Check your benefit tribunal payments

coin_operated_girl

Hi,

I just wanted to suggest to anyone who is/has going/gone through a benefit tribunal to check that they have been paid the correct amount. A couple of months ago I received payment from my tribunal as they deemed me unfit for work. I didn't really know how much money I should have expected as I figured it was probably quite a complicated calculation, but what I received was a fair bit less then what I thought I would get. At first I didn't bother to check it because I figured that I just over estimated how much I was entitled to, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that it wasn't right. So a few weeks later I sat down and worked it all out came out with a figure much higher than what I received. I sent a letter with my calculations to the DWP and basically said that I think you owe me this much money- if you disagree then I want to see your calculations with an explanation for each figure.

Turns out I was right and they only paid me half of what I should have received. It wasn't an insignificant amount that they underpaid me by either- it was well over £1,000 (they owed me just over a years worth of backdated benefits). I've now received the rest of the money which I am obviously happy about but I think its awful that they underpaid me and by such a large amount. I have no idea whether I am the exception or the norm but I cant help but wonder how many people this has happened to who haven't noticed.

Anyway, this wasn't meant to turn into a rant, I just wanted to warn people to check whether they have been paid the correct amount and not to trust the DWP's calculations.