Lords question for short debate on what impact assessment they have made of the proposed withdrawal of the £20 uplift to universal credit.

Lords question for short debate on what impact assessment they have made of the proposed withdrawal of the £20 uplift to universal credit.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of working environments on the mental health of employees.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of working environments on the mental health of employees.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to respond to the report by the University of Glasgow and the Health Foundation, Mental health, welfare conditionality and employment support: Policy recommendations and key findings, published in October.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to respond to the report by the University of Glasgow and the Health Foundation, Mental health, welfare conditionality and employment support: Policy recommendations and key findings, published in October.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent research from Finland that suggests that Universal Basic Income improves employee mental health and boosts employment.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent research from Finland that suggests that Universal Basic Income improves employee mental health and boosts employment.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce regulations to amend the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 to include provision for mental health first aid.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce regulations to amend the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 to include provision for mental health first aid.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what elements of Thriving at Work: The Stevenson/Farmer review of mental health and employers, published in October 2017, have been implemented.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what elements of Thriving at Work: The Stevenson/Farmer review of mental health and employers, published in October 2017, have been implemented.

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to review the Voluntary Reporting Framework on Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing, published in November 2018; and how many (1) employers have reported data, and (2) employees have had their data reported, via that Framework.

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to review the Voluntary Reporting Framework on Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing, published in November 2018; and how many (1) employers have reported data, and (2) employees have had their data reported, via that Framework.

The noble Baroness’s Question recognises issues experienced by many people in our society. The department has made no official assessment of universal credit’s effect in these three specific areas. We often find that people experience debt and mental health issues that existed prior to claiming universal credit. We think that attempting to make an accurate assessment could be difficult—but not impossible.

The noble Baroness’s Question recognises issues experienced by many people in our society. The department has made no official assessment of universal credit’s effect in these three specific areas. We often find that people experience debt and mental health issues that existed prior to claiming universal credit. We think that attempting to make an accurate assessment could be difficult—but not impossible.

I am so glad that we agree on the principle that people should be, and in the majority of cases are, better off in work. I like the noble Baroness’s idea, and I am touched that she thinks my powers of persuasion are so good. In order that I can deploy them to the maximum, let us meet prior to me going back to work the magic. I would like to go with the best case possible to see if we can do this, to get the information that helps us help people more.

I am so glad that we agree on the principle that people should be, and in the majority of cases are, better off in work. I like the noble Baroness’s idea, and I am touched that she thinks my powers of persuasion are so good. In order that I can deploy them to the maximum, let us meet prior to me going back to work the magic. I would like to go with the best case possible to see if we can do this, to get the information that helps us help people more.

Like all noble Lords in the House, I am only too well aware of the size of the problem of homelessness and people sleeping on the streets. I normally agree with the noble Lord, and I do agree that universal credit may have added to some people’s anxiety and their issues. Many of them have had issues for a long time that we have not done what we should have done to deal with—but I do not think they are 100% attributable to universal credit.

Like all noble Lords in the House, I am only too well aware of the size of the problem of homelessness and people sleeping on the streets. I normally agree with the noble Lord, and I do agree that universal credit may have added to some people’s anxiety and their issues. Many of them have had issues for a long time that we have not done what we should have done to deal with—but I do not think they are 100% attributable to universal credit.

I have read the report in the Lancet, and the Government’s response is that we have no concerns surrounding the general thrust of the methodology. However, it is difficult, in that it says it would not have caused the issue but would have contributed to it—a point I tried to make in answering the prior question. I am not aware of the commitment the Government made then, but that will be down to me, not them. However, if the noble Baroness agrees, I will go back to the department, get an answer to that question and write to her.

I have read the report in the Lancet, and the Government’s response is that we have no concerns surrounding the general thrust of the methodology. However, it is difficult, in that it says it would not have caused the issue but would have contributed to it—a point I tried to make in answering the prior question. I am not aware of the commitment the Government made then, but that will be down to me, not them. However, if the noble Baroness agrees, I will go back to the department, get an answer to that question and write to her.

I thank my noble friend for that question. Mental health is a major issue for people on universal credit, and in other walks of life. At present, we are introducing health model offices in 11 jobcentres. These focus on claimants with health conditions. Blackburn jobcentre has agreed a new initiative, “advance to ausome”, for people with autism. Another jobcentre, in north London, is running quiet sessions for people who cannot cope with coming in.

This is what I would like noble Lords to go away with today. A young man came to the jobcentre who was working full-time, had mental health issues and did not know how he was going to keep his job. He was in a bad way. Our work coaches worked with him and, through the Access to Work mental health support programme, he is now back at work and working towards a promotion. None of that would have been possible without that support. We are doing everything we can—and there is more to be done—to help people with these issues.

I thank my noble friend for that question. Mental health is a major issue for people on universal credit, and in other walks of life. At present, we are introducing health model offices in 11 jobcentres. These focus on claimants with health conditions. Blackburn jobcentre has agreed a new initiative, “advance to ausome”, for people with autism. Another jobcentre, in north London, is running quiet sessions for people who cannot cope with coming in.

This is what I would like noble Lords to go away with today. A young man came to the jobcentre who was working full-time, had mental health issues and did not know how he was going to keep his job. He was in a bad way. Our work coaches worked with him and, through the Access to Work mental health support programme, he is now back at work and working towards a promotion. None of that would have been possible without that support. We are doing everything we can—and there is more to be done—to help people with these issues.

I was not prepared for that one, that is for sure. I know that the Permanent Secretary has a plan to make sure that people get paid and get the help they need. However, I will be really upset if people are sanctioned because of this. I will go back to the department and write to the noble Baroness, to make sure that the issue is understood.

I was not prepared for that one, that is for sure. I know that the Permanent Secretary has a plan to make sure that people get paid and get the help they need. However, I will be really upset if people are sanctioned because of this. I will go back to the department and write to the noble Baroness, to make sure that the issue is understood.

The issue of food bank usage and the reasons for it came up during a Question I took recently. I have no doubt that, as I have agreed before, universal credit has contributed to the increased use of food banks, but that is not everything. However, claimants will only ever be sanctioned where, without good reason, they fail to meet the reasonable requirements agreed in their claimant commitment.

The issue of food bank usage and the reasons for it came up during a Question I took recently. I have no doubt that, as I have agreed before, universal credit has contributed to the increased use of food banks, but that is not everything. However, claimants will only ever be sanctioned where, without good reason, they fail to meet the reasonable requirements agreed in their claimant commitment.

Lords motion to take note of the case for better protecting and representing the interests of future generations in policy-making. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to take note of the case for better protecting and representing the interests of future generations in policy-making. Agreed to on question.