In its summary of its findings about the DWP’s and the Independent Case Examiner’s complaint handling, the report says that several aspects of the DWP’s process “reflected applicable standards”.
It goes on to say the DWP “needed to adapt its approach” because of the “volume of complaints it received” about its communications over the state pension age.
The report adds that it did not consider template responses “were inappropriate”, but that the DWP did not “adequately investigate or respond to the issues complained about” or “avoid unnecessary delays”.
“In these respects, what DWP did fell significantly short of our Principles of
Good Complaint Handling,” it adds.
The Independent Case Examiner (ICE), which reviews complains about certain government organisations that deal with benefits, work and financial support, “generally managed” and responded to complaints in line with its guidance, the report says.
And that while “some aspects could have been better”, the report finds it did not fall “so far
short of applicable standards that it was maladministration.”
