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The number of serious internal reviews carried out by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) into deaths and other harmful incidents involving Universal Credit claimants nearly doubled last year — but MPs were not informed of this increase before voting to impose new disability benefit cuts.
The information was quietly released by the DWP on July 10, just hours after the government’s new Universal Credit Bill — which will cut the extra health element from £97 to £50 per week for most new claimants — was passed in the Commons.
The timing raised suspicions that vital information had been withheld from Parliament during a crucial debate.
Disability News Service (DNS) reported that the number of Universal Credit-linked Internal Process Reviews (IPRs) had jumped from 31 cases in 2023–24 to 55 in 2024–25.
Overall, 90 serious cases were reviewed last year, with 59 involving a death.
DNS also stated that the DWP has refused to publish recommendations from IPRs dating back to 2020, despite previously telling a tribunal that at least some of that material would be released by March 2025.
Instead, the Department has insisted this information is still “intended for future publication.”
In response, Vox Political submitted detailed questions to the DWP asking:
-
Why the IPR data was released immediately after the vote;
-
Whether the delay in publication denied MPs important context;
-
Why recommendations from 2020 onwards remain unpublished;
-
Whether the increase in IPRs reflects growing systemic risk.
The DWP’s response
The Department responded, asking that its statement be reproduced without edits. This Writer is happy to comply:
DWP spokesperson said:
“Our thoughts are with those affected by these serious cases and their loved ones.
We support millions of people every year, and are committed to listening and learning, acting on the recommendations from a small number of serious cases to improve our services and ensure people receive the help they need.
While the number of Internal Process Reviews has increased as we encourage more people to refer serious cases for review, the overall proportion of serious cases linked to Universal Credit has fallen since 2022/23.”
Background (provided by DWP):
-
DWP started publishing data on its IPRs in the 2022/23 DWP Annual Report and Accounts, and since this period the proportion of IPRs linked to Universal Credit has fallen. In 2022/23, 65% of IPRs were linked to Universal Credit, which fell to 61% in 2024/25.
-
IPRs look at historic cases, and issues identified in the cases reviewed in recent years could have taken place some time ago.
-
Over 20 million people safely use our services every year, and in 22/23 there were 47 cases where an Internal Process Review was completed.
-
We have started proactively publishing the recommendations from Internal Process Review, emphasising our commitment to transparency: Advanced Customer Support: Learning and improving from serious cases – GOV.UK
-
We plan to publish IPR recommendations from further years in due course.
-
We will set out our new safeguarding approach in the Autumn, to improve lives and ensure vulnerable people get the support they need.
-
A review into the Department’s safeguarding approach was announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, and we are currently considering the consultation responses.
-
We have already joined up our safeguarding approach, by introducing a Multi-Disciplinary Team, to ensure vulnerable people get the right support throughout their benefit journey.
-
DWP introduced Vulnerable Customer Champions, Customer Experience Advanced Support Teams (CEAST), and Advanced Customer Support Senior Leaders (ACSSLs) as specialised support and escalation routes for colleagues working with vulnerable customers.
-
We have processes in place to support people who have complex needs or who are vulnerable and are committed to working with Safeguarding Adult Boards and other agencies to make sure people get the support they need.
What the DWP’s answer tells us – and what it doesn’t
The DWP’s response acknowledges the rise in serious internal reviews but frames it as a sign of improved internal vigilance — not increasing harm.
But it does not answer the central concern: why the IPR figures were released after the benefit cuts vote, or whether that timing was deliberate.
Nor does it explain why recommendations from IPRs conducted in 2020, 2021 or 2022 remain unpublished, despite clear commitments to do so.
Instead, the Department points to its recent publication of a single report — covering just the 2022–23 year.
What’s in the IPR report?
That report — Advanced Customer Support: Learning and Improving from Serious Cases — contains a detailed breakdown of 47 cases investigated in 2022–23.
It identifies systemic failings across benefits, especially in Universal Credit.
Among the problems:
-
Support failures for suicidal claimants
-
Procedural breakdowns after a claimant’s death
-
Failure to refer vulnerable people for help or safeguarding
-
Incorrect decisions following missed appointments or benefit disputes
Each case includes agreed internal actions, such as updated training, revised scripts, and reminders for staff.
While the document shows evidence of learning in individual cases, it lacks broader analysis — such as how often these issues recur, or whether similar problems existed in earlier years.
The transparency gap
The DWP’s publication of the 2022–23 recommendations is a step forward, but it does not meet the commitments made to publish findings from 2020 onward.
There is no indication of when — or even if — recommendations from those years will appear.
No explanation has been offered for the missed March 2025 deadline.
Without those findings, it remains unclear whether the Department has ignored or failed to act on recommendations that might have prevented further harm.
A political pattern?
The Department’s refusal to comment on the timing of the IPR data release — which came hours after MPs passed a deeply controversial bill — leaves open the question of whether critical information was intentionally withheld from Parliament.
While the DWP claims to be improving its safeguarding processes, many campaigners remain sceptical.
Without full transparency on past internal findings — and evidence that reforms are preventing similar harms today — the public is being asked to accept reassurances without the facts.
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DWP’s internal reviews of serious incidents nearly doubled before benefit cuts vote – and what is still being hidden?
Share this post:
The number of serious internal reviews carried out by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) into deaths and other harmful incidents involving Universal Credit claimants nearly doubled last year — but MPs were not informed of this increase before voting to impose new disability benefit cuts.
The information was quietly released by the DWP on July 10, just hours after the government’s new Universal Credit Bill — which will cut the extra health element from £97 to £50 per week for most new claimants — was passed in the Commons.
The timing raised suspicions that vital information had been withheld from Parliament during a crucial debate.
Disability News Service (DNS) reported that the number of Universal Credit-linked Internal Process Reviews (IPRs) had jumped from 31 cases in 2023–24 to 55 in 2024–25.
Overall, 90 serious cases were reviewed last year, with 59 involving a death.
DNS also stated that the DWP has refused to publish recommendations from IPRs dating back to 2020, despite previously telling a tribunal that at least some of that material would be released by March 2025.
Instead, the Department has insisted this information is still “intended for future publication.”
In response, Vox Political submitted detailed questions to the DWP asking:
Why the IPR data was released immediately after the vote;
Whether the delay in publication denied MPs important context;
Why recommendations from 2020 onwards remain unpublished;
Whether the increase in IPRs reflects growing systemic risk.
The DWP’s response
The Department responded, asking that its statement be reproduced without edits. This Writer is happy to comply:
Background (provided by DWP):
DWP started publishing data on its IPRs in the 2022/23 DWP Annual Report and Accounts, and since this period the proportion of IPRs linked to Universal Credit has fallen. In 2022/23, 65% of IPRs were linked to Universal Credit, which fell to 61% in 2024/25.
IPRs look at historic cases, and issues identified in the cases reviewed in recent years could have taken place some time ago.
Over 20 million people safely use our services every year, and in 22/23 there were 47 cases where an Internal Process Review was completed.
We have started proactively publishing the recommendations from Internal Process Review, emphasising our commitment to transparency: Advanced Customer Support: Learning and improving from serious cases – GOV.UK
We plan to publish IPR recommendations from further years in due course.
We will set out our new safeguarding approach in the Autumn, to improve lives and ensure vulnerable people get the support they need.
A review into the Department’s safeguarding approach was announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, and we are currently considering the consultation responses.
We have already joined up our safeguarding approach, by introducing a Multi-Disciplinary Team, to ensure vulnerable people get the right support throughout their benefit journey.
DWP introduced Vulnerable Customer Champions, Customer Experience Advanced Support Teams (CEAST), and Advanced Customer Support Senior Leaders (ACSSLs) as specialised support and escalation routes for colleagues working with vulnerable customers.
We have processes in place to support people who have complex needs or who are vulnerable and are committed to working with Safeguarding Adult Boards and other agencies to make sure people get the support they need.
What the DWP’s answer tells us – and what it doesn’t
The DWP’s response acknowledges the rise in serious internal reviews but frames it as a sign of improved internal vigilance — not increasing harm.
But it does not answer the central concern: why the IPR figures were released after the benefit cuts vote, or whether that timing was deliberate.
Nor does it explain why recommendations from IPRs conducted in 2020, 2021 or 2022 remain unpublished, despite clear commitments to do so.
Instead, the Department points to its recent publication of a single report — covering just the 2022–23 year.
What’s in the IPR report?
That report — Advanced Customer Support: Learning and Improving from Serious Cases — contains a detailed breakdown of 47 cases investigated in 2022–23.
It identifies systemic failings across benefits, especially in Universal Credit.
Among the problems:
Support failures for suicidal claimants
Procedural breakdowns after a claimant’s death
Failure to refer vulnerable people for help or safeguarding
Incorrect decisions following missed appointments or benefit disputes
Each case includes agreed internal actions, such as updated training, revised scripts, and reminders for staff.
While the document shows evidence of learning in individual cases, it lacks broader analysis — such as how often these issues recur, or whether similar problems existed in earlier years.
The transparency gap
The DWP’s publication of the 2022–23 recommendations is a step forward, but it does not meet the commitments made to publish findings from 2020 onward.
There is no indication of when — or even if — recommendations from those years will appear.
No explanation has been offered for the missed March 2025 deadline.
Without those findings, it remains unclear whether the Department has ignored or failed to act on recommendations that might have prevented further harm.
A political pattern?
The Department’s refusal to comment on the timing of the IPR data release — which came hours after MPs passed a deeply controversial bill — leaves open the question of whether critical information was intentionally withheld from Parliament.
While the DWP claims to be improving its safeguarding processes, many campaigners remain sceptical.
Without full transparency on past internal findings — and evidence that reforms are preventing similar harms today — the public is being asked to accept reassurances without the facts.
Share this post:
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