Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her Department's waiting time targets are for answering calls to the helpline for benefits claimants; and what the average waiting time was in each of the last 52 weeks.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Waiting time targets:
DWP reviews forecasted telephony demand and plans resourcing accordingly to keep wait times down, wait time performance is frequently reviewed, and where DWP’s telephony is delivered by an outsourced provider we use the Key Performance Indicator of percentage of calls answered. All DWP customer telephone lines are Freephone numbers.
Average waiting time/Average Speed of Answer (ASA)
The ASA for all service lines in Retirement Services, Universal Credit, Child Maintenance Group, Disability Services and Working Age for each of the last Fifty-Two weeks was as follows:
Week Commencing | Retirement Provision | Universal Credit | CMG | Disability | Working Age |
06/09/2021 | 00:12:06 | 00:08:15 | 00:20:52 | 00:18:55 | 00:16:47 |
13/09/2021 | 00:10:12 | 00:12:30 | 00:22:15 | 00:17:58 | 00:15:03 |
20/09/2021 | 00:09:02 | 00:15:48 | 00:18:13 | 00:18:34 | 00:11:08 |
27/09/2021 | 00:10:34 | 00:13:09 | 00:22:38 | 00:19:08 | 00:10:06 |
04/10/2021 | 00:10:24 | 00:07:34 | 00:19:07 | 00:21:04 | 00:11:45 |
11/10/2021 | 00:10:14 | 00:03:17 | 00:18:55 | 00:22:17 | 00:11:01 |
18/10/2021 | 00:09:49 | 00:03:42 | 00:19:05 | 00:19:56 | 00:14:02 |
25/10/2021 | 00:10:54 | 00:03:45 | 00:20:30 | 00:18:37 | 00:17:09 |
01/11/2021 | 00:09:31 | 00:03:00 | 00:21:05 | 00:19:19 | 00:13:59 |
08/11/2021 | 00:09:22 | 00:03:38 | 00:17:10 | 00:17:29 | 00:13:46 |
15/11/2021 | 00:09:13 | 00:02:30 | 00:13:43 | 00:16:57 | 00:14:45 |
22/11/2021 | 00:08:21 | 00:03:08 | 00:14:42 | 00:17:26 | 00:18:19 |
29/11/2021 | 00:08:22 | 00:03:41 | 00:19:00 | 00:17:07 | 00:24:07 |
06/12/2021 | 00:08:27 | 00:02:09 | 00:14:37 | 00:18:18 | 00:22:52 |
13/12/2021 | 00:06:29 | 00:01:50 | 00:10:00 | 00:15:10 | 00:11:46 |
20/12/2021 | 00:04:55 | 00:00:22 | 00:15:40 | 00:12:18 | 00:07:13 |
27/12/2021 | 00:09:20 | 00:01:05 | 00:23:59 | 00:20:50 | 00:18:04 |
03/01/2022 | 00:09:53 | 00:01:12 | 00:18:23 | 00:16:45 | 00:11:20 |
10/01/2022 | 00:09:35 | 00:00:24 | 00:14:30 | 00:17:12 | 00:08:13 |
17/01/2022 | 00:10:40 | 00:00:21 | 00:15:22 | 00:13:33 | 00:08:22 |
24/01/2022 | 00:10:32 | 00:00:18 | 00:17:01 | 00:14:56 | 00:09:23 |
31/01/2022 | 00:10:01 | 00:00:53 | 00:14:57 | 00:13:48 | 00:11:49 |
07/02/2022 | 00:09:29 | 00:02:57 | 00:13:05 | 00:15:41 | 00:12:30 |
14/02/2022 | 00:09:29 | 00:01:08 | 00:14:10 | 00:16:24 | 00:17:05 |
21/02/2022 | 00:09:42 | 00:01:16 | 00:15:00 | 00:18:44 | 00:17:20 |
28/02/2022 | 00:08:44 | 00:02:26 | 00:18:20 | 00:15:44 | 00:20:05 |
07/03/2022 | 00:07:44 | 00:01:36 | 00:14:47 | 00:16:35 | 00:19:02 |
14/03/2022 | 00:06:04 | 00:02:00 | 00:12:55 | 00:17:55 | 00:21:41 |
21/03/2022 | 00:06:59 | 00:02:24 | 00:12:50 | 00:15:37 | 00:20:50 |
28/03/2022 | 00:09:03 | 00:02:18 | 00:13:13 | 00:16:46 | 00:16:13 |
04/04/2022 | 00:07:59 | 00:04:10 | 00:12:43 | 00:18:03 | 00:10:54 |
11/04/2022 | 00:06:35 | 00:02:57 | 00:09:38 | 00:18:06 | 00:14:41 |
18/04/2022 | 00:08:04 | 00:03:48 | 00:15:53 | 00:16:45 | 00:19:26 |
25/04/2022 | 00:07:03 | 00:02:31 | 00:13:24 | 00:16:35 | 00:16:21 |
02/05/2022 | 00:09:26 | 00:04:12 | 00:14:35 | 00:18:27 | 00:18:17 |
09/05/2022 | 00:08:09 | 00:02:56 | 00:14:20 | 00:14:32 | 00:19:27 |
16/05/2022 | 00:07:12 | 00:04:41 | 00:17:52 | 00:18:07 | 00:16:28 |
23/05/2022 | 00:06:58 | 00:02:56 | 00:23:56 | 00:14:16 | 00:13:23 |
30/05/2022 | 00:06:54 | 00:07:37 | 00:30:45 | 00:13:22 | 00:15:54 |
06/06/2022 | 00:08:26 | 00:04:15 | 00:29:17 | 00:19:23 | 00:15:49 |
13/06/2022 | 00:08:38 | 00:03:21 | 00:29:46 | 00:16:35 | 00:07:10 |
20/06/2022 | 00:06:12 | 00:03:26 | 00:32:13 | 00:14:20 | 00:09:11 |
27/06/2022 | 00:06:15 | 00:03:35 | 00:23:22 | 00:16:48 | 00:10:08 |
04/07/2022 | 00:06:07 | 00:03:24 | 00:19:27 | 00:17:32 | 00:11:32 |
11/07/2022 | 00:06:41 | 00:04:09 | 00:18:17 | 00:18:20 | 00:14:42 |
18/07/2022 | 00:06:14 | 00:02:06 | 00:14:08 | 00:16:21 | 00:12:02 |
25/07/2022 | 00:06:44 | 00:01:35 | 00:15:30 | 00:16:01 | 00:13:28 |
01/08/2022 | 00:08:49 | 00:02:48 | 00:14:59 | 00:17:09 | 00:16:46 |
08/08/2022 | 00:08:30 | 00:02:48 | 00:17:11 | 00:16:48 | 00:14:39 |
15/08/2022 | 00:08:14 | 00:04:55 | 00:16:59 | 00:18:05 | 00:16:10 |
22/08/2022 | 00:07:01 | 00:04:22 | 00:15:16 | 00:18:43 | 00:16:25 |
29/08/2022 | 00:07:44 | 00:03:52 | 00:17:21 | 00:19:13 | 00:19:54 |
hh:mm:ss
Average Speed of Answer measures the average customer wait time from the point of entering a queue to connection to an agent. This excludes any time spent in pre-queue messaging and any wait time for calls ultimately abandoned by callers.
Please note this information is derived from the Department’s management information designed solely for the purpose of helping the Department to manage its business. As such, it has not been subjected to the rigorous quality assurance checks applied to our published official statistics. As DWP holds the information internally, we have released it. However, it is possible information held by DWP may change due to operational reasons and we recommend that caution be applied when using it.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made a comparative assessment of the levels of accuracy between Personal Independence Payment assessments that are made (a) over the phone and (b) face to face.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The department is absolutely committed to ensuring claimants receive high quality, objective and accurate assessments, as part of the suite of evidence the department uses to decide entitlement.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, DWP worked at pace with its providers to deliver telephone and video assessments, changing from face-to-face assessments with minimum delay to the service for claimants. In line with feedback from our Health and Disability Green Paper consultation (2021), we continue to offer telephone and video assessments, alongside face-to-face and paper-based assessments.
The development of the future health assessment strategy will be supported by a programme of in-house analysis, and externally commissioned research into the outcomes and experiences of the multi-channel approach.
Assessment providers work continuously to drive improvements in assessment services, and the department ensures a high standard is maintained across all types of assessment. An Independent Audit function continually monitors performance and provides feedback to the assessment providers. Claimants also have the option to request an audio recording of their Personal Independence Payment telephone assessment, which can improve trust in the process.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she has taken to ensure the accuracy of phone-based assessments for Personal Independence Payments claimants.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The department is absolutely committed to ensuring claimants receive high quality, objective and accurate assessments, as part of the suite of evidence the department uses to decide entitlement.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, DWP worked at pace with its providers to deliver telephone and video assessments, changing from face-to-face assessments with minimum delay to the service for claimants. In line with feedback from our Health and Disability Green Paper consultation (2021), we continue to offer telephone and video assessments, alongside face-to-face and paper-based assessments.
The development of the future health assessment strategy will be supported by a programme of in-house analysis, and externally commissioned research into the outcomes and experiences of the multi-channel approach.
Assessment providers work continuously to drive improvements in assessment services, and the department ensures a high standard is maintained across all types of assessment. An Independent Audit function continually monitors performance and provides feedback to the assessment providers. Claimants also have the option to request an audio recording of their Personal Independence Payment telephone assessment, which can improve trust in the process.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans for the Welsh language telephone service to be fully functioning.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Work and Pensions has a made a commitment in our Welsh Language Scheme to treat the Welsh and English languages equally and ensure that all services provided for the public in Wales are available in Welsh, as well as English.
All DWP customers are able to access telephony services in Welsh either directly through a dedicated Welsh language helpline or by selecting the required Interactive Voice Response option. Callers to Carer’s Allowance (CA) and Attendance Allowance (AA) helplines who wish to speak to someone in Welsh currently receive a call-back from a Welsh speaker. A Welsh language option will be implemented on these telephone helplines in October 2022.
All our service line telephone numbers are available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new enquiries her Department's MP Urgent Enquiries inbox handled in each month in from January 2021 to May 2022; what steps her Department is taking to manage the (a) performance and (b) case management of those teams; what steps she is taking to oversee the performance of the Urgent Enquiry inbox; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
DWP does not operate a single inbox dedicated to urgent enquiries from MPs.
We offer a range of ways for MPs to contact DWP, with some product lines operating dedicated email addresses where MPs can contact us. This is in addition to dedicated telephone hotlines for MPs within Disability Services, Retirement Services and Child Maintenance. MPs can also contact the Ministerial Correspondence Team by email, telephone or in writing.
We also triage incoming correspondence to identify urgent queries, so we can take action to address these issues quickly and support our customers.
We recognise the importance of MP enquiries and the important role MPs play in supporting their constituents. Information about how MPs and their staff can best contact us is published on the Parliamentary website and this information is regularly updated. Individual product lines also conduct regular engagement with MPs, including bespoke sessions with MPs and their support teams.
Information relating to the numbers of enquiries received by the DWP email addresses which receive MP contact is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Emails received from MPs about operational issues 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.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the waiting times for personal independent payment medical assessments.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment is not a medical assessment as it does not require the Health Professional (HP) to diagnose a condition and to recommend treatment options. Instead, it requires the HP to look at the impact the condition or impairment has on an individuals’ daily life.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to assessing people as quickly as possible, in order that they receive the benefit and support they are entitled to in a timely manner. DWP has worked continuously with providers to drive improvements, to develop the PIP assessment process and how these impact on overall processing times. Telephone assessments were introduced at pace in 2020, when face-to-face assessments were suspended due to the pandemic, with video assessments introduced shortly after. These continue to be delivered alongside face-to-face and paper-based assessments.
Reducing processing times is a priority for the department, however under business-as-usual conditions, there may be referrals that take longer to progress. For example, an interpreter is required in a less common language, or a home visit to be arranged in a remote location. In addition, some claimants also fail to attend assessments for numerous reasons, which requires the department to understand and decide if a new referral to the assessment provider is needed. In these circumstances the overall time from claim registration to the claimant having an assessment may be extended.
The department has recently reiterated its commitment to continuously improve our services in ‘Shaping Future Support: The Health and Disability Green Paper’.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new enquiries her Department’s MP hotline teams dealt with in each month in 2021; what steps her Department is taking to manage the (a) performance and (b) case management of those teams; what steps she is taking to oversee the performance of those MP hotlines; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Information relating to the numbers of enquiries received by DWP MP hotlines is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
We offer a range of ways for MPs to contact DWP, including through dedicated MP hotlines within Disability Services, CMG, and Retirement Services. Information about how MPs and their staff can best contact us is published on the Parliamentary website and this information is regularly updated. Individual product lines also conduct regular engagement with MPs, including bespoke sessions with MPs and their support teams.
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.
Asked by: Karen Buck (Labour - Westminster North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2022 to Question 12061, on Universal Credit, whether her Department has commissioned research to investigate the proportion of Employment Support Allowance claimants who do not have digital access to enable management of an online journal.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The department annually publishes Customer Survey data obtained for claimants; the last set of data is published from 2018/19. More up to date data was not collated due to Covid-19. In the departments last data set 93% of claimants have access to the internet.
For those who do not have access to internet, Jobcentre Plus offices across the country have Wi-Fi and computers available for claimants to access the internet. Work Coaches will also share information with claimants regarding internet providers’ social internet tariffs.
For the minority that are still unable to access online services,the department is able to support those individuals through telephone claims.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data her Department holds on the number of universal credit claimants who use online and phone-based services.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Around 98% of claims are maintained online, with the remaining 2% maintained via telephone.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by what date all personal independence payment applicants will have the automatic choice of having their assessment audio-recorded.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The option for a claimant to request an audio recording of their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) telephone assessment is available with both assessment providers, Independent Assessment Services (IAS) and Capita. Claimants are required to make a request to the assessment provider to have their PIP assessment recorded, thereby opting-in to the recording of their assessment. The assessment provider will provide the equipment necessary to allow this service to proceed.
IAS currently delivers the facility to audio record face to face assessments. The department is working with Capita to complete the roll out of audio recording across all assessment centres which removes the requirement for the claimant to provide the equipment.
Work is also ongoing to introduce an audio recording facility for video assessments. This will bring the audio recording of face to face and video assessments in line with the recording of telephone assessments and the department aims to complete both as soon as it is practically possible.
Currently, PIP claimants invited to a face to face assessment by Capita can record their assessment themselves, subject to the conditions set by the department. These are listed in the PIP Assessment Guide (PIPAG) and are contained within correspondence sent to claimants by the assessment providers.