Your end-of-year rating must always be based on a balanced consideration of your personal performance over the reporting period. DWP People Performance Procedure supports performance improvement but this cannot be achieved by misuse of ‘Must improve’ ratings. The ‘Achieved’ rating encompasses the widest span of performance and may include performance that is verging on needing improvement or exceeding in some areas or is generally satisfactory (Procedure 9.6).

See the rest of the PCS guidance in the DWP Group circular here.