Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants
Work and Pensions Committee
HC 402
Published 15 May 2025
Recommendations
32
Accepted in Part
Mandate DWP representation on Safeguarding Adult Boards and duty to refer vulnerable claimants
Recommendation
We recommend the Government make it a statutory requirement for all Safeguarding Adult Boards to include DWP representation. As part of its statutory safeguarding duty, DWP should also have a specified duty to refer vulnerable claimants to other agencies, including …
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Government Response Summary
The government plans to publish the Memorandum of Understanding. They support increasing DWP representation on Safeguarding Adult Boards, with ACSSLs currently on 80%, but do not commit to making it a statutory requirement or establishing a specified duty to refer vulnerable claimants.
Department for Work and Pensions
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37
Accepted in Part
Ensure Caldicott Guardian inclusion in all future DWP service procurement processes
Recommendation
We welcome the action taken by the Chief Medical Advisor to appoint a Caldicott Guardian in order to aid transparency and to ensure DWP handles claimants’ data safely and ethically. However, we are concerns that due to other organisations, the …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that the role of Caldicott Guardian is evolving and the department is currently exploring how the Guardian will be included in wider departmental ethical data considerations, including relevant commercial contracts.
Department for Work and Pensions
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39
Accepted in Part
Improve transparency of DWP's serious mistake learning processes with the PHSO
Recommendation
DWP should work with the PHSO in the next six months to improve the transparency of the processes it uses to learn from serious mistakes and failures, including Internal Process Reviews, the Independent Case Examiner, and the Serious Case Panel. …
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Government Response Summary
The government rejected the specific recommendation to work with the PHSO on transparency, stating it's DWP's own responsibility. However, DWP committed to fulfilling this responsibility by planning to publish findings from Internal Process Reviews to support transparency and improve understanding.
Department for Work and Pensions
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Conclusions (1)
5
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
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 …
Government Response Summary
The government stated it is open to introducing a statutory duty to safeguard vulnerable customers and will publish its new DWP safeguarding approach in the Autumn, which will include a clear statement of intent for cultural change.