DMBM557210 - Debt and return pursuit: Child Benefit overpayments: death of one or more parties: death of sole or both customers

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General

This section provides guidance specific for Child Benefit. Other guidance about the treatment of cases where the customer has died can be found at DMBM585250.

When you obtain information that a customer has died, update the OPREC notepad to record the date of death.

If Child Benefit is still in payment and the Child Benefit Office (CBO) appear unaware of the change, notify the Child Benefit Office Changes team.

CBO will advise what the award termination date is via the DM notification form. If a second overpayment has occurred, CBO will follow the guidance at CBM89100.

Overpayment discovered after the customer has died

CBO will follow the guidance at CBM89100.

Notification of death received after overpayment has been raised

(This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

If the legal representative (LPR) dealing with the estate is:

  • known:
    • issue letter CBOP220 to the LPR
    • set OPREC BF Delayed code 1, BF Code 15 for five years
  • not known:
    • issue letter CBOP08 to the deceased customer’s last known address
    • set OPREC BF Delayed code 1, BF Code 15 for five years.

(This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

Payments not received by the estate

If the LPR or another named person states that payments made into the deceased’s account have not been received by the estate, send a request to the Bank Liaison Section (BLS) asking them to contact the Bank or Building Society to find out what has happened to the payments.

If the Bank or Building Society:

  • state that they still have the payments, BLS will request their return
  • refuse to return the payments, write to the LPR or named person asking for return of the payments.

Estate distributed

If the LPR or named person states that the deceased customer's estate has already been distributed and less than the amount overpaid remains, request repayment of the money available.

If the LPR or named person then states that there is no longer any money in the estate, accept any reasonable offer of repayment.

(This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)