Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the time taken for benefit claimants to receive decision letters containing a four week deadline for appeal by post; and what assessment she has made of the effect of postal delays on the time available for claimants to make an appeal.

Appeals about DWP decisions are made directly to Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS).

Our correspondence, including decision letters, is issued via 2nd class post in keeping with our responsibility to efficiently use public funds; so we expect it to arrive within three working days, including Saturdays.

There are no plans to change the start date of the period to make an appeal. The extension of that period, including the consideration of any postal delay, is made by HMCTS.