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This letter is relevant in England, Wales and Scotland.

England Wales

DWP overpayment waiver request (sole name)

Use this letter when asking the DWP to consider waiving your DWP overpayment

Use this letter when asking the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) if they will waive (write off) a benefit overpayment. A benefit overpayment may also include a Universal Credit Advance payment if you are no longer claiming Universal Credit.

A debt may be waived where it can be demonstrated that by waiving the debt your circumstances will improve. You will need to provide evidence to support your waiver request. This should include the following information.

  • A list of all your debts and steps taken to manage the debt with those creditors.
  • Full details of your income and expenditure.
  • Bank statements for the past 6 months.

You will also need to provide evidence to support a waiver request on welfare or health grounds. This could include:

  • demonstrating exactly how recovery of the debt would have an excessive negative impact on the welfare of you and your family; and
  • evidence that your ill health is being made worse or caused by financial hardship in the form of a letter from a medical professional. For example, a GP, consultant, psychiatric nurse, support worker or welfare advisor.

You can choose to send a letter in your own name or in joint names. You may have a debt in joint names, or want to write to the DWP together because you have worked out a joint budget.

  • Fill in your contact details, account number and any extra information you want to include in the grey shaded areas.
  • Today’s date will be added automatically.
  • Sign each letter and enclose a copy of your budget if needed.

Letter in joint names

You can choose to send a letter in your own name or in joint names. You may have a debt in joint names, or want to write to your creditors together because you have worked out a joint budget.

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4th October 2024

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