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Foi
Foi
Foi
Email:
official.correspondence@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Website
www.dwp.gov.uk
Date
10 December 2012
Richard Cookson
Reply via email
Dear Mr Cookson,
Freedom of Information Act Request for Information
Our Reference: FOI 4290
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request received on 14 November 2012. You
asked:
Specifically, I would like to know for each year since 1 January 2007 to the present day:
How much benefit was wrongly paid to people in prison
How many claimants were involved
How much has been reclaimed
What types of benefits were involved
For the years requested, the volumes and values of overpayments referred to Debt
Management from the benefit paying businesses within the Department for Work and
Pensions where the reason for the overpayment is in prison are as follows:
Financial Year
2006/2007
2007/2008
2008/2009
2009/2010
2010/2011
2011/2012
2012/2013*
100,518
Financial Year
2006/2007
2007/2008
2008/2009
2009/2010
2010/2011
2011/2012
2012/2013 YTD*
8,299,735.27
8,779,652.79
8,735,445.58
7,673,579.40
7,134,015.77
6,524,670.59
2,557,961.55
The value of the new debt is the amount of benefit identified as being overpaid.
For details of the amounts recovered and the types of benefits involved please see the
spreadsheet in annex 1.
Please note that the value of the overpayments recovered in a particular year will not relate
only to the overpayments recorded in that year. Some of the money recovered could relate
to overpayments recorded in earlier financial years.
In July 2012 the Department centralised the function of how it is notified that a customer
has been admitted into prison. This new process should result in a reduction of
overpayments to prisoners.
If you have any queries about this letter please contact Dean Francis on 0113 232 4095
quoting the reference number above.
Yours sincerely
Communications Team
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act
If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailing freedom-ofinformation-request@dwp.gsi.gov.uk or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team, 2nd Floor The Adelphi, 1-11,
John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HT. Any review request should be submitted within two months of the
date of this letter.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the Information
Commissioners Office for a decision. Generally the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have
exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The
Information Commissioners Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF
www.ico.gov.uk
Annex 1
Value of Recoveries on debts with an Overpayment Reason of 'In Prison' for 2006/07 to date
Benefit Type
Attendance Allowance
Administrative Penalty
2006/2007
662
487
173
12
2008/2009
2009/2010
2010/2011
2011/2012
2012/2013*
1,273
8,125
4,897
6,773
2,824
180
146
39
689
-425
234
22,889
51,782
60,952
59,157
80,589
103,266
51,955
Bereavement Allowance
Carers Allowance
2007/2008
191
44,305
166,849
289,237
436,537
550,404
323,632
88,283
102,699
75,778
85,842
93,984
88,939
48,587
3,203
7,439
19,596
18,207
25,275
29,646
17,662
2,300
12,186
34,851
23,626
18,901
145,787
370,776
314,909
292
Incapacity Benefit
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
Income Support
Jobseeker's Allowance:Contribution Based
159
156,630
247,095
321,561
419,374
438,925
478,128
255,343
70
397
705
1,446
1,517
3,408
2,464
815,486
1,659,309
1,982,070
2,338,607
2,396,962
2,317,087
1,190,379
411
870
1,489
3,148
2,816
3,667
1,809
22,410
40,408
42,705
62,288
72,189
79,605
44,594
Pension Credit
23,017
65,491
75,676
92,335
127,337
166,186
97,839
Retirement Allowance
Reduced Earnings Allowance
Retirement Pension:Contributory
Severe Disablement Allowance
11
650
2,159
1,830
1,371
533
2,455
1,093
60,037
82,867
125,185
114,684
139,597
177,479
135,806
3,019
6,215
8,376
17,377
14,135
17,035
14,012
110
294
326
145
359
Widows Pension
166
25
402
140
839
1,015
478
54
285
860
2,345
1,700
4,740
40
40
60
10
70
10
10
20
1,197,656
2,311,841
2,885,035
3,534,104
3,997,139
4,432,331
2,532,372