Deductions from UC for Benefit OP due to Fraud

I’m sure this has been covered many times but i cant find a link to answer my question.

My client has an overpayment of JSAib which has been classed as fraud and he has been prosecuted.

As a result he is having £127.13 deducted from his UC.

My client has other debts and is struggling to cope.

I’ve spoken to the debt management team to try to get the deduction reduced and have been told…‘he doesn’t meet the criteria for a reduction’’ but they were unable to tell me what the criteria was!

Please can someone provide the details so that i can ascertain if we have any grounds to request a reduction.

Cheers…..

Not sure they have changed from the health and hardship provisions for other benefits but I would always start with a full financial statement showing what is actually available to pay. The more detail the better. They’ll not be happy but they will often either go for it or meet you halfway. If that doesn’t work I have written to the Secretary of States rep. via Debt Management and asked for the exercise of their discretion to either reduce or not recover until…

If that doesn’t work then a letter to the actual Secretary of State copying in the local media can provide a little more focus. All this shows you have been eminently reasonable and makes them look very poor indeed.

Thanks for the reply, I have completed a CFS and will post for ‘consideration’....! Hopefully they will accept and reduce the deduction.

There was some discussion last year about the hard line DWP were (are?) taking on recovery rates for fraud:
http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/7657

.. with a link to their 2014 guidance on hardship cases:
http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/?ACT=39&fid=27&aid=975_7qY7zdlFScGNHXkrEj4Z&board_id=1

Thank you…