DWP statistics out last week revealed that 3% of ESA claimants were failing to migrate safely to universal credit. Alarmingly, this figure rises to 6% for those in receipt of ESA only.
With NAWRA members highlighting cases where DWP were refusing to extend the deadline and terminating legacy benefits, despite their involvement, we have written to Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee Debbie Abrahams to set out our concerns that these people are at a high risk of destitution, rapid deterioration in their health, and even death.
Our letter says –
While it is not in doubt that the Department is putting in place a wide range of measures to support vulnerable claimants – as set out in the analysis – too many are nevertheless slipping through the net and NAWRA is extremely concerned that the DWP has no plan on how it will support these claimants. Its response to stakeholders’ representations is that it can only do so much and that, having made a safeguarding referral to the local authority, it has met its duties.
We hope that in your role as Chair of the Committee, and with your particular interest in safeguarding, you will be able to exert some pressure on the Department to ensure that it has procedures in place to ensure the migration process does not result in further preventable deaths.