Asked by: Marie Tidball (Labour - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to roll out backdated payments for enhanced disability premium for claimants who transferred to Universal Credit before 14 February 2024; and whether these payments will be ongoing for claimants of Universal Credit who would have been previously eligible for enhanced disability premium beyond 14 February 2024.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are providing transitional protection to some customers who moved to Universal Credit following a change in their circumstances and not via the “managed migration” process.
To end the losses new customers to Universal Credit were facing, new regulations came into force on 14th February 2024 that provide newly eligible customers, who move to Universal Credit following a change in their circumstances, with additional Transitional Protections where they are entitled to a Transitional Severe Disability Premium Element.
These regulations provide eligible people with an additional amount of transitional protection to reflect the loss of the Enhanced Disability Premium, the Disability Premium, and an amount for disabled children.
We are fully committed to identifying and paying eligible customers who have already moved to Universal Credit following a change in their circumstances. These payments commenced in January 2025. and we are committed to make payments to all eligible customers as soon as possible.