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Guidance

Decision makers’ guide: Vol 10: Benefits for incapacity, disability, maternity and bereavement: staff guide

Guidance for DWP decision makers on decision making and appeals.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Work and Pensions
Published:
1 June 2013
Last updated:
5 October 2026
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  1. Updated DMG Chapter 62: Maternity Benefits and also DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from January 2022.

  2. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer’s Allowance and DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from January 2022.

  3. DMG Vol 10 summary of changes PDF updated

  4. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer’s Allowance.

  5. Updated 'DMG Vol 10 Ch 61: Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance' document and 'DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from January 2022'

  6. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer’s Allowance; DMG Vol 10 Ch 61: Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance documents; and summary of changes documents.

  7. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 62: Maternity benefits and DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from January 2022.

  8. Updated: DMG Vol 10 Ch 61: Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance and DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from January 2022

  9. Updated DMG Chapter 63: Bereavement Benefit and summary of changes documents.

  10. DMG vol 10 ch61 and summary of changes updated.

  11. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 61: Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance, DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from January 2022.

  12. Updated DMG Chapter 63: Bereavement Benefit and rolling summary of changes.

  13. Updated DMG Chapter 62 Maternity benefits and summary of changes.

  14. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 61: Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance and also DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from January 2022.

  15. Updated Chapter 62: Maternity Benefits and Summary of changes have been added.

  16. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 61: Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance. The changes are listed in the updated volume 10 summary of changes.

  17. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer’s Allowance and also DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from January 2022.

  18. Added DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer’s Allowance with annotations to DMG memo 2/2025.

  19. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 63: Bereavement Benefit and Vol 10: Summary of changes.

  20. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer’s Allowance and Vol 10: Summary of changes.

  21. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer’s Allowance. Cross referenced to DMG memo 2/2024.

  22. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer’s Allowance and also DMG Vol 10 Ch 63: Bereavement Benefit.

  23. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 63: Bereavement Benefit.

  24. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 61: Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance and also DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from January 2022

  25. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 61: Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance and also DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from January 2022.

  26. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 62: Maternity benefits and also DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from January 2022.

  27. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer’s Allowance.

  28. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer’s Allowance, DMG Vol 10 Ch 61: Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance and also DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from January 2022.

  29. Published a new version of Volume 10, Chapter 61 - Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance.

  30. Updated DMG Vol 10 Chapters 59 (Bereavement Support Payment) and 63 (Bereavement Benefit)

  31. Updated DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer’s Allowance and added Summary of changes from January 2022.

  32. DMG Chapter 61 and Volume 10 summary of changes have been updated.

  33. Updated DMG volume 10, chapter 61: Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance and added summary of changes.

  34. Updated DMG volume 10 chapter 60: Carers Allowance and added summary of changes.

  35. Added updated DMG chapter 61: Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance.

  36. Updated DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from December 2020 and chapter 60.

  37. Updated 'DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer’s Allowance' and 'DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from December 2020'.

  38. Updated 'DMG Vol 10 Ch 62: Maternity benefits' and 'DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from December 2020'.

  39. Updated 'DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer’s Allowance'.

  40. Updated 'DMG Vol 10 Ch 62: Maternity benefits' and 'DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from December 2020'.

  41. Updated chapter 62. Updated summary of changes.

  42. Updated Vol 10 Ch 62. Added DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from December 2020.

  43. Updated Vol 10 Ch 62 – words “and contract to provide services” added to 62516.

  44. Updated chapter 62. Now includes references to DMG memo 13/20.

  45. Revised chapter 62. Summary of changes in 'DMG Vol 10: Amendment 52, June 2020'.

  46. Revised Volume 10 Chapter 62: Maternity benefits.

  47. Revised Vol 10: Ch 62.

  48. Revised DMG volume 10 chapter 60: Carer's Allowance.

  49. Added revised DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer's Allowance, with annotations to memo 5/20.

  50. Revised DMG volume 10 chapter 60: Carer's Allowance, with annotations to DMG memo 2/20.

  51. Added revised DMG vol 10, chapter 62: Maternity Benefits and amendment 51, which lists the changes.

  52. Added revised 'DMG Vol 10 Ch 62: Maternity benefits' and added associated amendment note 'DMG Vol 10: Amendment 50, June 2019'.

  53. Added revised DMG volume 10 chapter 60. Annotated to DMG memo 3/19.

  54. Added revised DMG volume 10 chapter 59, with changes listed in amendment 49.

  55. Revised DMG volume 10 chapter 59 - clarifies guidance at paragraph 59012.

  56. Published revised DMG volume 10 chapters 60, 61 and amendment 48, which lists all the changes.

  57. Added revised DMG volume 10 chapter 59. The changes are listed in amendment 47.

  58. Added revised DMG volume 10 chapters 59 and 61. The changes are listed in amendment 46.

  59. Added revised DMG volume 10 chapter 63. The changes are listed in amendment 45. Also deleted out of date amendments 40 and 41.

  60. Added revised DMG volume 10 chapter 63 with annotations to memos.

  61. Added new chapter 59: Bereavement support payment.

  62. Added revised chapter 60 with new rates from April 2017.

  63. Added revised chapter 60 - Carer's Allowance, annotated to DMG memo 2/17.

  64. Published revised chapter 63: Bereavement Benefit, annotated with new memo 25/16.

  65. Added revised volume 10 chapters 61 and 62. The changes are listed in amendment 44.

  66. Added revised chapters 58 and 63. The changes are listed in amendment 43.

  67. Published revised amendment 42 - page 2 - amended abbreviations and statute abbreviations.

  68. Published revised chapter 63 annotated with new memo 11/16.

  69. Added revised chapter 60 annotated to DMG memo 10/16.

  70. Added revised chapters 61, 62 and amendment 42, which lists the amendments.

  71. Published revised chapter 61 annotated with reference to memo 1/16.

  72. Published revised chapter 61 annotated with new relevant memos 28 and 29/15.

  73. Added revised chapters 57, 58 and 61. The changes are listed in amendment 41.

  74. Added revised chapters 60 to 62. The changes are listed in amendment 40.

  75. Published revised chapter 62 annotated with new relevant memos 6 to 12/15.

  76. Replaced chapter 60 with revised version annotated with new memo 5/2015.

  77. Added revised chapters 60, 61, 62 and 63. The changes are listed in amendment 39 - also added.

  78. Replaced ch 62 annotated with new memos 1 and 2/15.

  79. Replaced chapter 63 revised with annotations to memos 35 to 37/14.

  80. Published revised chapter 62 annotated with new memos 33 and 34/14.

  81. Added revised chapters 56 and 62 and new amendment 38.

  82. Added revised chapters 56, 58, 62 and 63. See amendment 37 for a list of changes made.

  83. Replaced chapter 62 with revised version annotated to memo 8/14 - Maternity Allowance: Participating wife or civil partner of self-employed earner.

  84. Added revised chapters 58, 60, 61 and 63. The changes are listed in amendment 36 - also added.

  85. First published.

Documents

DMG Vol 10 Ch 55: Transitional provisions or the introduction of Incapacity Benefit

Ref: DMG Vol 10 ch 55

PDF, 107 KB, 30 pages

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DMG Vol 10 Ch 56: Incapacity Benefit

Ref: DMG Vol 10 ch 56

PDF, 251 KB, 60 pages

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DMG Vol 10 Ch 57: Severe Disablement Allowance

Ref: DMG Vol 10 ch 57

PDF, 163 KB, 46 pages

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DMG Vol 10 Ch 58: Widows Benefits

Ref: DMG Vol 10 ch 58

PDF, 74.1 KB, 18 pages

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DMG Vol 10 Ch 59: Bereavement support payment

Ref: DMG Vol 10 ch 59

PDF, 87 KB, 13 pages

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DMG Vol 10 Ch 60: Carer’s Allowance

Ref: DMG Vol 10 ch 60

PDF, 145 KB, 30 pages

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DMG Vol 10 Ch 61: Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance

Ref: DMG Vol 10 ch 61

PDF, 759 KB, 139 pages

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DMG Vol 10 Ch 62: Maternity benefits

Ref: DMG Vol 10 ch 62

PDF, 219 KB, 47 pages

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DMG Vol 10 Ch 63: Bereavement Benefit

Ref: DMG Vol 10 ch 63

PDF, 198 KB, 40 pages

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DMG Vol 10: Summary of changes from January 2022

PDF, 277 KB, 6 pages

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DMG Vol 10: Amendment 52, June 2020

PDF, 24.1 KB, 1 page

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DMG Vol 10: Amendment 51, October 2019

PDF, 92.8 KB, 10 pages

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DMG Vol 10: Amendment 50, June 2019

Ref: DMG Vol 10 amendment 50

PDF, 58.5 KB, 10 pages

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DMG Vol 10: Amendment 49, October 2018

Ref: DMG Vol 10 amendment 49

PDF, 44.7 KB, 3 pages

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DMG Vol 10: Amendment 48, June 2018

Ref: DMG Vol 10 amendment 48

PDF, 930 KB, 13 pages

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DMG Vol 10: Amendment 47, February 2018

PDF, 174 KB, 16 pages

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DMG Vol 10: Amendment 46, October 2017

PDF, 436 KB, 18 pages

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DMG Vol 10: Amendment 45, June 2017

Ref: DMG Vol 10 amendment 45

PDF, 97.1 KB, 16 pages

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DMG Vol 10: Amendment 44, October 2016

Ref: DMG Vol 10 amendment 44

PDF, 318 KB, 52 pages

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DMG Vol 10: Amendment 43, June 2016

Ref: DMG Vol 10 amendment 43

PDF, 371 KB, 26 pages

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DMG Vol 10: Amendment 42, February 2016

Ref: DMG Vol 10 amendment 42

PDF, 229 KB, 24 pages

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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
  • new style Jobseeker’s Allowance and new style Employment and Support Allowance, which are for people who are eligible for Universal Credit and are based on their National Insurance record

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:

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