Overview

• Under the new rules, compensation payouts for miscarriages of justice are disregarded when assessing eligibility for six means-tested benefits: income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit, Pension Credit and Universal Credit.
• The compensation ceiling for those wrongfully jailed for more than ten years has been increased by 30%, rising from £1 million to £1.3 million.
• Social Security Minister Sir Stephen Timms described the reforms as steps toward rebuilding trust in both the justice system and social security framework.
• Campaigner Andrew Malkinson praised the benefit exemption as ending a stark injustice but criticised the £1.3 million cap as insulting and urged the government to drop the requirement to prove innocence a second time.
• Government data show that only 39 of 591 applications received between April 2016 and March 2024 were approved, underscoring persistent hurdles in the compensation process.