The two-year Work and Pensions Committee report follows a number of high-profile deaths of claimants, including Errol Graham, Phillipa Day, Jodey Whiting and Kevin Gale, and comes after criticism of the recent benefit cuts.

Committee chair Debbie Abrahams said: ‘Is this a system that is going to help people find their way back into sustainable work? Is this a system that will humanely support those who never can? Both need to happen.

‘Deep-rooted cultural change of the DWP is desperately needed to rebuild trust and put safeguarding at the heart of policy development.'

MPs called for the DWP to have a duty to refer vulnerable claimants to other agencies that have a duty of care, with the secretary of state held accountable for the safeguarding duty.

Other recommendations include inserting ‘victims of domestic abuse' as a standalone category within the ‘Additional Support Area' in Universal Credit, which helps DWP staff to identify potentially vulnerable claimants. The category's absence, the report said, was a ‘glaring omission' due to the unique needs of victims and survivors.

The committee said the potential health impacts of all new significant policies must be assessed by the DWP's chief medical advisor's team as part noting that such health assessments are not carried out consistently on all major policy changes.

A DWP spokesperson said: ‘This Government is committed to protecting the people who use our services and fixing the broken welfare system we inherited so it works for those who need it.

‘That's why we are currently consulting on a new safeguarding approach, and our reforms will improve people's lives and rebuild trust, by establishing an approach that genuinely supports vulnerable people.

‘As we deliver our Plan for Change, we encourage people to have their voices heard through our consultation so we can build a safeguarding approach that works better for all.'