We鈥檙e urging the government to adopt a parliamentary report鈥檚 recommendation to introduce a statutory safeguarding duty on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The Work and Pensions Committee report says the legal duty should be placed on the DWP to fix its聽鈥渄eficient鈥澛爏afeguarding聽practices聽following the deaths of some of its customers in recent years.

A statutory safeguarding duty is a legal obligation placed on public bodies to take active steps to protect individuals - particularly those who may be vulnerable due to age, disability, mental ill health, or other risk factors - from harm or neglect.

In this case it would mean the DWP would have to refer vulnerable claimants to other agencies that have a duty of care.

We strongly welcome this report and believe these recommendations have never been more important, with proposed benefits reforms to make accessing some benefits more difficult putting disabled and vulnerable claimants at greater risk of harm.

Proactive, consistent and compassionate

Kris Ambler, our Workforce Lead, said: 鈥淭his duty would embed a proactive, consistent, and compassionate approach to protecting the mental and physical wellbeing of vulnerable claimants across the benefits system.

鈥淧olicymakers now have a clear opportunity - and responsibility - to address long-standing concerns about how the welfare system responds to those most at risk. Too many claimants living with mental health conditions have faced avoidable harm due to a lack of joined-up processes, unclear accountability, and insufficient specialist support.

Access to psychological therapies

鈥淥ne of the most valuable interventions available to safeguard and support vulnerable individuals is access to timely, high-quality psychological therapies. Evidence shows that therapeutic support - whether delivered via NHS Talking Therapies services, employment support programmes, or embedded within Jobcentre Plus - can significantly improve mental health outcomes, enhance claimants鈥� confidence, and enable more sustainable transitions into work or training.

鈥淲e echo the committee鈥檚 call for greater collaboration between the DWP, the NHS, and third sector mental health providers.

鈥淓mbedding psychological support into the welfare system isn鈥檛 just the right thing to do - it also delivers clear economic value by reducing crisis demand, improving engagement with employment services, and ultimately supporting people to thrive rather than just survive.

Roadmap for reform

鈥淲e urge ministers and officials to treat this report as a roadmap for reform. A statutory safeguarding duty, paired with investment in psychological support, would send a powerful signal: that the welfare state is not simply a system of compliance, but a system of care.鈥�

The report says there should be a comprehensive, joined up approach to safeguarding.

It also mentions implementing measures to proactively offer support to claimants with mental health issues, including ensuring the DWP gives them detailed information about support available to them.

Read the full report