Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of temporarily pausing deductions from benefits to repay Government debt, such as benefit overpayments.

DWP currently have no plans to suspend benefit debt deductions.

DWP makes every effort to avoid the overpayment of benefits. Where overpayments do occur, we have a duty to recover them as quickly and efficiently as possible, but without causing hardship to those making repayments.

We have a well-established process to support anyone experiencing financial hardship and actively encourage people in this position to contact the Department’s Debt Management Team. Our agents will always look to negotiate an affordable and sustainable repayment plan. There is no limit on the number of times a person can request a change to their repayment rate. In exceptional cases a temporary suspension of recovery may be agreed.

It may be possible to waive recovery, if very specific and compelling grounds apply, such as where there is evidence that the recovery of the overpayment has a particularly detrimental impact on the health and/or welfare of the individual or their family. These rare cases must meet HM Treasury’s Managing Public Money guidance.

DWP remains committed to Her Majesty’s Treasury’s Beathing Space policy, which provides those with problem debt the right to legal protections from creditor action for a period of 60 days in order to enable them to receive debt advice and enter into an appropriate debt solution