Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS Pension Scheme has paid out in overpayments in each of the last five years.
The table shows the total amount paid in overpayments by the National Health Service Pension Scheme in each of the last five years, and of which the total amount of overpayments paid due to clerical errors.
Year | Total value of overpayments | Value of overpayments due to clerical error |
2016/17 | £19,692,972 | £202,064 |
2015/16 | £18,159,429 | £318,267 |
2014/15 | £20,337,704 | £243,433 |
2013/14 | £16,441,369 | £55,934 |
2012/13 | £17,245,866 | £6,311 |
Source: NHS Business Services Authority
In a majority of cases an overpayment arises from changes in scheme member circumstances after the initial pension has been awarded. These are generally beyond the control of the scheme administrator, with subsequent revision to pension benefits often resulting in an overpayment.