Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether people in receipt of back-payments for employment support allowance will also be in receipt of back-payments for other legacy benefits.

This exercise is to correct historic errors in Employment and Support Allowance and ensure arrears due are paid in line with primary legislation.

Legacy benefits is the term used for benefits migrating to Universal Credit – these are income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income-Based Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefits, Child and Working Tax Credits.

Where the Department administers these benefits we are ensuring that arrears due, as a result of these historic errors, are made to claimants in line with primary legislation. For benefits administered outside of the Department such as Tax Credits, eligibility is determined by the relevant authority/department.