Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will ensure that universal credit overpayments caused by errors by her Department are not recoverable from claimants.

As part of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, any payment of Universal Credit made in excess of entitlement is a recoverable overpayment, regardless of how the overpayment was caused. This includes those overpayments arising wholly as a result of official error. This is because there is a duty to protect public funds and an obligation, wherever possible, to make sure that an overpayment is recovered.

We do however recognise the problems this may cause for claimants and where possible we try to agree a repayment scheme rather than seek the entire amount in one lump sum.