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<p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Department is committed to providing the best possible
support for all Universal Credit (UC) claimants to meet their individual circumstances.
Jobcentre and Service Centre staff undergo a comprehensive learning journey designed
to equip them with the tools, skills and behaviours required to provide a high quality
service to all claimants. Staff receive on-going learning in their roles and have
access to guidance which is refreshed at regular intervals.</p><p>Every care is taken
to prevent incorrect payments being made and to ensure that benefits are paid to the
correct recipient; we are focused on paying people their correct entitlement from
the outset of a claim. The vast majority of benefit expenditure is paid correctly,
with front line staff working hard to prevent overpayments from occurring. We are
constantly improving our processes and continue to invest in the use of data and analytics
to identify fraud and error.</p><p>Following the introduction of the 2012 Welfare
Reform Act, all overpayments of UC and new style benefits paid in excess of entitlement
are recoverable. The Department seeks to recover benefit overpayments without creating
undue financial hardship, and any person who does experience such hardship is encouraged
to contact the Department’s Debt Management unit. Where a person cannot afford the
proposed rate of repayment it may be possible to negotiate a lower repayment rate.</p><p>It
is Government policy that individuals granted pre-settled status have the same access
to benefits as they did prior to the introduction of the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).
They will satisfy the right to reside element of the Habitual Residence Test and can
access benefits if they are exercising a qualifying right to reside, such as a worker
or self-employed person, and are habitually resident in the UK. As the Secretary of
State for Work and Pensions is appealing the case mentioned in the report, it would
be inappropriate to comment any further</p>
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