UK Inquiry Tracker

Safeguarding vulnerable claimants

Work and Pensions Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 21 Jul 2023 Closed: 17 Sep 2025 Parliament page

The predecessor Work and Pensions Committee opened an inquiry into safeguarding vulnerable claimants in July 2023, to examine how DWP supports vulnerable benefit claimants and whether its approach to safeguarding needs to change. There are many people who claim benefits from DWP who are considered vulnerable and in need of … Read more The predecessor Work and Pensions Committee opened an inquiry into safeguarding vulnerable claimants in July 2023, to examine how DWP supports vulnerable benefit claimants and whether its approach to safeguarding needs to change. There are many people who claim benefits from DWP who are considered vulnerable and in need of special care, support or protection to ensure that they are able to access the public services they require from the Department. Although DWP implements a number of safeguarding processes to help provide additional support to these people, DWP does not currently have a statutory duty to safeguard the wellbeing of vulnerable claimants. Over the three years from July 2019 to July 2022 the number of Internal Process Reviews (IPRs)—DWP’s internal investigations into allegations of DWP case handling which have fallen short of expected standards, with a severe negative impact on a claimant—has more than doubled. 140 IPRs were conducted into claimant deaths over this period compared with 64 reviews carried out between 2016 and 2019. Inquiry call for evidence In light of the seriousness of this subject, we have decided to formally reopen our inquiry into safeguarding vulnerable claimants. We will continue our evaluation of DWP’s approach to safeguarding, and seek to understand how the new Government intends to rise to the challenge of ensuring it supports those who find it difficult to interact with the benefit system. We understand that the issues raised in this work may be sensitive or upsetting. In addition to contacting your G.P., the following organisations may be able to offer support or further information: Samaritans—General support for everyone. Call 116 123 - 24 hours a day, every day, or email jo@samaritans.org Mind—for information, advice, and support for anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Call 0300 123 3393. Citizens Advice—For independent, free advice provided by a network of charities online, over the phone and in person on a wide variety of issues including benefits, work, debt, housing, family and immigration. Their Adviceline is available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, by calling 0800 144 8848 (England) or 0800 702 2020 (Wales) Read our report Report in British Sign Language Report introduction audio Report summary audio Report recommendations audio Easy Read report Show less

22 Recommendations

18 Conclusions

4 Reports

8 Oral sessions

13 Letters

8 Events

Activity timeline 36 events

22 Jul
2025

Report published

BSL – 3rd Special Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants: Government response

22 Jul
2025

Report published

3rd Special Report - Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants: Government response

22 Jul
2025

Report published

Easy Read – 3rd Special Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants: Government response

15 May
2025

Report published

BSL report summary – 1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants

15 May
2025

Report published

Easy Read – 1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants

15 May
2025

Report published

Audio summary – 1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants

15 May
2025

Report published

1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants

14 May
2025

Correspondence

Correspondence from the Minister for Social Security and Disability, relating to the Department's Advanced Customer Support (ACS) teams

12 Mar
2025

Correspondence

Correspondence from the Minister for Social Security and Disability, responding to the Committee’s letter of 26 February 2025, related to h…

26 Feb
2025

Correspondence

Correspondence to the Minister for Social Security and Disability, relating to the Safeguarding vulnerable claimants inquiry

26 Feb
2025

Correspondence

Correspondence from Neil Couling, Universal Credit, Senior Responsible Owner, Director General, Fraud, Disability and Health, providing up…

12 Feb
2025

Oral evidence

Work and Pensions Committee

Oral evidence sessions 8 sessions

12 Feb 2025

View on parliament.uk

Work and Pensions Committee

Dr Gail Allsopp · Department for Work and Pensions Elizabeth Fairburn · Department for Work & Pensions Neil Couling · Department for Work and Pensions Sir Stephen Timms MP · Department for Work and Pensions

8 Jan 2025

View on parliament.uk

Work and Pensions Committee

Carri Swann · Child Poverty Action Group Dr Antonia Dietmann · Department for Work and Pensions Dr Gail Allsopp · Department for Work and Pensions Minesh Patel · Mind Sophie Francis-Cansfield · Women’s Aid Tim Nicholls · National Autistic Society

26 Mar 2024

View on parliament.uk

Work and Pensions Committee

Elizabeth Fairburn · Department for Work & Pensions Mims Davies MP · Department for Work and Pensions Preeta Ramachandran · Department for Work & Pensions The Viscount Younger of Leckie · Department for Work and Pensions

28 Feb 2024

View on parliament.uk

Work and Pensions Committee

Rebecca Hilsenrath · Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Rob Behrens · Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

7 Feb 2024

View on parliament.uk

Work and Pensions Committee

Caroline Selman · Public Law Project Jesse Nicholls · Matrix Law William Ford · Osbornes Law

24 Jan 2024

View on parliament.uk

Work and Pensions Committee

Corin Hammersley · Advice & Benefits Service, Royal Borough of Greenwich Dr Jeremy Dixon · University of Bath Professor Michael Preston-Shoot · National Network for Chairs of Safeguarding Adults Boards Professor Sally McManus · City University of London

13 Dec 2023

View on parliament.uk

Work and Pensions Committee

Ashley McDougall · National Audit Office Brian Dow · Rethink Mental Illness Daphne Hall · National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers (NAWRA) Jamie Thunder · Z2K (Zacchaeus 2000 Trust) Joshua Reddaway · National Audit Office

15 Nov 2023

View on parliament.uk

Work and Pensions Committee

Chloe Schendel-Wilson · The Disability Policy Centre Henry Parkes · Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) Nikki Bond · Money and Mental Health Policy Institute Prof Ben Baumberg Geiger · King’s College London Prof Lisa Scullion · University of Salford

Reports 4 reports · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Easy Read – 1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants	HC 402	15 May 2025	0	Responded
Audio summary – 1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants	HC 402	15 May 2025	0
1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants	HC 402	15 May 2025	40	Responded
BSL report summary – 1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerable Claima…	HC 402	15 May 2025	0	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 results

7 Conclusion Acknowledged

1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerab…

DWP policy framework inadequately addresses vulnerable claimants beyond the disability service area.

DWP is more likely to prevent vulnerable claimants from experiencing harm if it first engages them in decision-making that affects them: their needs, the potential risks of proposals, and how those risks might be mitigated. We welcome the intention to … Read more

Government Response

The government recognised the broad nature of vulnerability and stated that as part of a safeguarding review, it will consider publishing DWP's flexible definition of vulnerability.

Department for Work and Pensions

View details

25 Conclusion Acknowledged

1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerab…

Inconsistent application of DWP policies like sanctions exacerbates claimant vulnerabilities and hardship.

Incorrectly applied, policies intended to drive claimant behaviour and deliver value for money, such as sanctions and deductions, can create and exacerbate vulnerabilities. While DWP has checks in place that are supposed to ensure this doesn’t happen, the application of … Read more

Government Response

The Coaching Academy will aim to professionalise employment support through accredited training and provide platforms to capture structured frontline feedback, which will inform continuous improvement in training and delivery of service.

Department for Work and Pensions

View details

26 Conclusion Acknowledged

1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerab…

Overreliance on Work Coach discretion and inadequate training compromises DWP safeguarding policies.

The effectiveness of DWP policies that are supposed to protect claimants from harm is in large part contingent on Work Coaches applying discretion correctly and consistently. Discretion can be a valuable tool in the benefit system, but we are concerned … Read more

Government Response

Department for Work and Pensions

View details

38 Conclusion Acknowledged

1st Report – Safeguarding Vulnerab…

DWP's system for learning from serious harm cases remains opaque

If all other layers of safeguarding fail, and claimants experience harm as a consequence, it is essential that DWP learns from these cases. Furthermore, it is right that learning mechanisms are transparent, so that claimants and their families can understand … Read more

Government Response

DWP is committed to continuous learning to improve public services and recognizes its responsibility to learn when experiences for customers have fallen below expectations and to make changes that drive improvement. DWP plans to publish findings from Internal Process Reviews to support transparency and improve understanding of the system among customers and stakeholders.

Department for Work and Pensions

View details

Government Response AI assessment · 40 of 22 classified

Accepted 10

Accepted in Part 4

Acknowledged 4

Deferred 15

Not Addressed 3

Rejected 4

Total 22 recs + 18 conclusions

Correspondence 13 letters

14 May 2025 Correspondence from the Minister for Social Security and Disability, relating to the Department's Advanced Customer Support (ACS) teams

Parliament page

12 Mar 2025 Correspondence from the Minister for Social Security and Disability, responding to the Committee’s letter of 26 February 2025, related to his appearance before the Committee on 26 February 2025.

Parliament page

26 Feb 2025 Correspondence to the Minister for Social Security and Disability, relating to the Safeguarding vulnerable claimants inquiry

Parliament page

26 Feb 2025 Correspondence from Neil Couling, Universal Credit, Senior Responsible Owner, Director General, Fraud, Disability and Health, providing updates following their appearance at the Committee on 12 February 2025

Parliament page

29 Jan 2025 Correspondence from the the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, relating to the Committee's inquiry into 'Safeguarding vulnerable claimants'

Parliament page

23 Jan 2025 Correspondence with Dr Allsopp requesting further information following her appearance before the Committee on 8 January 2025

Parliament page

22 Jan 2025 Correspondence with Dr Dietman requesting further information following her appearance before the Committee on 8 January 2025

Parliament page

18 Dec 2024 Correspondence with the Minister for Social Security and Disability, relating to Safeguarding vulnerable claimants

Parliament page

24 May 2024 Correspondence with the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State relating to Safeguarding vulnerable claimants

Parliament page

24 Apr 2024 Correspondence with the Chief Coroner relating to Safeguarding vulnerable claimants

Parliament page

24 Apr 2024 Correspondence from DWP Officials relating to Safeguarding vulnerable claimants

Parliament page

6 Mar 2024 Correspondence with Permanent Secretary relating to Safeguarding vulnerable claimants

Parliament page

25 Oct 2023 Correspondence with the Secretary of State relating to Internal Process Reviews (IPRs)

Parliament page