Income Support: Interviews

Mr. Graham Stuart
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many mandatory six-month interview demands have been sent out to income support claimants in the last 12 months; how many of these have subsequently been (a) deferred and (b) waived; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. McNulty
The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Mel Groves:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many mandatory six-month interview demands have been sent out to income support claimants in the last 12 months; and how many of these have subsequently been (a) deferred and (b) waived. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.

The only Income Support customers required to attend an interview at the six-month point of their claim are lone parents. In the 12 months ending November 2008, we invited 141,600 lone parents to an interview with a personal adviser at the six-month point of their claim. Of these, 2,800 were deferred and 5,800 were waived.