RM5076 - Payable orders: claimant enquires about reallocation of set-off

You may have to deal with enquiries from claimants or agents regarding an Accounts Office reallocation of a set-off.

Before you can deal with such enquiries you need to know the circumstances in which a payment can be reallocated by the Accounts Office.

For a reallocation to take place all of the following conditions must apply

• the full amount of the payable order can be used against the claimant’s liabilities, or the amount that cannot be used is £ 10 or less

and

• the amount is collectible and no amount stood over needs to be reduced/cancelled to accommodate the excess

and

• the due date for payment of the liability has passed. You should be able to deal with most enquiries but if you cannot, or the enquiry relates to the £ 10 or less mentioned in the first condition, refer it to the Accounts Office quoting the reference on the notification.

If you think that the conditions have not been satisfied and therefore the set-off has been dealt with incorrectly, make a written report to the Accounts Office quoting the reference on the notification.