The Department for Work and Pensions has overestimated the number of sick and disabled people due benefit refunds.
An error, dating back to 2011, meant that hundreds of thousands of recipients of the Employment and Support Allowance had been paid too little.
It was calculated that 210,000 people would get refunds totalling £920m.
However, the DWP now believes that the department miscalculated. Just 120,000 people will now receive back payments totalling £610m.
A DWP spokesperson said: ‘These figures show we are making good progress towards ensuring everyone receives the benefits they are entitled to and no one loses out.
‘Our dedicated team of 1,100 specialist staff have reassessed more than 500,000 claims and we have paid arrears for all cases found to be affected.’
The shadow minister for disabled people Marsha de Cordova described the mistake as ‘disgraceful’.
In the midst of Brexit chaos the Government has released forecasts that radically change the numbers of those disabled people affected by ESA underpayments.
— Marsha de Cordova MP (@MarshadeCordova) October 21, 2019
It is disgraceful that the Coalition and Conservative Governments have failed to right this wrong https://t.co/NqLyRkczdL
