Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of people affected by administrative errors made by her Department which led to the overpayment of benefits in Coventry.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is focused on paying people their correct entitlement.

Administrative errors are referred to as ‘official errors’ which have arisen from processing errors or delays by DWP or a Local Authority.

A quality checking regime is in place and this is helping address official error.

National Statistics Fraud and Error 2018/19 published 9 May 2019, indicate that estimated losses from official error account for 0.4% of total benefit expenditure.

Internal Management Information shows that 48k claimants with a CV postcode had an actual ‘official error’ overpayment in 2018/19.