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Guidance
Decision makers’ guide: Vol 1: Decision making and appeals: staff guide
Guidance for DWP decision makers on decision making and appeals.
Documents
Details
This guidance is for DWP staff who make decisions about benefits and pensions. It helps them make decisions that are accurate and consistent.
The introduction of Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment affects the guidance DWP staff use.
DWP decision makers now use Advice for decision making (instead of the DMG) for decisions that involve:
- Universal Credit
- Personal Independence Payment
- contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance for people who are eligible for Universal Credit
Why we publish this guide
We publish this guide to help people understand how we make decisions.
Information for claimants
Information for claimants about eligibility and how to claim:
Published 1 June 2013
Last updated 25 January 2019 + show all updates
Last updated 25 January 2019 + show all updates
- Added revised DMG volume 1 chapters 1 and 2 with amendments listed in amendment 57.
- Revised DMG chapter 1 - update to guidance in paragraph 01031.
- Published revised DMG volume 1 chapter 2: Claims. Annotated to DMG memo 13/18.
- Published revised DMG volume 1, chapter 6 and amendment 56, which lists the amendments.
- Published revised DMG volume 1, chapter 6 and amendment 55, which lists the amendments.
- Published revised DMG volume 1 chapter 3 annotated to new DMG memo 17/17.
- Published revised DMG volume 1, chapters 2, 3, 4 and 6 and amendment 54, which lists the amendments. Also deleted out of date amendments 48 and 49.
- Published revised chapters 2 to 4 annotated to memos.
- Published revised chapters 1, 4, 6 and amendment 53, which lists the amendments.
- Published revised chapter 3 annotated to new DMG memo 25/16.
- Published revised chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, annex D and amendment 52, which lists the amendments.
- Published revised chapter 4 annotated to new DMG memo 20/16.
- Published revised chapters 2, 3, 4, 6 and amendment 51, which lists the amendments.
- Published revised chapters 2 and 4 annotated with new memo 13/16.
- Published revised amendment 50 - page 2 - amended abbreviations and statute abbreviations.
- Published revised chapters 2, 3, 4, 6 and annex D annotated with new memo 11/16.
- Published revised chapters 2, 3, 4, 6 and amendment 50, which lists the amendments.
- Published revised chapter 2 annotated with new relevant memos 28 and 29/15.
- Added revised chapters 2 to 5. The amendments to these PDFs are listed in amendment 49.
- Added revised chapters 2, 3 and 4. The amendments to these PDFs are listed in amendment 48.
- Published revised chapters 3 and 4 annotated with new relevant memos 6 to 12/15.
- Added revised chapters 2, 3, 4, 6, annexes A to M and amendment 47. The amendments to these PDFs are listed in amendment 47.
- Added amended chapter 3 and annex E and new amendment 46.
- Replaced chapter 3 - missing text added to paragraph 03346.
- Replaced chapter 6 with revised version - appendix 2 added.
- Added revised chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and amendment 45. The amendments to these PDFs are listed in amendment 45.
- Replaced chapter 5 with revised version annotated with reference to memo 11/14 - Work-related activity and work-focused interviews for lone parents.
- Replaced chapter 2 with revised version. See DMG memo 9/14 for details of amendment.
- Replaced chapter 6 with revised version with new appendix 2 added.
- Added revised chapters 2, 3, 4, 6 and annex A to M. The amendments to these PDFs are listed in amendment 44 - also added.
- First published.