21-12-2015, 02:58 PM
1
Benefit mistakes putting people at risk
Benefit mistakes and delays are causing families to go hungry and putting homes at risk, a group of MPs has warned.A focus on reducing benefit overpayments has not been matched with tackling underpayments, the work and pensions select committee said.
Fraud and error in the benefits system is estimated to cost up to £4.5bn a year - about 3% of welfare spending.
The government said it had made "huge improvements" and was working to revolutionise the payments system.
Frank Field, chairman of the cross party group of MPs, said late or insufficient payments were leaving "vulnerable people in desperate situations".
The committee acknowledged "many parts of the welfare system work well" but it found evidence that benefit problems "often led claimants to face difficult decisions over whether to pay their rent or provide essentials such as food, gas and electricity for their household," with many becoming reliant on food banks as a result of underpaid benefits.
"Improve delivery now"
The Department for Work and Pensions expects its flagship welfare programme, universal credit, to simplify welfare and make it less vulnerable to mistakes.
But the MPs warned the repeatedly delayed new system presented problems.
Labour MP Mr Field said: "The government is betting the farm on universal credit but that will not be fully implemented for several years... The department must not neglect the existing system in the hope that universal credit will save the day. On the contrary, it must do more to improve delivery now."
From the BBC online
How anyone can believe people on benefit really have enough baffles me.
When/if the mistakes are found one word you never hear is SORRY
21-12-2015, 06:19 PM
2
Re: Benefit mistakes putting people at risk
Hear Hear, Julie. Not to mention all the poor sods on ESA who have had assessments and been deemed fit to work, never mind that they can hardly crawl across the floor, or whose depression is so bad they can't even speak, and sit there rocking at the interview.A good many have already given up the fight and done themselves in.
And all this for a benefit which hardly enables anyone to keep body and soul together.
22-12-2015, 09:11 AM
3
Re: Benefit mistakes putting people at risk
Originally Posted by Julie1962
->
Benefit mistakes and delays are causing families to go hungry and putting homes at risk, a group of MPs has warned. A focus on reducing benefit overpayments has not been matched with tackling underpayments, the work and pensions select committee said.
Fraud and error in the benefits system is estimated to cost up to £4.5bn a year - about 3% of welfare spending.
The government said it had made "huge improvements" and was working to revolutionise the payments system.
Frank Field, chairman of the cross party group of MPs, said late or insufficient payments were leaving "vulnerable people in desperate situations".
The committee acknowledged "many parts of the welfare system work well" but it found evidence that benefit problems "often led claimants to face difficult decisions over whether to pay their rent or provide essentials such as food, gas and electricity for their household," with many becoming reliant on food banks as a result of underpaid benefits.
"Improve delivery now"
The Department for Work and Pensions expects its flagship welfare programme, universal credit, to simplify welfare and make it less vulnerable to mistakes.
But the MPs warned the repeatedly delayed new system presented problems.
Labour MP Mr Field said: "The government is betting the farm on universal credit but that will not be fully implemented for several years... The department must not neglect the existing system in the hope that universal credit will save the day. On the contrary, it must do more to improve delivery now."
From the BBC online
How anyone can believe people on benefit really have enough baffles me.
When/if the mistakes are found one word you never hear is SORRY
Ahhh Julie darlin' when I was giving advice and acting as a representative, I could not only paper the walls of my flat with letters of apology from various offices of DWP, but in addition, I won exgratia payments of compensation for my clients too !!!
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