Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 10
10
Acknowledged
DWP permanently implemented three local flexibility framework measures, reducing claimant support.
Conclusion
In June 2025, just before we published our report, the Department wrote to tell us that it had made three of the measures in the framework permanent. Two of these measures involved reducing the frequency of appointments for customers in the Intensive Work Search group. The third measure was shortening the first meeting claimants have with a work coach—the ‘claimant commitment meeting’ when customers are talked through the requirements of their claims—from 50 to 30 minutes.17
Government Response Summary
The government will conduct qualitative research to understand the impact of the 30-minute initial claimant commitment meeting on the claimant experience, with findings used in developing the Jobs and Careers Service.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2027 2.2 All sites have now moved to a 30-minute initial claimant commitment meeting for new claimants, and the department recognises the importance of understanding the impact on the claimant experience from implementing this change. 2.3 The department will be undertaking a qualitative research project to gather claimant insight on their experiences at the initial claimant commitment meeting. This will include feedback on the length and content of the meeting. 2.4 As part of the department’s plans to develop the Jobs and Careers Service, it will use the findings from this qualitative research alongside learning from the claimant commitment 18 testing in its Pathfinder sites to consider the best way to provide support to claimants throughout their claim.