Labour calls for urgent probe into ‘devastating’ DWP dossier

Labour has called for an urgent government investigation into a “devastating” dossier of evidence that suggests the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is “in a state of crisis” and faces a “near collapse” of its benefits system.

Evidence submitted to the department by the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) last week warned that benefit claimants in vulnerable situations were “falling through the gaps” in the system and accused DWP of “deliberate neglect”.

The union’s dossier detailed multiple concerns about universal credit (UC), with one manager describing staff facing “completely overwhelming” workloads.

It followed a series of reports by Disability News Service (DNS) that have highlighted serious safeguarding concerns around UC and the wider benefits system, including senior figures at a mental health trust telling a coroner that DWP’s actions were having a significant “debilitating” impact on service-users across the country.

DNS has also reported how whistleblowers at a jobcentre have warned of serious safeguarding concerns and massively overworked DWP work coaches, with many driven to mental health breakdowns.

Labour has previously been criticised for not speaking out about the series of safeguarding concerns affecting DWP, and their impact on disabled people.

But this week, Vicky Foxcroft (pictured), the shadow minister for disabled people, told DNS that the government should investigate the PCS dossier.

She said: “The contents of this report are very concerning.

“It is worrying to hear that DWP staff feel under so much pressure that it is affecting their mental health and that vulnerable claimants are being left without proper support.

“It is further concerning to read reports that staff are being put under pressure to sanction claimants when we were told this practice had ended.

“The government must urgently investigate.”

She said a Labour government would deliver “much-needed fundamental reform to universal credit to make it work for everyone who relies on it”.

DNS has also passed the latest evidence to Sir Stephen Timms, chair of the Commons work and pensions committee, which is carrying out an inquiry into how DWP safeguards “vulnerable benefit claimants”.

He said: “The latest claims from the PCS union, and details that have emerged from a recent inquest, add to existing concerns about whether DWP is doing enough to protect the wellbeing of the people who it is there to support.

“As part of our safeguarding inquiry, the committee will in the new year be raising with ministers concerns about DWP’s responsibilities, and how it learns lessons from past failures, ahead of making recommendations to the government on how vulnerable people can be protected better in the future.”

His committee yesterday (Wednesday) heard evidence from Daphne Hall, vice-chair of the National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers and an editor with rightsnet, which provides social welfare law advice and information.

She told MPs that the dossier handed to DWP last week by PCS contained “quite horrific” evidence from work coaches who were under “such enormous pressure” that they do not have the time they need with claimants.

She said that the “tailored approach” to dealing with claimants – which is stressed in the government’s “back to work” reforms – “doesn’t exist”.

She said: “They haven’t got time to tailor… They can’t cope. Their workload is too high.

“They are all stretched to unbelievable levels.

“If the staff welfare isn’t looked at, they’re not in a position to look after the claimants to support them.”

John McDonnell, Labour’s shadow chancellor under Jeremy Corbyn and a long-standing supporter of the disabled people’s anti-cuts movement, told DNS: “Evidence is mounting of the collapse of the DWP, the harm its policies are causing and especially its failure to protect the most vulnerable.

“People’s lives are being put at serious risk. We need an immediate intervention to end this brutal regime.”

Mark Harrison, a member of the steering group of Reclaiming Our Futures Alliance (ROFA), said ROFA was “extremely concerned at the latest revelations about the safeguarding flaws in universal credit that have caused deaths and mental distress for too many disabled claimants”.

He said this was “more worrying” because of the government’s plans to scrap the work capability assessment after the next election, which he said would move all claimants “into the sanctioning regime of UC” and cut many disabled people’s benefits.

Under those plans, disabled people who cannot work will only be able to qualify for a new health element of UC if they also receive personal independence payment, disability living allowance, or, in Scotland, adult disability payment.

This would also mean that it would be left to DWP’s over-worked work coaches – who will usually have no health-related qualifications – to decide if a disabled person should carry out work-related activity.

Harrison added: “It is not surprising DWP staff are under stress at the targets set by management for unnecessary and cruel sanctions.”

He said ROFA was not confident Labour would agree to the “complete rethink and change of course” that was needed, as the party had apparently dropped its commitment to scrapping universal credit.

He said: “When will they commit to reversing the changes to welfare benefits that have targeted disabled people as though we are the ‘enemy within’ and the cause of the economic crisis?

“This toxic rhetoric has to be challenged by progressive politicians and allies.

“We need policies based on the UN convention* and a social model, rights-based approach.”

DWP said last week – in response to the PCS dossier – that it was “committed to supporting the wellbeing of our staff, and provide access to a comprehensive range of assistance for their physical and mental health.

“We have recruitment plans in place to maintain key services – providing excellent opportunities for existing staff and new recruits who are playing a vital role in our next generation welfare reforms to help thousands back into jobs, grow the economy and drive down inflation.”

Meanwhile, reports today suggest the government has scrapped the post of minister for disabled people, a week after Tom Pursglove’s move to an immigration ministerial post at the Home Office.

A Conservative party spokesperson told DNS this week that he could not comment on the failure to appoint a replacement as it was an issue for Number 10.

A Number 10 spokesperson refused to say if there would be any more ministerial appointments to DWP and that discussion of “ministerial portfolios” was a matter for DWP.

A DWP spokesperson said that any ministerial announcement “will happen in the usual way”.

But LBC’s political editor Natasha Clark reported this afternoon on Twitter that Number 10 had finally confirmed it would not be appointing a replacement for Pursglove.

She said: “The brief will be handed to someone within the department already, on top of their existing responsibilities.

“Comes after last week they appointed two migration ministers.

“No 10 deny it is a downgrade. They say: ‘Actions matter. You will continue to see a government showing strong support for disabled people and disabled issues.’”

*The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

A note from the editor:

Please consider making a voluntary financial contribution to support the work of DNS and allow it to continue producing independent, carefully-researched news stories that focus on the lives and rights of disabled people and their user-led organisations.

Please do not contribute if you cannot afford to do so, and please note that DNS is not a charity. It is run and owned by disabled journalist John Pring and has been from its launch in April 2009.

Thank you for anything you can do to support the work of DNS…