Written question by Rushanara Ali MP reveals 80 week waits for the most serious complaint investigations against the DWP to be completed
Responding to a written question by Rushanara Ali MP, on the average length of time taken to commence and complete an investigation into the services of the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department revealed that it took an average of 80 weeks between 1 January 2020 and 31 March 2020.
The Independent Case Examiner deals with the most serious and complex cases against the Department for Work and Pensions, which include excessive delays in receiving payments, poor customer service and failure to follow procedures.
Commenting on the response, Rushanara Ali, Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow, said:
'It is completely unacceptable that people with the most serious complaints against the Department for Work and Pensions have to face over 18 months of stress and difficulty while waiting for a decision. The Government's welfare services are supposed to support people in times of need, not add to their difficulties. The Department must take action now to reduce such extreme delays.'
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Rushanara Ali MP's statement on Cyclone Amphan
On Thursday 20 May 2020 Cyclone Amphan hit India and Bangladesh, with heavy rainfall and winds of more than 100mph to areas already affected by the covid-19 pandemic.
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Rushanara Ali MP's statement on coronavirus outbreaks in refugee camps
Rushanara Ali MP calls for urgent action from the international community to prevent the coronavirus outbreak killing thousands in the world's biggest refugee camp.
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Rushanara Ali MP's statement on VE Day
It is 75 years since the East End celebrated VE Day – victory in Europe over the forces of fascism. East End families had more to celebrate than most. Not only did thousands serve in the army, navy and airforce, thousands more served on the home front, as air raid wardens, fire fighters, in munitions factories, and in hundreds of other roles.
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Rushanara Ali MP's statement on the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics on Covid-19 related deaths by ethnic groups
Commenting on the ONS report that BAME people are more likely to die from COVID-19, Rushanara Ali, Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow said:
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Rushanara Ali MP urges UK Government to lead efforts to protect global trade and supply chains
The coronavirus pandemic has sent global markets into turmoil and the detrimental impact on the global economy continues to evolve at an unprecedented speed.
Global supply chains have been disrupted, local economies have been wrecked by businesses collapsing, and millions have lost their jobs. Those countries with developing economies will be hit the hardest.
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Rushanara Ali MP calls on the Chancellor to offer 100% guarantees on loans for small businesses
The Government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme currently provides lenders with a guarantee of 80% of the outstanding balance on each loan provided to SME’s.
Following pressure from Labour and other opposition party MPs, the Chancellor updated the scheme so that personal guarantees cannot be taken for facilities less than £250k, and that people’s primary residences are not allowed to be taken as security under the scheme.
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Rushanara Ali MP urges Chancellor to protect workers failed by Covid-19 support scheme
Hundreds of thousands of workers, across all sectors, are being failed by the Government’s Job Retention Scheme, designed to help companies hit by the Covid-19 crisis.
Treasury Select Committee member Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, has written to the Chancellor demanding urgent action before hundreds of thousands are thrown into even greater financial difficulty.
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Rushanara Ali MP calls for urgent action to help workers left out of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
On 15 April 2020, the Government changed the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme by extending the eligibility date to 19 March 2020, which means that anyone reported on payroll by 19 March is now eligible to be furloughed. However, the Government also announced that employers have to have logged RTI submissions with HMRC and added employees to payroll by this date, a practice that commonly falls to the end of each month.
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