1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants

The government accepted the recommendation, stating it is open to a statutory duty to safeguard vulnerable customers and has completed a consultation on a new DWP safeguarding approach. The Secretary of State will make a statement in the Autumn outlining a new approach based on review findings, focusing on cultural change, renewed commitment, and systems-based approaches to safeguarding.

The government accepted the recommendation, stating that the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions will make a statement to the House in the Autumn, setting out DWP's new safeguarding approach, including a clear intent to drive cultural change and renew commitment to safeguarding.

The government did not commit to the Chief Medical Advisor's team assessing all new policies for health impacts. Instead, it described existing ongoing efforts to improve accessibility, tailor services, and capture customer needs through updated processes and surveys.

The government states it is already driving continuous improvement in identifying customer needs and providing tailored support. It highlights existing measures such as updated call scripts, new questions in ESA online claims for alternative formats, and identification of support needs in Universal Credit claims, which are continually refined.

The government declines to provide detailed upfront information, citing user research that it can overwhelm claimants. Instead, they state they signpost information and staff are trained and equipped to check for needs and signpost support, exercising professional judgment.

The government is open to a statutory safeguarding duty and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions will make a statement in the Autumn outlining DWP's new safeguarding approach, which will include a clear intent to drive cultural change and define its role in supporting those with safeguarding needs.

The government did not explicitly commit to new mechanisms for incorporating lived experience in policy design or proactively identifying unintended consequences of reforms. The response focused on existing practices for communicating information to customers, checking for support needs, and providing staff training.

The government recognizes the importance of informing customers about support but, based on user research, has streamlined initial information, signposting additional details for customers to access when needed, and relies on DWP colleagues, training, and tools to identify and signpost support.

The government states current ACSSL resourcing levels are appropriate and additional roles were introduced to support them. They indicate ACSSLs actively promote their role and foster external relationships, and will continue to explore ways to increase their visibility.

The Chief Medical Advisor is actively involved in departmental responses to Coroner-issued Prevention of Future Death reports, and a review is under consideration to strengthen this role. The role of the Caldicott Guardian was established in DWP in 2024 and continues to evolve.