Asylum: Applications
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff in her Department work on processing asylum cases.
Answer
The Home Office currently employs circa c. 1176 asylum decision makers. There are recruitment strategies in place, with the aim of increasing staffing and reducing the number of cases awaiting a decision and increasing outputs.
Robert Jenrick, Minister of State for Immigration
18th November 2022
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Kickstart scheme placements
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Kickstart scheme placements have been (a) approved, (b) advertised and (c) started by young people by (i) nation, (ii) region and (iii) sector.
Answer
As of the 22nd September, over 76,900 young people have started a Kickstart job. Over 196,300 roles have been made available for young people to apply to through the scheme and over 295,000 jobs have been approved for funding.
Below are tables listing the number of Kickstart jobs which have been made available and started by young people to date by geographical area of Great Britain and work sector. The figures used are correct as of the 22nd September and these figures have been rounded according to departmental standards.
From 26/08/21 to 22/09/21 an average of over 3,600 young people started on the scheme each week.
Although care is taken when processing and analysing Kickstart applications, referrals and starts, the data collected might be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system, which has been developed quickly.
The management information presented here has not been subjected to the usual standard of quality assurance associated with official statistics, but is provided in the interests of transparency. Work is ongoing to improve the quality of information available for the programme.
Mims Davies, Minister for Employment
24th September 2021
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Social Security Benefits: Disability
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Written Statement of 9 July 2020 by the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, what plans her Department has to enable claimants to decide which method of disability benefit assessment they have?
Answer
We are considering the next steps for assessments when public health advice allows face to face assessments to be re-introduced. We are using a range of information to inform these decisions, including research with PIP and ESA/UC claimants about their experiences of telephone assessments, which will take place over the Summer. Further discussions with stakeholders will also be welcomed to ensure we take a range of views into consideration.
Justin Tomlinson MP, Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work
1st September 2020
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Social Security Benefits: Disability
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Written Statement of 9 July 2020, Health Transformation Programme update, HCWS353, what plans her Department has to continue providing (a) paper, (b) telephone and (c) other methods of disability benefit assessments to claimants of (i) personal independence payments and (ii) disability living allowance; and whether she plans to extend such methods of assessment to claimants of (A) employment and support allowance and (B) universal credit?
Answer
Paper based assessments of entitlement to Disability Living Allowance have always been offered in preference to other forms of assessment and will continue as normal. Paper based assessments have also always been a feature of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and are undertaken where there is sufficient evidence. Where possible and in line with usual processes, a paper-based assessment will be undertaken. In PIP we will continue to do telephone-based assessments where necessary.
Paper based reviews have also always been a feature of Work Capability Assessments for UC and ESA. Wherever possible, if there is sufficient evidence available, our Assessment Provider will make a recommendation based on a paper-based review. If this is not possible, our provider will currently look to offer a telephone assessment, where appropriate.
We remain fully committed to making continuous improvements to the support we provide to people with health conditions and disabilities, and are evaluating the changes to our assessment approach which were temporarily introduced. This will inform the approach taken to conducting assessments in the future. We are using a range of information to inform these decisions, including research with PIP and ESA/UC claimants about their experiences of telephone assessments.
Justin Tomlinson MP, Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work
1st September 2020
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Universal Credit
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to extend easements on work search requirements for claimants of universal credit after 30 June 2020?
Answer
We made the decision to temporarily suspend the requirement for face-to-face Jobcentre Plus appointments for all claimants in Universal Credit, New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), old-style JSA and ESA, and Income Support.
Arrangements after the 30th June will be communicated in due course.
Mims Davies MP, Minister for Employment
24th June 2020