Overview
- People receiving benefits such as Universal Credit, PIP and Pension Credit can request a mandatory reconsideration if they disagree with a decision.
- Ministers confirmed that when a decision is changed at reconsideration, entitlement is backdated to the claim date and arrears are paid as a single lump sum.
- Claimants can submit additional evidence with their request and must include the original decision date, full name and address, date of birth and National Insurance number.
- After review, the DWP issues a mandatory reconsideration notice explaining whether the decision changed and the reasons and evidence behind the outcome.
- The clarification followed questions from Liberal Democrat MP Lisa Smart, and the DWP says more decision makers are being allocated to improve timeliness.