Waste of public money

In March this year I received 2 letter from the DWP. One from ESA and one from PIP. These were to inform me that from April 2021 my benefit would increase by 30p per week. Apart from the obvious disgust I felt at the miserly amount, I did wonder what the total cost of producing and postage costs of sending the 3 page letters to everyone in reciept of benefits.(would be delighted if anyone knows what the cost is) Surely there should be a minium amount of increase before its deemed necessary to inform everyone by post?

Hi Billis,

You're not on your own. It bothers me, too. I often get letters stating the bloody obvious.

I always think: how much has that cost to process, administer and post? Add this all up and the DWP themselves are wasting good public money on telling people what they more than likely know already.

It's not just the DWP, though; it's just crazy-commonplace with the utility companies for a start.

It reminds me of a picture of a warning sign in a field which states: WARNING: THIS SIGN HAS SHARP EDGES.

Food for thought,

Regards,

Phrank.

Hi Billis

Whilst I understand the point you're making I certainly do not agree with it! The purpose of these annual letters is to inform the claimant - and in advance - what their rate of benefit will be. It this was not done the claimant would simply have to wait and see how much money went into their bank account with no explanation of why it may have changed or indeed how that change is made up! Even if the rate of benefit didn't go up at all (as happened to most working age benefits during the "benefits freeze" from April 2016) it is still important in my view for the claimant to be sent the annual letter. This is because such letters provide up-to-date proof of entitlement to the benefit or benefits in question. Organisations, for example a local council in my case regarding Housing Benefit/Council tax reduction, require proof of current entitlement to particular state benefits but if your suggestion was adopted the claimant may not have that documentary evidence! Such letters confirm what you get now and that the benefit is still in payment, the fact that the rate of benefit may not have gone up much, or indeed at all, although of course important to us claimants, is in my view no reason for these letters not to be sent!

Kind regards

Mr B