The Department for Work and Pensions may make a “special payment” to around 1,000 benefit claimants.
According to the DWP, those who are eligible for the payment were told to claim a different benefit than they should have, resulting in them receiving less money.
The DWP confirmed that approximately 1,000 persons may be entitled to file a claim.
You may be eligible for this payment if you applied for Income Support on or after January 31, 2011 owing to a disability or health condition.
The DWP advised claimants to apply for Income Support, although they should have been advised to apply for Income-related Employment and Support Allowance instead.
You will be eligible for the money if you are still getting Income Support, or if you have moved onto income-related ESA or Universal Credit
If you are still receiving Income Support, you will be entitled to a payment if both of the following apply:
- You made a claim for Income Support on or after January 31, 2011 because of a disability or health condition
- You were not getting Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA) when you made the Income Support claim
If you have moved onto income-related ESA or Universal Credit, you will be eligible if the following apply:
- You made a claim for Income Support on or after January 31, 2011 because of a disability or health condition
You were not getting Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance when you made that Income Support claim - You had a Work Capability Assessment when you moved from Income Support to income-related ESA or Universal Credit and you were found to have “limited capability for work” or “limited capability for work and work related activity”
If this describes you, contact your local Jobcentre and inquire about the “Income Support Claims Review exercise.”
Following that, you will be informed whether any additional information is required to support your application.
The DWP will then compare the amount you received on Income Support to the amount you should have received on income-related ESA. If you should have received more money through income-related ESA, you will be compensated.
According to the DWP, estimating an average payment amount is impossible because it is entirely dependent on individual claimant’s circumstances.
If you got more Income Support than you would have got on income-related ESA, then you will not have to pay the extra money back.
The scheme will be offered “as long as there are applications” and if the DWP has not received applications for six months, it will review it.