(The Secretary of State for Work
and Pensions):On 15 March I provided the House with a
statement setting out how the work my Department was undertaking to
correct underpayments that occurred when converting Incapacity
Benefit claims to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) between
2011 and 2014 was progressing. I wanted to take this opportunity to
provide the House with a further update.
In March I explained that my Department would resource this
exercise with 400 staff to make sure we could review cases at
pace. This work is now underway with staff reviewing cases,
contacting claimants and correcting claims; so far we have paid
out over £40 million in arrears.
The Department has analysed the relationship between “official
error” and section 27 of the Social Security Act 1998 in
regulating how and to what extent arrears can be paid. As a
result of the conclusions of this analysis, we will now be paying
arrears to those affected back to their date of conversion to
ESA.
My Department will be contacting all those identified as
potentially affected as planned. Once an individual is contacted,
and the relevant information gathered, they can expect to receive
appropriate payment within 12 weeks. I can also confirm that once
contacted, individuals will be provided with a dedicated free
phone number on which they can make contact with the Department.
Where we have already corrected cases and paid arrears from 21
October 2014 we will review the case again and pay any additional
arrears that are due prior to that date.
I hope this will help Members to provide reassurance, to their
constituents who think they may have been affected, that they
will receive all the money they are entitled to.
