DWP Central Freedom of Information Team
e-mail
: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx
Our Ref: FOI2019/07793
20 March 2019
Dear Vanessa Bowen,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information (FoI) request received on 21 February. You asked:
For a disabled and vulnerable claimant. Stop notice is sent to HMRC when a Universal Credit
claim is made. Tax Credit or Child tax Credit award is terminated. Claimant attends a benefits
advisor who contacts DWP and requests "the Escalation Route" is followed as claimant/family
is in financial hardship. What action should DWP take ?
Please provide the full "safeguarding policy" applied by DWP before any "stop notice" is
issued to HMRC for disabled and vulnerable tax credit claimants.
What measures are DWP taking to identify disabled and Vulnerable persons before the "stop
notice " is sent activating the termination of any legacy benefit ?
What measures are DWP taking to identify claimants with mental health issues or cognitive
impairment before sending "stop notices" to terminate legacy benefits ?
DWP Response:
It may be helpful if I explain the role of the Freedom of Information Act. The Act provides a
right of access to recorded information held by a public authority like DWP (subject to certain
exemptions). The Act does not provide that a public authority must create new information to
answer questions; nor does it provide that a public authority give advice, opinion or explanation
in relation to issues/policies under question.
In cases where a customer does ask a question, rather than request recorded information, we
do our utmost to provide the recorded information that best answers the question. Once the
public authority has provided the recorded information, it has met its obligations under the Act;
interpretation of the information provided is left to the requestor.
The information we hold that best explains / answers your questions in the order you asked
them is as follows:
The stop notice is automatically sent to HMRC once the claimant has declared and submitted
their claim for Universal Credit (UC), had their identity verified and their National Insurance
number has been traced successfully.
There is no ‘safe-guarding’ instruction as the claimant is no longer entitled to legacy benefits,
as they have made a claim for UC. The claimant is able to apply for an advance for 100% of
their UC award to meet their financial needs until the first payment of UC is received. This can
be done as soon as the claimant has submitted their UC claim and had their identity verified.
For those people who might have difficulty in making a claim, the Department is continuously
reviewing and improving the service for vulnerable people to ensure that it is accessible and
responsive to their needs. This includes how they are identified and supported, either from our
own staff or via referrals from local services. If claimants can’t make or manage their claim on-
line, a Freephone telephone helpline and face to face support is available with staff also able
to refer to specialist provision.
Under our Universal Support (US) service claimants can receive assistance from Jobcentre
Plus or local partners with budgeting and digital skills to enable them to access online services.
Every customer is offered Personal Budgeting support at the beginning of their claim which is
made of two elements:
Money Advice - to help claimants cope with managing their money on a monthly basis
and paying their bills on time. It is offered online, by phone, or face to face and is
delivered by external organisations with the relevant expertise to do this.
Alternative Payment Arrangements for those claimants who can’t manage the single
monthly payment and there is a risk of financial harm to the claimant and/or their
family.
Those claimants receiving Housing Benefit (HB) can qualify for a two-week run-on of HB,
further protecting claimants in the first assessment period.
If a claimant discloses that they have a health condition or are vulnerable, we will consider
what additional support they need.
Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act allows us to direct you to information which is
already reasonably accessible to you.
Universal Credit guidance is published in the House of Commons library and can be accessed
through the link below: Deposit ref. DEP2018-0759, in the Deposit ref. column click “Show all
files”. In relation to safeguarding vulnerable customers, see: Deposit papers:
‘Universal
Support overview – V1.0, Complex Needs Overview – v8.0’, ‘Assisted Digital overview –V5.0’
and ‘Home visit – v3.0’: https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/business-papers/commons/deposited-
papers/?search_term=Department+for+Work+and+Pensions&itemId=119004#toggle-759
For information, Universal Credit guidance is periodically added to the House of Commons
library.
In addition, the attached annex contains information about safeguarding.
If you have any queries about this letter please contact us quoting the reference number
above.
Yours sincerely,
DWP Central FoI Team
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Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act
If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailin
g freedom-of-information-
xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team, Caxton House, Tothill Street, SW1H 9NA. Any
review request should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the Information
Commissioner’s Office for a decision. General y the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have
exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF
https://ico.org.uk/Global/contact_us or telephone 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745
