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Department for Work and Pensions: Maladministration

Asked by Tom MorrisonLiberal DemocratDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 1 May 2025UIN 47919

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many consolatory payments for gross inconvenience resulting from official error were made in each of the last five years; and what the (a) shortest and (b) average length of time for such a payment was in each of the last five years.

Answered by Andrew Western

Although we collect data on the number of consolatory payments authorised, we do not systematically hold the information on the type of error (such as official error) and it would be too costly to review all these records. We do not keep a record of timescales taken on consolatory or any other special payments issued.

We have provided the number of consolatory payments authorised for maladministration for the last five years in the table below. We are unable to provide a figure for 2024/25 as this information is still currently being compiled.

Consolatory payments made 2019/2020 onwards

Year

No. of consolatory payments authorised

2019/20

5,109

2020/21

3,836

2021/22

8,013

2022/23

10,257

2023/24

9,753

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