Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Deferred
Introduce statutory duty for DWP to safeguard vulnerable claimants department-wide.
Recommendation
We recommend DWP introduce a statutory duty to safeguard vulnerable claimants that applies to the whole Department, and for which the Secretary of State is ultimately accountable. The duty should have regard to factors such as the wellbeing of vulnerable claimants and preventing harm, when exercising its functions. It should apply when developing, implementing and reviewing policy, and also cover specified duties that contain clear criteria and definitions, including: • a responsibility to proactively conduct a safeguarding assessment or identify if a claimant needs additional support; 94 • an obligation to both inform and proactively offer additional support measures to all claimants who might need such support; and • a duty to refer vulnerable claimants to other agencies, including those which have a duty of care, to ensure their additional needs are supported (Recommendation, Paragraph 31). Systems-based policymaking
Government Response Summary
The government did not commit to introducing a statutory duty for safeguarding vulnerable claimants. Instead, it is engaging in a public consultation on safeguarding and establishing a Disability Advisory Panel, set to launch in summer 2025.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
As part of the current consultation on the Pathways to Work Green Paper the Government is engaging with the public on safeguarding with the question “What practical steps could we take to improve our current approach to safeguarding people who use our services?”. The Government endorses the value of consultation and incorporating lived experience as a way to ensure that policies are well-informed, consider diverse perspectives, and ultimately better serve the public. The Department is currently progressing the establishment of a new Disability Advisory Panel, which will strengthen the Department’s engagement with disabled people and those with long-term health conditions. This strategic panel will comprise up to 12 members, all of whom will bring lived experience and insight to inform both long-term priorities and specific areas of policy development. The Panel is being designed to ensure broad representation, reflecting the diversity of disabled people across Great Britain. It will play a key role in shaping how DWP collaborates with disabled communities and ensure their voices are embedded in decision-making processes. The Department is working towards formally launching the Disability Advisory Panel in summer 2025.