What we do
This section provides details of what DWP does and how it is organised, its key policy information, campaigns and Non-Departmental Public Bodies.
The Department supports its Ministers in developing and implementing policies and strategies aimed at:
- people who receive benefit
- people who need help to get work
- disabled people
- older people
- people who get the State Pension.
Every working day DWP will:
- receive around 10,000 vacancies,
- interview 45,000 customers to help them prepare for work,
- make a decision for over 17,000 people on new benefit claims,
- visit 3,000 customers, on average, in their own homes or at a location of their choice,
- answer over 300,000 telephone calls to its helplines.
How we are organised
To deliver its aims and objectives, the Department is organised into three areas:
- policy
- customer service delivery
- corporate functions.
Departmental policies
Find out more about our policies in the policy section of this website.
Customer service delivery
To deliver its priorities more efficiently and provide a more joined up service to its customers, DWP operates through two main customer delivery businesses, Jobcentre Plus and the Pension, Disability and Carers Service.
Departmental Framework
The Departmental Framework sets out how the Department is managed and organised and explains the accountability of its decision-making processes.
Key facts
This section contains details of key aspects of the corporate background of the Department, such as the staff compliment and budgets.
Campaigns
DWP uses media campaigns to inform people of developments in its key policy areas and what impact they have on the public.
These are the current, key media campaigns:
- Real Help Now – practical information and advice on training and skills, jobs and benefits and on keeping your home.
- Find your way back to work – information for people facing redundancy or who have recently become unemployed on how we can help them with benefits, jobs and training.
- Age Positive - promoting the benefits of a mixed-age workforce.
- Employ ability – is for managers and employers who want to know how they can use the talent and skills of disabled people and those with long-term health conditions.
- Full of Life – Under the Full of Life banner, the Government and other supporting groups are undertaking a wide programme of activity to raise the profile of the issues surrounding older people and our ageing society.
- Targeting benefit thieves – the DWP takes benefit theft very seriously. Although the vast majority of people who claim benefits are honest, those who steal benefits are picking the pockets of law-abiding taxpayers. In 2007-08 benefit thieves stole an estimated £800 million from public funds, that's why we are determined to catch them.
- The Disability Discrimination Act and you – a website that explains the Disability Discrimination Act and how it affects you and your business.
Non-Departmental Public Bodies
Non-Departmental Public Bodies have a role in the delivery and implementation of Government business but are not a Government department or part of one. They operate independently and at arm’s length from Ministers but are still accountable to the public for the services they provide.
