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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Some Christmas Eve benefits not paid due to DWP 'error' | Some Christmas Eve benefits not paid due to DWP 'error' |
| (about 1 hour 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 loans to cover rent and other "essential" items. | Most of those affected are first-time claimants or people expecting loans to cover rent and other "essential" items. |
| The DWP attempted to pay the money to anyone who called the department or a Jobcentre by 5pm on Christmas Eve. | |
| A spokesman said the problem had affected only a "limited number" of claimants, totalling 32,200. | |
| "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 27 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 27 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 (24 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 (24 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 budgeting loans, which are a minimum of £100 and are meant to help with the cost of "essential things" such as clothes, rent and furniture. | Some of those affected include new claimants waiting for their first payment, those owed arrears, people who have applied for Social Fund budgeting loans, which are a minimum of £100 and are meant to help with the cost of "essential things" such as clothes, rent and furniture. |
| In "a very few cases" people owed pension-related arrears have also been affected. | In "a very few cases" people owed pension-related arrears have also been affected. |
| The categories of benefits affected include Jobseekers Allowance, Employment Support Allowance, Social Fund and certain categories of pension. | The categories of benefits affected include Jobseekers Allowance, Employment Support Allowance, Social Fund and certain categories of pension. |