claimant

The DWP has faced criticism for failing to prevent overpayments, despite its systems flagging when a claimant is earning too much.

Proving the intentional infliction of harm would mean the claimants could be awarded additional damages.

Extra benefit payments for health conditions will also be frozen for current claimants and nearly halved for new applicants.

Some claimants are waiting more than six months to be assessed, with people writing on social media that the delays have resulted in them losing job offers.

Those changes would include stricter tests for personal independence payments and the halving of incapacity benefits under universal credit for new claimants.