June 2021
What: The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary publishes the responses of DWP and its contractor Capita to the call from coroner Gordon Clow for them to take urgent action to prevent further deaths, following the inquest into the death of Philippa Day. In his PFD report, Clow had called for action to address concerns around the training of DWP call handlers; how information from calls was recorded; the sending of a misleading letter to Philippa; and the flaws in the system which prevented incorrect decisions about the assessment process from being changed fairly and easily. In their response to his PFD, DWP and Capita announce a series of changes they have already made, and promise others that they will soon implement.
Why significant: One of the rare occasions that DWP and its contractors have been forced to take action following the death of a claimant.