Employment and Support Allowance: Underpayments Debate

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Department: Department for Work and Pensions

Employment and Support Allowance: Underpayments

Jim Shannon Excerpts
Monday 25th February 2019

(5 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Sarah Newton Portrait Sarah Newton
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I thank the hon. Lady for her question. I would of course be delighted to meet her and discuss Gillian. Clearly something is not right. It does not sound like it is related to what we are talking about today, but clearly something has gone wrong and I would be delighted to meet the hon. Lady as a matter of urgency.

Jim Shannon Portrait Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
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I thank the Minister for her response so far. Underpayments to my constituents have ranged from £3,000 to one massive sum of £22,000. The issue affects some of my constituents when it comes to housing benefit. Can the Minister assure me that none of my constituents will be disadvantaged by something that is not their fault?

Sarah Newton Portrait Sarah Newton
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I thank my hon. Friend for raising that question. This was an official error, so the income disregards do apply and his constituents should not be disadvantaged in the way he describes.