Written questions by Forster.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 April 2026 to Question 125067 on Motability, in what circumstances the reduction in mileage allowance from 20,000 miles to 10,000 miles a year can be mitigated.

Responsibility for the terms and administration of the Scheme sits with Motability Foundation and its Board of Governors. This includes how they will determine what circumstances the reduction in mileage allowance can be mitigated. Motability have indicated that they will be introducing an exceptions process for very limited situations and will share an update before 1 July.

What assessment the Health and Safety Executive has made of the impact on septic tank and small sewage treatment systems of biocidal products containing Bronopol when used in motorhome or caravan toilet fluids.

Toilet fluid biocidal products containing Bronopol fall within Product Types 2 (disinfectants) and/or 6 (preservatives for products during storage) of the Great Britain Biocidal Products Regulation (GB BPR). These uses are covered by the GB BPR active substance review programme, where they are both awaiting review. Products containing Bronopol are currently controlled under existing consumer protection legislation.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken for Personal Independence Payment assessments which impact the (a) application for and (b) renewal of Blue Badges.

We are committed to ensuring people can access financial support through Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in a timely manner. Reducing customer journey times for PIP claimants is a priority for the Department and we are working constantly to make improvements to our service, which is kept under regular review. We always aim to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to review all available evidence, including that from the claimant. The provision of Blue Badges is a devolved matter and administered by Local Authorities, using Department of Transport guidelines. Access to a Blue Badge is available to people who are not in receipt of a qualifying mobility benefit through a separate assessment carried out by the Local Authority.

Has the department reviewed the impact on disabled people when changing the mileage allowance from 20,000 miles to 10,000 miles in the Motability Scheme.

Responsibility for the terms and administration of the Scheme sits with Motability Foundation and its Board of Governors. The changes to the leasing package were announced on 26 March and include reducing the mileage allowance from 20,000 per year to 10,000 per year. Changes only apply to new leases and there are no changes to the mileage allowance of existing leases. Motability Foundation have advised that approximately 75% of customers on the Scheme already use less miles than the proposed new mileage allowance. They have acknowledged that there will be an impact on some customers and are considering if the impact can be mitigated in some limited circumstances.

What assessment he has made of the extent to which administrative errors by the Child Maintenance Service contribute to the creation of incorrect arrears; and what steps his Department is taking to rectify such cases.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to providing timely, transparent, and accurate information to parents. To support this, CMS uses proportionate controls to ensure calculation accuracy, including verified income from HMRC and Child Benefit systems, dedicated verification processes, and a three tier quality framework. These measures help minimise administrative and calculation errors that could otherwise contribute to incorrect arrears being created. Where CMS identifies—either through its internal checks or following a parent’s challenge—that a single accidental error relating to the maintenance calculation has occurred, it can apply a correction without requiring a full Mandatory Reconsideration (MR), provided the challenge is raised within legislative timescales. The CMS also operates a liability schedule which acts as the authoritative record of assessed liability, payments received, and arrears, ensuring over‑ and under‑payments are correctly reconciled. All calculation decisions may be challenged through the MR process, which allows a parent to request a review before appealing to His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. During MR, CMS reassesses the decision and considers any new information; where an error is confirmed, the decision is revised accordingly. Through the Service Modernisation Programme, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has strengthened accuracy and communication by introducing enhanced digital tools, clearer written communications, expanded use of SMS and email, and greater self‑service functionality. These improvements, including automated processing of simple case updates through My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC), enable parents to access and update case information 24/7, improve accuracy, reduce administrative errors, and speed up changes. The Department rigorously monitors accuracy and continues to meet the National Audit Office (NAO) monetary error target of under 1%, ensuring robust oversight of error rates and arrears calculations.

What the average time is for the Child Maintenance Service to resolve complaints escalated beyond initial review.

The Department does not hold centrally collated information on the average time taken for the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to resolve complaints escalated beyond initial review.CMS follows the Department’s complaints service standard, aiming to resolve complaints, or provide a clear resolution plan, within 15 working days. For more complex cases, they keep complainants updated on progress and advise when a full response can be expected.CMS continues to strengthen its complaints handling processes, drawing on insights from the Independent Case Examiner and operational feedback to support ongoing improvements and enhance the customer experience.

What the longest time it has taken was for a case to be assigned a caseworker at the Independent Case Examiner in the latest period for which data is available.

The average time taken from complaint receipt to allocation to an investigator (based on cases in investigation on 31 January 2026) was 26.62 weeks. Despite increased demand levels, this is a significant improvement compared to January 2024, when the average wait time was 56.08 weeks. Of those cases in investigation on 31 January 2026, the case which had waited the longest took 45.29 weeks to be allocated to an investigator from the date it was received at ICE. The Independent Case Examiner’s office continually seeks to improve further.

What the average waiting time was for a case to be assigned a caseworker at the Independent Case Examiner in the latest period for which data is available.

The average time taken from complaint receipt to allocation to an investigator (based on cases in investigation on 31 January 2026) was 26.62 weeks. Despite increased demand levels, this is a significant improvement compared to January 2024, when the average wait time was 56.08 weeks. Of those cases in investigation on 31 January 2026, the case which had waited the longest took 45.29 weeks to be allocated to an investigator from the date it was received at ICE. The Independent Case Examiner’s office continually seeks to improve further.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of requiring parents to apply for Child Benefit on their eligibility to qualify for National Insurance credits.

DWP has not conducted such an assessment. Child Benefit is a benefit administered by HMRC.

What steps his Department is taking to improve information sharing between (a) the Child Maintenance Service, (b) HM Revenue and Customs and (c) his Department to help enable accurate income assessments.

The CMS maintains the accuracy of child maintenance calculations by using verified income information from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and benefit systems.The department legally relies on data from HMRC and its own benefits data to assess 90% of people’s earned income and benefit status, which are key parts of the maintenance calculation.Information about the paying parent's gross income is taken directly from HMRC for the latest tax year available. This allows calculations to be made quickly and accurately. Any income subject to income tax including bonuses and overtime received by an employed paying parent, is included within their gross weekly income when calculating a child maintenance liability. The Government is conducting a review of the child maintenance calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose. This includes updating the underlying research and considering how to ensure the calculation reflects current and future societal trends. The review will also consider the treatment of unearned income and assets within the automatic calculation. Options for proposed reforms are currently being considered. Any changes made to the child maintenance calculation will be subject to extensive public consultation, which we plan to publish late this year, and if made, will require amendments to legislation so would be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny. Unearned income and assets can still be captured through the current variation process up until any changes are introduced.

What discussions his Department has had with HM Treasury on improving communication between his Department and HMRC on (a) cases involving voluntary National Insurance contributions paid while working abroad and (b) other matters.

We work closely with HMRC on Voluntary National Insurance Contributions, sharing information where appropriate and proactively identifying ways we can improve our working practices. This includes Voluntary National Insurance Contribution related work.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the planned local government reorganisation in Surrey on the implementation of the Connect to Work programme in that county.

DWP has agreed a delivery plan and grant funding agreement with Surrey County Council to provide specialist Connect to Work employment support to up to 2500 disabled people, those with health conditions, and people with complex barriers until March 2030. The planned local government reorganisation in Surrey is not expected to impact on the delivery of Connect to Work. Should there need to be a change to the Lead Authority (Accountable Body) for the Connect to Work programme in Surrey, DWP will work with the affected authorities to determine the best transition that maintains successful delivery of the programme.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of permanently linking local housing allowance rates to the bottom 30th percentile of local private rents to help ensure (a) affordable housing support and (b) a reduction in levels of child poverty.

My department is working closely with MHCLG as they develop the Long-Term Housing Strategy and through the Inter-Ministerial Group on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping. The review of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates considers a range of factors, including impact of the rental market and decisions on LHA will be taken in the context of achieving the Government’s priorities and goals within this challenging fiscal environment.LHA was increased to the 30th percentile of local market rents in April 2024 costing an additional £1.2 bn in 2024/25 and £7bn over 5 years. LHA is not intended to cover all rents in all areas. Any future decisions on LHA policy will include consideration of market rents and impacts of LHA rates, including on poverty. For those who need further support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. DHPs can be paid to those entitled to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.

What discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on improving communication between HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions on cases involving voluntary National Insurance contributions paid while working abroad.

We work closely with HMRC on Voluntary National Insurance Contributions, sharing information where appropriate and proactively identifying ways we can improve our working practices.

What steps her Department has taken to ensure that (a) alignment with EU standards and (b) the highest safety standards are maintained on chemical regulation when importing toxic chemicals.

The reforms set out in the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) consultation on Chemicals Legislative Reform proposals aim to give HSE greater flexibility and scope to make necessary or appropriate regulatory decisions in Great Britain (GB) at pace with international partners, including the European Union (EU) and rest of the world where appropriate. The proposals are intended to maintain current levels of protection for people and the environment from harmful chemicals and are therefore not expected to impact on the UK’s compliance with the Trade and Co-operation Agreement. Part of this consultation delivered the commitment made in the Regulatory Action Plan (RAP) on how international approvals can be recognised to reduce the time and cost to bring chemicals products, including biocides, to the GB market.The proposals include a new system to recognize international approvals from "trusted jurisdictions" where the regulatory standards are "similar to and at least as high as" those in GB. This is likely to include the EU given the similarity in the regulatory standards. The proposals are intended to remove the duplicative processes and associated evaluation costs.A key safeguard is that the Secretary of State with responsibility for HSE would retain the power to refuse an approval from a trusted jurisdiction if it is deemed "harmful to GB interests," such as for the protection of public health or the environment.No decisions have been made as HSE is currently analysing the consultation responses, following closure of the recent consultation on 18 August, and any changes will be subject to parliamentary approval.

Whether her Department has considered the recommendation of the Children’s Commissioner’s report entitled Growing up in a low-income family: Children’s experiences, published in July 2025, to introduce a triple lock to uprate child-related benefits.

The Child Poverty Taskforce, co-chaired by the Work and Pensions and Education Secretaries, is committed to listening to the voices of children and families and embed the voices of these families directly into their work. The Office of the Children’s Commissioner’s report, Growing up in a low-income family: Children‘s experiences, was commissioned by the Child Poverty Taskforce to provide evidence on children’s lived experience of poverty to support the development of an ambitious child poverty strategy. The findings of the report make for uncomfortable reading, but it is vital that we face up to the reality of what children in poverty are feeling so we can develop a Strategy that is fit for purpose and truly responds to the needs of children as they set out from their perspective. This valuable research forms part of the Taskforce’s ongoing wider work to ensure those voices are a central part of developing a strategy. ​The Child Poverty Unit, based in the Cabinet Office, worked closely with the Office of the Children’s Commissioner on the report, including at research design and reporting stages, and the findings have already been considered as part of strategy development. The Child Poverty Taskforce will publish a Child Poverty Strategy in the autumn that will deliver fully funded measures to tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty. We are considering all available levers, to give every child the best start in life as part of our strategy. The Taskforce is considering the report’s recommendations in advance of publication.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2025 to Question 63482 on Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations and with reference to her letter of 26 June 2025 on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, whether the announced exemption from reassessment for existing Personal Independence Payment claimants will also apply to the All Review claimants whose award is subject to a scheduled review or reassessment process at the time the exemption comes into force.

The Government is committed to providing security and dignity for those who will never be able to work, and removing unnecessary stress, anxiety and uncertainty from the Social Security System. Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill legislates to formally protect those with the most severe, lifelong health conditions, who meet the Severe Conditions Criteria, from being called for reassessments for their Universal Credit Health Element award. The Severe Conditions Criteria applies to customers in receipt of Universal Credit rather than those in receipt of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

How many and what proportion of PIP claims were under review as of 27 June 2025.

Please find the information requested in Table 1 below. We provide figures for 30th April 2025 in line with latest official published statistics Personal Independence Payment statistics to April 2025.Table 1. Volume of cases and proportion of April 2025 caseload under review on 30th April 2025.Type of reviewVolume of cases under review on 30th April 2025Proportion of April 2025 caseloadAward Review380,00010%Change of Circumstances40,0001%All Reviews420,00011%Notes:Figures for England and Wales.Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10,000.Percentages have been rounded to the nearest percent. Whilst the regular review cycle of PIP claims means there will always be a substantial amount in progress at any given time, work is under way to reduce the level of work outstanding within the system. Operational capacity is managed to ensure an appropriate balance between the processing of New Claims to PIP, planned Award Reviews, and Unplanned (Change of Circumstance) Reviews.Where this approach leads to delays in processing Planned Award Reviews, claims are extended where necessary to prevent expiry. Should customers circumstances change whilst awaiting a Planned Review, a Change of Circumstances Review can be requested and will be processed without delay.

With reference to her letter on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, dated 26 June 2025, whether the exemption from reassessment for existing Personal Independence Payment claimants will apply to people whose claim is under review.

As I set out in the House of Commons on 1 July 2025, this Government has listened to the concerns raised by Members from across the House regarding the proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).Clause 5 of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill would have amended the legal framework underpinning PIP assessments, specifically by changing the eligibility criteria through adjustments to the activities and descriptors used to determine entitlement.In light of the concerns raised, I confirmed during the debate that we are going to remove clause 5 from the Bill in Committee.(Hansard, 1 July, col 219)

What steps her Department is taking to support people living with multiple sclerosis in Woking constituency; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reforms to (a) disability benefits and (b) Personal Independence Payments on people with multiple sclerosis.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’. Estimates of the impact of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) reforms are made for England and Wales only and not at region or any lower-level geographic area. The department does not forecast benefit receipt at a regional level or below, nor have estimates of the behavioural impacts of the policy been produced at these levels. I attended on 10 June a roundtable discussion with the MS Society on “Supporting people with MS to thrive in and out of work.” We are committed to working with people with MS on the design of our programme of employment support, which will receive an additional £1 billion per year of funding by the end of this Parliament The number of people currently on PIP who did not score 4 points in one category in their last assessment should not be equated with the number who are likely to lose PIP in future. It’s important to make a clear distinction between the two, not least because we don’t want constituents to be unnecessarily fearful about their situation, when we understand many are already anxious. Someone who did not score 4 points in an activity in a previous assessment may well score 4 points in a future assessment as conditions change over time. There will be no immediate changes to PIP eligibility. Our intention is that changes will start to come into effect from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. After that date, no one will lose PIP without first being reassessed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional, who assesses individual needs and circumstance. Reassessments happen on average every 3 years. The OBR predicts that 9 in 10 of those on PIP daily living at the point any changes come in will still be receiving PIP by the end of the decade. We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including ensuring health and care needs are met. We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I will lead. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress. Even with these reforms, the overall number of people on PIP and DLA is expected to rise by 750,000 by the end of this parliament and spending will rise from £23bn in 24/25 to £31bn in 29/30.