Recommendation 23

These underpayments leave the claimants affected with less money than they should have, making their finances more precarious than they should be. Underpayment rates are highest for disability benefits, such as PIP and Disability Living Allowance, where the most common reason for underpayments is customers failing to inform DWP that their condition has worsened or their needs have increased, meaning they would have been entitled to more money. Many claimants need to call to notify DWP about changes of circumstances, but a significant proportion of calls go unanswered. DWP needs to do more to encourage people to report changes of circumstances, which hinges on making it easy for people to get in touch and on customers trusting that they will be treated fairly. Written evidence from Sense highlights that 43% of claimants with complex disabilities do not have their needs met through DWP’s communications. recommendation To help make sure people receive the full amounts they are entitled to, DWP should set out how it plans to build trust with claimants and make it easier for them to provide updates on changes of circumstances.