As new figures reveal shocking waiting times on DWP phone lines, we examine the real impact on often vulnerable people.
Brits collectively spent the equivalent of 753 years on hold to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) during 2023/24, new figures have revealed.
According to a report from spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO), 652 years were spent waiting on the DWP’s own lines and more than 100 on its outsourced lines.
Frustratingly for customers, the average waiting time on the department’s in-house lines stood at 15 minutes and 23 seconds.
What’s more, the research also found that 31.6 million minutes – or 43% – of the time spent on the phone could have been avoided if the DWP had been more transparent about its service standards.
Some 5.3 million calls were also abandoned by those who grew tired of lengthy waiting times.
“The most vulnerable in society”
With 22.7 million people relying on the DWP for financial support through benefits and pensions, the NAO points out that those impacted by the delays are “some of the most vulnerable in society”.
The report also found that more and more Brits now rely on state benefits for support, which will likely put increased pressure on DWP’s services.
According to the findings, the number of people claiming benefits has increased by 2.4 million since 2019 due to a variety of social and economic factors.
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Disparity across benefit types
The DWP performed fairly well overall in terms of customer satisfaction.
It has an 85% target rate of customer satisfaction, with a user experience survey finding that 83% were ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ satisfied with the service they received in 2022/23.
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However, satisfaction levels differ across benefit types.
According to the NAO’s findings, 93% of State Pension recipients were happy with the service, while this figure dropped to 77% for those claiming Personal Independence Payments (PIP).
The likelihood of handling new cases on time also varied according to benefit type. Again, State Pension claims were ahead of the pack, with 96% of new claims processed on time (within 10 working days).
In contrast, the DWP processed just 52% of new PIP claims within its target of 75 working days.
The report also found that the DWP does not consistently inform customers upfront about their standards for waiting times or claims processing.
Where next?
Based on its findings, the NAO made several recommendations to improve customer service.
These include:
- Reviewing the effectiveness of how it communicates waiting times;
- Providing up-to-date information when a customer makes a new claim;
- Publishing comprehensive reports on annual performance and trends over time;
- Reducing avoidable customer contact.
The report also recommends that the DWP use this information to identify common causes of customer dissatisfaction.
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Where to get help
If you’re experiencing difficulties with a benefit claim, there a number of organisations that can offer support.
These include: