Disabled were underpaid by up to £20,000
Auditors blast benefits errors
SICK and disabled people were underpaid up to £20,000 each in benefits, a damning report finds.
The National Audit Office blasted the Department for Work and Pensions for “failing to get a grip”.
Auditors launched a probe after it emerged 70,000 claimants received too little cash when they moved to Employment and Support Allowance.
A review suggested around 45,000 claimants on the “enhanced disability premium” may be due £2,500 each.
Another 20,000 entitled to the “severe disability premium” could be owed £11,500 and “a small number” could have been underpaid £20,000.
The Government faces an extra benefits bill of up to £830million by 2023 and has 400 staff identifying back payments.
NAO chief Sir Amyas Morse said: “The Department’s committed to fixing the error by April 2019 but not everyone will be repaid all the money.”
The Government will face higher ongoing payments due to corrected claims. MS Society director Genevieve Edwards called it “inexcusable” and Labour accused the Government of “incompetence”. A DWP spokesman said: “We’re well under way with our plan to identify and repay people affected.” Meanwhile, Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey said caps on Access to Work grants for disabled workers will rise £15,000 to £57,200 a year in April.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has signalled a cap on “punitive” social care costs for some illnesses such as dementia.