Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Committee of Public Accounts
Published: 2004
Total Pages: 31
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Following on from a previous NAO report (HCP 1142, session 2002-03; ISBN 0102923523), the Committee's report examines the progress made by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to improve the quality of decision-making in social security benefits since the introduction of reformed procedures in 1998. Conclusions reached include that: the complexity of the benefits system remains a major problem for staff and customers alike, and is a key factor affecting the performance of the DWP; enhanced staff training and wider on-the-job experience is needed to further develop decision-making; there is a need for greater transparency in monitoring and reporting performance; there are some striking regional differences in decision-making practices; and that too few decisions are right first time, especially in the case of Disability Living Allowance, where over half of appeals cases are given in the applicant's favour.