PIP claimants could receive backdated payments after DWP error

Thousands of people who successfully appealed against a Personal Independence Payment decision should receive backdated payments, the government has confirmed.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has admitted to an error in the way it calculated PIP awards, which has led to some claimants being underpaid.

The DWP has said that it will be contacting everyone who has been affected to let them know how much they are owed.

PIP is a benefit that provides financial support to people with disabilities or long-term health conditions.

It is paid to people aged 16 or over who need help with daily living or getting around.

The DWP says that the error occurred in cases where claimants successfully appealed against a decision to refuse or reduce their PIP award.

In these cases, the DWP should have backdated the claimant's award to the date of the original decision.

However, in some cases, the DWP failed to do this, which has led to claimants being underpaid.

The DWP has said that it is sorry for the error and will be taking steps to ensure that it does not happen again.

The charity Turn2us has welcomed the DWP's announcement.

Sarah Porretta, Turn2us welfare benefits expert, said: "We are pleased that DWP has finally taken action to resolve this long-standing issue."

"Thousands of people who successfully appealed against a PIP decision have been left out of pocket for years and this announcement will provide some much-needed relief."

If you think you may be affected by this issue, you should contact the DWP.