The DWP — work and pensions
Responsible for benefits and the state pension. Its decisions, checks and the recovery of overpayments.
Articles on this topic: 6
Your gas and electricity debt can be written off in full: who Ofgem is clearing 2022–2024 bills for, and what you must do
While everyone was working out the new price cap, Ofgem quietly launched a scheme that writes off old energy debt — up to £500m for around 195,000 customers, in full and with no matching payment. There is no application form: your supplier finds you, which is exactly why a write-off is so easy to miss. Here are the conditions — debt billed between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2024, a £100 minimum, means-tested benefits, and one non-obvious requirement that pushes people out of the scheme.
DWP debt recovery: from October money can be taken straight from your bank account, and debts over £1,000 can cost you your driving licence
The DWP is switching on new recovery powers: direct deductions from bank accounts without a court order and, in persistent cases, disqualification from driving for up to two years. Warning letters started on 24 June and the window to agree terms closes on 24 October 2026. It applies to people who are no longer on benefits and not in PAYE work.
Guaranteed jobs for young people on health benefits: the state will pay six months of wages
The Department for Work and Pensions announced on 27 September a major expansion of the Jobs Guarantee: from April 2027, young people on health benefits will be offered a guaranteed paid job 13 weeks after their Work Capability Assessment. Participation is voluntary, and the government will cover 100% of wages for up to 25 hours a week for six months. Here is who qualifies and what to do now.
Under-16 social media ban from spring 2027: UK hires 1,000 youth workers and puts £450m into teenagers
On 26 September the government announced 1,000 new youth workers and a £450m fund for clubs and activities — and confirmed the timetable for the under-16 social media ban: regulations before the end of the year, launch in spring 2027. Here is what it means for families, and what 18-to-24-year-olds can already claim.
The government built a free CV tool: 20,000 CVs through Work Hub — and how to use it
On 25 September the DWP published the first results from Work Hub, the free job-search platform it calls a “jobcentre in your pocket”. The CV builder is open to everyone, not only people on benefits. Here is what is inside, where to find it and what not to expect.
UK law does not require proof of address — and nine banks must open you a basic account
Checked against the rules themselves rather than the banks' websites: nine designated banks must open a basic account within 10 business days, the grounds for refusal are a closed list, and neither a poor credit file nor a missing address is on it. What to bring instead of a utility bill, where £120,000 of protection applies and where none does, and what changed on 28 April 2026.