DWP announces plan to 'modernise' State Pension and nine other benefits

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has moved to shed light on a £200 MILLION plan to modernise the State Pension and nine other benefits. The DWP Service Modernisation Programme (SMP) hopes to “transform the services that the Department provides to around 20 million customers”, according to the details of a formal project assessment newly published on GOV.UK.

Yhe scheme, which forms part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio, is comprised of three layers, the first of which is focused on the “modernisation of 10 different product areas”. The 10 services are State Pension; Pension Credit; Carer’s Allowance; Attendance Allowance; Cold Weather Payments; Child Maintenance Service; Access to Work; Maternity Allowance; Disability Living Allowance for Children; and Disputes.

The second layer of the project will include “introducing cross-cutting capabilities to improve service and manage demand across DWP”. The third and final layer will be dedicated to the “development of a new service design, creating a [department-wide] delivery model for the future – outside of Universal Credit”.

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DWP permanent secretary Peter Schofield describes the modernisation scheme as “crucial to DWP’s improvement ambitions and a key enabler to the Department achieving its four strategic outcomes and business strategy ambitions”.

“The programme will do this by delivering digital services with a human touch, through joined-up services that are designed around customers and with services that do not stand still,” the assessment added. “In achieving these aims SMP, will bring about a step change in customer experience, colleague capabilities and service efficiency by providing: modern services which are more accessible and responsive to customer’s needs, with higher quality, joined-up and more efficient service delivery staff with the skills and support they need and improving the technology underpinning departmental services an organisation with the culture and tools to modernise continually from now on.”

“Our modernisation programme will save £647m by 2033 through driving improvements in customer service for our 20 million customers. This means savings of £2.03 for every £1 spent,” a departmental spokesperson said. “The programme looks at how DWP customers access our services and how to improve this through new capabilities, including voice-led technology, and a digital offer allowing more customers to self-serve and reduce their need to contact DWP by telephone.”