Universal Credit bosses accused of holding 10,000 disabled people to ransom after they lost money by switching benefits
MINISTERS have been accused of “holding 10,000 disabled people to ransom” by refusing to give them money back they lost when switching benefits.
Severely disabled people are still waiting to get their money back when they started claiming Universal Credit, even though the Government has promised the cash months ago.
In January ministers stopped anyone claiming severe disability premiums from going onto the system, amid fears that thousands were hundreds of pounds off every month.
But the Department for Work and Pensions has said it will only pay the cash back once MPs pass new laws about how to move millions of Brits over onto the new system.
Anyone who is going to be moved over manually by officials will get extra cash to ease the blow – but that won’t last forever.
Today DWP minister Alok Sharma was accused of playing politics with the lives of the 10,000 people who moved over but without the extra cash.
Labour MP Ruth George said: “You’re basically holding 10,000 disabled people to ransom to try and force the house to agree to your regulations overall.”
“It sounds very much like you’re trying to blackmail members of this House.”
She said Brits feared being evicted from their homes after being unable to pay their rent, and there was “no end in sight” for them.
He replied: “That’s certainly not my intention… I’m very sorry you feel that it is something we’re trying to do.”
And Mr Sharma said there was no way that they could get back-payments sooner unless MPs passed the relevant laws about all people moving over onto Universal Credit.
MPs have said they won’t pass the new regulations to move everyone over as they stand – as they fear the process will leave vulnerable people without cash, who could fall through the cracks.
Last year the High Court ruled it was unlawful and ministers agreed to give them back payments.
Amber Rudd has delayed the rollout of Universal Credit to people on the old system while she tries to fix issues in the system.
The Sun has campaigned to fix some of the problems with the flagship benefits system, calling on ministers to reduce the wait times, help Brits keep more of what they earn and get childcare paid upfront.
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Instead a trial of just 10,000 people will be done this year in Harrogate to try and ensure its as smooth as possible.
But hundreds of thousands of Brits will go onto Universal Credit anyway due to changes in their personal situations – like moving house or getting a new job.
Mr Sharma said today that there was “no legal basis” for putting people back on the old system once they’ve moved over and lost cash.
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