Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
FOI Reference: FOI/202400441377
Date received: 19 November 2024
Date responded: 17 December 2024
Information Requested
In each of the last five financial years – including the current financial year up to the 1st November.
Request for Information 1: The total amount of overpayments for the Best Start Grants?
Request for Information 2: The total amount of overpayments for the Best Start Foods?
Request for Information 3: The total amount of overpayments for the Funeral Support Payments?
Request for Information 4: The total amount of overpayments for the Scottish Child Payments?
Request for Information 5: The total amount of overpayments for the Child Winter Heating Payment?
Request for Information 6: The total amount of overpayments for the Child Disability Payment?
Request for Information 7: The total amount of overpayments for the Adult Disability Payment?
Request for Information 8: The total amount of overpayments for the Winter Heating Payment?
Request for Information 9: The total amount of overpayments for the Young Carers Grants?
Response
Requests for Information 1 to 9:
Please find within the additional documentation the answer to questions 1 to 9.
An overpayment can be defined as the difference between what a client has received and what they are entitled to.
Social Security Scotland adopts a preventative approach to overpayments, as detailed in our Counter Fraud and Error Control Strategies. As a result, Social Security Scotland has established a debt management service to oversee recovery of outstanding debts and allow recovered monies to be redistributed in line with Scottish public spending priorities.
You may also find the below information useful:
Social Security Scotland - Debt Management Strategy
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not have some of the information you have requested. This is because no overpayments have been recorded for Child Winter Heating Payment, Winter Heating Payment or Young Carer Grant.
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that Social Security Scotland does not have some of the information you have requested.
FOI 202400441377