CBM130900 - Overpayments: recovery in progress

Note: When sending customer, staff or process data to another individual or team, make sure you follow the latest data security guidelines or contact the Data Guardian / Data Security Team for advice.

{#Introduction}Introduction

A change of circumstance can be notified while the recovery of an existing overpayment is already in progress.

{#Guidance}Guidance

{#}Step 1

Check that you have all of the required information.

If you have all of the required information, go to Step 3.

If you do not have all of the required information:

• contact the customer by phone, for how to do this use CBM100300
• once you have all of the required information, go to Step 3.

If you do not have all the required information and are unable to contact the customer by phone:

• issue the relevant form
• BF the case

• once you have all the required information or the BF period has expired, go to Step 2.

  Note: The customer must provide the information required within one month of request (or a longer period where this is considered to be reasonable). Use the locally agreed BF periods to determine how long to wait for the return of the enquiries. Where the customer does not respond, follow the guidance in ‘Expired BF – customer fails to provide requested information in the required timescales’ using CBM150400.

{#}Step 2

If you have all of the required information, go to Step 3.

If you do not have all of the required information, follow the process for ‘expired BF’ using CBM150400.

{#}Step 3

Access the customer record to check the overpayment indicator is set and the overpayment is in recovery.

If the overpayment marker is set and a change to the customer’s surname is reported, go to step 6.

If the overpayment marker is set and the recovery is in progress, go to step 4.

If the overpayment marker is set and the recovery is not in progress:

The indicator can be set but recovery from Child Benefit is not in ongoing. This could mean:

• the overpayment is being disputed
• recovery is being made through an alternative method
• recovery has not yet been agreed.

In these cases:

• action the change of circumstance
• issue payment due as normal
• make sure the overpayment indicator is not removed
• reset any Misc BF indicator

• send notification of the change to the Debt Management and Banking team

  Note: For information on how to send notification to the Debt Management and Banking team, use the guidance in CBM130800.

• take no further action.

If the overpayment is no longer set, action the case as per the relevant change of circumstance guidance.

{#}Step 4

Note: The only time Long Term Recovery (LTR) indicator needs to be cancelled is if entitlement ends, the safe rate payment maintained indicator needs to be set, or the customer changes their method/frequency of payment.

If the entitlement has ended:

• action the change of circumstance
• insert relevant verbatim note
  • “Papers in **/****” (month and year) PA
    or
  • DMS reference
• amend the award

• unset the LTR indicator

  Note: Do not close the correspondence indicator as the Debt Management and Banking team will recalculate the recovery period and set a new Misc BF date.

• send notification of the change to the Debt Management and Banking team

  Note: For information on how to send notification to the Debt Management and Banking team, use the guidance in CBM130800.

• take no further action.

If the entitlement is ending from a future date:

• action the change of circumstance
• insert relevant verbatim note
  • “Papers in **/****” (month and year) PA
    or
  • DMS reference
• amend the award
• do not issue any payment

• reset any Misc BF indicator

  Note: Do not close the correspondence indicator as the Debt Management and Banking team will recalculate the recovery period and set a new Misc BF date.

• send notification of the change to the Debt Management and Banking team

  Note: For information on how to send notification to the Debt Management and Banking team, use the guidance in CBM130800.

• take no further action.

If the entitlement continues, go to Step 5.

{#}Step 5

If recovering by withholding payment:

• action the change of circumstance
• insert relevant verbatim note
  • “Papers in **/****” (month and year) PA
    or
  • DMS reference
• amend award

• do not issue any payment

  Note: Where the LTR needs to be unset, reset the LTR recovery using the IOP codes 44 four weekly or 56 weekly. With code 44 the recovery will restart from the first Monday in the current four weekly cycle. Set the LTR.

• reset any Misc BF indicator

• send notification of the change to the Debt Management and Banking team

  Note: For information on how to send notification to the Debt Management and Banking team, use the guidance in CBM130800.

• take no further action.

If recovering by deducting payment:

• action the change of circumstance
• issue any arrears due
• insert relevant verbatim note
  • “Papers in **/****” (month and year) PA
    or
  • DMS reference

• amend award

  Note: Where the LTR needs to be unset, day one action is to end the safe rate payment maintained. reset the LTR recovery using the IOP codes 44 four weekly or 56 weekly. With code 44 the recovery will restart from the first Monday in the current four weekly cycle. Set the LTR.

• reset any Misc BF indicator

• send notification of the change to the Debt Management and Banking team

  Note: For information on how to send notification to the Debt Management and Banking team, use the guidance in CBM130800.

• take no further action.

{#}Step 6

Where a change to the customer’s surname is reported send notification of the change to the Debt Management and Banking team. Include:

• old name
• new name
• NINO
• brief note of action taken

Note: For information on how to send notification to the Debt Management and Banking team, use the guidance in CBM130800.

When updating the customer’s name in CBUS, issue any payment due and check the Misc BF remains set for the date shown on the customer’s account.

• take no further action.