Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in the context of the cost of living crisis and potential rises in sickness and disability benefits caseloads, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of reinstating an MPs hotline.

While some hotlines were closed during COVID-19 measurers, most have now been reinstated.

We offer a range of ways for MPs to contact DWP, including through dedicated MP hotlines within Disability Services, Child Maintenance Services, Retirement Services and more recently Working Age Benefits. Information about how MPs and their staff can best contact us is published on the Parliamentary website.

Enquiries received by MP hotlines are managed as part of DWP’s correspondence teams. We closely monitor the performance of these teams and regularly review the resource allocated to this work and where process improvements can be made.

All MP hotlines are regularly checked during operating hours and calls from MPs are either answered directly or allow a voicemail message to be left, which will be picked up and responded to as soon as possible.