Question follow-through · 82832
Jobcentres: English Language
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department requires (a) Jobcentre staff and (b) benefits advisers to demonstrate English language proficiency as a condition of employment.
About this written question
A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.
- Answering body
- Department for Work and Pensions
- Tabled
- 16 Oct 2025
- Target answer date
- 20 Oct 2025
- Answer
- 27 Oct 2025 · 11 calendar days after tabling
Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.
Votes on this topic
- Draft Code of Practice on Electronic and Workplace Ballots for Statutory Trade Union Ballots · 15 Jul 2026
- Draft Trade Unions (Permissible Means of Voting) and Employment Rights (Unfair Dismissal) (Amendment) Order 2026 · 15 Jul 2026
- Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill Committee: New Clause 5 · 1 Jul 2026
These Commons divisions share a topic label. The question did not necessarily lead to a vote.
Recorded timeline
16 Oct 2025
Question tabled
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department requires (a) Jobcentre staff and (b) benefits advisers to demonstrate English language proficiency as a condition of employment.
20 Oct 2025
Target answer date
Date supplied by the official written-questions record.
27 Oct 2025
Answer published
DWP complies with the requirement of the Immigration Act 2016 in requiring all of its employees in public-facing roles to speak English fluently, as outlined in the Government’s code of practice at www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-language-requi...
Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.
Later records
Possible follow-up questions
Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.
Jobcentres: Translation Services
17 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent on translation and interpretation in Jobcentres in the last financial year.
Jobcentres: Telephone Services
17 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) average waiting time for people calling and (b) time people spent on hold to Jobcentres was in the last year.
Department for Work and Pensions: Telephone Services
17 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) average waiting time for people calling and (b) time people spent on hold for her Department was in each of the last five years.
Universal Credit: Telephone Services
17 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average (a) waiting time for people calling and (b) time spent on hold to the Universal Credit helpline was in the last year.
Personal Independence Payment: Telephone Services
17 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average (a) waiting time for people calling and (b) time spent on hold to the Personal Independence Payment helpline was in the last year.
Universal Credit: Habitual Residence Test
17 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many habitual residence tests related to Universal Credit assessments have been granted in each of the last five years.
Universal Credit
17 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are claiming Universal Credit by their preferred language.
Universal Credit: Refugees
20 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of Universal Credit payments made to people with refugee status in each of the last ten financial years.
Universal Credit: Death
20 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total amount of Universal Credit was paid to deceased recipients in each of the last ten financial years.
Universal Credit: Overpayments
20 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was overpaid to Universal Credit recipients in each of the last ten financial years.
Universal Credit: Translation Services
24 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2025 to Question 83176 on Universal Credit, how many and what proportion of claims were made by people with the support of a paid interpreter; and what was the the t
Social Security Benefits: English Language
28 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to question 82834 on Social Security Benefits: English Language, how many claimants have been required to attend English language courses as a work preparation