Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many single people have had sanctions placed on their tax credits on the ground that someone else was also resident at the property in the last three years; and how many such sanctions have subsequently been overturned.

HMRC does not have data on undeclared partner interventions before 2011-12.

During the 2011-12 tax year HMRC carried out compliance interventions on 30,869 single person claims with a suspected undeclared partner and amended 15,705 awards as a result.

During the 2012-13 tax year HMRC carried out compliance interventions on 105,521 single person claims with a suspected undeclared partner and amended 43,092 awards as a result.

During the 2013-14 tax year HMRC carried out compliance interventions on 140,923 single person claims with a suspected undeclared partner and amended 28,516 awards as a result.

HMRC do not hold the requested data for the number of decisions subsequently overturned on appeal.

The change in level of award amendments over the three years reflects the fact that good progress was made in identifying cases in 2011 and 2012.