MILLIONS of people on legacy benefits have been given fresh hope that they could get backdated payments worth £1,500.
Four claimants on legacy benefits have won permission to appeal a big court case they lost against the Department for Work and Pensions.
Fresh hope has been given to millions on legacy benefits over a possible £1,500 payout
The claimants argued they should get backpayments for extra help they did not receive during the Covid crisis.
A £20 a week uplift was given out through the pandemic to help millions on Universal Credit.
But nearly two million struggling households still on the legacy benefits system were excluded from getting this help.
Those claiming benefits such as personal independence payments (PIP) or employment support allowance (ESA) and disabled people were among those left out of pocket.
The claimants argued in court that the treatment was unfair and that they should get the equivalent cash – but they lost the case in February this year.
But the legal team – Osbornes Law – who battled it out against the DWP on behalf of those claimants have announced that they have won the right to appeal the decision.
The case will now be heard in the Court of Appeal.
Should the appeal be successful, however, there is no guarantee of a payout.
The DWP would have to make amends, but there are several ways it can do this.
As HOAR previously reported, one option is in the form of a back payment for those affected, worth up to £1,560.
This is equal to the 12-month uplift from March 2020, worth £1,040 a year, plus the £560 paid out through the six-month extension to the end of September.
Even if the decision is overturned, you shouldn’t expect anything soon – it is likely any decision over how the DWP will make amends will take time.
Osbornes Law partner William Ford said: “We can now confirm that on August 3 2022 the Court of Appeal has granted permission to appeal.
“This means the appeal will now proceed to be heard by the Court of Appeal.”
Meanwhile an error calculating payments could mean 150,000 Brits are owed backpay – find out if you’re affected.
Divorced women are being urged to check their state pension as one won back £60k.
