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<p>The Department’s aim is that claimants are paid the correct amount of benefit at
the earliest opportunity. Where new evidence or information becomes available after
an appeal has been lodged, but before it is heard at a tribunal, DWP is able to revise
a decision and increase the award where appropriate. In circumstances where the decision
can be revised but not to the level the claimant is seeking on appeal, we contact
claimants to give them the option to continue with their appeal or to have the decision
revised, in which case they can still appeal the new decision. The right of appeal
was always set out in the decision letter claimants receive notifying them of the
new decision. Accordingly, we have no plans to further review the Department’s handling
of past calls.</p><p> </p><p>We began contacting claimants in this way in 1998 consequent
on the change in the law introduced by the Social Security Act 1998, whereby the Secretary
of State may revise a decision in the claimant’s favour even if they would not get
everything they were seeking on appeal. An equality impact assessment was not conducted
at that time and has not been conducted pursuant to the Equality Act 2010.</p>
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