Earlier this year, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) identified 22,500 Housing Benefit claimants affected by the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) underpayment and Incapacity Benefit reassessment corrective exercise. Local authorities began checking if arrears were due for those claimants between 2011 and 2019.
DWP has now said that since the initial exercise was completed in March, further cases have been identified that have subsequently had their Income Related ESA award reassessed. However, DWP added that it expects the number of cases to be low.
Once DWP has reassessed the Income Related ESA award, a letter will be issued to the claimant detailing the periods of any benefit arrears payment. DWP also said that this letter advises the claimant to contact their local authority to request that their Housing Benefit award is reassessed for the relevant dates set out in the letter.
