Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 15
15
Accepted
DWP prioritises support for vulnerable customers with trained staff and specialist leads
Conclusion
Some of DWP’s customers are vulnerable or have additional or complex needs due to poverty, age, health problems and disabilities.28 DWP told us that supporting these customers was a key priority and that it sought to put the right support in place at the start of a customer’s ‘journey’.29 It said that staff were trained to ascertain upfront whether a customer had specific requirements or vulnerabilities, and referred to the work of its Advanced Customer Service Support Leads—a team of 37—who provide specialist support and advice for customers at serious risk of harm, abuse or neglect.30
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and states the recommendation is implemented, detailing plans to strengthen research data use, launch a new Customer Experience Survey contract (2025-28), develop real-time customer feedback, and enhance data collection for Advanced Customer Support Teams to better understand and support vulnerable customers.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 3.2 The department captures customers’ additional needs through its systems. This is a key part of its modernisation strategy, but it recognises that its current transformation plans run for several years, and the department needs to better understand the experiences of its customers including its vulnerable customers. 3.3 In the interim, the department is strengthening how it uses research data to better understand customer experiences and drive improvements. It already publishes analysis of variation in overall satisfaction by long-term health conditions (physical, mental, or both), and is exploring opportunities to extend this analysis to other support needs data captured on systems. Additionally, the new Customer Experience Survey contract (2025-28) will ensure the department collects and analyses the right data to gain deeper insights. The first results will be published in the 2025-26 Customer Experience Survey report and findings will be monitored internally on a regular basis to track emerging trends and identify areas for action. 3.4 These insights will complement existing research across the department, helping pinpoint where support is needed for different customer groups. At the same time, it is developing real-time customer feedback capability through the Contact Centre Modernisation Programme, enabling faster responses to customer needs and improving service delivery. 3.5 The department is strengthening data collection on customers supported by Advanced Customer Support Teams, including insights from the Call Listening Alert Service, which helps identify at-risk customers and informs the design of DWP’s future telephony platform. 3.6 By integrating these insight activities, it is building a comprehensive, data-driven view of customer experiences. This joined-up approach will drive service improvements, policy decisions, and operational enhancements, ensuring the department meets customer needs effectively across all channels.