GOVERNMENT JUDGED TO HAVE ACTED ILLEGALLY IN RECOVERING MONEY FROM INNOCENT BENEFITS CLAIMANTS ACROSS KIRKLEES

11.04.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 22nd Oct 2009

Kirklees Lib Dem Group Spokesperson on Adult Services wants to know what the Government intends to do about any monies it illegally recovered from innocent benefits claimants in Kirklees.

Cllr Wilkinson (Lib Dem) has written to Yvette Cooper MP who is responsible for DWP

The demand comes in light of the recent ruling by the Court of Appeal in mid October that the Government had no legal right to demand the repayment of social security benefits from claimants that had been handed out in error.

Due to the complexity of the benefits system, the Government regularly makes overpayments to claimants and then demands the money back from them placing many in difficult financial circumstances (1).

Cllr Linda Wilkinson - Lib Dem Spokesperson for Adults said:

"The Court of Appeal's ruling means that everyone in Kirklees who has received too much in benefits payments and then had to pay it back has, in effect, had that money stolen from them. The consequences of the actions of the Department of Work and Pensions on the lives of people, who they were supposed to be trying to help, has made it more difficult for them. I believe, the Department now has a responsibility to say officially what it intends to do in the light of this judgement. In my view, as the money was illegally recovered, it should be handed back. The fault is with the Government and the complexity of the benefits system that it has imposed. Clearly if so many mistakes are being made a simpler system is required which both administrators and claimants can understand. It is unfair to punish the innocent when they have done nothing wrong and it is your own house which is in disorder".

Cllr Wilkinson (Lib Dem) has written to Yvette Cooper MP who is responsible for DWP to ask:

· when the Department intends to issue a statement on the Appeal Court ruling

· how many Kirklees residents have had money recovered from them illegally since 2006

· how much money has been taken back illegally by the Government

· when hard up individuals and families might be reimbursed

Cllr Wilkinson is also in touch with Lib Dem Central Office to raise the following as an oral question in the House of Commons:

"In the light of the Court of Appeal's judgement that the Government had no legal right to claim back benefits issued in error to innocent people, can the Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions please confirm how many Kirklees residents have had monies illegally recovered from them since 2006; how much this sum adds up to and when can Kirklees residents realistically expect to receive their money back."