Social security minister Stephen Timms has revealed that claimants of the state pension, as well as benefits related to disability and low income, could benefit from new central online tool
The Department for Work and Pensions is working to create a unified “digital channel” which will allow recipients of a wide range of benefits – although not Universal Credit – to manage their information in one place.
For citizens that currently receive disability benefits and need to inform the department of a stay in hospital, “the usual route for the customer to notify us of a hospital admission is either via phone or in writing”, according to Sir Stephen Timms, minister for disability and social security.
Timms had been asked, in a written parliamentary question from Conservative MP Neil O’Brien, whether the DWP “will take steps to introduce a ‘tell me once’ system” for disability benefit recipients that need to tell authorities about an inpatient stay in hospital.
In response, the minister revealed that the department is working on such a system, that will enable claimants of various benefits – including those related to disability – to manage their information from a single digital hub. However, this will not encompass Universal Credit.
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“The department is working on a digital channel for customers which will allow them to tell us about changes in one place,” Timms said. “We do have plans to enable this going forward, but the work is not expected to be complete for at least another 12 months. Disability Benefits, other low-income benefits and later life services are in-scope for this work, but, at present, Universal Credit is not.”
He added that UC claimants already have the option of reporting hospital stays digitally “via a journal message on their Universal Credit account or via a third party or supporter if consent has been given”.
The disability-related benefits administered by the DWP include Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance and Disability Living Allowance – which is being phased out for adult recipients, but remains in place for children. Low-income benefits encompass Housing Benefit, Working and child tax credits, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit, Income Support – which is no longer open for new applications.
In addition to the State Pension, later-life benefits include reductions in council tax payments and Winter Fuel Payments.