DWP claimants could be owed thousands of pounds from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) after an error caused their housing benefit to be underpaid.
The mistake resulted in claimants receiving less housing benefit than they were due, following a separate error regarding the underpayment of Employment Support Allowance (ESA) which was caused by some claimants being transferred from older benefits. Included in this are those who were transferred to ESA from Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disability Allowance or Income Support starting from 2011.
As reported by the Liverpool ECHO, ESA is intended to assist people who have a disability or health condition, and recipients can get up to £74.70 each week. People who claim should receive the maximum housing benefit.
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According to the DWP, there have been approximately 22,500 cases of people who got less housing benefit than they were due between 2011 and 2019 as a result of the ESA mistake. The UK Government has revealed that it has looked at around 600,000 cases since 2016.
Almost 120,000 arrears payments have been made to claimants who were found to have been underpaid ESA, which totals around £613 million. This money equates to what claimants should have received in the first place.
The average amount that claimants are due is £5,000, but people who are on a severe disability premium could be due as much as £11,500. One woman was given nearly £20,000 in backpay, and also successfully won compensation for the error on top after taking her case to the Ombudsman.
Certain claimants missed out on premiums such as the enhanced disability premium, which provides up to £24.60 each week. The DWP has now revealed that it is working alongside councils to locate people who may be owed underpaid housing benefit as well between now and June.
A DWP Spokesperson stated: “As part of the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) underpayment exercise we informed Local Authorities of any new and past awards of income-related ESA so that Local Authorities can consider the impacts on Housing Benefit and pay any arrears due.”
How to check if you're owed any money
The DWP has been getting in touch with those who were affected by the ESA underpayment mistake, meaning that if you are included you should receive a letter informing you of the details. People who have not been contacted but believe they are due a pay-out should call the DWP on 0800 169 0346.
The Mirror asked the DWP how much on average those who didn't receive the full amount of housing benefit could be entitled to but there has not yet been a response. The amount you could be due depends on how long you were underpaid.
Housing benefit is given to households who are struggling to pay their rent due to unemployment or low-income. How it is calculated is complicated.
Housing benefit is usually worked out by adding together a "personal allowance" - based on your age and living situation - and any additional "premiums" you could be entitled to. Your income and renting situation is then also taken into account, along with any dependants you live with, to come up with an "applicable amount".
