Oxford News
DWP refunds claimants after admitting fraud penalty errors
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has handed back, or is handing back, money paid by claimants who accepted penalties instead of facing prosecution.
The penalties, known as administrative penalties, can be offered to people suspected of benefit fraud when investigators believe there is enough evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.
They are calculated at 50% of the overpaid amount, capped at £5,000, and are charged on top of the original benefit overpayment.
But a DWP review found 197 cases where penalties had been unreasonably offered and should not have been issued.
This included 128 cases from 2023/24 and 69 from 2024/25.
The department said procedural errors, insufficient evidence and circumstances not being fully considered contributed to some of the cases.
A DWP spokesperson said: “In an effort to identify opportunities for improvement, we proactively reviewed our use of Administrative Penalties and identified a small number of cases where they were incorrectly applied.
“We have put this right by removing and refunding those penalties, contacting affected customers, and strengthening our processes to ensure decisions are made consistently and appropriately in future.”
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DWP strengthens fraud checks
The department has introduced a series of changes following the review, including updated guidance for investigators, revised customer letters and communications, enhanced training and a new permanent independent decision-making panel.
It has also strengthened quality assurance and oversight and introduced mandatory two-investigator attendance at all Interviews Under Caution.
Under the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025, the DWP is also introducing independent inspection of end-to-end criminal investigations.
The department said cases from before 2023/24 were not included in the review and no further cases are being examined.
Importantly, having an administrative penalty removed does not cancel any underlying benefit overpayment.
Any outstanding overpayment will still need to be repaid.
OXFORD Mail Camera Club members have been taking photos of their dogs
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The collision happened on the southbound carriageway between Junction 6 for Lewknor and Junction 5 for Watlington in the late morning on Saturday, August 29.
The emergency services attended the scene and closed the road,
National Highways said lanes two and three of the three-lane motorway were shut as a result while crews dealt with the incident, leading to delays of around 40 minutes.
Congestion was worsened by separate lane closures between Junctions 4 and 5 in both directions following damage to the central reservation from an earlier incident.
Traffic built up on approaches to the crash, with nearby areas including Stokenchurch and Lewknor also affected.
Images from traffic cameras showed long queues of vehicles and emergency workers at the scene throughout the afternoon.
AA Travel also reported that one lane was closed on the northbound carriageway between Handy Cross and Stokenchurch due to emergency repairs.
National Highways later confirmed that all southbound lanes between Junctions 6 and 5 had reopened and that the lane closures linked to the earlier incident were also being removed.
Despite the reopening, delays of around 40 minutes remained on the approach as traffic slowly returned to normal.
The closure affects the route between the A420 and Coxwell Road near Great Coxwell to allow for carriageway widening and the construction of a new signal-controlled junction.
The closure, in effect 24 hours a day, will begin on September 7, 2026, and is expected to remain in place until April 16, 2027.
An alternative route will be signposted via the A420, London Street, Coxwell Street, and Coxwell Road.
The order, issued by Oxfordshire County Council under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, will remain in force for up to 18 months if necessary.
Exemptions are included for emergency vehicles, and signage will be in place to advise drivers of the closure.
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