Updated 13 March 2013

Doing business with DWP

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is the largest civil Government Department with a presence in almost every UK town and city, and having an annual expenditure of around £4.6 billion on externally supplied goods and services.

This section provides advice and guidance on:

• Selling to DWP
• Code of good practice
• Terms and conditions
• Small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
• Data protection and information security
• The Provision Forum
• Sustainable procurement

Please send any enquiries on this section to the Supplier enquiry team via our feedback facility.

Prompt payment to DWP suppliers

All central government departments are now required to pay 80% of undisputed invoices within five days. DWP staff and suppliers need to be aware of the correct procedures involved to achieve this.

Suppliers must send invoices directly to Shared Services, DWP Purchase to Pay, 3rd Floor Companies House, Crown Way, Maindy, Cardiff CF14 3UW.

In February 2013, the figures for DWP payment of invoices to suppliers were 99.6 % within 30 working days, 99% within 10 working days and 88.4% within 5 working days.

Prompt payment to sub-contractor

Where suppliers use sub-contractors for the performance of their contract with DWP, these suppliers are now required to pay the sub-contractor invoices within 30 days.

Sub-contractors who want to report non-compliance with this requirement should provide details, including the nature of their contract with the DWP supplier and, where possible, details of the suppliers’ contract with DWP, by email to the DWP Supplier Enquiry Team at quarryhouse.supplyingdwpqh@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.

DWP Supplier Charter

The Supplier Charter reflects and embraces DWP’s core values and our commitment to a fairer, more sustainable society. It uses a partnering approach to drive up value for money through continuous improvement and innovation.

• DWP Supplier Charter (144KB)

Supplier References

It is DWP commercial policy that no member of staff should, on request from a supplier or directly from a supplier’s potential client, provide a reference. This action extends to general information and not merely to supplier performance.

However, where a request for a reference is received it is possible to provide information confirming that information which is already in the public domain.

Therefore, in such circumstances, information disclosures should be limited to confirmation that a supplier is undertaking work (or has done so previously) for the Department, the nature of the service/goods provided, the contract period and the contract value.

In line with the Civil Service Code of Conduct (para 13) staff will not suggest that DWP in any way recommends, or does not recommend, any particular supplier, and must in no circumstances compare any supplier with its competitors or make any other comment about the relevant supplier market place.