Topical Questions

Answer from Therese Coffey

Last week I announced the outcome of my annual uprating review. It delivers on our manifesto commitment for the pensions triple lock, thus providing financial peace of mind for pensioners across the UK. The basic and new state pension will be increased by 2.5% as that is the highest of the increases—inflation, earnings or 2.5%. This means that from April 2021 the yearly basic state pension will be worth around £2,050 more in cash terms than in 2010.

Answer from Therese Coffey

Of course, being in tier 3 has been put forward by the Government and I am very conscious of the efforts that were being made right across Birmingham and other areas of the west midlands to get out of that tier. As regards matters such as statutory maternity pay, a lot of these things continue to be under consideration, but I will consider the points the hon. Gentleman has made.

Answer from Therese Coffey

My hon. Friend rightly draws attention to this important point. As a result of actions by this Government the UK is the first major economy to put climate risk and disclosure into statute for pension schemes, leading the way on this issue, having already legislated for net zero by 2050 and introduced ESG—environment, social and governance—legislation through 2018 amendments to the occupational pension schemes investment regulations. I genuinely look forward to when we manage to complete the Pension Schemes Bill to bring all that into effect.

Answer from Therese Coffey

The hon. Gentleman is right to draw attention to our plan for jobs. He will be aware that there are a number of schemes already under way, including kickstart, JETS and the sector-based work academy programme. It will take a little time to contract for the long-term unemployment programme, but I assure him that, compared with the last financial crisis just over a decade ago under the Labour Government, we have acted far more quickly in getting these employment contracts in place, because we need to make sure that people do what they can to try to remain connected to the labour market.

Answer from Therese Coffey

As the hon. Gentleman knows, the Government introduced a raft of temporary measures to support those hardest hit, including the furlough scheme, the self-employment income support scheme and the £20 UC uplift. The Chancellor has confirmed the UC uplift until March '21, and it is right that we wait for more clarity on the national economic and social picture before assessing the best way to support low-income families moving forward. That is exactly what I put in the written ministerial statement last week.

Answer from Mims Davies

Work coaches are vital in delivering our £30 billion plan for jobs. They have done an amazing job already this year, with an additional almost 5,000 work coaches already recruited, another 1,700 agreed starts in the pipeline and recruitment open again. We will be advertising for 3,000 more posts between now and the end of January, in addition to the posts currently advertised. Search “work coach” on gov.uk to apply.

Answer from Therese Coffey

We want to make sure that all eligible pensioners claim the pension credit to which they are rightly entitled, and we want to encourage people to either call the free claim line—0800 999 1234—or go online to gov.uk/pension-credit. We did a considerable amount of advertising earlier in the year to encourage that, and of course the BBC has, in effect, done some free advertising, recognising that those people who have pension credit will also get a free TV licence.

Answer from Mims Davies

As part of our plan for jobs, the new job-finding support and JETS services will, crucially, help jobseekers move back into employment as quickly as possible, helping them to identify sectors that could be growing or new to them. I met our JETS providers just last week to hear some of their early success stories from across England and Wales. JETS rolls out in Scotland in early January.

Answer from Will Quince

The Government put an unprecedented package of support in place for those affected by the pandemic. The universal credit uplift was designed to target financial disruption, while most working-age legacy benefits will increase with inflation in April next year. Legacy benefit recipients can also benefit from local housing allowance or local welfare assistance schemes.

Answer from Therese Coffey

The situation with pensions is complex and involves reciprocal agreements. The policy has been in place for a long time and continues to be honoured, but other forms of support may be available.

Answer from Will Quince

The universal credit system handles 5.8 million claimants, rising from 2.2 million. It is modern and dynamic and has performed well during previous challenges.

Answer from Therese Coffey

The Pensions Minister will be delighted to meet the hon. Friend and look at this matter, ensuring that people get benefits they are entitled to.

Answer from Will Quince

The £170 million scheme enables local authorities to support vulnerable households this winter through food and utilities. Local authorities are encouraged to work with partners on the ground to reach people.

Answer from Mims Davies

The DWP is working closely on figures, using plans like 'Fuller Working Lives' to ensure a tailored response. Additional work coaches are being recruited to support new and existing claimants.

Answer from Justin Tomlinson

The DWP will work with stakeholders on the Green Paper. This year, there has been a £20 billion increase in support for people with disabilities through benefits, including legacy benefit increases.