DWP follow-up: Autumn 2025

Public Accounts Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 11 Sep 2025 Parliament page
The Public Accounts Committee will be following up recent scrutiny with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in autumn 2025, on various topics. The PAC’s July 2025 report on Jobcentres warned that government seemed complacent at the potential impact of a reduction in support for benefit claimants. Amid a … Read more
8 Recommendations
19 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
2 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 6 events
20 Apr
2026
Correspondence
1 Apr
2026
Report published
9 Jan
2026
Report published
24 Nov
2025
Correspondence
30 Oct
2025
Oral evidence
30 Oct
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
30 Oct 2025
View on parliament.uk
Barbara Bennett · Department of Work and Pensions Helen Wylie · Department of Work and Pensions Sir Peter Schofield KCB · Department for Work and Pensions
Title HC No. Published Items Response
60th Report - DWP follow-up: Autumn 2025 HC 1447 9 Jan 2026 27 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
Clear
18 Conclusion Accepted in Part
60th Report - DWP follow-up: Autum…
DWP failing to meet targets for timely processing of new Personal Independence Payment claims.
In our report on DWP Customer Service and Accounts 2023–24, we highlighted that claimants of disability benefits, including Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Employment and Support Allowance, were receiving an unacceptably poor service. One element of this was the 23 … Read more
Government Response
The Department will write to the Committee to provide the requested data on PIP claim processing times by the end of March 2026, while standardising measures to 90% of cases cleared format; however, they will include it in the 2025-26 ARA.
HM Treasury
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19 Recommendation Accepted in Part
60th Report - DWP follow-up: Autum…
Rising Personal Independence Payment caseload complicates existing multi-step application process.
The Department told us that it was important to take into account that, since the 75% target was set, the PIP caseload had gone up by more than 50%. In addition, it highlighted that the process of applying for PIP … Read more
Government Response
The Department will write to the Committee to provide the requested data on PIP claim processing times by the end of March 2026, while standardising measures to 90% of cases cleared format; however, they will include it in the 2025-26 ARA.
HM Treasury
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 26 of 8 classified
Accepted 4
Accepted in Part 2
Acknowledged 14
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 1
Rejected 4
Total 8 recs + 19 conclusions
Correspondence 2 letters
20 Apr 2026 To committee Letter from the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Work and Pensions to the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee relating to DWP follow-up: Autumn 2025, 30 March 2026
Parliament page
24 Nov 2025 To committee Letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Work and Pensions relating to a follow-up to the Committee’s evidence session DWP follow-up: Autumn 2025 on 30 October 2025, 14 November 2025
Parliament page