Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 10
10
The Department does not have complete data on diversity or disadvantage of the people it...
Conclusion
The Department does not have complete data on diversity or disadvantage of the people it supports. The National Audit Office reported that in February 2020, before the pandemic, the Department only had ethnicity data for 40% of claims made since January
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
3a: PAC Recommendation: The Department must obtain good-quality diversity data for all claimants and ensure that its evaluations of all of its employment support programmes include an assessment of the impact for different groups, whether employment support schemes are reaching and working for everyone, and ensuring that no groups are left behind. 3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 3.2 The department has made a change to the way it collects diversity data as part of a Universal Credit claim, to encourage claimants to provide this information as stated at the Committee hearing on the 9 September 2021. The declaration rate is increasing and is now above 70% based on the department’s internal management information. However, the department cannot and should not compel people to provide this information should they not wish to do so. 3.3 The department will ensure that its evaluation considers diversity characteristics. When the department carries out research with programme participants, and non-participants, it will collect information on ethnicity and disability.