Research and analysis

Debt Management Composition and Perceptions Research: Technical Report

Published 11 June 2026

A report of research carried out by IFF Research on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

DWP research report no. 1138

Crown copyright 2026. 

You may re-use this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk or write to:

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This document/publication is also available on our website 

If you would like to know more about DWP research, email:  socialresearch@dwp.gov.uk 

First published June 2026. 

ISBN 978-1-80786-009-7

Views expressed in this report are not necessarily those of the Department for Work and Pensions or any other government department.

1. Introduction

The Department for Work and Pensions wanted up-to-date and comprehensive evidence on individuals who owed money to it as a result of benefit overpayments.  This information was required to help DWP understand the demographic and financial characteristics of this group, their perceptions of debt owed to DWP, and how they engaged with the Department’s Debt Management services.

In this context, DWP commissioned IFF Research to carry out a mixed-methods study with Debt Management service users. The research comprised a large-scale quantitative survey and qualitative interviews, designed to provide robust and representative data on individuals who owed money to DWP, how they perceived and managed their debt, and what forms of support and communication they found most effective.

The study explored a range of topics including:

• demographic and financial characteristics of individuals with DWP debt
• understanding and perceptions of how overpayments occurred and how debts were repaid
• attitudes towards DWP debt and its perceived priority compared with other debts
• emotional and behavioural responses to debt, including stress, stigma and fairness
• preferences and experiences of communicating with DWP about repayment

Quantitative fieldwork involved 4,184 interviews conducted using a sequential mixed-mode approach (online and telephone). The sample was stratified across three key groups – off-benefit and not-in-recovery, off-benefit and-in-recovery, and on-benefit in-recovery – to reflect differences in repayment circumstances. Cognitive testing and a pilot phase were undertaken in May and July 2025, with mainstage fieldwork carried out from 28 July to 3 September. 

Qualitative interviews followed the quantitative phase, exploring in greater depth the experiences, perceptions and motivations of individuals with different debt and recovery statuses. 24 qualitative interviews took place between 11 September and 14 October 2025.

This report outlines the technical detail of the methodological approach taken for the Debt Management study, including:

• sampling design and fieldwork setup
• cognitive testing and pilot activity
• mainstage survey delivery and response rates
• qualitative fieldwork approach
• risk management procedures

2. Sampling

The sampling approach for this study was designed to ensure robust representation across key subgroups of individuals who owed money to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as a result of benefit overpayments. The survey population was defined as DWP Debt Management service users recorded in administrative debt stock data. This included individuals both on- and off-benefit at the time the sample was drawn and the time of fieldwork.

The sampling frame was drawn directly from DWP records, ensuring comprehensive coverage of all relevant debt types and recovery statuses. Only records with a minimum debt age of two months and who had at least one debt which was originally generated as an overpayment were included, and executors of estates for deceased debtors were excluded. To reflect meaningful differences in how individuals experience and manage debt, the sample was stratified by benefit and recovery status, covering three main groups: off-benefit and not-in-recovery (OFF NIR), off-benefit and in-recovery (OFF IR), and on-benefit (ON IR). This structure ensured sufficient sample sizes for subgroup analysis and comparison across key population segments.

A total of 45,750 sample records were drawn, comprising individuals with either an email address or a telephone number. Within each stratum, records were selected at random. Where available, contact details determined the mode of invitation - email for online participation and telephone for Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI).

Approximately 62% of the total sample contained an email address and 38% did not. Email availability varied a lot between the three main sample groups – with 28,000 of the 30,000 ON IR cases having an email address recorded (around 93%), compared with 2,338 of 3,000 OFF IR (around 78%) and 12,258 of 12,750 OFF NIR (around 96%) This meant that the ON IR group could be contacted primarily online, while a higher proportion of the offline samples required postal or telephone approaches. These differences in email coverage directly influenced the contact strategy, the likely mode of completion, and ultimately the mix of interviews achieved across the sample. To ensure those without email access were not excluded, postal opt-out letters were issued ahead of both the pilot and mainstage phases. This approach helped mitigate potential non-response bias among individuals with limited digital access.

The final achieved target was 4,000 completed interviews, distributed proportionally across the three strata. Anticipated response rates varied by group, reflecting differences in contactability and engagement. Individuals on-benefit were expected to have higher response rates, as their contact details were generally more up-to-date and they were more likely to be engaged with DWP communications. In contrast, it was anticipated that those who were off-benefit not-in-recovery would be more difficult to reach, due to a higher likelihood of outdated contact information, lower engagement with DWP, and in some cases, reduced motivation or potential reluctance to participate. All sample records underwent a data validation and cleansing process, including checks for duplicates, invalid contact details, and address verification, to maintain data quality and representativeness.

The survey fieldwork targets for the survey are shown below in Table A.2.1.

Table A.2.1. Survey fieldwork targets

	Overall	OFF NIR	OFF IR	ON IR
Sample drawn	45,750	12,750	3,000	30,000
Of which would have e-mail addresses	42,596	12,258	2,338	28,000
Online responses	2,065	245	140	1,680
Telephone responses	1,935	755	360	820
Total	4,000	1,000	500	2,500
Overall response rate targeted	9%	8%	17%	8%

A comparison of the fieldwork targets and the completes achieved by the end of fieldwork is shown below in Table A.2.2.

Table A.2.2. Survey fieldwork targets and completes

	Online responses	Telephone responses	Total
Overall: Target	2,065	1,935	4,000
Overall: Completes	2,162	2,014	4,176
Overall: % of target	105%	104%	105%
OFF NIR: Target	245	755	1,000
OFF NIR: Completes	350	699	1,049
OFF NIR: % of target	143%	93%	105%
OFF IR: Target	140	360	500
OFF IR: Completes	128	394	522
OFF IR: % of target	91%	110%	105%
ON IR: Target	1,680	820	2,500
ON IR: Completes	1,684	921	2,605
ON IR: % of target	100%	112%	104%

3. Research materials

Quantitative survey

The questionnaire for the Debt Management study and the accompanying participant communications (including email invitations and postal opt-out letters) were developed collaboratively between IFF Research and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) between May and June 2025. The design process built upon the initial proposal and incorporated feedback gathered during the inception meeting and subsequent cognitive testing. The aim was to ensure that all materials were accessible, clear, and sensitive to the needs of individuals who owed money to DWP.

The questionnaire combined elements of both factual and perceptual questioning, designed to capture information on key areas of interest to DWP. These included demographic and financial characteristics, understanding and perceptions of DWP debt, attitudes toward repayment, and experiences of engaging with DWP about debt management. It also explored preferences for communication channels and perceptions of the support available to help individuals manage their repayments. Where possible, question wording was aligned with other surveys and data sources, including the Adult Outcomes Framework - a set of measures used in England to track how well adult social care services support people’s quality of life, independence, and satisfaction with care - to ensure comparability.

The development of the questionnaire was informed by findings from cognitive interviews conducted in June 2025. Feedback from participants was used to refine question wording, improve flow, and ensure that potentially sensitive topics, such as financial hardship, stress, and stigma, were addressed appropriately and in a way that minimised respondent discomfort.

To ensure data robustness while maintaining an acceptable interview length, the questionnaire was modularised into thematic sections. This approach allowed for efficient coverage of all research topics without overburdening participants, thereby supporting higher response quality and completion rates.

The final questionnaire covered the following topic areas:

• demographic and financial characteristics of DWP Debt Management service users
• awareness and understanding of debt and overpayment causes
• perceptions of fairness, responsibility, and repayment priority
• experiences of contact and communication with DWP about debt
• preferences for communication channels (digital, telephone, or post)
• awareness and use of available support and advice services
• emotional and practical impacts of being in debt to DWP

The full questionnaire, including routing and response options, is provided in the appendices.

Qualitative interviews

The qualitative interviews with DWP Debt Management service users were conducted using a topic guide developed collaboratively by IFF Research and DWP. The guide was designed for 30 interviews, each lasting approximately 45 minutes, with current or former benefit claimants in debt to DWP due to benefit overpayments. 24 interviews were conducted between 11 September and 14 October 2025.

The guide was structured around key themes and sub-themes rather than pre-set questions, allowing researchers to adapt the wording and follow-up questions based on participants’ responses. This approach ensured that interviews were sensitive to participants’ circumstances and captured their experiences and perspectives in their own terms. Key areas explored included:

• participants’ current work, household, and financial circumstances
• experiences of debt, including awareness, understanding, and prioritisation of DWP debt relative to other financial obligations
• interactions with DWP Debt Management and other sources of debt support
• attitudes towards debt and repayment, including barriers, motivations, and emotional responses
• experiences of seeking financial advice and support, including gaps in provision and preferences for communication

Interviews were conducted with a mix of participants across three groups:

1. On-benefit (ON IR)
2. Off-benefit in-recovery (OFF IR)
3. Off-benefit not-in-recovery (OFF NIR)

Only participants who indicated in the quantitative survey that they were willing to be recontacted for an interview were included in the qualitative sample. Participants who were recorded as owing an overpayment generated due to fraud were excluded from the sample.

Only participants within the off-benefit in-recovery and on-benefit groups were offered a £25 voucher as a thank-you for their participation. Those in the NIR group were not offered a voucher.

The topic guide included sections on interview purpose and principles, interviewer background, warm-up questions, attitudes towards debt, DWP Debt Management, support and solutions, and wrap-up. Interviewers were instructed to follow ethical guidelines, including obtaining informed consent, maintaining confidentiality, and responding sensitively to participants. Participants were also given information on sources of support if needed, including GP services, NHS 111, Samaritans, Citizens Advice, and other relevant organisations.

4. Fieldwork

Opt-out period

Prior to the commencement of fieldwork, an opt-out period was implemented to ensure that potential participants were informed about the research and had the opportunity to decline participation. Opt-out letters were distributed by post on 28th July, and the opt-out period ran from 28th July to 11th August. During this period, 203 participants chose to opt out of the research by contacting IFF Research.

Cognitive testing – quantitative survey

Cognitive testing was conducted to assess the clarity, accessibility, and appropriateness of the survey questions for the intended sample. Testing aimed to ensure that participants could understand the questions, navigate the survey effectively, and respond comfortably to sensitive topics such as debt, financial hardship, and DWP communications.

A total of 15 cognitive interviews were conducted by telephone between the 19th of May and 13th of July with participants reflecting a range of experiences, including individuals currently repaying a DWP debt, those aware of a debt but not in recovery, and individuals who had previously repaid their debt. This diversity ensured that materials were suitable across different levels of familiarity with DWP Debt Management processes.

Overall, participants understood the survey questions well. The length and order of questions were generally appropriate, and respondents did not report significant discomfort. Some participants highlighted areas where simplified language or additional explanation could improve clarity, particularly for terminology relating to benefits, financial commitments, and DWP processes.

The cognitive testing process identified specific areas for amendment. Mid-testing changes included simplifying question wording, updating answer options, adding explanatory text, and adjusting routing logic for questions on financial advice and debt. Post-testing amendments addressed further clarifications, additional answer options, and refinements to online presentation to improve accessibility and comprehension.

Notable adjustments included:

• clarifying caring responsibilities and household composition questions (A3–A5)
• simplifying financial wellbeing and debt questions and routing logic (B1–B13)
• ensuring inclusivity for participants not currently in recovery, and adding options for those who had recently repaid a debt (C1, C6, C7)
• improving clarity on DWP communications and support (D1–D8)

Cognitive testing confirmed that participants could engage with the survey and interview materials comfortably and understood the intended meaning of questions. Feedback informed refinements that enhanced usability, sensitivity, and accuracy, supporting the collection of high-quality quantitative and qualitative data in the mainstage fieldwork.

Pilot fieldwork

IFF Research piloted the Debt Management survey between Thursday 10th – Monday 14th July. A total of 50 pilot interviews took place, with all being administered by telephone. Of the 50 interviews, 6 were in the ‘off-benefit not-in-recovery’ group, 21 were in the ‘on-benefit’ group and 23 were in the ‘off-benefit in-recovery group’.

Telephone (CATI)

The pilot involved administering the survey as it would be during mainstage fieldwork, however interviewer team leaders listened in to some interviews and collated interviewer feedback. This enabled any interviewer instructions or guidance in the survey script to be tweaked according to interviewer experiences. The pilot also provided an opportunity to monitor survey outcomes and response patterns. The data collected at the pilot stage was not included in the final dataset.

Table A.2.3. Achieved pilot CATI interviews by key debtor groups

Key debtor group	Achieved interviews
On-benefit	21
Off-benefit in-recovery	23
Off-benefit not-in-recovery	6
Total	50

Learnings from pilot fieldwork

The pilot fieldwork provided valuable insights to inform delivery of the mainstage survey. Overall, the fieldwork process ran smoothly, with interviewers reporting no technical or procedural issues. The target number of interviews was achieved within the planned timeframe, confirming that the sampling approach and fieldwork logistics are appropriate for the mainstage.

The key learning from the pilot was on survey length, with the average interview duration being 26 minutes and 39 seconds, thus exceeding the costed length of 20 minutes. Some amendments to Sections B (Financial well-being and advice) and C (DWP Debt perceptions) were implemented to streamline the questionnaire. Additional changes were identified and reduced the interview length by approximately 3.5 minutes without compromising the research objectives.

Operationally, displaying a mobile caller ID during telephone shifts had a notable positive impact on response rates and was retained for the mainstage. Fieldwork shift patterns also appeared effective, with Friday evening yielding the highest response levels. The overall response rate of 10% was in line with expectations, suggesting that the projected sample volumes for the mainstage remain appropriate.

One incident of respondent distress was recorded during fieldwork. The interviewer followed the agreed safeguarding protocol, and the incident was logged in the disclosure of harm record. This reinforces the importance of ongoing interviewer training and adherence to established welfare procedures.

In summary, the pilot confirmed that the survey processes, sampling approach, and interviewer training are robust. The key area for improvement was reducing interview length to ensure the mainstage fieldwork remains efficient while maintaining data quality and respondent engagement.

Mainstage fieldwork

Mainstage fieldwork took place between 28 July and 3 September 2025. On the day of the launch, a small group of 5,000 debtors were sent an invitation email providing the opportunity to opt out or complete the survey online. Soft launch checks were done to ensure the survey was working properly and the data quality was high, before the survey was launched to the rest of the sample. For those who did not have a valid email address, a postal opt-out letter was sent out on 3rd August. Two email reminders and one SMS reminder were sent before the start of telephone fieldwork on 11th August. On 11th August, telephone fieldwork began and continued until the end of fieldwork on 3rd September, during which interviewers actively called participants. In total, 4,184 interviews were completed (2,170 online surveys and 2,014 Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviews, or CATI). The overall fieldwork target of 4,000 completes was achieved.

Table A.2.4. presents the profile of achieved online surveys in terms of key debtor groups.

Table A.2.4. Online achieved mainstage surveys by key debtor groups

Key debtor group	Achieved surveys
On-benefit	1,684
Off-benefit in-recovery	128
Off-benefit not-in-recovery	350
Total	2,170

Telephone (CATI)

As with the pilot, prior to the commencement of mainstage Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) fieldwork, interviewers received a briefing on the survey and were issued with written instructions, providing them with an understanding of the background to the research, the questionnaire design, the screening criteria and the sample design

Table A.2.5. presents the profile of achieved CATI interviews split by key debtor groups.

Table A.2.5. CATI achieved mainstage interviews by key debtor groups

Key debtor group	Achieved interviews
On-benefit	921
Off-benefit in-recovery	394
Off-benefit not-in-recovery	699
Total	2,014

Call back

Due to a routing error at question B12, respondents who selected option 1 were not asked question B15, although they should have been. A call back email and script were set up to recontact the affected respondents, amounting to 236 in total. Of the 236 respondents who were recontacted, 150 completed question B15, while 86 did not.

Response rates

Response rates varied across the three main sample groups, reflecting both differences in contactability and the intensity of follow-up required to achieve target completions. The OFF IR group required more intensive follow-up throughout fieldwork to reach the target number of interviews, resulting in a higher observed response rate. In contrast, the ON BEN and OFF NIR groups reached their required targets with comparatively less effort, which contributed to lower overall response rates in these strata. The table below summarises response rates across different definitions and highlights differences in invalid contacts, refusals, and cases still in play at the end of fieldwork.

The pattern of responses also reflected the timing and mode of follow-up activity. An initial invitation email was followed by two reminder emails prior to the start of CATI fieldwork, which together achieved a cumulative response rate of 1.95%. Each email generated a short-term uplift of around 0.55%, suggesting consistent engagement across contact waves. Towards the end of fieldwork, two additional reminder emails were issued alongside SMS chasers, resulting in further increases of 1.03% and 1.19%, respectively. While it was not possible to distinguish completions via SMS versus email links, the evidence suggests that SMS reminders had a positive impact and were instrumental in achieving the final online response targets.

Table A.2.6. Response rates reached by key debtor groups

	ON BEN	OFF IR	OFF NIR	ALL
Response rate - all sample	8.67%	17.37%	8.28%	9.13%
Response rate - all usable sample (i.e. excl invalid)	8.93%	19.05%	9.39%	9.69%
Response rate - all sample with definite outcome (i.e excl. still in play)	63.27%	30.92%	33.90%	39.20%
Proportion of invalid numbers	2.92%	8.83%	11.86%	5.78%
Refusal rate	2.11%	14.10%	4.28%	3.5%
Proportion still in play at end of fieldwork	86.30%	39.10%	62.83%	76.20%

Interview length

Table A.2.7. Average interview length

Key debtor group	Average interview length (overall)	Average interview length online	Average interview length CATI
On-benefit	14 min 7 sec	10 min 37 sec	20 min 21 sec
Off-benefit in-recovery	17 min 58 sec	10 min 24 sec	20 min 10 sec
Off-benefit not-in-recovery	16 min 13 sec	9 min 14 sec	19 min 22 sec
Total	14 min 59 sec	10 min 25 sec	19 min 59 sec

Qualitative interviews

Table A.2.8. Overall achieved mainstage interviews by key debtor groups

Key debtor group	Achieved interviews
On-benefit	10
Off-benefit in-recovery	12
Off-benefit not-in-recovery	2
Total	24

5. Data processing and coding

Upon fieldwork completion, the data was processed into Excel tables and an SPSS dataset. The data outputs underwent comprehensive checks against the raw data collected to ensure the accuracy of elements such as labelling and base sizes. Summary variables were defined to summarise scale questions or add banding to numeric questions. Excel tables were produced with z and t tests run at the 95% confidence level. After the weights were run, these were checked to ensure weights were not unreasonably large. No weights were trimmed in this research. Weighted data was then compared to the population profile across modules to ensure the correct profile was achieved. A data dictionary was also produced to explain the source of all variables in the SPSS file.

6. Weighting

The variables used for weighting were gender, age, and benefit/repayment status. This meant that the survey data was representative of the gender and age of profile of the pre-exclusion target population within each of the three key debtor groups.

We explored the possibility of also including whether or not respondents had a valid email address in the weighting scheme, however analysis showed that this would have introduced an unacceptably high weighting factor, given the large differences between the proportion of the pre-exclusion target population who had valid emails and the survey population. As a result of this, it was decided to let the mix of respondents with and without email addresses fall out naturally.

The pre-exclusion proportions used for weighting are shown in the table below.

Proportions used to weight to	Age	On-benefit	Off-benefit in-recovery	Off-benefit not-in-recovery
Female	<35	8.20%	1.87%	2.53%
Female	35–54	22.57%	4.36%	4.15%
Female	55+	6.46%	1.61%	1.56%
Male	<35	4.78%	2.62%	5.88%
Male	35–54	12.14%	3.80%	8.22%
Male	55+	5.42%	1.19%	2.63%
Other/Unknown	-	0.01%	0.00%	0.00%

7. Questionnaire and topic guide

Summary of Main Sections

Questionnaire

Online Landing Page – introduction to the survey, purpose, confidentiality, voluntary participation, and contact information for help

Section A: Living Situation, Household Composition and Employment Status – Questions on housing, household members, children, caring responsibilities, employment status, benefits received, and job details

Section B: Financial Well-being and Advice – Questions on financial circumstances, income, debt, savings, ability to cover unexpected expenses, confidence managing finances, and sources of financial advice or support

Section C: DWP Debt Perceptions – Awareness of DWP debt, repayment arrangements, and understanding of overpayment recovery

Section D: DWP Debt Management Support and Communications – Experience and satisfaction with communication from DWP Debt Management, preferred channels, and support received

Section E: Demographics – Age, ethnicity, sex at birth, gender identity, health conditions, eligibility for free school meals

Section F: Thank and Close – Consent for recontact, willingness to take part in a follow-up interview, permission to link survey responses with DWP records, and provision of support resources

Questionnaire

Debt Management
J13572
Date 1/6/26
Online and Telephone

Screener for telephone

ASK ALL

S1. Good morning/afternoon/evening. My name is NAME and I’m calling on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) from IFF Research. I’m looking to speak to NAME, please?

Respondent answers phone	1	CONTINUE
Transferred to respondent	2	CONTINUE
Hard appointment	3	MAKE APPOINTMENT
Soft Appointment	4	MAKE APPOINTMENT
Engaged	5	CALL BACK
Refusal	6	CLOSE
Not available in deadline	7	CLOSE
Fax Line	8	CLOSE
No reply / Answer phone	9	CLOSE
Business Number	10	CLOSE
Dead line	11	CLOSE
Request reassurance email		COLLECT EMAIL ADDRESS THEN CONTINUE OR MAKE APPOINTMENT (SEE APPENDIX FOR EMAIL TEXT)

WHEN SPEAKING TO NAMED CONTACT

S2. Thanks for confirming we’re speaking to the right person. To confirm, my name is NAME and I’m calling on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) from IFF Research. We’re speaking to a few people like yourself to understand how DWP services and support could be improved. It’s a short call to hear more about your experiences, it’s totally voluntary and won’t affect any benefits or dealings with DWP. Your responses will be reported anonymously and you won’t be identifiable. Your input could really help people who need to use DWP services.  

It would be really helpful to run these questions together now, please?

ADD IF NECESSARY:

• today’s call will last around 20 mins, depending on answers

• whether you take part or not will not affect your dealings with DWP, Jobcentre Plus, or any other government agencies, and the benefits you may be claiming will not be affected in any way now or in the future

• the call is just about hearing your experiences to help improve services

• if you would like further guidance from DWP, please contact this number 0800 916 0647

Continue	-	CONTINUE
Referred to someone else in household NAME	1	TRANSFER AND RE-INTRODUCE
Hard appointment	2	MAKE APPOINTMENT
Soft appointment	3	MAKE APPOINTMENT
Refusal	4	THANK AND CLOSE
Refusal – company policy	5	THANK AND CLOSE
Refusal – taken part in recent survey	6	THANK AND CLOSE
Not available in deadline	7	THANK AND CLOSE
Language barrier	8	GO TO S4
Request reassurance email	-	COLLECT EMAIL ADDRESS THEN CONTINUE OR MAKE APPOINTMENT (SEE APPENDIX FOR EMAIL TEXT)

S3.  Under data protection law (GDPR), you have the right to have a copy of your data, change your data, or withdraw from the research at any point. The DWP will not know who has taken part, and your participation and what you say will not affect your dealings with the DWP, Jobcentre Plus, or any other government agencies, and the benefits you may be claiming will not be affected in any way. All calls are recorded as part of our quality control procedures.

ADD IF NECESSARY: There are no right or wrong answers; we just want to explore your honest views on the topics we cover. Equally, if there is something you don’t know how to answer, just say and we can move on. Any identifiable information will be kept securely on our servers and deleted within 3 months after the completion of the project, currently estimated to be March 2026. More information can be found in the DWP Personal information charter.

I’m happy to take part in the survey now	1	CONTINUE
I’d rather take part later	2	MAKE APPOINTMENT
I don’t want to take part at all	3	CLOSE
Request reassurance email	-	COLLECT EMAIL ADDRESS THEN CONTINUE OR MAKE APPOINTMENT (SEE APPENDIX FOR EMAIL TEXT)

S4. If you require language assistance to take this survey, and someone is available to help you with this now, we can continue now.

If not, we can email you a link to the online survey so that you can take it in your own time, and get support from someone you know, or using online translation services. If you are unable to take the survey online, please reply to the email requesting an interpreter, and a convenient time to take the survey.

S4a. [IF HAVE EMAIL] Please confirm your email so we can send you a link to take the survey online in your own time. PULL THROUGH EMAIL. INTERVIEWER READ OUT EMAIL AND CONFIRM.

[IF NO EMAIL] Please provide your email so we can send you a link to take the survey online in your own time.

ENTER INFO AND CLOSE INTERVIEW.

REFUSE

98

THANK AND CLOSE

REASSURANCES TO USE IF NECESSARY

The interview will take around 20 minutes to complete.

Please note that all data will be reported in aggregate form and your answers will not be reported to our client in any way that would allow you to be identified.

If respondent wishes to confirm validity of survey or get more information about aims and objectives, they can call:

MRS: Market Research Society on 0800 260 6445

IFF: WRITE IN RESEARCHER NAMES: Tom Sealy 0207 250 3035

Department for Work and Pensions: research.debtmanagement@DWP.GOV.UK

L Online landing page

Thanks for accessing this survey which is being run by IFF Research for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The aim of this survey is to help DWP better understand customers and their current situations, with the goal of improving the services and support they provide. The survey will explore topics such as your living situation, financial wellbeing, current stressors and priorities, as well as your preferences for DWP communication methods and channels. It is an opportunity for DWP to hear about important, wider factors which may be affecting their customers.

As a current or recent DWP customer, you have been selected as someone who could play a valuable part in this research. We would really like to hear about your experiences, but you don’t have to take part and your decision to do so is completely voluntary.

Responses from all individuals taking part in the research will be reported anonymously, meaning you will not be identifiable in any way, unless you consent for your survey responses to be linked to administrative data. Whether you take part or not will not affect your dealings with DWP, Jobcentre Plus, or any other government agencies, and the benefits you may be claiming will not be affected in any way now or in the future.

[IF NIR] We are offering a £10 as a thank you for your time after completing the survey.

The survey should take around 15 minutes to complete.

If you need any help filling in this questionnaire, please contact IFF Research by phone at 0800 260 6445 or by email at dwpcustomersurvey@iffresearch.com

For more information contact: The Market Research Society on 0800 975 9596 they will be able to confirm that IFF is a genuine research agency.

A. Living situation, household composition and employment status

To start with, we’d like to understand a bit more about your background, current living and employment situation. We understand this may be a sensitive matter, so if there are any questions you’d prefer not to answer please feel free to answer ‘prefer not to say’.

ASK ALL

A1. Which of these applies to your home?

Single code – read out

Rented privately	1
Rented from a council/local authority or Housing Association	2
Shared ownership where you pay part rent and part mortgage	3
Living with friends/relatives and paying some rent	4
Living with friends/relatives and paying no rent	5
Being bought on a mortgage/bank loan	6
Owned outright	7
Temporary/ Managed Accommodation	8
Other (Please specify)	9	WRITE IN
Prefer not to say	10	DO NOT READ OUT

ask all

A2. Do you currently live with a spouse or partner?

single code. DO NOT READ OUT.

Yes, I live with a spouse/civil partner	1
Yes, I live with a partner (not married/civil partnership)	2
No	3
Prefer not to say	4

ask all

A3. How many children under the age of 19 are you responsible for in your household?

SINGLE CODE. DO NOT READ OUT.

None	1	A5
1	2	A4
2	3	A4
3 or more	4	A4
Prefer not to say	5	A5

ASK IF RESPONSIBLE FOR DEPENDENT AGED CHILDREN IN HOUSEHOLD [A3=2-4]

A4. How old is the youngest child that you are responsible for in your household?

SINGLE CODE. DO NOT READ OUT.

Under 5 years old	1
5-10 years old	2
11-15 years old	3
16-18 years old	4
19+	5
Prefer not to say	6

ask all

A5. Do you look after, or give any help or support to, anyone because they have any long-term physical or mental health conditions or illnesses, or problems related to old age?

SINGLE CODE. READ OUT.

ADD IF NECESSARY: This could include help with everyday tasks such as grocery shopping, bathing, dressing, laundry, etc. For caring responsibilities for children, we only mean caring for children with additional needs (e.g. health condition or disability), rather than standard caring duties towards children.

Yes, full time (35+ hours per week)	1	A6
Yes, part-time (less than 35 hours per week)	2	A6
No	3	A7
Prefer not to say	4	A7

ASK ALL

A6. Which of the following best describes your current employment status?

Single code – read out codes 1-4,

Working for an employer full-time (that is for more than 30 hours per week)	1	A8; NOTE - EMPLOYED
Working for an employer part-time (that is for 30 hours or less)	2	A8; NOTE - EMPLOYED
Self-employed	3	A8; NOTE - EMPLOYED
Not working	4	A7a
Other (please specify)	5	A8
Prefer not to say	6	DO NOT READ OUT A8

ask if not working [a7=4]

A6a. Which of the following best describes your current employment status in more detail?

Single code – read out codes

Unemployed and looking for work	1
Unemployed and not looking for work	2
Retired	3
Student	4
Permanently sick / disabled	5
Temporarily sick	6
Looking after home	7
Other (please specify)	8	WRITE IN
Prefer not to say	9	DO NOT READ OUT

ASK IF IN EMPLOYMENT [A7=1-3]

IF NOT EMPLOYED AND ON BENEFITS (CHECK BOOKING SHEET) GO TO A11

IF NOT EMPLOYED AND NOT ON BENEFITS (CHECK BOOKING SHEET) GO TO SECTION B

A7. Thinking about your main job, how long have you been doing this job?

ADD IF NECESSARY

By main job, we mean the one you spend the most time doing.

Single code – DO NOT read out

Less than 6 months	1
6 months to less than 1 year	2
1 to less than 2 years	3
2 to less than 5 years	4
5 years or longer	5
Prefer not to say	6	DO NOT READ OUT

Asked IF IN EMPLOYMENT [A7=1-3]

A8. Do you have one job or more than one job (including platform economy, side-gigs)?

Single code – DO NOT READ OUT

One job	1
Two jobs or more	2
Prefer not to say	3

ask IF ON BENEFITS (ON BENEFITS SAMPLE VARIABLE=1)

A9. Which of the following benefits, if any, are you currently receiving? Please select all that apply.

MULTI CODE – READ OUT

Universal Credit (UC)	1
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)	2
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)	3
Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)	4
State Pension	5
Pension Credit	6
Carer’s Allowance	7
Other (please specify)	8	ANCHOR. WRITE IN.
None of these	9	DO NOT READ OUT
Prefer not to say	10	DO NOT READ OUT
Don’t know	11	DO NOT READ OUT

B. Financial well-being & advice

In the following questions, we’d like to understand a bit about your current financial situation. DWP know that for many of their customers, finances can be a source of stress. Understanding more about customers’ wider financial situation will help DWP to ensure that support is better tailored to customers needs.

We understand this may be a sensitive matter. All of your answers are confidential and help us understand how people manage their finances.

As a reminder, DWP will not be able to link any of your answers back to you as an individual in any way.

If there any questions you’d prefer not to answer please feel free to answer ‘prefer not to say’.

Ask all

B1. How satisfied are you with your overall financial circumstances? Please answer on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is ‘not at all satisfied’ and 10 is ‘completely satisfied’.

Single code – DO NOT read out

1 - Not at all satisfied	1
2	2
3	3
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	7
8	8
9	9
10 - Completely satisfied	10
Prefer not to say	11
Don’t know	12

ASK ALL

B2. Over the past 6 months, how often, if at all, have you and your household gone without essential items due to a lack of money? This might include being unable to pay bills, buy food or pay for heating?

Single code – read out

Always	1
Most of the time	2
Sometimes	3
Hardly ever	4
Never	5
Prefer not to say	6	DO NOT READ OUT
Don’t know	7	DO NOT READ OUT

ASK ALL

B3. Approximately what is your household’s total gross income from all sources?

‘Income’ is any money from work, including a second job or occasional work, and any other sources, such as benefits, pensions, savings and investments, maintenance payments and rent from property or subletting.

‘Gross’ means the amount you receive before any deductions, income tax or national insurance.

When answering, feel free to give the typical amount in either weekly, monthly or yearly terms – whatever you find easiest to answer.

If you are unsure, your best estimate is fine.

SINGLE CODE – do not READ OUT. back code response into one of the answer categories.

Per week	Per month	Per year
Up to £86	Up to £374	Under £4,500	1
£87 - £124	£375 - £541	£4,500 - £6,499	2
£125 - £143	£542 - £624	£6,500 - £7,499	3
£144 - £182	£625 - £791	£7,500 - £9,499	4
£183 - £220	£792 - £957	£9,500 - £11,499	5
£221 - £259	£958 - £1,124	£11,500 - £13,499	6
£260 - £297	£1,125 - £1,291	£13,500 - £15,499	7
£298 - £336	£1,292 - £1,457	£15,500 - £17,499	8
£337 - £384	£1,458 - £1,666	£17,500 - £19,999	9
£385 - £480	£1,667 - £2,082	£20,000 - £24,999	10
£481 - £576	£2,083 - £2,499	£25,000 - £29,999	11
£577 - £672	£2,500 - £2,916	£30,000 - £34,999	12
£673 - £768	£2,917 - £3,332	£35,000 - £39,999	13
£769 - £961	£3,333 - £4,166	£40,000 - £49,999	14
£962 - £1,441	£4,167 - £6,249	£50,000 - £74,999	15
£1,442 - £1,922	£6,250 - £8,332	£75,000 - £99,999	16
£1,923+	£8,333+	£100,000+	17
Don’t know	Don’t know	Don’t know	18
Prefer not to say	Prefer not to say	Prefer not to say	19

Ask all

B4. Are you currently behind with any of the following bills or repayments? Please select all that apply.

Multi code. randomise. read out.

Rent/Mortgage	1	NOTE: HAS DEBT
Council tax/Council rates	2	NOTE: HAS DEBT
Utility bills like gas/ electric (not water bills)	3	NOTE: HAS DEBT
Water bills	4	NOTE: HAS DEBT
Phone/Internet bills	5	NOTE: HAS DEBT
Credit/store cards	6	NOTE: HAS DEBT
A bank overdraft	7	NOTE: HAS DEBT
A loan from a Bank or Building Society, a finance company or a credit union	8	NOTE: HAS DEBT
A loan from a friend or relative	9	NOTE: HAS DEBT
A loan from a money lender	10	NOTE: HAS DEBT
Pay day loan - one repayment on payday or at the end of the month (e.g., Lending Stream or Payday UK)	11	NOTE: HAS DEBT
Buy Now Pay Later” online payments from providers (Klarna, Clearview…)	12	NOTE: HAS DEBT
Tax debt	14	NOTE: HAS DEBT
Other (please specify)	15	ANCHOR. WRITE IN; NOTE: HAS DEBT
None of the above	18	ANCHOR.
Don’t know	16	ANCHOR. EXCLUSIVE. DO NOT READ OUT
Prefer not to say	17	ANCHOR. EXCLUSIVE. DO NOT READ OUT

Ask if has debt (b5 = 1-17]

B5. If you added up all the balances on bills or financial commitments you are currently behind on (such as rent, bills, or loans), approximately how much would the total be?

Please include those you have personally, those your partner or spouse has, and any you have together.

Please exclude any mortgages or other loans secured on property. Please exclude any loans from the Student Loan Company.

If you can’t recall this exactly, that’s ok – your best estimate is fine. As a reminder, your answer is completely confidential and won’t be linked back to you as an individual in any way.

single code. do not read out.

Less than £100	2
£100 - £499	3
£500 - £999	4
£1,000 - £4,999	5
£5,000 - £9,999	6
£10,000 - £19,999	7
£20,000 or more	8
Don’t know	9
Prefer not to say	10

Ask all

B6. Which of these best describes how often you save money?

Single code – read out

Every month	1
Most months	2
Some months, but not others	3
Rarely/never	4
Don’t know	5	DO NOT READ OUT
Prefer not to say	6	DO NOT READ OUT

ASK ALL

B7. If you had an unexpected bill of £300 that you had to pay within seven days from today, would you be able to pay it?

SINGLE CODE - DO NOT READ OUT

Yes	1	B10
No	2	B11
Don’t know	3	B11
Prefer not to say	4	B11

ASK IF ABLE TO PAY AN UNEXPECTED BILL OF £300 [B9=1]

B8. How would you pay this unexpected bill of £300 that you had to pay within seven days from today?

If you think you would do more than one, please select the main thing you would do, that is the one you would get the most money from.

Single code – read out

I would pay it with my own money, without dipping into savings or cutting back on essentials (e.g. buying food or paying bills)	1
I would pay it with my own money, without dipping into savings but I would have to cut back on essentials (e.g. buying food or paying bills)	2
I would have to dip into savings	3
I would use a form of credit (e.g. credit card, take out a loan or make use of an authorised overdraft facility)	4
I would go overdrawn without authorisation	5
I would get the money from friends or family as a gift or loan	6
I would have to sell personal/household item(s) to get the money	7
Don’t know	8	DO NOT READ OUT
Prefer not to say	9	DO NOT READ OUT

Ask all

B9. How confident, if at all, do you feel about which bills or financial commitments are the most important to pay?

Single code – read out

Very confident	1
Fairly confident	2
Not very confident	3
Not at all confident	4
Prefer not to say	5

ASK ALL

B10. Have you previously or are you currently seeking any advice or support with managing your finances?

multi CODE. READ OUT LIST.

Yes, I have previously sought advice	1	NOTE: RECEIVED ADVICE
Yes, I’m currently seeking advice	5
No	2	EXCLUSIVE
Don’t know	3	EXCLUSIVE
Prefer not to say	4	EXCLUSIVE

ASK if have not already indicated they are seeking advice (b12=1-2, 3-4)

B11. Is seeking advice or support with managing your finances something…? 

SINGLE CODE. READ OUT.

You are planning to do soon	2	NOTE: WOULD CONSIDER ADVICE
You are thinking about doing in the future	3	NOTE: WOULD CONSIDER ADVICE
You don’t have any plans to do so but you might consider it	4	NOTE: WOULD CONSIDER ADVICE
You would consider if your situation got worse	5	NOTE: WOULD CONSIDER ADVICE
You would never consider	6	NOTE: WOULD NEVER CONSIDRE
Don’t know	7	DO NOT READ OUT
Prefer not to say	8	DO NOT READ OUT

ASK if currently or have previously received advice or support (b12=1 or 5)

B12. Which of the following sources, if any, have you sought advice or support with managing your finances from?

multi CODE. randomise. READ OUT LIST.

Food banks	1
Debt advice charities (Citizens Advice, StepChange, National Debtline…)	2
DWP	13
A local authority	5
Local support agencies (housing associations, religious organisations, local charities)	6
Family or friends	7
Social media sites (including online forums) & specialist sites (e.g. moneysavingexpert.com)	8
Your bank or building society	9
Other (please specify)	10	ANCHOR. WRITE IN
Don’t know	11	ANCHOR. EXCLUSIVE. DO NOT READ OUT
Prefer not to say	12	ANCHOR. EXCLUSIVE. DO NOT READ OUT

ASK if would consider seeking advice or support in the future (B12=2-5)

B13. If you were to seek advice or support with managing your finances in the future, which of the following sources, if any, would you turn to?

multi CODE. randomise. READ OUT LIST.

Food banks	1
Debt advice charities (Citizens Advice, StepChange, National Debtline…)	2
DWP	13
A local authority	5
Local support agencies (housing associations, religious organisations, local charities)	6
Family or friends	7
Social media sites (including online forums) & specialist sites (e.g. moneysavingexpert.com)	8
Your bank or building society	9
Other (please specify)	10	ANCHOR. WRITE IN
Don’t know	11	ANCHOR. EXCLUSIVE. DO NOT READ OUT
Prefer not to say	12	ANCHOR. EXCLUSIVE. DO NOT READ OUT

C. DWP Debt perceptions

ASK ALL

In the following questions, we’d like to understand a bit about your awareness of, and relationship with, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). In particular, we’ll be asking some questions about your understanding and perceptions of repayment of overpaid benefits to DWP.

As a reminder, DWP will not be able to see any of your answers and nothing that you say will be linked back to you as an individual in any way.

ADD IF NECESSARY

We understand this may be a sensitive matter, so if there any questions you’d prefer not to answer please feel free to answer ‘prefer not to say’.

ask ALL

C1. Are you currently repaying a benefit overpayment to DWP?

SINGLE CODE – READ OUT

Yes, I have a deduction from my benefit	1	NOTE: REPAYING
Yes, I have a deduction from my earnings	2	NOTE: REPAYING
Yes, I have an active plan set up with DWP	3	NOTE: REPAYING AND HAVE REPAYMENT PLAN
No, but I have a debt outstanding	4	NOTE: AWARE BUT NO PLAN
No, and I do not believe I have a debt outstanding	5
No, but I have finished paying off a debt recently	8
Don’t know	6	DO NOT READ OUT
Prefer not to say	7	DO NOT READ OUT

ASK if repaying debt to dwp [c1=1-3 or 8]

C2. [IF C1=1-3] What is the impact of this repayment or deduction on your financial situation?

[IF C1=8] What was the impact of this repayment or deduction on your financial situation?

SINGLE CODE – READ OUT

No adverse impact on my finances, repayment is affordable	1
A small adverse impact on my finances, but able to afford without major cutbacks on essentials or other priorities	2
A major adverse impact on my finances, and only able to afford after cutting back on essentials and other priorities to pay it	3
I’m struggling to meet the repayments and afford essentials	4
Prefer not to say	5	DO NOT READ OUT

ASK if have a repayment plan set up RESPONDED [c1=3]

C3. What motivated you to set up a repayment plan?

multi CODE. RANDOMISE. READ OUT LIST.

I want to repay the debt	1
It felt like the right thing to do	2
I did not want this debt to be passed to enforcement	3
I sought advice and the repayment plan was suggested to me	4
I did not want my employer to be aware of my debt	5
Other (please specify)	6	ANCHOR. WRITE IN
Don’t know	7	ANCHOR. EXCLUSIVE. DO NOT READ OUT
Prefer not to say	8	ANCHOR. EXCLUSIVE. DO NOT READ OUT

ASK if aware of debt but don’t have payment plan set up [c1=4]

C4. Which of the following reasons, if any, factored into your decision not to create a payment plan with DWP?

MULTI CODE. RANDOMISE. READ OUT LIST.

I could not afford it	1
I am disputing the debt	2
I do not want to repay this	3
I did not know how to	4
I do not feel confident managing my finances	5
I saw content online that advised me against it	6
Other (please specify)	7	ANCHOR. WRITE IN
Don’t know	8	ANCHOR. EXCLUSIVE. DO NOT READ OUT
Prefer not to say	9	ANCHOR. EXCLUSIVE. DO NOT READ OUT

ASK ALL

C5. To the best of your knowledge, which of these statements do you think are true and which do you think are false?

If you’re unsure whether the statement is true or false, please feel free to select ‘Don’t know’.

SINGLE CODE PER ROW. RANDOMISE. READ OUT

	TRUE	FALSE	Don’t Know
_1  DWP can affect the credit scores of people who do not repay benefits they were overpaid	1	2	3
_2  DWP will use debt collectors or bailiffs/ sheriff’s officers [Scotland] to recover money from people who do not repay overpaid benefits	1	2	3
_4  DWP can recover overpaid benefits from a person’s state pension once they reach state pension age	1	2	3
_6  DWP can recover overpaid benefits from a person’s wage if they do not repay benefits they were overpaid	1	2	3
_7  DWP can take money from a person’s bank account if they do not repay benefits they were overpaid	1	2	3
_8  DWP can suspend people’s driving licences if they do not repay benefit overpayments	1	2	3
_9 DWP can write off benefit overpayments owed if someone is in financial hardship	1	2	3
_10 DWP can reduce or defer repayments that customers owe as a result of overpaid benefits	1	2	3

D. DWP Debt management support and communications

In the following questions, we’d like to learn more about your communication experience with DWP and how supported and informed you feel throughout the process.

ADD IF NECESSARY

We understand some questions might feel sensitive, so please feel free to answer ‘prefer not to say’.

ASK if aware that they have a debt with dwp OR RECENTLY PAID IT OFF [c1=1-4 OR 8]

D1. [IF C1=1-4] What communication, if any, have you had from DWP about your debt with them? This would normally be a letter sent from the DWP Debt Management team.

[IF C1=8] What communication, if any, did you have with DWP about your debt with them? This would normally be a letter sent from the DWP Debt Management team.

SINGLE CODE – READ OUT

I have not received any communication from DWP about my debt	1
I have received some communication from DWP but I did not understand it/it was not clear	2
I have received some communication from DWP and I understood it/it was clear.	3
Don’t know	4	DO NOT READ OUT
Prefer not to say	5	DO NOT READ OUT

ASK IF AWARE THAT THEY HAVE A DEBT WITH DWP OR RECENTLY PAID IT OFF [C1=1-4 OR 8]

D2. Have you contacted the DWP Debt Management team in the last 6 months?

SINGLE CODE. DO NOT READ OUT.

Yes	1	D3; NOTE: CONTACTED DWP
No	2
Don’t know	3
Prefer not to say	4

ask if CONTACTED DWP DEBT MANAGEMENT (D2=1)

D3. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is “very difficult’ and 5 is “very easy” how easy or difficult did you find it to get in touch with DWP Debt Management?  Single code. Do not read out

1 – Very difficult	1
2	2
3	3
4	4
5 – Very easy	5
Don’t know	6
Prefer not to say	7

ASK IF HAVE CONTACTED DWP DEBT MANAGEMENT IN LAST 6 MONTHS (D2=1)

D4. Thinking about the communication you had with DWP Debt Management, to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

READ OUT. SINGLE CODE PER ROW.

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Don’t know	Not applicable
_1 My call was answered promptly	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
_2 My issue was resolved satisfactorily	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
_3 The information given to me was easy to understand	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
_4 The information given to me was accurate and complete	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
_5 I felt confident talking about money-related matters with debt management staff	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
_6 I was treated fairly and with respect	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
_ 7 I was told where I could find further relevant information	1	2	3	4	5	6	7

ASK IF AWARE THAT THEY HAVE A DEBT WITH DWP OR RECENTLY PAID IT OFF [C1=1-4 OR 8]

D5. [IF C1=1-4] How would you prefer to manage your benefit overpayment balance with DWP Debt Management?

[IF C1=8] How would you have preferred to manage your benefit overpayment balance with DWP Debt Management?

SINGLE CODE. READ OUT.

By phone	1
By email	2
Using webchat	3
Face-to-face	4
Online portal	5
Don’t know	6
Prefer not to say	7

ASK IF HAVE CONTACTED DWP DEBT MANAGEMENT IN LAST 6 MONTHS (D2=1)

D6. Overall, on a scale of 1-10 where 1 is “very poor” and 10 is “excellent”, how would you rate the support you received from DWP Debt Management?

DO NOT READ OUT. SINGLE CODE.

1 - Very poor	1
2	2
3	3
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	7
8	8
9	9
10 - Excellent	10
Don’t know	11
Prefer not to say	12

E. Demographics

The next few questions are about your background and your personal circumstances.

As with all questions in this survey, all questions are completely voluntary meaning you don’t have to answer them if you don’t want to.  If this is the case, please select ‘prefer not to say’ and move on.

ask all

E1. What is your current age?

single code – DO NOT READ OUT

18-24	1
25-34	2
35-44	3
45-54	4
55-64	5
65-74	6
75+	7
Prefer not to say	8

ask all

E2. What is your ethnic group?

SINGLE CODE - DO NOT READ OUT

English/Welsh/ Scottish/Northern Irish/British	1	White
Irish	2	White
Gypsy or Irish Traveller	3	White
Any other White background (please specify)	4	White
White and Black Caribbean	5	Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups
White and Black African	6	Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups
White and Asian	7	Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups
Any other Mixed/Multiple ethnic background (please specify)	8	Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups
African	9	Black/African/Caribbean/Black British
Caribbean	10	Black/African/Caribbean/Black British
Any other Black/African / Caribbean background (please specify)	11	Black/African/Caribbean/Black British
Indian	12	Asian/Asian British
Pakistani	13	Asian/Asian British
Bangladeshi	14	Asian/Asian British
Chinese	15	Asian/Asian British
Any other Asian background (please specify)	16	Asian/Asian British
Arab	17	Other ethnic group
Any other ethnic group (please specify)	18	Other ethnic group
Prefer not to say	19	Other ethnic group

ask all

E3. What sex were you registered as at birth?

SINGLE CODE - DO NOT READ OUT

Male	1
Female	2
Prefer not to say	3

ask all

E4. Is your gender the same as the sex you were registered at birth?

SINGLE CODE

Yes	1
No (Please write in gender)	2	WRITE IN
Prefer not to say	4

ask all

E5. Do you have any physical or mental health conditions or illnesses lasting or expected to last 12 months or more?

SINGLE CODE. DO NOT READ OUT.

Yes – Physical condition	1
Yes – Mental health condition	2
Yes – Both physical and mental health condition	3
No	4
Prefer not to say	5

E6. When you were in school, were you eligible for free school meals?

Single code – DO NOT read out

Yes	1
No	2
I went to school outside of the UK	5
Don’t know	3
Prefer not to say	4

F. Thank and close

ASK ALL

F1. Would you be willing for us to contact you again in the next six months to invite you to take part in an interview to further understand your experiences in more detail? You don’t have to commit to anything now, just indicate a willingness to be contacted again, and you can change your mind at any time by emailing IFF at DWPcustomersurvey@iffresearch.com.

SINGLE CODE – DO NOT READ OUT

Yes	1
No	2

IF CONSENT TO recontact (F1 = 1)

F2. Please provide the best email address or phone number for us to contact you on?

Email address	1	WRITE IN
Phone number:	2	WRITE IN

ASK ALL

F3. DWP would like to add information held on your benefits, employment and earnings to your survey answers. This will give them a better picture of the circumstances of claimants. All information will be used for research and statistical purposes only and will not contain your name or address.

Your responses would only be seen by a small number of researchers within DWP, and no-one else. Your dealings with DWP or any other government agencies will not be affected in any way, and the information will not be used to work out whether anyone is claiming benefits they should not be.

Are you willing for us to let DWP match your answers to your records?

SINGLE CODE – DO NOT READ OUT

Yes	1
No	2

READ OUT IF FURTHER INFORMATION IS REQUESTED:

DWP holds information about benefits, employment, tax, national insurance, saving and private pensions. We would like to add this information to your answers from the questions we have just asked you, to…

• Create a more accurate picture of people’s benefits and support needs
• Help researchers and policymakers to be better informed in their work to improve the services Jobcentre Plus provides.
• We will only do this if you give your permission to link the information, we already hold about you to the answers you have given in the survey today
• The information will only be used for research and statistics
• The information will be kept confidential
• Names and addresses are never included in the results and no individual can be identified from the research
• Your personal details will not be passed to anyone else outside the research team and the Department for Work and Pensions
• The information will not be used to work out whether anyone is claiming benefits they should not be

Any current or future claims for benefits will not be affected.

ASK ALL

F4. There are some resources you can access if you’ve been affected by anything covered in the survey today or you’d like to reach out for support. Would you like…

SINGLE CODE

Neither - Does not want resources	1	DO NOT READ OUT
The resources to be sent by email	2
The resources to be read out to you now	3

if requested support resources (f4=2) and do not already have email from f2 or sample

F5. Please provide your email so we can send you the resources list to review in your own time.

REFUSE

1

THANK AND CLOSE

THANK RESPONDENT AND CLOSE INTERVIEW

READ OUT IF ASKED BY RESPONDENT (F4=3)

RESOURCES

If you’ve been affected by anything covered in the survey today or you’d like to reach out for support, some resources are listed below.

• Samaritans: call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
• Campaign Against Living Miserably: call helpline from 5pm to midnight daily 0800 58 58 58 or visit website at Homepage Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) (thecalmzone.net)
• Mind charity: call 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday on 0300 102 1234 or visit website https://www.mind.org.uk/ and click “Get help now”
• Call 111 or go to your nearest Accident and Emergency if you are experiencing thoughts of harming yourself or someone else
• Financial advice charities: Citizen Advice: call Adviceline from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (England): 0800 144 8848, Advicelink (Wales): 0800 702 2020 or visit website Contact us – Citizens Advice; StepChange: call 0800 138 1111. Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm, or online How Your Debt Advice Session Works – StepChange

Finally I would just like to confirm that this survey has been carried out under IFF instructions and within the rules of the MRS Code of Conduct. Thank you very much for your help today.

Topic guide – summary of main questions

1. Introduction (5 mins)

• Thank participant, introduce self and IFF Research
• Explain purpose: explore experiences of DWP overpayments, repayments, and services
• Confirm voluntary participation, right to withdraw, confidentiality, GDPR rights
• Explain recording (audio/video) and consent
• Duration: 45–60 mins.
• Any questions before starting

2. Warm-up & Context (10 mins)

• Personal & household background: work, living situation, household members’ work
• Financial situation: stability, income/outgoings, impacts on daily life
• Debt overview: current/previous debts, amounts, origin, feelings, challenges
• Debt management: prioritization, coping strategies, support used

3. Attitudes Toward Debt & DWP (15 mins)

• Understanding of DWP overpayment (awareness, surprise, info sources)
• Comparison with other debts (priority, importance)
• Feelings about debt: fair/unfair
• Motivation to repay (for off-benefit in-recovery)
• Reasons for not repaying (NIR or off-benefit not-in-recovery)

4. Debt Management Experiences (15 mins)

• Contact with DWP: frequency, channel, initiator, ease/difficulty
• Repayment journey: notification, info, plan, management
• Impacts: finances, household, childcare, other debts
• Repayment plans: setup, support, affordability, communication clarity

5. Support & Solutions (10 mins)

• Experience seeking financial/debt advice (formal & informal)
• Explore ease, usefulness, impact, gaps in support
• Specific prompts: Current advice: situation, usefulness, impact; Previous advice: experience, outcomes; Never sought advice: reasons, future intentions
• Experience with support from food banks or other organisations

6. Wrap-up (2 mins)

• Anything else to add?
• Questions about research?
• Reassure confidentiality and follow-up contacts.
• £25 voucher reminder [for those in-recovery] and MRS Code of Conduct statement.

Topic guide

DWP Debt Management
Topic Guide 13572
Date 2/6/26

Interview purpose and principles

This guide is for use with 30, 45-minute interviews with current or former benefit claimants in debt to DWP Debt Management due to benefit overpayment. Interviews will take place from the 1st to 24th of September.

This guide is intended to be used with a mix of claimants with varying characteristics and backgrounds. As such, it does not contain pre-set questions, but rather lists the key themes and sub-themes to be explored with participants in each interview. Words or short phrases are instead used to indicate the study issues and allows the researcher to determine the formulation of questions and how to follow up. This encourages the researcher to be responsive to the situation and most crucially to the terms, concepts, language and behaviours used by the participants.

It does not include follow-up questions like ‘why’, ‘when’, ‘how’, etc. as participants’ contributions will be fully explored in response to what they tell us throughout in order to understand how and why views and experiences have arisen. The order in which issues are addressed and the amount of time spent on different themes will vary between interviews but the key areas for discussion are the same.

Questioning and probing will be framed to ensure we understand participants’ situations as they view them. Researchers will adapt the approach, as much as possible, to suit the needs of each participant. The prompts provided are not exhaustive, but rather indicate the types of content we would expect to be covered – this may vary across participants with different characteristics.

Background for interviewer

IFF Research have been commissioned by DWP to undertake a mixed-methods research project with current and former DWP benefit claimants (or, in some cases, HMRC Tax Credit claimants) who owe DWP money because of previous benefit overpayments. Debtors have been categorised via the following groups:

• Not on benefits, debt not-in-recovery (NIR)
• Off benefits, debt in recovery
• On benefits, debt in recovery

Please refer to the booking sheet to identify which group your interviewee is within prior to the interview as this will influence routing.

Respondents are from a sample of those that have agreed to be recontacted following completion of the quantitative survey.

Please note that these interviews are with individuals who are in debt and may therefore be vulnerable. As such, additional sensitivity should be exercised during these interviews.

The purpose of the qualitative strand of this research is to deliver insights that will help build a deeper understanding of how people in debt to DWP perceive and experience that debt, how they prioritise it relative to other financial demands, and how DWP’s services can be adapted to better meet their needs. This research will also deliver information on hidden populations such as not-in-recovery (NIR) debtors who do not currently engage with DWP.

A. Interviewer introduction (5 minutes)

A1. Thanks & Introduction: Thank you very much for agreeing to take part in this interview. My name is [NAME], and I work for IFF Research, an independent research agency.

A2. Background for the research: We have been commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to conduct research to understand their customers’ current situations and identify ways to improve DWP services and support. As a current or former DWP customer, you have been selected as someone who could play a valuable part in this research. The research will explore topics such as your experiences with DWP customer service, and your experiences of repayments and overpayments. It will look at how these situations are managed and communicated, how they affect people’s finances, daily lives, and wellbeing, and identify ways to make the process fairer and more supportive.

A3. It is up to you whether you take part: This discussion is voluntary, so it is up to you if you want to take part. If you change your mind at any point during today’s conversation, you can stop talking to me and we will not include anything you have told me in the research.

You can also change your mind about taking part in research after today’s conversation by letting us know. If you do change your mind, please let us know as soon as possible by contacting IFF at dwpcustomersurvey@iffresearch.com or 0800 260 6445 and where possible, we will not process this data. 

A4. How their information will be used: Your views will be looked at together with the views of others taking part in interviews. IFF Research is an independent market research company, operating under the strict guidelines of the Market Research Society’s Code of Conduct. This means that nothing you say – positive or negative - in this interview will be attributed to you as an individual. All individuals involved in the research will be kept completely anonymous in our reporting. All the information we collect will be kept in the strictest confidence and used for research purposes only. We will also not pass any of your details on to any other organisation.

The only time we will break this confidentiality is if we see or her something which causes us concern about your physical safety. If this happens, we have a duty to act to make sure you are protected. We would talk to you about what to do and agree actions with you if this happens.

A5. Right to data: Additionally, under data protection law (GDPR), you have the right to have a copy of your data, to change your data, or withdraw from the research at any point. Your data will be deleted three months after the completion of this research, which is estimated to be March 2026.

Further information about this can be found on our website at: www.iffresearch.

Confirm consent to continue on this basis from participant before continuing.

A6. Duration: The discussion today will last around 45-60 minutes, depending on what you have to say.

A7. Reassurances: There are no right or wrong answers; we just want to explore your honest views on the topics we cover. Equally, if there is something you don’t know how to answer or don’t want to answer, just say and we can move on. The DWP will not know who has taken part, and your participation and what you say will not affect your dealings with the DWP, Jobcentre Plus, or any other government agencies, and any benefits you may be claiming will not be affected in any way.

A8. Reminder about audio (and, if relevant, video) recording:

IF VIDEO: I would like to record the discussion today and have the interview automatically transcribed so I can focus on our conversation – the transcription will predominantly be used for analysis purposes. All recordings will be securely deleted 3 months after the project is completed, which is standard practice.

IF TELEPHONE: I would like to record the interview so I don’t have to take a lot of notes – the recording will predominantly be used for analysis purposes. All recordings will be securely deleted 3 months after the project is completed, which is standard practice.

Confirm consent to record from participant – if consent not given, take detailed notes.

A9. Any questions/concerns before we start?

A10. Contact details if requested

MRS: Market Research Society on 0800 975 9596 (freephone)

IFF: General evaluation queries can go to Tom Sealy (tom.sealy@iffresearch.com) or Christabel Downing (Christabel.downing@iffresearch.com) or the project inbox dwpcustomersurvey@iffresearch.com

DWP: Please send any queries to the team via email at: inquiries.dmresearch@dwp.gov.uk

B. Warm-up and Context – ask all (10 minutes)

Firstly, I’d like to understand more about your current work and home situation. Some of the questions may be quite personal, but this will help ensure that the support they provide takes into account the wide range of circumstances and contexts that people experience, and is as relevant and helpful as possible.

B1. To get started, can you tell me a bit about yourself?

B2. In the survey you said that (RECALL INFORMATION FROM A1, A2, A3, A4, and A5 FROM SURVEY), please can you tell me a bit more about your living situation? Are you currently in work?

IF YES:

• What do you do for work?
• What are your working hours?
• What type of contract do you have?
• Are you comfortable sharing your salary?
• IF OTHER ADULTS IN HOUSEHOLD: Are they [other adult in household] in work?
  • What do they do for work?

IF NO:

• IF OTHER ADULTS IN HOUSEHOLD: Are they [other adult in household] in work?
• What do they do for work?

B3. How would you describe your current financial situation?

• Overall good, overall bad, neither good nor bad – why?
• What factors do you feel are contributing to your current financial situation? PROBE

FOR: ability to work, personal circumstances, disability or health condition - How would you describe your financial incomings and outgoings in a typical month? (probe around stability) - How does this impact you day-to-day (if at all)? PROBE FOR: impacts on quality of life, wellbeing, living situation, anything else

B4. Most people we have spoken to as part of this research have some form of debt, whether it’s credit cards, rent arrears, or loans. Can you tell me about any money you might currently owe?

• Who do you owe money to? PROBE FOR EACH DIFFERENT SOURCES OF DEBT: family, friends, government, DWP, Buy now pay later schemes, organisations, etc.
• Can you give me a rough amount?
• How did this occur? (Probe around timescale – how long, etc.)
• How does this make you feel?
• Are there any specific challenges or circumstances that you feel have affected your finances recently, such as changes in work, health conditions, or other personal factors?

IF NO DEBT CURRENTLY

• Can you describe any previous debts, if any, that you have had?
• How did the debt occur?
• How did you repay? (probe around plan to do it, sense of obligation, priority)

B5. How do you usually manage any debts or money you owe? If you do not currently owe any money, please answer based on what you think you would do in this situation, or how you have approached a decision like this in the past.

• What do you think about when deciding which debts to pay first?
• What makes managing your debts easier for you? What makes it more difficult?

C. Attitudes towards debt and perceptions of DWP (15 mins)

aim: explore participants’ awareness and understanding of their dwp debt, how it compares with other debts, and the factors motivating them to repay it.

The next few questions explore your understanding and experience of your (recent) DWP debt. As a reminder, DWP will not be able to see any of your answers, and nothing you say will be linked back to you as an individual in any way. We understand this may be a sensitive matter, so please know that you do not need to answer any question you’re not comfortable with.

check with interviewee if INFORMATION is correct (debt status)

C1. Can you tell me a bit more about your understanding of how the DWP overpayment occurred?

• Probe around: did it come as a surprise? How did you become aware of it?
• When you were first made aware of the debt, did you try to seek more information about it?
• Where did you get support to answer your questions? Probe: was this helpful? Did you get clear responses? Were you signposted to additional resources?

C2. How does the debt to DWP compare to any other debts you may have? Probe if necessary i.e., more/less important?

• Probe: For example, how does your debt to DWP compare to essential bills like rent or energy arrears? Would you say it is more or less important to pay first?
• And thinking about debts like credit cards or personal loans, how would you decide whether to pay your DWP debt before or after these?

C3. How do you feel about your current or previous debt to DWP?

• Do you think the debt is/was fair or unfair? Why is that?

ASK THOSE THAT ARE OFF-BENEFITS IN RECOVERY

C4. What motivated you to you repay the debt to DWP?

• [If multiple reasons given] Which reason was the most important in terms of motivating you to repay the debt?
• Probe on timescale of repayment
• [If participant mention a DEA/salary recovery process] You mentioned a DEA or salary recovery, can you tell me why you didn’t contact or engage with DWP about this?

D. Debt management (15 mins)

D1. Thinking about the past few months, how many times have you been in contact with DWP Debt Management?

• How did the interaction take place (e.g. phone, online, in-person)?
• Who initiated this interaction? (e.g. did you initially reach out or DWP or did you receive a letter requesting that you do so)?
• Can you tell me a bit more about it – what was the discussion about?
• [IF REACHED OUT] Did you speak to someone directly? Can you tell me a bit more about how easy or difficult it was to get to an agent?
• Can you tell me more about the process? [What made it easy / difficult]
• How helpful was this interaction? What went particularly well or what would have liked to see go differently?

ASK THOSE THAT ARE OFF-BENEFITS IN RECOVERY

D2. Thinking about the money you owed to DWP, could you walk me through the journey, from you being made aware of the debt, through seeking information, setting a reimbursement plan, etc.?

ASK THOSE THAT ARE NOT REPAYING DEBT (NIR)

D3. We understand that people may face different priorities or challenges when it comes to repaying this debt.  We’re here to understand your circumstances, not to judge. Can you tell me a bit more about the reasons you haven’t started repaying your debt to DWP?

• Would you say your debt to DWP feels fair or unfair? Could you explain why or why not? Explore importance in comparison to other debt
• How has repaying your DWP debt affected your current situation and personal finances?
• Could you tell me a bit more about your understanding on the process of repaying the debt [do you know what to do – why/why not]?
• How was the communication from DWP around this? Was this clear, what type of resources did you use?
• What resources were missing, what could have been helpful to access (probe around service and type of information)?

ASK THOSE THAT ARE OFF BENEFIT, NOT IN RECOVERY

D4. Thinking back to when you had debt with DWP, what were the main reasons or barriers that made it difficult to make repayments? If you haven’t had this experience, you can answer hypothetically based on what you think would be challenging.

ASK THOSE THAT ARE REPAYING

D5. How, if at all, has repaying the debt to DWP impacted your household finances and personal life?

[note for interviewer: For people on benefits, repayments usually come straight out of their benefits. It will show on their statement as ‘other DWP overpayment.]

• Probe around necessity to cut down on personal expenses, go with or without essentials
• [IF Participant mentioned having other debts.] How did that interact with other repayments?
• [If mentioned they have children previously] Can you tell me about any ways that repaying your DWP debt has affected your childcare arrangements or responsibilities?

D6. Can you tell me a bit more about any repayment plans that you have with DWP?

[note for interviewer: Some people repaying a debt won’t have a plan with DWP. In these cases, the money may be taken directly from their salary, though this isn’t very common.]

• How easy / difficult was it to get this set-up?
• Did you access any support to set this repayment plan up?

MOSTLY RELEVANT TO OFF-BENEFIT BUT ON-BENEFIT MAY ALSO HAVE HAD A HARDSHIP RATE

• Have you contacted DWP to ask for a more affordable repayment rate?  Can you tell me a bit more about what led you to set those rates?
• How was your experience with it? Would you recommend it? [Why / why not]
• Can you tell me a bit more about your understanding of it and the communication your received [was it clear / unclear]? Was there any information that were missing or any support that you get that was particularly helpful getting those set up?

E. Support and solutions (10 mins)

Now I’d like to move onto discussing your experience and attitudes towards debt or financial advice.

Some of these questions may feel sensitive, so please feel free to let me know if you would prefer to move onto the next question.

ASK ALL

E1. Have you previously, or are you currently seeking debt or financial advice? [Probe equally around formal and informal sources of advice – solicitors, tax accountants, family and friends, online forums.

IF YES, ARE CURRENTLY SEEKING FINANCIAL ADVICE

• Can you describe the situation are in when you sought debt or financial advice?
• How easy or difficult have you found seeking debt or financial advice?
• How has your experience influenced how you would seek debt or financial advice in the future?

IF HAVE PREVIOUSLY SOUGHT FINANCIAL ADVICE

• Can you describe the situation were in when you sought debt or financial advice?
• How easy or difficult did you find it to seek debt or financial advice?
• How did your experience influenced how you sought debt financial advice in the future?

IF NO, HAVE NEVER SOUGHT FINANCIAL ADVICE

• What reasons, if any, have prevented you from seeking debt or financial advice in the past?
• How do you feel about seeking debt or financial advice in the future?

E2. [If not already mentioned/explored] Can you tell me about your experience, if any, with seeking debt advice or support from food banks?

• What made you want to seek advice?
• Who / which organisation did you contact? What made you reach out to these organisations?
• How helpful was the advice?
• Are you planning to seek advice from other bodies? [Why/Why not]

E3. Questions regarding perceptions of the usefulness of debt advice - read below:
Ask questions for each source of financial advice mentioned.

IF ARE CURRENTLY SEEKING FINANCIAL ADVICE

• How useful are you finding the financial advice or support you are currently receiving from [SOURCE]?
• How is the advice impacting you?

Thinking about any advice you received about managing your debt to DWP, how helpful or unhelpful did you find it? Prompt if necessary: What, if any, action did it cause you to take? Would you say you are managing your finances differently?

IF HAVE PREVIOUSLY SOUGHT FINANCIAL ADVICE

• How useful did you find the advice or support you received?
• How has the advice impacted you?

Prompt if necessary: What, if any, action did it cause you to take? Would you say you now managing your finances differently?

IF HAVE NEVER SOUGHT FINANCIAL ADVICE

• How useful would receiving financial advice or support be to you? Why?

E4. Do you feel there are any gaps in financial advice support available?

• Why do you say that?
• Is there any service or tool that you find particularly helpful?

F. Wrap-up (2 mins)

F1. Anything else you would like to add that hasn’t already been covered?

F2. Any questions about the research?

F3. Thanks, and reminder of confidentiality and that they can get in touch if they think of anything else that is important for the research.

F4. Reminder: A £25 voucher will be provided as a thank you for your time, and will be paid within three weeks following the interview.

Just for the recording, I need to say that this interview has been carried under IFF instruction and within the rules of the MRS Code of Conduct.