Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that adults with schizophrenia and other permanent mental health conditions are made aware of their entitlement to claim the benefits to which they are entitled and assisted in making that claim.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has an established approach to providing information to all its potential customers through the use of information leaflets, which are widely available and on the Gov.uk website. The National Employer and Partnership Team work with national partners through the Operational Stakeholder Engagement Forum (OSEF). This group consisting of about 40 organisations also attend quarterly meetings to learn more about, and feedback on, current and proposed DWP policies and communication practices. Attendees are encouraged to circulate key messages from the meetings to their many local outlets.

We also, at a local level, work with a wide range of partners and customer advocates in identifying and providing an appropriate level of support to customers who are vulnerable, including those with mental health conditions.

DWP’s definition of vulnerability is “any individual who is identified as having complex needs and/or requires additional support to enable them to access DWP benefits and use our services” as being vulnerable. This definition ensures that we have consistency and continuity in the type and level of service which is being offered and that it supports the customer appropriately whatever their needs. Assistance to make a claim is available, this can be through additional support from our telephony agents, or through face to face support in our network of jobcentres or a home visit.

DWP adopts this approach at all points of contact with the customer and uses its records to ensure, to the best of its abilities, when individuals are identified as being vulnerable we take all reasonable steps to try to mitigate any risks.

When DWP Staff are satisfied the risk to the individual is significant and immediate they are explicitly empowered to act without consent to take all steps felt necessary to address significant and immediate risks to an individual’s welfare or safety.

Where DWP consider that any risk is not significant or immediate we will continue follow our established approach working with the individual and with consent, where necessary, contact any relevant organisations to provide the appropriate levels of support.