Work and Pensions - Louise Haigh

Latest policy

TV Licences for Over 75’s

I share your concern following the BBC’s announcement that these TV licences will be means-tested, from June 2020, by linking them to Pension Credit. As a result, up to 3.7 million older people – 1.6 million of whom live completely alone – are set to lose their free TV licences. …

DWP – Misleading Letters

As you know, the DWP has sent letters to doctors and GPs which crucially omit to say that ill and disabled people applying for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) are entitled to medical evidence if they choose to appeal their Work Capability Assessment (WCA) decision. This is unlike the previous…

Disability Price Tag – Scope Campaign

As you know, Scope’s Disability Price Tag report found that, on average, disabled adults face extra costs of £538 per month. For families with disabled children, the extra cost is £581 per month. The report also makes a number of specific recommendations. It calls for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP)…

Estimates Day Debate – Universal Credit

As you know, UC is a single payment which will replace six means-tested benefits and tax credits for working age individuals and families. It is the Government’s flagship welfare reform and it has been plagued by problems in its design and delivery. I share your concern about the inbuilt five-week…

WASPI

I agree that the decision to accelerate the rise in the women’s state pension age has had a devastating impact on many women who were born in the 1950s, some of whom are now facing hardship and destitution as a result. I believe that the 2.5 million women affected did…

Free Travel for Claimants of Jobseekers Allowance

I am aware that for many people, especially the young and the elderly, those living in rural areas and those who do not own a car, bus services are a lifeline. Also, this Government has closed down hundreds of jobcentres, including the one on Eastern Avenue that means that jobseekers…

Workers(Definition and Rights) Bill

As you will know, the Bill did not receive a second reading on Friday 26 October and will not be able to make any progress through the House of Commons. However, I agree that this is an important issue and appreciate the concerns that have been raised. In July 2017,…

The Pensions Dashboard

As you know the dashboard is designed to give people the benefit of seeing their pensions savings together in a single place. This will help users get a sense of their overall readiness for retirement, stay in touch with their savings and feel empowered to make decisions about their finances.…

Universal Credit

Thank you for contacting me recently about Universal Credit (UC). As I’m sure you’re aware, I’m as concerned about the roll-out and its consequences as you are and I have been raising those concerns in Parliament constantly over the last three years as well as voting against the introduction of…

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