Concerns have been raised after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) terminated the claims of more than 1,200 disabled people who failed to engage with the migration onto Universal Credit.
According to the Government department, the claims were stopped because claimants did not engage with the process of moving from older benefits such as Tax Credits, Housing Benefit, and ESA to Universal Credit. However, there have been significant complaints about how effective the process is.
Freedom of Information request reveals termination figures
A Freedom of Information request showed that the DWP ended the Universal Credit claims of hundreds of ESA and housing benefit claimants for failing to engage with the process, despite indicators that they had additional barriers to making the move.
Figures show that 1,640 claims from people previously receiving only ESA had been terminated for failing to engage with the DWP. An additional 760 claimants who had only been receiving housing benefit also had their claims terminated for the same reason.
Campaigners voice fears over impact
According to Disability News Service, claims were stopped despite previous evidence that migrating from such old benefits increased the risk of homelessness, destitution and mental distress for claimants.
Campaigners have raised concerns about the impacts of the process. Claire Glasman from WinVisible, a disabled women's campaign group, says she is “frightened” by the situation, adding that it is unknown “how many came to harm or even took their own lives” because of it.
DWP response on safeguarding
A DWP spokesperson said: "Supporting disabled people will always be our top priority, and we take safeguarding extremely seriously. That’s why for our most vulnerable customers that need help to claim, we provide extra contact and support through the Enhanced Support Journey, and every effort is made to contact the customer or their representative before we consider closing their claim."
The spokesperson added: "For those that successfully make a claim, we provide additional support until first payment, consider all possible barriers or vulnerabilities, and make sure all steps have been taken to support a claimant before we consider closing a case."
DWP says that fewer than 10 claims were closed due to failing to verify ID, while 390 ESA-only and 370 housing benefit-only claimants had claims terminated due to failing to accept the claimant commitment.
