Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 11
The Committee welcomes the Government’s swift action and range of measures introduced in response to...
Conclusion
The Committee welcomes the Government’s swift action and range of measures introduced in response to the cost of living crisis. It is clear that these will offset some of the increased costs for households living in poverty. However, we have heard very concerning evidence about the impact of the crisis on disabled people, older people, carers and larger families in particular.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the impact of the cost of living crisis on specific vulnerable groups and describes its communication efforts to ensure people receive their full benefit entitlements, including the Help for Households campaign and a dedicated online hub.
Paragraph Reference:
11
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Department works hard to ensure that people are in receipt of their full entitlement. We communicate with the public about benefits through paid advertising, stakeholder and employer engagement, campaigns to help people understand their entitlement and the support we can provide as a safety net and in times of need. We have made additional use of digital media such as YouTube videos, particularly British Sign Language videos, to widely promote DWP benefits. The Government’s website, GOV.UK, provides guidance on individual’s rights and entitlements to benefits in the UK. In particular, the website provides links to independent benefits calculators that can be used to find out what benefits an individual could get, how to claim and how these benefits will be affected if an individual starts work. https://www. gov.uk/benefits-calculators. DWP is at the forefront of providing the most vulnerable people in society with extra financial help to help with the cost of living, including the £650 cost of living payment for eligible people on means tested benefits. To ensure people are aware of this help and that they understand how to check their eligibility, a cross-government Help for Households campaign was launched in July across a range of channels to co-incide with the first cost of living payments being issued. This campaign will continue throughout the Autumn to promote the wider package of support being made available to millions more people, whilst also supporting the next tranche of specific payments for benefit customers. A dedicated online ‘hub’ for information on the wider support package is also available at Cost of living support - Help for Households cost of living (campaign.gov.uk).