text: can benefits agency penalise someone by delaying entitled payment for as long as they can legally? after closing down my claim for non return of ib50 form, dwp have reinstated my claim, but are refusing to back-date the payments, although written requests have been made.  what are my rights? talk to a welfare rights officer at your local social work department immedidaetely and appeal this decision. you must complete and return the ib50 failure to do aso means that your incapacity benefit/income support will stop. if you have "goodcause" for not returning the form the department for work and pensions (dwp) must reinstate it, goodcause could be that it wasn't resaonable to return it due to your state of mind etc. it looks like the dwp have accepted your goodcause and reinstated, this should then be fully backdated to make a continous claim. they can not disallow you for a period in the middle. if they have done so get a letter of decision from them asking why this has been done and under what legislation. the decision letter must state your appeal rights. for the dwp to have done this they would have had to supecede your intial decision, this can be appealed against and it is up to them to prove your are not entitled. ask for a full written statement of reasons but seek the support of a wro immedidately and they will assist with this.