Corporate report
Department for Work and Pensions single departmental plan - May 2018
Updated 17 February 2020
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Our single departmental plan sets out our objectives and how we will achieve them.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Permanent Secretary
Deliver a modern, fair and affordable welfare system that makes a positive difference to citizens’ lives by extending opportunity, strengthening personal responsibility and enabling fulfilment of personal potential. A transforming welfare system with services delivered in a sustainable and effective way whilst reducing costs and achieving value for money for UK taxpayers.
Our objectives
We will:
- Build a more prosperous society by supporting people into work and helping them to realise their potential
- Improve outcomes and ensure financial security for disabled people and people with health conditions by increasing opportunities to realise their full potential with the help of the welfare system and through the labour market
- Ensure financial security for current and future pensioners by: helping people to increase their pension savings; providing information on their private and state pension provision to enable effective planning for the future; and supporting older people to extend their working lives
- Increase every child’s opportunity to succeed by helping separated parents agree effective child maintenance arrangements and supporting families in distress to reduce parental breakdown and separation
- Transform our services and work with the devolved administrations to deliver an effective welfare system for citizens when they need it while reducing costs, and achieving value for money for taxpayers
1. Build a more prosperous society by supporting people into work and helping them to realise their potential
Lead minister
Alok Sharma MP, Minister of State for Employment
Lead official
Jonathan Mills, Director General, Policy Group
1.1 Deliver an effective labour market strategy and benefit design that ensures work always pays, pre- and post- EU exit
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Develop evidence about what works to help people increase their earnings and progress in their careers, through a suite of research and analysis, tests and trials over the next four years commencing in 2018 (contributes to SDG 8) |
| Continue to supply additional support for young people, including those hardest to reach, through targeted initiatives working across government and with local partners |
| Develop employment initiatives using data findings of the Race Disparity Audit to improve employment outcomes for Black and Minority Ethnic groups (working with DfE, MHCLG, DHSC, DCMS and BEIS) |
| Plan effectively to support UK’s exit from the European Union; including ensuring DWP has the right level of capability |
1.2 Complete the roll out of Universal Credit
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Complete the roll out of Universal Credit to jobcentres by December 2018 and complete the migration of existing benefit claims to Universal Credit by 2022 (contributes to SDG 8) |
| Implement the £1.5bn package, announced at the Autumn Budget 2017, to provide further support to claimants transitioning onto Universal Credit by offering 100% advances, additional Housing Benefit support and reducing the period from making a new claim to first payment by a week (contributes to SDG 8) |
1.3 Provide effective employment services and efficient benefit processing
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Improve further the service we offer claimants within Universal Credit by changing how jobcentres and service centres work together, as well as developing our outreach offer locally |
| Develop further our personalised support for claimants, across all our benefits, by continuing to focus on building Work Coach capability, forging strong positive partnerships with those who can help enhance our service offer, and by fully utilising the opportunities offered by technology |
| Support unemployed people into work through a number of programmes and initiatives such as; Work and Health Programme, New Enterprise Allowance and Youth Engagement Fund |
1.4 Work with employers to support recruitment, progression and retention, at both a national and regional level
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Continue to work in partnership with organisations across the UK to support Black and Minority Ethnic groups into work, including mentoring pilots with Business in the Community to help prepare people for work (contributes to SDG 1 and 8) |
| Influence employers to recognise the positive benefits of an older workforce and break down preconceived opinions about employing people with a disability or long term health condition (contributes to SDG 1 and 8) |
| Continue to seek the provision of expertise from the Health and Safety Executive to support our health and work activities particularly around occupational health and workplace behaviours, including work-place mental health support (contributes to SDG 1 and 8) |
Our performance
Overall UK employment rate
| Quarter | Overall UK employment rate (%) |
|---|---|
| Jul – Sep 2018 | 75.5 |
| Aug – Oct 2018 | 75.7 |
| Sep – Nov 2018 | 75.8 |
Source: ONS labour market statistics; release schedule: monthly (quarterly comparisons recommended)
Young people (18-24) not in full-time education in employment
| Quarter | Young people not in full-time education in employment (%) |
|---|---|
| Jul – Sep 2018 | 76.9 |
| Aug – Oct 2018 | 77.3 |
| Sep – Nov 2018 | 77.4 |
Source: ONS labour market statistics; release schedule: (quarterly comparisons recommended)
Children living in workless households
| Quarter | Children living in workless households (%) |
|---|---|
| Jan – Mar 2018 | 10.2 |
| Apr – Jun 2018 | 10.2 |
| Jul – Sep 2018 | 9.7 |
Source: ONS working and workless households in the UK; release schedule: quarterly
2. Improve outcomes and ensure financial security for disabled people and people with health conditions
Lead minister
Justin Tomlinson, Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work
Lead official
Jonathan Mills, Director General, Policy Group
2.1 Deliver an effective strategy to support disabled people and people with long-term health conditions to find and remain in work
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Work in partnership with NHS England, Public Health England, employers and local partners, to deliver the manifesto commitment to see 1 million more disabled people in employment over the next 10 years, as set out in the command paper, Improving Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability, partnering with DHSC through the Work and Health Unit (contributes to SDG 8) |
| Deliver transformational change through personalised, tailored employment support and improved assessment for financial support |
| Work with employers, disabled people, Devolved Administrations, professional bodies, and across government (particularly with BEIS, Public Health England, and the Health and Safety Executive) to give employers the advice and support they need |
| Consider how to achieve the appropriate balance between incentives and expectations of employers, of all sizes, supporting recruitment and retention of disabled people and people with long-term health conditions, working with BEIS, HMT and HMRC (contributes to SDG 8) |
| Develop a clear direction and strategy for transformational change of Occupational Health provision ensuring timely access for all those who need it, partnering with DHSC through the Work and Health Unit |
2.2 Protect disabled people and people with health conditions on low income
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Continue to process and pay Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit as income protection/replacement for those with health conditions that affect the ability to work |
| Process and pay Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits to compensate those with ill health or injury as a direct or indirect result of work (contributes to SDG 1) |
| Explore the possibilities of data sharing between Employment and Support Allowance/ Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and across the health and welfare system to streamline processes, whilst respecting data protection |
2.3 Support disabled people and people with long-term health conditions to live independently
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Continue the payment of Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance as contribution towards additional costs resulting from health conditions and disabilities |
| Continue implementation, where appropriate, of the recommendations made in Paul Gray’s Second Independent Review of Personal Independence Payment (which recognised the major delivery challenge) and Work and Pensions Select Committee Inquiry on PIP and ESA assessments |
| Complete the roll out of Personal Independence Payment (Full Personal Independence Payment Roll-out) in a safe and consistent manner |
| Work with Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service to support the modernisation of the benefit appeals process, including allowing claimants to submit their appeal online and sharing data between Departments digitally |
2.4 Encourage government, stakeholders, business and disabled people to work together to support disabled people’s full participation in economic and social life
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Lead efforts to improve the accessibility of government and society, working collaboratively with other government departments, business, stakeholders and disabled people (contributes to SDG 10) |
| Report on the UK’s implementation of the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (contributes to SDG 10) |
Our performance
Employment rate of disabled people
51.3% July to September 2018
Source: ONS labour market statistics
Release schedule: quarterly (currently suspended). More recent data is available, but issues have been identified with this. See ONS website for more details.
The percentage of disabled people with a low income
| Year | Individuals below headline low income indicators BHC, by family disability (%) |
|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 19 |
| 2015-16 | 20 |
| 2014-15 | 20 |
Individuals below headline low income indicators BHC, by family disability
Source: Households below average income (HBAI) statistics; release schedule: annual
3. Ensure financial security for current and future pensioners
Lead minister
Guy Opperman MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Pensions and Financial Inclusion
Lead official
Jonathan Mills, Director General, Policy Group
3.1 Deliver a State Pension system which aids retirement planning and protects low income pensioners
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Continue triple lock uprating of State Pensions for the duration of the Parliament |
| Continue the efficient administration of means tested Pension Credit and provide support through additional initiatives (contributes to SDG 1) |
| Encourage, through our communications, more citizens to access the Check your State Pension digital service to view a forecast of their State Pension and options they may have to improve it |
| Continue delivery of the universal pensioner benefits, including Winter Fuel Payment, Cold Weather Payments for people on Pension Credit, Christmas Bonuses and part-funding of free TV licences for people aged 75 and over (contributes to SDG 1) |
3.2 Increase participation and confidence in workplace pension schemes
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Continue to meet the manifesto commitment to complete the successful rollout of automatic enrolment into workplace pensions, extending coverage to all new employers and supporting the increase in minimum contributions in April 2019 |
| Take forward wider work to explore ways of increasing retirement saving among the self-employed, and to engage with stakeholders on the proposals set out in December 2017 to extend coverage and increase contributions in the mid-2020s |
| Drive forward plans to strengthen the protection of Defined Benefit pensions. This will include delivering the government’s manifesto commitment to strengthen the powers of The Pensions Regulator, protecting private pension schemes by introducing punitive fines and a new criminal offence for those who wilfully risk or neglect member benefits, and strengthening the framework for clearance of corporate transactions |
| Make it easier for people to access the free and impartial help they need in making effective financial decisions, including to help them plan and save for their future by bringing together services currently provided by Money Advice Service, The Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise into a single body |
3.3 Support the retention, retraining and recruitment of older people (50+) in the labour market
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Work with other government departments to ensure that new policy development responds to the challenge of an ageing workforce including; flexible working, skills provision and support for carers who wish to remain in or return to the labour market (contributes to SDG 8 and 10) |
| Continue to work with employers, primarily through the Business In The Community (BITC) Age at Work leadership team led by Andy Briggs, as Business Champion for Older Workers and Local Enterprise Partnerships, to ensure that business understands changes in and opportunities created through an ageing demographic (contributes to SDG 8 and 10) |
3.4 Consider the introduction of a mid-life MOT
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Respond to a recommendation within John Cridland’s review of State Pension age to conduct further research and gather evidence to establish the scope, likely level of user demand and added value for the introduction of the a mid–life MOT - to encourage people to take stock and make realistic decisions about extending their working lives and assess their finances to plan for a financially secure future |
Our performance
Eligible employees in a pension scheme sponsored by their employer
| Year | Eligible employees participating in a workplace pension (million) |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 17.7 |
| 2016 | 16 |
| 2015 | 15.4 |
Source: Workplace pension participation and saving trends statistics; release schedule: annual
Total pensions savings of eligible savers
| Year | Total pensions savings of eligible savers (£billion) |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 90.3 |
| 2016 | 86 |
| 2015 | 83.3 |
Source: Workplace pension participation and saving trends statistics; release schedule: annual
The percentage of pensioners with a low income
| Year | Percentage of pensioners with a low income |
|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 16 |
| 2015-16 | 16 |
| 2014-15 | 14 |
Source: Households below average income HBAI statistics; release schedule: annual
4. Increase every child’s opportunity to succeed by helping separated parents agree effective child maintenance arrangements and supporting families in distress to reduce parental breakdown and separation
Lead minister
Will Quince MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Family Support, Housing and Child Maintenance
Lead officials
Jonathan Mills, Director General, Policy Group
4.1 Continue the effective operation of Child Maintenance policies and service that deals with the Child Support Legacy by encouraging family based arrangements and parental collaboration, and delivering an effective and efficient statutory child maintenance service for separated parents
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Continue to ensure separated parents have access to free and impartial information to help them make informed decisions about their child maintenance arrangements |
| End Child Support Agency liabilities by the close of 2018 and ensure parents have the right information to make decisions on their next maintenance arrangement |
| Continue the effective operation of the Child Maintenance Service |
4.2 Implement the national strategy to reduce parental conflict in workless families
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Integrate evidence-based interventions to reduce parental conflict into local services for families through the Reducing Parental Conflict programme |
| Continue to report against the nine national indicators set out in the Improving Lives strategy (contributes to SDG 10) |
Our performance
Children in couple-parent families reporting relationship distress
| Year | People reporting relationship distress (%) |
|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 11 |
| 2013-14 | 12 |
| 2011-12 | 13 |
Source: Parental conflict indicator 2011/12 to 2015/16; release schedule: every 2 years
Percentage of separated families with a child maintenance arrangement
| Year | Percentage of separated families with a child maintenance arrangement (%) |
|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 48 |
| 2015-16 | 55 |
| 2014-15 | 55 |
Source: Separated families population statistics; release schedule: annual (around 2 years after the end of the Family Resources Survey survey period)
5. Transform our services and work with the devolved administrations to deliver an effective welfare system for citizens when they need it while reducing costs
Lead minister
Baroness Buscombe, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Lords)
Lead official
Peter Schofield, Permanent Secretary
5.1 Provide an outstanding service to our customers and claimants
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Deliver a highly capable, engaged workforce which operates within more flexible hours to match demand and improve customer service |
| Design and deliver secure, high performing and financially efficient digital services |
5.2 Reduce fraud and error within DWP benefits
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Work towards the 2018-22 Fraud and Error Strategy delivering services that minimise flow of fraud and error, target early cost effective recovery action and commence recovery of Tax Credit debt |
| Continue to focus more on prevention of fraud and error using the digital gateway |
| Expand the possibilities offered by Real Time Information to identify potential earnings and household composition |
5.3 Transform the Department by creating an environment that enables a highly engaged, capable and diverse workforce
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Launch HR initiatives to improve engagement and capability of the workforce whilst extending workforce diversity |
| Deliver the extensive estates and workspace agenda to rationalise the property portfolio and negotiate more flexible terms to reflect the changing demand influenced by Universal Credit |
| Continue to build our commercial capability and work with Crown Commercial Service and internal colleagues to make it easier for SMEs to win government business |
| Build a Digital infrastructure that is secure, scalable and complies with the new Data Protection Bill |
Our performance
Customer and claimant opinion of departmental services
| Year | Customer and claimant satisfaction departmental services (%) |
|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 84 |
| 2016-17 | 86 |
| 2015-16 | 84 |
Source: DWP claimant service and experience survey; release schedule: annual
New claims processed within planned timescales
81.7 2017-18
Source: DWP annual report and accounts; release schedule: annual
Net loss due to fraud and error as a percentage of overall benefit expenditure
| Year | Net loss due to fraud and error as % of overall benefit expenditure |
|---|---|
| 2017-18 (preliminary estimate) | 1.6 |
| 2016-17 | 1.4 |
| 2015-16 | 1.3 |
Source: Fraud and error in the benefit system; release schedule: twice a year (one preliminary estimate, one final)
DWP People Survey Engagement Score
| Year | DWP People Engagement Score (%) |
|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 60 |
| 2015-16 | 61 |
| 2014-15 | 56 |
Source: Civil Service People Survey; release schedule: annual
Our equality objectives
The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity. As an employer we are also committed to the Civil Service ambition to become the UK’s most inclusive employer and we will continue to:
- Increase the representation of currently under-represented groups to make DWP more diverse
- Build an inclusive culture, where colleagues are able to be themselves at work and feel supported, empowered, valued, respected, fairly treated and able to achieve their full potential
We have set objectives to help us achieve our ambition. These are:
- Embed the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy departmental actions
- Improve the provision of workplace adjustments and increase mental health awareness and support
- Increase the diversity of our workforce with a focus on making improvements to our recruitment and selection methods and talent offer
- Close gaps around inclusive outcomes in promotion, talent, people performance and Bullying, Harassment & Discrimination
- Embed inclusive leadership at all levels in DWP
- Use insight and intelligence evidence to drive Diversity and Inclusion activities and outcomes
- Grow an inclusive environment through engaging our people
Our finances
Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL): £6.4 billion
Resource DEL (including depreciation): £6.1 billion
Capital DEL: £0.3 billion
Annually Managed Expenditure (AME): £183.6 billion
Control totals included in this document are in line with those presented in the Main Supply Estimates 2018/19 and are currently subject to Parliamentary approval. Any changes arising from the Parliamentary approval process will be reflected in due course.
Source: Main Supply Estimates 2018/19
Our people
As at September 2018, DWP had 72,990 full-time equivalent employees, not including its agencies.
Source: ONS Public sector employment data; release schedule: quarterly
How we contribute to cross-government priorities
We work across government on cross-cutting issues, including:
- housing
- rough sleeping and homelessness reduction
- mental health
- Industrial Strategy Task Force
- immigration
- employment and skills
- race disparity