Every parliamentary written question tabled by Wendy Chamberlain this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 32 · Department for Work and Pensions
Whether his Department has undertaken modelling of the estimated cost of potential compensation schemes for women affected by changes to the State Pension age.
We have taken the PHSO’s report seriously and given the findings the close examination that they deserved. We have set out the detailed reasons for our decision in our new response, on the 29 January, which has been placed in the Library of the House.
Whether his Department has undertaken comparative analysis of previous Government compensation schemes when assessing options for financial redress for women affected by changes to the State Pension age
We have taken the PHSO’s report seriously and given the findings the close examination that they deserved. We have set out the detailed reasons for our decision in our new response, on the 29 January, which has been placed in the Library of the House.
How many cases were awaiting Work Capability Assessment reassessments as of 31 January 2026 in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales.
The information requested is not held because data is not held at individual country level.
How many cases were awaiting Work Capability Assessment reassessments as of 31 January 2026 in each constituency.
The information requested about Work Capability Assessment reassessments is not held, this is because the data is not held at constituency level.
The current (a) mean average and (b) longest waiting time for a Work Capability Assessment reassessment.
The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to reducing waiting times for claimants awaiting a WCA reassessment. The department is increasing assessment capacity by working with suppliers to expand their workforce, including through accelerated recruitment and training of additional assessors. These measures will help ensure that the department continues to prioritise assessments for new claims, while also increasing throughput of reassessment activity. From 1 January 2018 to 31 January 2026, the mean average working days for outstanding Work Capability Assessment (WCA) reassessments currently stands at 290 days, whilst the current longest waiting time for an outstanding WCA reassessment to be completed is 1,870 working days (3 December 2018). Please note All volumes have been rounded to the nearest 10.All the above data is derived from contractual management information produced by the Assessment Providers.The above data is derived from unpublished management information which is collected for internal Departmental use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics Publication standards.The date range for the mean average working days for outstanding WCA reassessments 1 January 2018 to 31 January 2026 has been used because the outstanding cases within our head of work can be traced back to 1 January 2018.
Pursuant to the answer of 12 December 2025 to Question 96735, how many of the HSE inspections carried out in Scotland in 2024-25 took place (a) on farms and (b) in social care settings.
In the year 2024/ 2025, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out 1,444 inspections in Scotland. Seven of these took place on farms (not including premises predominately involved in forestry or aquaculture); and eleven took place in social care settings. These figures are based on raw live data and can be subject to change due to updates to historical cases. Therefore these figures may differ to the figures published in HSE’s Annual Reports.
What guidance his Department has issued on visits by DWP staff to claimant households.
Our Operational Instructions include a specific section to support colleagues undertaking Home Visits. For context, please find attached an excerpt from our Core Visits Referral Guide. Other topics in this section include content relating to Safeguarding, Communication Strategies and links to Learning and Development products. This content is available to all DWP staff. Further sections related to Identity Verification and Keeping Customer Interactions Safe includes instructional content that supports DWP staff navigating systems, which store sensitive customer data and therefore is not suitable for public disclosure.
How many in-person inspections were carried out by the Health and Safety Executive in Scotland in each of the last five years.
The table below shows the number of proactive inspections that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has carried out for the last 6 years in Scotland. Six years has been provided, not 5, as the period requested includes the COVID 19 pandemic where additional COVID specific visits which were carried out as a response to that situation. For that reason, we have included the year 2019/2020 for pre-COVID context.Total Number of Proactive Inspections Undertaken by HSE since 1st April 2019 at sites in Scotland Government Office Region 2019/202020/212021/222022/232023/242024/25Total with COVID 19 inspections173220851566157013411444Total not including COVID 19 inspections17285591295156913411444k To note: The figures are based on raw live data and can be subject to change due to updates to historical cases. Therefore these figures may differ to the figures published in HSE’s Annual Reports.
How many Health and Safety Executive inspection officials are based in (a) Scotland, (b) England and (c) Wales.
As the table below shows, as of 31 October 2025, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) currently employs 899 full time equivalent (FTE) inspector staff in all grades and roles including trainees, managers and specialists with warrants. There are currently 666 FTE Band 3 and 4 inspectors who undertake the delivery of the operational division workplans. This includes inspections and investigations into reported incidents and concerns and where non-compliance with health and safety legislations is identified, the inspectors take regulatory action in accordance with HSE’s published Enforcement Policy Statement. Although HSE staff work across England, Scotland and Wales, these figures are based on the office location where the staff are employed. Job BandEnglandScotlandWalesTotalSCS91010Band 1253432Band 21532711191Band 34029642540Band 498199126Total68614666899
What (a) guidance, (b) training and (c) minimum standards are provided to work coaches supporting clients with learning difficulties.
All Work Coaches new to DWP receive mandatory learning to support vulnerable customers and complex needs as part of their induction and onboarding, this includes helping customer who need additional support. DWP Work Coaches also receive comprehensive training to support individuals with additional needs. This learning begins with the core Work Coach learning journey, and is reinforced through ongoing, point-of-need learning throughout their role. Key topics include: The claimant commitment – which focuses on tailoring commitments to each claimant’s circumstances and abilities.The vulnerable customer learning journey - which includes a dedicated module on learning difficulties and helping work coaches identify the appropriate support required.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the 5 week wait for Universal Credit on housing arrears owed to (a) local authorities and (b) social housing providers.
No such assessment has been made. The Government is reviewing Universal Credit, to make sure it is doing the job we want it to. Procedures are in place to support customers having difficulty in managing their housing payments. Payment of housing costs and rent arrears can be made direct to landlords. Direct payment requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and can be considered at the start or at any point during the UC claim to support the tenancy for the home the customer currently lives in. The need may be identified in the Service Centre, Jobcentre or requested by the claimant, their appointee, caseworker, or landlord advising of a vulnerability, rent arrears or risk of eviction.
What the mean processing time was for Carer's Allowance applications in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025.
Carer’s Allowance application Average Actual Clearance Times are measured weekly. For the Carer’s Allowance figures shown here, Average Actual Clearance Time (AACT) is calculated as the average length of time (working days) from the receipt of a claim to the date the first payment was issued. Please see attached annex for details of weekly Carer’s Allowance application Average Actual Clearance Times from week commencing 2 January 2023 to week commencing 2 June 2025. Special Notes:The Average Actual Clearance Time figures are unpublished management information, collected and intended for internal departmental use and have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard.
What the median processing time for Carer's Allowance applications was in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025.
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
What the median processing time for Carer's Allowance applications was in each of the first five months of 2025.
The number of Carer’s Allowance new claim applications cleared in each month, starting November 2023, is shown below in Table 1 below. This is based upon weekly data, starting week commencing 30th October 2023 (see ‘Notes to Table 1’ for more information). For all other questions, the information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Table 1: Number of Carer’s Allowance new claim applications cleared, by month, November 2023 to April 2025.MonthNumber of Carer’s Allowance New Claim Applications ClearedNov-2336,300Dec-2321,800Jan-2433,800Feb-2429,700Mar-2428,700Apr-2425,700May-2437,400Jun-2430,400Jul-2435,600Aug-2425,600Sep-2428,200Oct-2435,500Nov-2429,900Dec-2425,200Jan-2532,400Feb-2526,200Mar-2526,000Apr-2533,700Source: DWP Management Information Notes to Table 1:data is not seasonally adjustednumbers in thousands have been rounded to the nearest 100the monthly data shown is based on the summing of weekly management information data. Where a week falls across two calendar months, the week is attributed to the month in which the most number of working days falls. As a result, the number of weeks contributing to each month’s total volume cleared may vary across months.
How many and what proportion of applications for Carer's Allowance received in each month since 1 November 2025 were processed in (a) under 20, (b) 21 to 40, (c) 41 to 50, (d) 51 to 60, (e) 61 to 70, (f) 71 to 80, (g) 81 to 90, (h) 91 to 100, (i) 101 to 110, (j) 111 to 120, and (k) 121 or more days.
The number of Carer’s Allowance new claim applications cleared in each month, starting November 2023, is shown below in Table 1 below. This is based upon weekly data, starting week commencing 30th October 2023 (see ‘Notes to Table 1’ for more information). For all other questions, the information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Table 1: Number of Carer’s Allowance new claim applications cleared, by month, November 2023 to April 2025.MonthNumber of Carer’s Allowance New Claim Applications ClearedNov-2336,300Dec-2321,800Jan-2433,800Feb-2429,700Mar-2428,700Apr-2425,700May-2437,400Jun-2430,400Jul-2435,600Aug-2425,600Sep-2428,200Oct-2435,500Nov-2429,900Dec-2425,200Jan-2532,400Feb-2526,200Mar-2526,000Apr-2533,700Source: DWP Management Information Notes to Table 1:data is not seasonally adjustednumbers in thousands have been rounded to the nearest 100the monthly data shown is based on the summing of weekly management information data. Where a week falls across two calendar months, the week is attributed to the month in which the most number of working days falls. As a result, the number of weeks contributing to each month’s total volume cleared may vary across months.
How many applications for Care's Allowance have been processed by her Department in each month since 1 November 2023; and how many and what proportion of those applications took (a) between six and nine months and (b) more than nine months to be processed.
The number of Carer’s Allowance new claim applications cleared in each month, starting November 2023, is shown below in Table 1 below. This is based upon weekly data, starting week commencing 30th October 2023 (see ‘Notes to Table 1’ for more information). For all other questions, the information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Table 1: Number of Carer’s Allowance new claim applications cleared, by month, November 2023 to April 2025.MonthNumber of Carer’s Allowance New Claim Applications ClearedNov-2336,300Dec-2321,800Jan-2433,800Feb-2429,700Mar-2428,700Apr-2425,700May-2437,400Jun-2430,400Jul-2435,600Aug-2425,600Sep-2428,200Oct-2435,500Nov-2429,900Dec-2425,200Jan-2532,400Feb-2526,200Mar-2526,000Apr-2533,700Source: DWP Management Information Notes to Table 1:data is not seasonally adjustednumbers in thousands have been rounded to the nearest 100the monthly data shown is based on the summing of weekly management information data. Where a week falls across two calendar months, the week is attributed to the month in which the most number of working days falls. As a result, the number of weeks contributing to each month’s total volume cleared may vary across months.
What discussions she has had with her counterpart in the Scottish government on the proposed changes to eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment.
The Pathways to Work Green Paper, published in March 2025, sets out our plans to reform health and disability benefits and employment support and opened a consultation on certain reforms. The consultation extends to Scotland, but the proposals will only apply to UK Government’s areas of responsibility. DWP Ministers are engaging with Scottish Government throughout the consultation period and beyond. The interactions of the reformed system, in particular the abolition of the Work Capability Assessment and the introduction of a PIP passporting model and the implications for Devolved Governments, will need to be fully considered before being implemented. This will be particularly important in Scotland as PIP is devolved and has been replaced by Adult Disability Payment, so we will carefully consider how entitlement to the UC health element will be determined for people in Scotland. DWP currently treats Scottish Government’s disability benefits in the same way as the equivalent DWP benefits for the purposes of reserved premia and additions. Whilst this will be kept under review, it will in any event be necessary for the UK Government to ensure that people in Scotland are not disadvantaged in the reserved benefit system compared with people in England and Wales.
With reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, how Scottish claimants would access the health element of Universal Credit, in the context of the planned use of the single Personal Independence Payment assessment for this purpose.
The Pathways to Work Green Paper, published in March 2025, sets out our plans to reform health and disability benefits and employment support and opened a consultation on certain reforms. The consultation extends to Scotland, but the proposals will only apply to UK Government’s areas of responsibility. DWP Ministers are engaging with Scottish Government throughout the consultation period and beyond. The interactions of the reformed system, in particular the abolition of the Work Capability Assessment and the introduction of a PIP passporting model and the implications for Devolved Governments, will need to be fully considered before being implemented. This will be particularly important in Scotland as PIP is devolved and has been replaced by Adult Disability Payment, so we will carefully consider how entitlement to the UC health element will be determined for people in Scotland. DWP currently treats Scottish Government’s disability benefits in the same way as the equivalent DWP benefits for the purposes of reserved premia and additions. Whilst this will be kept under review, it will in any event be necessary for the UK Government to ensure that people in Scotland are not disadvantaged in the reserved benefit system compared with people in England and Wales.
With reference to her Department's consultation Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, updated 7 April 2025, whether she plans to amend eligibility to (a) disability premiums and (b) other passported benefits in Scotland.
The Pathways to Work Green Paper, published in March 2025, sets out our plans to reform health and disability benefits and employment support and opened a consultation on certain reforms. The consultation extends to Scotland, but the proposals will only apply to UK Government’s areas of responsibility. DWP Ministers are engaging with Scottish Government throughout the consultation period and beyond. The interactions of the reformed system, in particular the abolition of the Work Capability Assessment and the introduction of a PIP passporting model and the implications for Devolved Governments, will need to be fully considered before being implemented. This will be particularly important in Scotland as PIP is devolved and has been replaced by Adult Disability Payment, so we will carefully consider how entitlement to the UC health element will be determined for people in Scotland. DWP currently treats Scottish Government’s disability benefits in the same way as the equivalent DWP benefits for the purposes of reserved premia and additions. Whilst this will be kept under review, it will in any event be necessary for the UK Government to ensure that people in Scotland are not disadvantaged in the reserved benefit system compared with people in England and Wales.
What progress she has made on simplifying the Pension Credit application form (a) in paper and (b) online.
As the Department continues to modernise the Pension Credit service, we review the user experience, balancing simplification of application with capturing the right information to ensure accuracy of award. A key objective of DWP’s Service Modernisation Programme is to utilise end user research to understand how the application process should operate in the future and consider the opportunities on how services can be more user friendly and easily accessible for citizens. To that end we are streamlining all Pension Credit application routes by using information held internally to reduce the number of questions the citizen must answer.Claims for Pension Credit can be made online, by telephone or by post. By far, the most popular way to claim is online where a claim can be made 24/7 with the help of a family member, a friend or a third party. Via the online service, the maximum number of questions a person needs to answer is 48; for some customers it can be as few as 35 questions. As a result, the online claim form now takes just 16 minutes on average to complete, with 90 per cent of new customers applying using the simple online form, or over the phone.With the telephone service, the caller will be guided through the claim process. We will keep the Pension Credit application process under review.