1 February 2012

DWP begins to collect peer reviews (the secret reports it carries out into the deaths of benefit claimants) centrally for the first time.

What: DWP previously had no centralised collection of so-called peer reviews (the secret reports it carries out into the deaths of benefit claimants, particularly suicides, as well as “other serious incidents” linked to benefit claims). One of the tasks of a new peer review support team is to arrange, monitor and co-ordinate any requests for peer reviews.

Why significant: The importance of the peer reviews would only become clear in October 2014 [see 13 October 2014], but in 2012 no-one outside DWP appeared to be aware of their existence.