South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon has called on the Department for Work and Pensions to make its benefits information much clearer, after a new report finds that many of the Department’s leaflets need above-average reading skills to understand them.
Mr Bacon was speaking as the Commons public accounts committee published its report on the leaflets the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) uses to communicate with the public.
The report finds that understanding the DWP’s leaflets requires a higher reading age than the national average. Only 46 per cent of the DWP’s leaflets have a ‘Crystal Mark’ for plain English and the Department has previously failed to test its leaflets with customers before launch.
Mr Bacon said today: “The DWP is bombarding the public with leaflets,
but appears to give little thought to whether they can actually be
understood. Benefits leaflets that are difficult for their target
audience to understand could lead to people making mistakes or not
getting the benefits they are entitled to”.
“The DWP must put more effort into presenting complex information in
easy terms people will understand. Making sure leaflets are tested
before they are issued will go a long way to improving matters and I
hope to see an improvement in the design of these leaflets soon”.
23 January 2007
PAC REPORT: Using leaflets to communicate with the public
PARLIAMENT:
MP calls for clearer benefit leaflets - Jan '06
PARLIAMENT:
Break the benefits cycle, urges MP
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