Written questions by Darling.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

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...

What steps his Department is taking to help young universal credit claimants into work.

Our plan to go further, as laid out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, is critical to growing the economy. This includes implementing a new national jobs and career service to help get more people into work alongside a Youth Guarantee, meaning more q...

How many full-time equivalent staff are currently working on her Department's response to the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on

In responding to the Ombudsman’s report work was undertaken by civil servants across grades who worked both full and part-time. The Ombudsman’s report was detailed and complex. It took around 6 years to complete and the issues it considered spanned a peri...

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of universal credit payment levels in the context of (a) food costs, (b) bills and (c) other essential costs.

No assessment has been made. Benefits increased by 6.7% in April 2024, in line with inflation. The Basic and New State Pensions were also uprated by 8.5% in line with earnings, as part of the ‘triple lock.’ We have recently announced a Fair Repayment Rate...

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of trialling the provision of a copy assessment report when informing claimants of a decision on a benefit claim under the Health Transformation Pr

The Health Transformation Programme (HTP) is modernising benefit services to improve customer experience, build trust in our services and create a more efficient service. As we develop these services, we are exploring a range of ideas to establish what wo...

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of trialling automated recording of health assessment information under the Health Transformation Programme.

The Health Transformation Programme (HTP) is modernising benefit services to improve customer experience, build trust in our services and create a more efficient service. As we develop these services, we are exploring a range of ideas to establish what wo...

How many and what proportion of mandatory reconsiderations of work capability assessment decisions have resulted in a different decision in each of the last three years.

Statistics on mandatory reconsiderations of work capability assessment decisions for Employment and Support Allowance can be found at https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/. Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/web...

If she will publish a breakdown of reasons why pension credit applications have been rejected (a) nationally and (b) by constituency.

We do not hold information in our data sources why Pension Credit applications are not awarded, either nationally or by constituency.

How many and what proportion of claims to pension credit have been rejected by constituency since 29 July 2024.

On 28 November 2024 we published national statistics for claims that were not awarded/rejected, up to 17 November 2024. Pension Credit applications and awards: November 2024 - GOV.UK We do not hold the information requested at a constituency level.

How many people her Department estimates are eligible for but not claiming pension credit in each constituency.

Estimates for pensioner households who are eligible for but not receiving Pension Credit in 2022/23 can be found at: Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2023 - GOV.UK.We do not hold the information requested at constituenc...