Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total amount of benefit and tax credit debt (a) repaid and (b) written-off was in each financial year from 2003-04 to 2015-16 in each region and constituent part of the UK.

The information is not readily available in the form requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The overall amounts for benefit repaid, written off and owed at the end of the financial year can be found in DWP’s Annual Report and Accounts. The following link provides information for the latest financial year 2015 -2016: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/534934/print-ready-dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2015-2016.pdf

The overall amounts of tax credit debt, repayments, remissions and write-offs are published in HMRC’s Annual Report and Accounts. The 2015-16 report is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/537876/HMRC_Annual_Report_and_Accounts_2015-16-_print_.pdf