A new penalty of £50 has been introduced for overpayments from 1/10/2012. The change is meant to deter clients from misrepresenting facts or failing to disclose facts that might lead to an overpayment of benefit.
It will apply where a client ‘negligently makes an incorrect statement or representation, or negligently gives incorrect information or evidence’ or ‘without reasonable excuse, fails to provide information or evidence’. Click here for guidance from the DWP.