Wrong email delayed nearly 10,000 Manx benefit payments

Almost 10,000 people had their benefit payments delayed

An incorrect email address was to blame for delays to almost 10,000 benefit payments, the Isle of Man government has admitted.

Treasury minister Alfred Cannan told Tynwald an "email prompt" authorising payments was sent to the wrong address.

Payments were due on the morning of 5 December but were not received until the evening or even the following day.

Mr Cannan apologised to those affected and said he would "put measures in place" to prevent it happening again.

Laurie Hooper MHK said he was "astonished" the system had been brought down by a single error, and it demonstrated there was a "fundamental issue" with it.

Benefits were due to be paid to some 9,850 people either in cash or through a bank transfer.

Most were paid by 17:00 GMT but several were delayed until Friday morning and 13 emergency £100 payments were made.

Mr Cannan said there had been no "data breach" and the matter would be reviewed in an internal report.