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<p>It is not possible to produce a historical time series for this specific data request
regarding Direct Earnings Attachments (DEA). However, I can confirm that there are
15,000 DWP debtors with an official error debt who currently have a DEA in place.</p><p>
</p><p>This data is taken from operational data systems, and is not intended for publication.
Therefore, the data itself is not quality assured to the standard of published Official
Statistics and National Statistics.</p><p>It should be noted that, during a period
when we have faced the unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19, fraud and error
in the benefits system remains low, with 95% of benefits, worth more than £200bn paid
correctly in 2020/21. Official Error overpayments remained at 0.4% of benefit expenditure
last year, with UC Official Error Overpayments falling from 1.3% to 0.9%.</p><p>DWP’s
primary method of debt recovery is by deduction from any on-going benefit that mightbe
in payment, with limits on the amount we can deduct from income related benefits being
set out in legislation.</p><p> </p><p>Where recovery from ongoing benefit entitlement
is not possible, DWP will seek to agree a voluntary repayment plan with the debtor,
taking into account their personal circumstances and the amount they can reasonably
afford to repay each month.</p><p>Where a person fails to agree a voluntary repayment
plan, we can apply a Direct Earnings Attachment (DEA) which allows deductions to be
taken directly from a person’s earnings, bu this would only be after DWP had made
all reasonable efforts to pursue recovery via a voluntary repayment plan.</p><p>Estimates
of the amount that has been overpaid in error by DWP are published annually and can
be found by following the links at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fraud-and-error-in-the-benefit-system"
target="_blank">Fraud and error in the benefit system - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p>
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