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Social Security Benefits: Home Visits

Asked by Wendy ChamberlainLiberal DemocratDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 23 December 2025UIN 99510

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department has issued on visits by DWP staff to claimant households.

Answered by Sir Stephen Timms

Our Operational Instructions include a specific section to support colleagues undertaking Home Visits. For context, please find attached an excerpt from our Core Visits Referral Guide. Other topics in this section include content relating to Safeguarding, Communication Strategies and links to Learning and Development products. This content is available to all DWP staff.

Further sections related to Identity Verification and Keeping Customer Interactions Safe includes instructional content that supports DWP staff navigating systems, which store sensitive customer data and therefore is not suitable for public disclosure.

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