Home / Sources / Select Committees / Recommendation 25
Select committee: Work and Pensions Committee

Conclusion 25

1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants Published 15 May 2025 Addressed to Department for Work and Pensions

Work and Pensions Committee Safeguarding vulnerable claimants All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗

Conclusion (the committee's words)
Incorrectly applied, policies intended to drive claimant behaviour and deliver value for money, such as sanctions and deductions, can create and exacerbate vulnerabilities. While DWP has checks in place that are supposed to ensure this doesn’t happen, the application of these checks is inconsistent. This can leave claimants facing substantial hardship, putting them at risk of harm. (Conclusion, Paragraph 110)

From: Work and Pensions Committee, 1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants (HC 402), 15 May 2025

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 22 July 2025 (deadline 15 July 2025).

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Government has responded in full only to those recommendations outside the scope of the consultation on a new safeguarding approach, with the others being "considered alongside the consultation", the outcome of which "will be published in the Autumn".

  • On a statutory safeguarding duty, the Government is "open to" it. The Secretary of State "will make a statement to the House in the Autumn" setting out DWP's new approach to safeguarding.
  • It does not intend to publish the Chief Medical Advisor's team advice on the Pathways to Work changes, saying it remains advice to the Secretary of State and that "a single document does not exist".
  • On Help to Claim, DWP states it "has found no shortfall" in support following the transition, citing jobcentre support and the Visiting Service.
  • On the PHSO's powers, DWP "acknowledges" the recommendation but says it lacks authority to make such changes. Any change "would require primary legislation" and is "a matter for Parliament".

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error