Guidance

Decision makers’ guide: Vol 3: Subjects common to all benefits: staff guide

Guidance for DWP decision makers on decision making and appeals.

Published 1 June 2013
Last updated 9 November 2017 — see all updates

• From: Department for Work and Pensions

Documents

DMG Vol 3 Ch 8: Payment of benefit and deductions from benefit

Ref: DMG Vol 3 ch 8 PDF, 106KB, 51 pages

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DMG Vol 3 Ch 9: Overpayments, offsets and recoverability

Ref: DMG Vol 3 ch 9 PDF, 717KB, 121 pages

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DMG Vol 3 Ch 10: Evidence of age, marriage and death

Ref: DMG Vol 3 ch 10 PDF, 515KB, 116 pages

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DMG Vol 3 Ch 11: Living together as husband and wife or as civil partners

Ref: DMG Vol 3 ch 11 PDF, 328KB, 24 pages

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DMG Vol 3 Ch 12: Imprisonment

Ref: DMG Vol 3 ch 12 PDF, 314KB, 22 pages

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DMG Vol 3 Ch 13: Incapacity for work

Ref: DMG Vol 3 ch 13 PDF, 672KB, 87 pages

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DMG Vol 3 Ch 14: Welfare to work

Ref: DMG Vol 3 ch 14 PDF, 295KB, 58 pages

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DMG Vol 3: Ch 15: Earnings for non-income-relelated benefits

Ref: DMG Vol 3 ch 15 PDF, 606KB, 166 pages

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DMG Vol 3 Ch 16: Dependency increases

Ref: DMG Vol 3 ch 16 PDF, 426KB, 129 pages

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DMG Vol 3 Ch 17: Overlapping benefits

Ref: DMG Vol 3 ch 17 PDF, 133KB, 38 pages

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DMG Vol 3 Ch 18: Hospital in-patients

Ref: DMG Vol 3 ch 18 PDF, 78.9KB, 26 pages

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DMG Vol 3 Ch 19: This chapter is spare

Ref: DMG Vol 3 ch 19 PDF, 13.4KB, 1 page

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DMG Vol 3: Amendment 54, October 2017

PDF, 1.16MB, 55 pages

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DMG Vol 3: Amendment 53, June 2017

Ref: DMG Vol 3 amendment 53 PDF, 34KB, 8 pages

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DMG Vol 3: Amendment 52, February 2017

Ref: DMG Vol 3 amendment 52 PDF, 184KB, 28 pages

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DMG Vol 3: Amendment 51, June 2016

Ref: DMG Vol 3 amendment 51 PDF, 266KB, 62 pages

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DMG Vol 3: Amendment 50, February 2016

Ref: DMG Vol 3 amendment 50 PDF, 163KB, 22 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
• 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:

• benefits
• pensions

Published 1 June 2013
Last updated 9 November 2017 + show all updates

1. 9 November 2017 Added revised DMG volume 3, chapters 9, 11, 12, 13 and amendment 54, which lists the amendments.
2. 24 October 2017 Added revised DMG volume 3, chapter 15: Earnings for non-income-related benefits - annotated to new DMG memo 21/17.
3. 11 July 2017 Added revised DMG volume 3, chapter 15 and amendment 53, which lists the amendments. Also deleted out of date amendments 48 and 49.
4. 7 April 2017 Published revised chapters 8, 9, 12 and 17 annotated to memos.
5. 5 April 2017 Revised DMG volume 3, chapters 12 and 13, annotated to memos 6, 7 and 8/17.
6. 9 March 2017 Added revised chapters 9, 15 and amendment 52, which lists the amendments.
7. 6 July 2016 Added revised chapters 8, 12, 13 and 15. The amendments to these PDFs are listed in amendment 51.
8. 14 April 2016 Published revised amendment 50 - page 2 - amended abbreviations and statute abbreviations.
9. 8 April 2016 Published revised chapter 8, 9 and 17 annotated with new memo 11/16.
10. 24 March 2016 Published revised chapters 13, 15, 18 and amendment 50, which lists the amendments.
11. 3 March 2016 Replaced chapter 2: Imprisonment - annotated to DMG memo 6/16.
12. 26 October 2015 Added revised chapters 8, 10, 15, 16 and 18. The amendments to these PDFs are listed in amendment 49.
13. 31 July 2015 Replaced chapter 15 annotated with new memo 20/2015.
14. 17 July 2015 Added revised chapters 15, 16 and 17. The amendments to these PDFs are listed in amendment 48.
15. 1 April 2015 Published revised chapter 15 annotated with new relevant memos 6 to 12/15.
16. 13 March 2015 Replaced chapter 15 annotated with new memo 5/2015.
17. 12 March 2015 Added revised chapters 8, 10, 11, 15, 16 and amendment 47. The amendments to these PDFs are listed in amendment 47.
18. 17 December 2014 Added revised chapters 10 and 16 annotated to memos 35 to 37.
19. 27 November 2014 Published revised chapter 8 annotated with new memos 33 and 34/14.
20. 25 November 2014 Added revised chapters 11, 13 and amendment 46.
21. 11 November 2014 Added amended chapters 9 and 16 and new amendment 46.
22. 29 July 2014 Added revised chapters 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16 and amendment 45. Amendments to these PDFs are listed in amendment 45.
23. 26 March 2014 Added revised chapters 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17. The amendments to these PDFs are listed in amendment 44 - also added.
24. 21 November 2013 Amended DMG Vol 3 Ch 9 and added amendment 43 - further clarification of the guidance relating to the imposition of Civil Penalties.
25. 1 June 2013 First published.