DWP estimates<\/a> show that more than 220,000 claimants were subject to state pension overpayments worth about \u00a3109m in 2024\/25.<\/p>\n But official figures obtained by The i Paper through a freedom of information request show that just 2,861 overpayments worth around \u00a33.3m were written off by the department, with the remaining amount being incurred as debt by state pensioners.\u00a0<\/p>\n This marks a significant increase from 2023\/24, when state pension overpayments amounted to an estimated \u00a320m, of which \u00a34.76m was written off.<\/p>\n The DWP defines an \u201cofficial error\u201d overpayment as one which \u201cis not as a result of a failure to disclose or misrepresentation by the claimant but instead as a result of a departmental error\u201d.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the department reiterated its commitment to bring forward the \u201cbiggest crackdown in a generation\u201d on fraud, error and debt.<\/p>\n This will be enforced through measures introduced in the Fraud, Error and Recovery Bill, which is set to \u201csave the taxpayer \u00a31.5bn over the next five years\u201d, the spokesperson added.<\/p>\n The DWP\u2019s estimates on state pension overpayments are based on sampling of a limited number of claims. But according to the amounts written off, the average overpayment amounted to approximately \u00a31,160 per claimant in 2024\/25.<\/p>\n Responding to The i Paper\u2018s findings, Dennis Reed, director of the Silver Choices charity supporting the elderly, said: \u201cThe DWP is on shaky legal ground in demanding\u00a0repayments of state\u00a0pensions or benefits caused by its own incompetence, particularly if the errors go back some time.\u201d<\/p>\n He argued that claimants should \u201cnot be saddled with large debts because the department can\u2019t get its poor administration\u00a0sorted out\u201d, advising those who are overpaid to avoid making \u201can immediate repayment and state that the responsibility for the error rests\u00a0with the DWP\u201d.<\/p>\n The i Paper revealed in May that universal credit<\/a>\u00a0claimants incurred more than \u00a3490m in debt<\/a> due to more than 680,000 DWP errors in 2023\/24.<\/p>\n Lucy Bannister, head of policy and influencing at\u00a0Turn2Us, a charity supporting people facing financial insecurity, said: \u201cLike our NHS, our social security system was set up to be there for all of us. It should give us security when we\u2019re not well and help us bounce back when life takes a turn.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cClaimants should never be penalised for DWP administrative errors. They cause severe distress \u2013 often forcing households to choose between essentials like heating or food. <\/p>\n \u201cA rise in errors like these also increases fear and mistrust in the DWP, making it harder for work coaches and assessors to work with claimants to identify the support they need. <\/p>\n \u201cFor the government\u2019s ongoing reforms to be successful, it needs to prioritise rebuilding trust and treating everyone with dignity and respect.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SEI_270580004_1e9d96.jpg\")
Over \u00a3100m has been wrongly paid to state pensions due to the DWP error <\/p>\n