30 November 2020

DWP refuses to release recommendations made by its internal process reviews (from between April 2019 and November 2020) into the deaths of benefit claimants.

What:  In a response to a freedom of information request, DWP refuses to release recommendations made by its internal process reviews into the deaths of benefit claimants completed between April 2019 and November 2020. It appears to argue in the response that it is exempt from its duty to release the documents because every one of those documents is linked to the development of new government policy. DWP does reveal in its response that it completed 82 separate investigations into deaths and other serious incidents between January 2016 and March 2019, and provides these in a redacted format.

Why significant: Further attempts to delay or hide publication of documents linking its actions with the deaths of claimants.