PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Employment and Support Allowance: Telephone Services (30 October 2019)

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2019 to Question 198, what steps she is taking to improve telephone waiting times for the employment and support allowance telephone helpline.

Asked by:
Damian Hinds (Conservative)

As a Department we regularly review the resource required to meet the demand on our telephony channels. Our aim is to provide our customers with the prompt service they deserve but at times high call volumes can have an impact on the service we provide - which may result in some of our customers experiencing extended wait times.

Following a recent review, plans are in place for additional staffing to be deployed to handle Employment and Support Allowance calls and following this, we anticipate wait times to reduce.

Answered by:
Justin Tomlinson (Conservative)
5 November 2019