Overpayments - Disputed Liability Following Household Breakdown (Info)

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For overpayments made under awards on joint claims, the claimant and their partner are jointly and severally liable for the amount of overpayment to be repaid.

This means that they should repay the overpayment together, or decide between themselves how much each of them will pay.

Where there has been a household breakdown, there may be a dispute over who is liable to repay an overpayment. The Tax Credit Office (TCO) is responsible for deciding whether there is joint liability for any overpayment made after the household breakdown date, or whether each of the claimants is to repay a specified amount.

Note: Where each of the claimants is to repay a specified amount, one of them could be required to pay nothing

(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000) 

Where a claimant disputes liability for an overpayment following a household breakdown, you must establish

• Which Debt Pursuit officer is dealing with the recovery of the overpayment

And

• Whether there is joint liability for any overpayment made after the household breakdown date, or whether each of the claimants is to repay a specified amount