Helen Whately MP: written questions
237 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Social Security Benefits: FraudDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 25 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116029More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many individuals have been ordered to make repayments to the Department after being convicted of benefit fraud in a) 2025 and b) 2026.
Answer: We take action to recover debt on every conviction for benefit fraud through our debt recovery processes or through recovery under the Proceeds of Crime Act where appropriate. The fraud classification on our Debt Management system includes people who have...
Answered 4 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence Payment: Medical ExaminationsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115528More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many PIP assessments required the use of (a) an interpreter and (b) translation services in the period since July 2024.
Answer: The Functional Assessment Service contracts launched on 9 September 2024. Between then and the end of January 2026, across all delivery areas, a total of 230,000 Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments were completed with a translator present. Thi...
Answered 12 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence Payment: Proof of IdentityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115526More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many PIP claimants were required to show a form of identification during their application in the last five years.
Answer: All PIP customers are required to verify their identity during the application process. This can be done using a variety of evidence, including photographic identification if appropriate. The following documentation can be used by British Nationals making...
Answered 31 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence Payment: Proof of IdentityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115523More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what forms of photographic identification are accepted from applicants who do not hold a UK passport or driving licence during the PIP application process.
Answer: All PIP customers are required to verify their identity during the application process. This can be done using a variety of evidence, including photographic identification if appropriate. The following documentation can be used by British Nationals making...
Answered 31 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: Medical ExaminationsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115522More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the total value of contracts awarded to private contractors for (a) Universal Credit assessments (b) PIP assessments and (c) Disability Living Allowance in each financial year since 2019-20.
Answer: The contracts awarded in the period of the question were / are to deliver assessments in support of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Work Capability Assessments for Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance and a range of other benefits in...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: Public ConsultationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 23 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115043More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish the official response to the public consultation on Environmental Permitting Regulations which concluded last year.
Answer: The Government response to the public consultation on modernising environmental permitting for industry will be published in due course. We welcome the input received from respondents to the consultation. The reforms will support innovation and improve th...
Answered 27 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordBatteries: StorageDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 23 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115042More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will hold discussions with the Electrical Storage Health and Safety Governance Group on introducing BESS to the Environmental Permitting Regulations.
Answer: Defra officials have regularly attended Electrical Storage Health and Safety Governance Group meetings, where the proposal of potentially including battery energy storage system (BESS) sites into the Environmental Permitting Regulations has previously bee...
Answered 27 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordBatteries: StorageDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 23 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115041More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made on considering the industry feedback on introducing BESS to the Environmental Permitting Regulations.
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring grid-scale batteries remain as safe as possible and we are exploring options to enhance safeguards to manage the potential environmental and public health risks associated with grid-scale battery energy storage syst...
Answered 27 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: FraudDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 11 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112736More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department is using powers within the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025 to help identify fraud in the welfare system.
Answer: The Fraud, Error and Recovery Act will deliver on the government’s manifesto commitment to safeguard taxpayers’ money and demonstrates the government’s commitment not to tolerate fraud, error or waste anywhere in public services, including the social secu...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordEmployment SchemesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111752More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the JobsPlus programme which is being delivered through ten pilot sites across England.
Answer: Jobs Plus is a community-based model with strong potential to tackle inactivity and unemployment. The department is testing the model in ten social housing communities across England to generate evidence on place-based support. The pilots will be evaluate...
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordEmployment SchemesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111751More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to help support the national rollout of community-led employment programmes such as JobsPlus following the conclusion of the current pilot phase.
Answer: Jobs Plus is a community-based model with strong potential to tackle inactivity and unemployment. The department is testing the model in ten social housing communities across England to generate evidence on place-based support. The pilots will be evaluate...
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordEmployment SchemesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111750More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the value of expanding the number of JobsPlus sites across the UK, following the ten current pilot sites across England.
Answer: Jobs Plus is a community-based model with strong potential to tackle inactivity and unemployment. The department is testing the model in ten social housing communities across England to generate evidence on place-based support. The pilots will be evaluate...
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordEmployment SchemesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111749More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of place-based employment support programmes such as JobsPlus in addressing levels of economic inactivity and unemployment.
Answer: Jobs Plus is a community-based model with strong potential to tackle inactivity and unemployment. The department is testing the model in ten social housing communities across England to generate evidence on place-based support. The pilots will be evaluate...
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordYoung Futures HubsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110842More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Youth Hubs there were in January (a) 2025 and (b) 2026.
Answer: The Government is committed to increasing opportunities for young people. That is why the Department for Work & Pensions is expanding Youth Hubs for 16–24 year olds to increase coverage to more than 360 locations across Great Britain, ensuring that ev...
Answered 11 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordUniversal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109170More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many a) UK nationals and b) non-UK nationals are in receipt of Universal Credit, who are currently abroad for a period of more than six months.
Answer: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. A customer who is claiming Universal Credit (UC) can go abroad for up to one calendar month. If the claimant exceeds the period abroad and the reason f...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordUniversal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109169More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many a) UK nationals and b) non-UK nationals are in receipt of Universal Credit, who are currently abroad for a period of up to six months.
Answer: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. A customer who is claiming Universal Credit (UC) can go abroad for up to one calendar month. If the claimant exceeds the period abroad and the reason f...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordChild Benefit: Foreign NationalsTreasuryTabled 27 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108723More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the total amount of Child Benefit paid to non-UK nationals since July 2024, broken down by month; and what proportion of that amount was paid for children who don’t reside in the UK.
Answer: HMRC no longer produce a breakdown of Child benefit claimed by nationality.This release was discontinued following user consultation.The latest publication was in August 2022. Income Tax, National Insurance contributions, Tax Credits and Child Benefit Sta...
Answered 4 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: Undocumented MigrantsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 27 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108722More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-UK nationals who entered in the United Kingdom without leave since July 2024 are in receipt of payments from his Department; and what is the (a) total and (b) per person sum of those paymen
Answer: Those in the UK without lawful status are persons subject to immigration control and have no recourse to public funds. This means that those in the UK without a valid immigration status are not able to access public funds benefits including Universal Cred...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: GazaDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 27 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108721More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many adults accompanying children that have been brought to the United Kingdom under the HMG Gaza Medevac scheme are claiming (a) Universal Credit, (b) PIP and (c) other benefits.
Answer: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: GazaDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 27 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108720More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people brought to the United Kingdom under the Gaza scholarship students route claim (a) Universal Credit, (b) PIP and (c) other benefits.
Answer: The majority of migrants on temporary, time-limited visas (such as for work or study) are subject to a No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition for at least 5 years. This restricts them from accessing certain public funded benefits and services. DWP c...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: Foreign NationalsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108266More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to verify the ongoing residency of non-UK national claimants who have been absent from the UK for more than a month.
Answer: The Department uses the Habitual Residence Test (HRT) for income-related benefits, such as Universal Credit, to assess whether someone has a legal right to be here and whether they are factually resident in the UK. For an individual to be factually habitu...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrants: Means-tested BenefitsHome OfficeTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108265More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals granted Indefinite Leave to Remain since January 2025 had previously claimed means-tested benefits during their qualifying period of residency.
Answer: The information requested is not held in a reportable format and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost as it would require a manual trawl of case records to retrieve.
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrants: FinanceHome OfficeTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108264More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals have had their No Recourse to Public Funds status withdrawn since July 2024, broken down by month.
Answer: The Home Office publishes data on changes of conditions on GOV.UK within the Immigration and protection data: July to September 2025, available in tabs CoC_01 to CoC_07 of the Migration Transparency Data dataset.When an individual is considered for assess...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: Foreign NationalsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108263More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-UK nationals have received the State Pension for the following financial years a) 2024/25 b) 2025/2026, and what was the total value of State Pension paid to those non-UK nationals in each
Answer: The Department does not hold data on the nationality of individuals in receipt of the State Pension, as nationality is not recorded as part of the State Pension claim process, as was the case under the last Conservative Government. Eligibility for the Sta...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordPension Credit: Foreign NationalsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108262More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-UK nationals have received Pension Credit for the following financial years a) 2024/25 b) 2025/2026, and what was the total value of Pension Credit paid to those non-UK nationals in each of
Answer: The requested statistics are not held by the Department. Entitlement to Pension Credit depends on a person’s residence or immigration status, including the requirement to have the right to reside and to be able to be treated as factually habitually reside...
Answered 4 Feb 2026
Original Parliament record
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