DWP Central Freedom of
Information Team
Caxton House
6-12 Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9NA
Frank Zola
freedom-of-information-
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
DWP Website
Our Ref: FOI2022/11705
11 March 2022
Dear Frank Zola,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information (FoI) request received on 12 February. You
wrote:
“RE: "240000 people each week who fail to turn up for an appointment"
"So you are opposed to sanctions. Interested in what the alternatives might be. What
would you propose doing about 240000 people each week who fail to turn up for an
appointment? (And bear in mind NAO found we were sanctioning only 3% of the total so
DWP isn’t sanctioning all)"
https://twitter.com/NeilCouling/status/1492232062937489409
Please disclose a copy of your internal guidance and operational procedures and
customer communication guidance the DWP follows in respect to the "240000 people
each week who fail to turn up for an appointment", with respect to UC. Including
individuals ("people") who are themselves 'vulnerable' or have complex needs and or are
a member of a UC household claim that includes others, such as but not exclusively
children, other people with 'vulnerable' or have complex needs and claims that include
housing costs.
Of the "240000 people each week who fail to turn up for an appointment", please provide
estimates or available statistical information on how many of these 'fail to attend'
appointments concern the first new UC claim appointment, for the period December 2021
to date or if not available for the period March 2018 to March 2019.”
DWP Response
We confirm that we do hold the information you have requested.
Please find the following UC Guidance products attached:
Child in considerable distress
Complex needs overview
Fail to attend
Fail to attend: good reason
Sanctions
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Spotlight On: Availability Requirements and decision maker referrals for ‘Failure to be
available to take up work’
Spotlight on: sanction pre-referral quality check
Switching-off requirements (easements) for Labour Market regime interventions
The information provided in the table below shows all claimants that failed to attend a UC
appointment and of those the number that failed to attend their first appointment.
The data provided cannot be compared or used in relation to the 240,000 figure in your
request as the information is sourced from separate data sources.
The data supplied is derived from unpublished management information. This was collected
for internal Departmental use only and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or
Official Statistics publication standard. The data should therefore be treated with caution.
Week Begin-
Total Failed to Attend UC
Number Failed to
ning
Appointments Per Week
Attend their First
UC Appointment
2021-11-29
208,490
5,060
2021-12-06
210,130
5,280
2021-12-13
218,090
5,500
2021-12-20
140,770
4,470
2021-12-27
42,160
1,680
2022-01-03
133,490
4,340
2022-01-10
183,020
5,830
2022-01-17
181,100
5,810
2022-01-24
191,680
5,650
2022-01-31
199,660
5,750
2022-02-07
202,030
5,600
2022-02-14
183,360
4,730
Notes:
1. These figures include all Universal Credit appointments (face to face, phone
and video).
2. Figures rounded to the nearest 10.
3. First UC appointment is defined as the first appointment date chronologically.
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact us quoting the reference number
above.
Yours sincerely,
DWP Central Freedom of Information Team
Department for Work and Pensions
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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-mailing
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx or by writing to: DWP Central FoI Team, Caxton
House, 6-12 Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9NA.
Any review request should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter.
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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. Generally, 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.
Website
: ICO Contact Information or telephone 0303 123 1113.
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