Recommendation 5

The Department has said that whilst it does not have a statutory duty to safeguard vulnerable claimants, it recognises it has a responsibility to support them and does so through other means. We remain concerned, however, that current practice is insufficient, and that public trust is sorely damaged. We received no evidence from outside of the Department that introducing a statutory safeguarding duty was an unreasonable request. When we raised this with the previous Government, we were told that improvement could be achieved through investment in training, guidance, development and links to other Government Departments and organisations that have that duty. We welcome the new Secretary of State’s view that while laws alone do not change behaviour, they can help. We recognise that the introduction of a statutory duty would be a significant undertaking for the DWP, however, we are not convinced that the Government’s current approach is achieving its desired outcomes. For example, in 2023- 24 there were 75 IPR referrals for internal investigations into cases that have been mishandled by DWP. This number remains stubbornly high, and if this is on the basis of addressing this issue through improved training, guidance and joint-working, then it is time for a new approach. A statutory safeguarding duty would help to drive and embed culture change in the Department, support the consistent delivery of safeguarding practices, and improve accountability should failures occur. The introduction of a duty, underpinned by practical actions, would also signal a change in the Government’s approach to safeguarding and help to rebuild the trust of claimants. (Conclusion, Paragraph 30)