DWP's response to the coronavirus outbreak

Work and Pensions Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 5 Mar 2020 Closed: 2 Feb 2022 Parliament page
This inquiry looked at how coronavirus is affecting people who rely on the benefits system. It examined the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) response to the Covid-19 pandemic and whether the Universal Credit system meets the needs of those claiming benefits during this time. It focused on: The experiences … Read more
3 Recommendations
1 Conclusion
2 Reports
12 Oral sessions
12 Letters
12 Events
Activity timeline 39 events
24 Nov
2021
Correspondence
16 Sep
2021
Oral evidence
16 Sep
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 5, Palace of Westminster
8 Sep
2021
Oral evidence
8 Sep
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
16 Jul
2021
Correspondence
9 Feb
2021
Report published
3 Feb
2021
Oral evidence
3 Feb
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
2 Feb
2021
Oral evidence
2 Feb
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
16 Dec
2020
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 12 sessions
16 Sep 2021
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Work and Pensions Committee
Mims Davies MP · Department for Work and Pensions Neil Couling · Department for Work and Pensions Will Quince · Department for Work & Pensions
8 Sep 2021
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Work and Pensions Committee
Amina Nagawa Anthony Lynam Caroline Rice Gemma Widdowfield Vikki Waterman
3 Feb 2021
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Work and Pensions Committee
Peter Schofield · Department for Work and Pensions Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
2 Feb 2021
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Work and Pensions Committee
Iain Porter · Joseph Rowntree Foundation James Heywood · Centre for Policy Studies Laura Peters · Rethink Mental Illness Minesh Patel · Mind Peter Tutton · StepChange Professor Donald Hirsch · Loughborough University
16 Dec 2020
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Work and Pensions Committee
Elizabeth Taylor · Employment Related Services Association Martin McTague · Federation of Small Businesses Mat Ainsworth · Greater Manchester Combined Authority Mat Ilic · Catch22 Professor Dan Finn · University of Portsmouth Stephen Evans · Learning and Work Institute Tony Wilson · Institute for Employment Studies
9 Dec 2020
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Work and Pensions Committee
Anne Longfield OBE · Office of the Children's Commissioner for England Ben Levinson · Kensington Primary School Dr Kathryn Hobbs · David Nieper Academy Joanne Ormond · Maryport Church of England Primary School Matt Dunkley CBE · Kent County Council Nancy Meehan · Torbay Council Paul Marshall · Manchester City Council
18 Nov 2020
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DWP’s response to the coronavirus pandemic
Andrew Forsey · Feeding Britain Baroness Philippa Stroud · Legatum Institute Jason Strelitz · Newham Council Mr Gary Vaux · Hertfordshire County Council Paul Johnson · Institute for Fiscal Studies Sam Carter · StepChange Stella West-Harling · Dartmoor Community Kitchen Hub Torsten Bell · Resolution Foundation Zoe Charlesworth · Policy in Practice
30 Sep 2020
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Work and Pensions Committee meeting
John Paul Marks · Department for Work and Pensions Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey · Department for Work and Pensions
20 May 2020
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Work and Pensions Committee; Work and Pensions Committee meeting
Chris Luck · Shaw Trust Jonathan Townsend · The Prince's Trust Kate Bell · Trade Union Congress Mat Ainsworth · Greater Manchester Combined Authority Matthew Percival · Confederation of British Industry Rebecca Keating · Salvation Army Sam Windett · Impetus Tony Wilson · Institute for Employment Studies
6 May 2020
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Work and Pensions Committee meeting
Anna Stevenson · Turn2us Azmina Siddique · The Children's Society Dan Norris · Child Poverty Action Group Emma Revie · Trussell Trust Eve Byrne · Macmillan Geoff Fimister · Inclusion Barnet Jessie Seal · NACCOM Minesh Patel · Mind Stephanie Kleynhans · Shelter
23 Apr 2020
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Work and Pensions Committee meeting
John Paul Marks · Department for Work and Pensions Justin Tomlinson · Department for Work and Pensions Mims Davies MP · Department for Work and Pensions Neil Couling · Department for Work and Pensions Will Quince MP · Department for Education
25 Mar 2020
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Work and Pensions Committee meeting
Peter Schofield · Department for Work and Pensions Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey · Department for Work and Pensions
Recommendations & Conclusions
4 results
1 Recommendation
Fourth Report: The temporary incre…
When the Chancellor announced the temporary increase in March 2020, few of us imagined that...
When the Chancellor announced the temporary increase in March 2020, few of us imagined that we would still be in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic nearly a year later. Since March, the number of people claiming Universal Credit has … Read more
Department for Work and Pensions
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2 Conclusion
Fourth Report: The temporary incre…
We share the Secretary of State’s view, echoed by evidence from front line support organisations,...
We share the Secretary of State’s view, echoed by evidence from front line support organisations, that a steady income is the best way to support people. Like her, we are concerned that one-off payments could increase the risk of fraud. … Read more
Department for Work and Pensions
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3 Recommendation
Fourth Report: The temporary incre…
We were encouraged to hear from the Secretary of State that one-off payments are not...
We were encouraged to hear from the Secretary of State that one-off payments are not DWP’s preferred approach, but they nevertheless seem to be an option that the Government is actively considering. We urge the Government to abandon any plans … Read more
Department for Work and Pensions
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4 Recommendation
Fourth Report: The temporary incre…
We stand by our recommendation—made in October 2020—that the increase in Universal Credit should be...
We stand by our recommendation—made in October 2020—that the increase in Universal Credit should be maintained, with annual inflation-based increases. But we recognise that, in the short term, the Chancellor faces some very difficult decisions about the public finances amid … Read more
Department for Work and Pensions
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Correspondence 12 letters
24 Nov 2021 Correspondence on forecasting income poverty with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Institute for Fiscal Studies
Parliament page
16 Jul 2021 To committee Letter from Minister for Welfare Delivery (Covid Local Support Grant – Extending the current arrangements)
Parliament page
16 Dec 2020 Correspondence with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions about the benefit cap grace period for UC claimants
Parliament page
13 Oct 2020 Correspondence with Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the Government's response to the Committee's report on DWP's response to coronavirus
Parliament page
4 Aug 2020 Correspondence from The Pensions Regulator on the committee's report into the Coronavirus outbreak
Parliament page
17 Jun 2020 Correspondence with Secretary of State for Work and Pensions about DWP's business continuity plans
Parliament page
17 Jun 2020 Correspondence from Minsters at DWP about DWP's response to coronavirus, 15 May 2020
Parliament page
24 Apr 2020 To committee Letter from Permanent Secretary to Chair
Parliament page
24 Apr 2020 Coronavirus survey response
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 To committee Letter from Peter Schofield, Permanent Secretary at DWP, about its response to the coronavirus outbreak
Parliament page
26 Mar 2020 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State about the DWP’s policy on benefits sanctions during the coronavirus outbreak
Parliament page
26 Mar 2020 Correspondence with the Secretary of State about the DWP’s response to coronavirus
Parliament page