asked Her Majesty's Government:

What safeguards are in place to ensure that increased rates of employment and support allowance do not raise claimants' income to levels marginally above the threshold for other benefits or exemptions from charges, thereby making them worse off overall. [HL519]

We will ensure that people will have access to all of the income-related passported benefits that they currently have on income support. Customers who qualify for income-related employment and support allowance will, as now under income support, be entitled to maximum housing benefit and council tax benefit, without the need to provide details of their income and capital.

We expect that the income-related strand of employment and support allowance will offer access to all the same benefits and schemes, including free prescriptions.