Hundreds of severely disabled people suing the Government over £170 a month in lost income since the start of universal credit

They argue that they have missed out on £170 a month because they were moved on to universal credit before January, 2019 when the Department for Work and Pensions introduced the Severe Disability Premium (SDP) Gateway system.

The SDP Gateway ensures that certain severely disabled claimants are only transferred from legacy benefits on to universal credit under a “managed migration” process to ensure that those who are entitled to the severe disability premium do not end up worse off under the new benefits system which is being rolled out across the UK.

They claim they have suffered discrimination under Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Leigh Day solicitors believe that up to 13,000 disabled people in the UK have been affected by the change and may be entitled to make a claim to retrieve lost benefit payments.

Leigh Day solicitor Ryan Bradshaw said: “Our clients argue that they suffered unjustified discrimination and a net loss of over £170 a month, in many cases £180 a month.”

The claimants are asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Thérèse Coffey, for compensation equal to the amount of money they have lost following their transfer to universal credit, for their previous level of benefits to be restored and maintained until a lawful migration scheme is established, and for compensation for the stress they have been caused.

The Department for Work and Pensions has been contacted for a comment.