Overhaul needed to prevent benefit claimants suffering harm, MPs say

MPs are calling for a alteration successful the instrumentality to forestall payment claimants from suffering harm astatine the hands of the authorities section that is meant to assistance them.

Several radical person died successful caller years aft failures by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

A cross-party committee of MPs says caller authorities and "deep-rooted taste change" astatine the DWP are needed to support susceptible clients.

A DWP spokesperson said the authorities was "currently consulting connected a caller safeguarding approach" which "genuinely supports susceptible people".

In caller years, the deaths of Errol Graham, Philippa Day and Kevin Gale person seen the DWP wide criticized for its handling of susceptible clients.

• Mr Graham, who suffered from terrible intelligence wellness problems, weighed conscionable four-and-a-half chromatic erstwhile he died successful 2018 aft his benefits were wrongly stopped
• In 2019, a coroner recovered that Ms Day took her ain beingness aft her benefits were chopped successful mistake
• Kevin Gale died by termination successful 2022, having been diagnosed with terrible slump and anxiety, exacerbated by his cosmopolitan recognition exertion

In Mr Gale's case, the coroner highlighted "that existent DWP procedures whitethorn not beryllium applicable for those with intelligence wellness unwellness and tin exacerbate symptoms".

The inquest heard of the fig and magnitude of DWP forms that claimants were required to complete, the magnitude of telephone queues for DWP advisers, and the request to question agelong distances for appointments for radical affected by intelligence wellness illness.

Thursday's report, from the Work and Pensions Select Committee, reveals the deaths of astatine slightest 274 radical person been investigated internally by the DWP successful since April 2015.

Such inquiries - Internal Process Reviews - are launched erstwhile determination is an allegation that a lawsuit has been mishandled by the DWP which has perchance contributed to superior harm oregon a safeguarding concern.

During the aforesaid period, 58 reviews were opened into cases wherever customers suffered harm - but the MPs said the standard of the failings was apt to beryllium greater.

"That radical proceed to look harm aft dealing with the DWP is simply a self-evident nonaccomplishment of safeguarding successful the system," said committee seat Debbie Abrahams MP.

"Until recently, getting radical backmost into enactment to chopped costs had been prioritised implicit providing enactment and attraction for susceptible people," Ms Abrahams added.

"We heard grounds that the process of engaging with the DWP... excessively often led to intelligence distress.

"Deep-rooted taste alteration of the DWP is desperately needed to rebuild spot and enactment safeguarding astatine the bosom of argumentation development.

"Introducing a statutory work to safeguard susceptible claimants for the section is simply a cardinal portion of this."

A caller law, holding the caput of authorities accountable for safeguarding clients, would guarantee that everyone saw it arsenic their work to support claimants, says the committee.

Carl, 44, a erstwhile roofer from Croydon, southbound London, said his archetypal enactment with the DWP "felt rather a nasty and traumatic experience".

He had struggled for 18 months with a degenerative backmost information that had near him with mobility issues and changeless pain, requiring beardown painkillers.

In 2018, aft trying a assortment of little manual roles, specified arsenic plastering and carpet fitting, helium realised helium could nary longer clasp down a job.

He applied for cosmopolitan credit, his archetypal ever payment application, which led to an assignment astatine his section occupation centre.

Carl says the enactment manager was "very dismissive and patronising".

"He said: 'If you privation wealth from us, you're going to person to leap done these hoops.'

"It astir felt similar helium was trying to connote that I was being dishonest and I was putting it on.

"It was a precise uncaring response. I wanted enactment to get a non-manual job."

Shannon Johnstone, 28, who recovered herself sleeping unsmooth astir 7 years agone earlier turning to the DWP for help, said the recommendations "are going to beryllium perfectly life-changing for people... if they're done right".

At the commencement of her claim, she remembers the DWP told her: "We can't assistance with your homelessness," which she says was understandable but off-putting.

She does not cognize if they referred her lawsuit to stateless organisations arsenic she was ne'er told. Now she welcomes the proposal to see the views of radical with lived acquisition successful the design, readying and implementation of DWP policy.

"People who person gone done the strategy recognize what it feels similar to beryllium interviewed by a [DWP] inspector," says Shannon who present works for the charity, Expert Link.

"They recognize what it's similar to stitchery tons of paperwork, truthful by including them successful the plan of the system, it's going to enactment truthful overmuch better."

In a statement, the DWP said the authorities was committed to protecting the radical who usage its services "and fixing the breached payment strategy we inherited truthful it works for those who request it".

"That's wherefore we are presently consulting connected a caller safeguarding attack and our reforms volition amended people's lives and rebuild trust, by establishing an attack that genuinely supports susceptible people."

The spokesperson added that the authorities was encouraging radical to person their voices heard successful the consultation and assistance physique a strategy "that works amended for all".