A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) employee has taken to Reddit to ask claimants to show more kindness and understanding towards frontline staff. After enduring a particularly difficult shift, the worker revealed the emotional toll of being shouted at, threatened, and subjected to suicidal comments during calls.
In a post titled “please be kinder,” the employee wrote: “Hi, I work at general inquiry for a sector of the DWP. It sounds silly but I just finished my shift and wanted to request that people be kinder and take into consideration the person talking on the other person on the phone is a human being too. It’s been a really, really rough shift today, people yelling, threatening my life, threatening their own lives - all day - it’s been a rough one. I had a good cry about it and wanted to write this here in case it changes one person’s mind on how they talk to an agent.”
The post sparked an outpouring of supportive comments from other Reddit users. One wrote, “I’m sorry that you’ve had people screaming at you… nobody has the right to do that to you and you don’t deserve that. Do something nice tonight to take your mind off it. A film, a warm bath or cake!” Another emphasized the importance of empathy, saying, “People always forget that they are talking to individuals. It’s never ok to be rude or unkind to someone just because you are mad or frustrated at the company or organisation.”
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Others highlighted the challenging position DWP staff are in, often becoming the target of anger directed at the system itself. “People need to remember the majority of the people are doing their best,” one commenter noted. Another added gratitude, sharing their experience of helpful and understanding call handlers who eased their anxiety during stressful application processes.
However, some users also acknowledged the frustration claimants feel due to systemic issues such as long wait times and lack of clarity. One respondent pointed out, “It’s worth remembering that many people calling the DWP are at their wits' end fighting every single day to get information from a company that doesn’t want to give information, that has years-long wait times.”
While most comments expressed sympathy and understanding, a few voices expressed less patience, with one stating, “When the person on the other end of the line has the potential of making my life 1000% harder… It’s hard not to return the favour.”
This open conversation sheds light on the human side of those working at the DWP and serves as a powerful reminder to approach interactions with compassion, even amidst frustration.