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| Some Christmas Eve benefits not paid due to DWP 'error' | Some Christmas Eve benefits not paid due to DWP 'error' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than 32,000 people have not received benefit payments in time for Christmas due to a Department for Work and Pensions "administrative error". | More than 32,000 people have not received benefit payments in time for Christmas due to a Department for Work and Pensions "administrative error". |
| The cash was due to go into bank accounts on Christmas Eve but will not now be paid until Friday, 27 December. | The cash was due to go into bank accounts on Christmas Eve but will not now be paid until Friday, 27 December. |
| Most of those affected are first time claimants or people expecting one-off payments such as crisis loans. | Most of those affected are first time claimants or people expecting one-off payments such as crisis loans. |
| The DWP said they would get their money within three hours if the called the department or a Jobcentre by 5pm. | |
| A spokesman said the problem had only affected a "limited number" of claimants, totalling 32,200 and Jobcentre staff were trying to get money to those who got in touch. | |
| "The vast majority of regular benefit payments have been made on time this Christmas," the spokesman added. | "The vast majority of regular benefit payments have been made on time this Christmas," the spokesman added. |
| "However due to an administrative issue, a number of one-off or more irregular payments will now be paid on the 27th December, rather than the 24th. | "However due to an administrative issue, a number of one-off or more irregular payments will now be paid on the 27th December, rather than the 24th. |
| "We have procedures in place to ensure that anyone who has been affected by this and who contacts us today (24th December) will get their benefits paid, usually within three hours." | "We have procedures in place to ensure that anyone who has been affected by this and who contacts us today (24th December) will get their benefits paid, usually within three hours." |
| Some of those affected include new claimants waiting for their first payment, those owed arrears, people who have applied for Social Fund crisis loans and "in a very few cases" pension-related arrears. | Some of those affected include new claimants waiting for their first payment, those owed arrears, people who have applied for Social Fund crisis loans and "in a very few cases" pension-related arrears. |
| The categories of benefits affected include Jobseekers Allowance, Employment Support Allowance, Social Fund and certain categories of pension. |