Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants
Work and Pensions Committee
HC 402
Published 15 May 2025
Conclusions (4)
7
Conclusion
Acknowledged
DWP is more likely to prevent vulnerable claimants from experiencing harm if it first engages them in decision-making that affects them: their needs, the potential risks of proposals, and how those risks might be mitigated. We welcome the intention to introduce a trauma-informed policy framework and the work reviewing policy …
Government Response Summary
The government recognised the broad nature of vulnerability and stated that as part of a safeguarding review, it will consider publishing DWP's flexible definition of vulnerability.
25
Conclusion
Acknowledged
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 …
Government Response Summary
The Coaching Academy will aim to professionalise employment support through accredited training and provide platforms to capture structured frontline feedback, which will inform continuous improvement in training and delivery of service.
26
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The effectiveness of DWP policies that are supposed to protect claimants from harm is in large part contingent on Work Coaches applying discretion correctly and consistently. Discretion can be a valuable tool in the benefit system, but we are concerned that overreliance on discretion is placing an unreasonable burden on …
Government Response Summary
The Coaching Academy will aim to professionalise employment support through accredited training and provide platforms to capture structured frontline feedback, which will inform continuous improvement in training and delivery of service.
38
Conclusion
Acknowledged
If all other layers of safeguarding fail, and claimants experience harm as a consequence, it is essential that DWP learns from these cases. Furthermore, it is right that learning mechanisms are transparent, so that claimants and their families can understand what the Department is doing to prevent 101 these same …
Government Response Summary
DWP is committed to continuous learning to improve public services and recognizes its responsibility to learn when experiences for customers have fallen below expectations and to make changes that drive improvement. DWP plans to publish findings from Internal Process Reviews to support transparency and improve understanding of the system among customers and stakeholders.