Question follow-through · 82834

Social Security Benefits: English Language

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to introduce English language learning as a condition of benefit receipt for foreign nationals.

answeredDepartment for Work and Pensions

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.

More questions by this MP on Social security and pensions

Shared topic keywords suggest a connection; they do not establish a follow-up.

Recorded timeline

  1. 16 Oct 2025

    Question tabled

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to introduce English language learning as a condition of benefit receipt for foreign nationals.

  2. 20 Oct 2025

    Target answer date

    Date supplied by the official written-questions record.

  3. 27 Oct 2025

    Answer published

    The Department can require that claimants attend English language courses as a work preparation activity if this will make them more likely to find work, or to increase the hours they work. A sanction - which is a reduction in the amount of Universal Cred...

Open official record

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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

Strong linkSame MP, department and exact heading

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