More than £270,000 in Income Support overpayments written off - Jersey Evening Post
by Fiona Potigny · Jersey Evening PostPosted inNews
More than £270,000 in Income Support overpayments written off
by Fiona Potigny 23 May 202622 May 2026
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MORE than £270,000 in Income Support overpayments has been written off by the Social Security Minister since changes were introduced in 2024, newly released figures show.
According to information released following a request under the Freedom of Information Lawn, £273,079 in overpayments deemed unrecoverable has been waived since May 2024.
The response states that overpayments arising from “administration (office) error” are no longer recovered.
It added that the total also included “other exceptional circumstances” where Income Support Determining Officers decided the money would not be pursued.
The figures show:
– £121,428 was written off between May and December 2024;
– £149,246 during 2025;
– and £2,405 in January and February 2026.
It follows controversy in 2023 surrounding the recovery of Income Support overpayments.
At the time, a Scrutiny review found that as many as one in five people on Income Support were being pursued for repayments – including cases stemming from government mistakes.
The report also highlighted the impact on claimants’ mental health, stating that the stress had been “so severe in some cases that individuals have considered or attempted to take their own lives”.
However, the government at the time rejected the recommendation that overpayments caused by departmental errors should automatically be written off.
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