Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
6th Report - DWP Customer Service and Accounts 2023-24
Public Accounts Committee
HC 354
Published 31 January 2025
Government response
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Sixth report from Session 2024-25 · published 6 May 2025
Recommendations & Conclusions
8
Conclusion
Differences in call performance between in-house and outsourced DWP lines reflect query complexity.
Conclusion
DWP also told us that the difference in performance between in-house and outsourced lines reflected the type of work they handled. It said that it used outsourced providers to deal with simpler transactions and calls, while its in-house lines dealt …
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HM Treasury
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27
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Significant proportion of DWP customer calls remain unanswered, affecting change of circumstances.
Conclusion
Many customers contact DWP by telephone when they need to report a change of circumstances.54 However, a significant proportion of calls to DWP go unanswered. In 2023–24, DWP answered 66% of calls to its in–house lines, after taking account of …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response discusses underpayments, unfulfilled eligibility, and the Health Transformation Programme, but does not address the committee's specific observation regarding the proportion of unanswered calls to DWP's in-house lines.
HM Treasury
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34
Conclusion
Not Addressed
DWP seeks new Fraud Bill powers to access bank data on UC claimant savings.
Conclusion
DWP also highlighted the importance of access to data, particularly because one of the big areas of UC overpayments related to people who had savings that they did not tell DWP about. It said that some of the powers in …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees and states the recommendation is implemented, but its response details increased funding and staff for general counter-fraud activities and Targeted Case Reviews, without specifically addressing the committee's observation regarding powers in the planned Fraud, Error and Debt Bill to access bank data about Universal Credit claimants' savings.
HM Treasury
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