DWP admits making up 'happy' benefit claimant case studies
Leaflet featuring false stories withdrawn as Twitter mocks Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has admitted that "happy" benefits claimants featured in one of its leaflets were fictitious – and their quotes fabricated. The leaflet has been withdrawn, after mocking additions trended on Twitter.The leaflet featured pictures of "Zac", "Sarah" and others, which turned out to be stock photographs of models presented as claimants, accompanied by lengthy quotations illustrating how sanctions on their payments had ultimately helped them.Smiling "Sarah" explained that her benefits were reduced because she at first failed to make a CV. After she was told her payments were reduced, she decided to comply.Her 'statement' said the benefits were now back to normal and concluded: "I'm really pleased with how my CV looks. It's going to help me when I'm ready to go back to work."However, it emerged that there was no Sarah when the website Welfare Weekly made a Freedom of Information request. The site says that "within days" of its request, the online version of the leaflet disappeared from the DWP site.The stock photographs were replaced with silhouettes and included a disclaimer admitting the people quoted "aren't real". That version has since been removed as well.In the meantime, the story trended on Twitter under the hashtag #fakeDWPstories, with tweeters posting their own concocted stories about benefits sanctions.
The DWP told The Guardian: "The photos used are stock photos and along with the names do not belong to real claimants. The stories are for illustrative purposes only."We want to help people understand when sanctions can be applied and how they can avoid them by taking certain actions. Using practical examples can help us achieve this."However, Labour leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn said: "The fact that the DWP has to make up quotes from benefit claimants saying sanctions are helping them, presumably because they can't find anyone who says they are, not only shows how out of touch the Tories are, but also the effects their ideologically driven policies are having on people's lives."The Guardian points out that the Advertising Standards Authority says marketing communications "must not materially mislead or be likely to do so" and marketers "must hold documentary evidence that a testimonial or endorsement used in a marketing communication is genuine, unless it is obviously fictitious".
Buzzfeed claims the fake stories "appear to break the Civil Service Code". The code says civil servants should not "deceive or knowingly mislead ministers, parliament or others".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Solo travel: the 'ultimate indulgence in 2024'
The Week Recommends Why more of us are choosing to go on holiday on our own
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Stormy Monday for Don'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
6 queer poets to read whenever but especially now
The Week Recommends April is National Poetry Month
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Will Aukus pact survive a second Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question US, UK and Australia seek to expand 'game-changer' defence partnership ahead of Republican's possible return to White House
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
It's the economy, Sunak: has 'Rishession' halted Tory fightback?
Today's Big Question PM's pledge to deliver economic growth is 'in tatters' as stagnation and falling living standards threaten Tory election wipeout
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Why your local council may be going bust
The Explainer Across England, local councils are suffering from grave financial problems
By The Week UK Published
-
Rishi Sunak and the right-wing press: heading for divorce?
Talking Point The Telegraph launches 'assault' on PM just as many Tory MPs are contemplating losing their seats
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet, The Week UK Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
How the biggest election year in history might play out
The Explainer Votes in world's biggest democracies, as well as its most 'despotic' and 'stressed' countries, face threats of violence and suppression
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Good democracies include their poorest citizens. The UK excludes them'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published