The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is facing criticism after it was revealed that nearly 1,650 of its staff received formal performance warnings for exceeding sickness absence limits.
Formal Warnings Issued Amid Scrutiny
The figures, which cover the past year up to November 2025, came to light following a parliamentary question from Conservative MP Neil O'Brien. In a written response, Labour minister Andrew Western confirmed that 1,649 formal performance warnings were issued to staff whose absences surpassed departmental triggers.
However, the department admitted a significant data flaw. It stated that, due to the way records are kept, it cannot confirm whether every single warning was issued specifically because of excessive sickness absence. The DWP's total headcount as of November 2025 was 95,164 staff.
Political Context and Broader Debate
The disclosure has ignited a debate about productivity and management within one of Whitehall's largest departments. The data itself is published annually by the Cabinet Office, with the most recent set covering the year ending March 31, 2025—a period under the previous Conservative government.
This revelation arrives as ministers are actively pushing policies to encourage people back into work, highlighting concerns over the economic burden of sickness-related inactivity on the welfare system. The DWP oversees the executive agency Skills England, though its absence figures are not included in this total as its HR is managed by the Department for Education.
Taxpayer Concerns and Calls for Reform
The scale of the warnings has prompted strong reactions from government spending watchdogs. John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said the numbers "suggest a worrying culture of absence" at the DWP.
"When over a thousand staff are triggering formal warnings, taxpayers are entitled to ask whether the DWP is being properly managed," O'Connell stated. He called for the department to tighten attendance controls, improve its data systems, and ensure staff are delivering effectively for claimants, rather than allowing performance issues to be obscured by poor record-keeping.
The situation places the DWP under increased scrutiny regarding its internal HR practices and its role as a major public sector employer during a national focus on workforce participation.
