data downloads DISCLAIMERPlease 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.

How many and what proportion of Personal Independence Payment requests that were initially refused were subsequently accepted after appeal in the latest period for which data is available.

Of the 721,100 claimants who had their claim for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) cleared in the Financial Year 2023-2024, 332,800 (46%) were disallowed at assessment. Of these, 13,500 were subsequently awarded PIP following an appeal, which is 4% of all who were initially disallowed while 18,900 appeals have not been cleared yet. Notes:Figures have been rounded to nearest 100.Percentages have been rounded to nearest percent.This data is unpublished data. It should be used with caution, and it may be subject to future revision.These figures include appeal outcomes up to end of September 2024, the latest date for which published data is available. Note that more appeals could be made and completed after September 2024, so numbers may change as it can take some time for an appeal to be lodged and then cleared after the initial decision.Figure provided for the number of applicants first awarded PIP at appeal stage include claims that were awarded via a lapsed appeal after a disallowed initial decision and no change to award at MR.A lapsed appeal is where DWP changed the decision in the customer’s favour after an appeal was lodged but before it was heard at a tribunal hearing

Which local authorities have engaged with the Government on increasing applications for pension credit since November 2024.

As part of our nationwide Pension Credit campaign, the Department has engaged with all councils in Great Britain, via the regular LA Welfare Direct bulletins. In response to our call to action in 2024, 200 councils across Great Britain have engaged and supported our Pension Credit campaign either on social media, or by distributing the promotional material we have provided

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of her Department's proposed changes to the Work Capability Assessment on the Child Poverty Strategy.

The Work Capability Assessment is not working and needs to be reformed or replaced. We are committed to reforming the system of health and disability benefits so that it promotes and enables employment among as many people as possible. The system must also work to support disabled people to live independently. It is also vital to ensure that the system is financially sustainable in the long term. We are working to develop proposals for reform in the months ahead and will set them out in a Green Paper ahead of the Spring Statement later this year. Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government, and the Ministerial Taskforce is working to publish a Child Poverty Strategy which will deliver lasting change. The Strategy will look at all available levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience; and better local support especially in the early years. This will build on the reform plans underway across Government and work underway in Devolved Governments.

How many children live in households in which at least one person is subject to a Limited Capability to Work Assessment in (a) the UK and (b) Torbay constituency.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

How many full-time equivalent civil servants are working on supporting people who wish to buy back missing National Insurance years before the 5 April 2025 deadline.

The majority of customers can check for gaps in their NI record, and make payment online. To support those unable to use online services, we have deployed c.300 frontline Civil servants within the DWP and HMRC. A further c100 frontline Civil Servants will be deployed in February, ahead of the 5 April 2025 deadline.

What recent estimate she has made of the cost to the economy of economic inactivity due to myalgic encephalomyelitis.

The Department has not made an estimate of the cost to the economy of economic inactivity due to myalgic encephalomyelitis. The Department is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including myalgic encephalomyelitis, with their employment journey. As part of our Get Britain Working plan, more disabled people and people with health conditions will be supported to enter and stay in work. We will devolve power to local areas to shape a joined-up work, health, and skills offer meeting the needs of the people they serve.

With reference to her Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, HC 62, whether the exercise to correct National Insurance records for recipients of Universal Credit has been completed in line with the expected timetable; and how many records have been amended as a result of that exercise.

The exercise was completed by 31st May 2024 ensuring all National Insurance records were corrected within the expected timetable with the data shared with HMRC. As stated when the issue was originally raised, relatively few cases, with benefits already in payment, were affected (20,604). Arrears of £7,338,393.81 have been paid.

What steps her Department is taking to tackle (a) fraud, (b) debt and (c) error through AI.

Since the pandemic, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has lost over £8 billion per year to fraud and error. DWP has committed to further fraud, error and debt measures at Autumn Budget 2024; these will deliver an additional £7bn between 2025/26 and 29/30. Detail about how DWP uses machine learning to reduce benefit fraud can be found in the Delivery Objective: tackle fraud and drive efficiencies section of our latest Annual Report and Accounts: DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 (HTML) - GOV.UK

If her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes made to Support for Mortgage Interest in 2018 on people in receipt of that loan.

The Department published research looking at Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loan take-up in March 2022. This is available here:Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI): Overview - GOV.UK The Department has also commissioned further research looking at the impact of SMI on existing loan recipients. The report will be released in due course. The Department does not have any plans to revert SMI to a benefit. When SMI transitioned to a loan in April 2018, support was provided at the same level and therefore, it provides the same level of protection against repossession. Loans are repayable from any available equity when the property is sold and therefore, the policy represents excellent value for the taxpayer whilst continuing to protect homeowners.

What her timeline is for completing the second pensions review.

This government is committed to enabling tomorrow’s pensioners to have security in retirement– which is why we announced the landmark Pensions Review days after coming into office in July. The first phase focussed on boosting investment and economic growth and we are committed to a second phase focused on retirement adequacy. We will provide further details on the scope and timetable for the second phase in due course

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of changing Support for Mortgage Interest from a loan to a benefit.

The Department published research looking at Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loan take-up in March 2022. This is available here:Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI): Overview - GOV.UK The Department has also commissioned further research looking at the impact of SMI on existing loan recipients. The report will be released in due course. The Department does not have any plans to revert SMI to a benefit. When SMI transitioned to a loan in April 2018, support was provided at the same level and therefore, it provides the same level of protection against repossession. Loans are repayable from any available equity when the property is sold and therefore, the policy represents excellent value for the taxpayer whilst continuing to protect homeowners.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of maladministration around communications of State Pension age changes on the six sample cases in the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's report entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, HC 638, published on 21 March 2024.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman set out their assessment of the impact on the six sample complainants in the report published in March 2024. Our comments on the sample complainants can be found in our detailed report placed in the House library.

If she will publish all Departmental research undertaken in relation to the Government's response to the PHSO report on communication of Women's State Pension age on 17 December 2024.

The research that has been used to inform the response is published, available online and is referenced within the response. The response itself has been deposited in the House of Commons Library and published on Gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-parliamentary-and-health-service-ombudsmans-investigation-into-womens-state-pension-age-communications-and-associated-issues

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of State Pension age changes on the six sample cases in the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's report entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, HC 638, published on 21 March 2024.

The six sample complainants were impacted by State Pension age changes introduced by both the Pensions Act 1995 and the Pensions Act 2011.The Ombudsman did not investigate the decisions to increase the State Pension age for women in 1995, or to accelerate that increase in 2011. The Ombudsman are clear that policy decisions to increase the State Pension age in 1995 onwards were taken by Parliament and considered lawful by the Courts and were not within their remit to consider.

How many people are waiting for their pension credit application to be processed in each region.

We do not currently hold this information at regional level. Outstanding Pension Credit claims totalled 88,500 at the end of week commencing 30th December 2024. This includes 8,500 advanced claims. Advanced claims are where the application can be started up to 4 months before reaching State Pension age. Please note, the data shown is unpublished management information, collected and intended for internal departmental use and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standards.

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the level of support available to people going through tribunals for claiming (a) Universal Credit and (b) other benefits.

Appeals are lodged directly with, and administered by, HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). At the First-tier Tribunal, proceedings are designed to be straightforward and accessible to all. The tribunal panel is trained and experienced in dealing with a wide range of appellants with individual needs. At the First-tier Tribunal, Legal Aid, which is administered by Ministry of Justice (MoJ) may be available through the exceptional case funding scheme, if failure to provide Legal Aid may risk a breach of an individual’s human rights. Legal Aid is still available for advice and assistance on welfare benefits appeals to the Upper Tribunal, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. At all appellate stages, claimants are able to appoint a representative to assist with their appeal and there is helpful signposting to free support available on gov.uk at: https://www.gov.uk/appeal-benefit-decision/submit-appeal.