Can a benefit be "paused" when not "stopped entirely"?

The request was partially successful.

Dear DWP staff,

Can a benefit be "paused" when not "stopped entirely"?

Please define what the DWP means by a claimant's benefit having been "paused".

The DWP has declined to respond to 3 emails on this question, in connection with Funeral Expenses Payments.

I have always assumed, that a benefit is either paid or not paid and that a person is either a claimant or they are not, with no possibility for a grey area or uncertainty.

Presumably, "paused" is not the same as 'suspended'?

In its cost of living report on the 27 July 20, the Work & Pensions Select Committee refers to pausing deductions from benefits. That, however, does not appear to clarify the meaning of pausing a benefit.

GOV.UK states, "If someone earns enough to no longer receive Universal Credit, their claim will be paused automatically. If their earnings go down in a subsequent month, it is easy for them to re-start their Universal Credit claim. Their claim WILL ONLY STOP ENTIRELY if they have received no Universal Credit payments for 6 months".

It appears from that statement, that any benefit is paused, if it is not stopped entirely.

Is it logical to assume, that someone can be a benefit claimant, when they "no longer receive" that benefit, even though it is not stopped entirely?

Yours faithfully,

John Bradfield

DWP freedom-of-information-requests, Department for Work and Pensions

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freedom-of-information-request@dwp.gov.uk,

1 Attachment

Dear John Bradfield,

I am writing in response to your request for information, received 4th
February.

Yours sincerely,

DWP Central FoI Team

Dear DWP Central FoI Team

Thank you for your determined effort to provide relevant details, despite the fact that it was decided, that my request does not require a response under the FoI Act.

I feel sure the details provided will make sense to some people, despite the fact that I've struggled unsuccessfully, to be sure that I understand.

Yours faithfully,

John Bradfield

DWP freedom-of-information-requests, Department for Work and Pensions

Thank you for contacting the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
 
This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been received by the DWP Freedom of Information mailbox and will be
processed accordingly.
 
Please note that this mailbox is for Freedom of Information (FOI) or
Internal Review (IR) requests only – If you have submitted a non FOI or IR
related email then we may not be able to action it.
 
 
Timescales for responding
 
Freedom of Information (FOI) Requests
 
If your email is a valid FOI request, as per Section 8 of the FOI Act
2000, you can normally expect a response within 20 working days.
 
Internal Review (IR) Requests
 
You can normally expect a response within 20 working days.
 
We will respond to all valid FOI and IR requests within our statutory
timescales, if we are unable to do so then we will contact you to explain
why. Please note that we are not able to process your FOI or IR request in
any shorter timescales that you may indicate.
 
 
Receiving a response from us
 
Please note that email FOI and IR responses will be issued from
[email address]
 
We recommend that you add this address to your email contacts otherwise
the response may be treated as Spam or Junk by your email account
provider.  
 
 
Further Information
 
Should you have any further queries in connection with your FOI or IR
request please contact us.
 
More information on the DWP can be accessed on gov.uk here –
[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...
 
**********************************************************************
This document is strictly confidential and is intended only for use by the
addressee.
If you are not the intended recipient any disclosure, copying,
distribution
or other action taken in reliance of the information contained in this
email is strictly prohibited.
 
Any views expressed by the sender of this message are not necessarily
those of the Department
for Work and Pensions.
If you have received this transmission in error please tell us and then
permanently delete
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This email was scanned for viruses by the Department for Work and Pensions
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