Possible benefit income calculation errors for pension age HB claimants

In LA Welfare Direct 1/2021, the DWP advises that its uprating data transfers to local authorities have included in some cases previous benefit award amounts that have not been ended on DWP computer systems when claimants migrated to state pension from widows pension/incapacity benefit, SDA etc -

‘Although the previous benefit is not in payment, the … uprating Application Programming Interface showed data for both benefits. This was due to the out of date awards for the other … benefits remaining open and, were therefore, included in the notification sent to local authorities.

It hopes to ‘repair’ all 200,000 affected cases by end of January and advises local authorities to contact DWP if, during annual uprating activity any cases are identified that have not been repaired.