A Personal Independence Payment claimant was unable to see their dying mother after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) lost their passport, an official report has revealed.
An independent examiner concluded it was "more likely than not" that officials received and then lost the document. The claimant had sent the passport to prove their residence status but, when they requested it back to travel abroad, DWP said they had never received it. The mother died without the claimant being able to see her.
Formal Apology Issued
The case has prompted a formal apology from the DWP about mistakes in cases after the investigation.
A DWP spokesperson said: "We apologise for mistakes made in these cases and strive to get it right every time. Of our 20 million customers, fewer than 1% complain, with our most recent survey showing satisfaction in the Department is increasing.
"We are not complacent, however, and continue to listen and act on feedback to ensure a consistent quality service is provided."
Complaint Figures Revealed
The new report says in one year, there were 10,965 complaints, 3,215 of which were accepted. DWP caseload is up and reforms are being made, officials say.
