DMBM557530 - Debt and return pursuit: Child Benefit overpayments: recovery from continuing entitlement: commencing direct recovery action

Some content of this manual is being considered for archiving. If there is content you use regularly, please email hmrcmanualsteam@hmrc.gov.uk to let us know as soon as possible.

Action on BF code 1 expiry

  • Calculate the recovery start date; for:
    • weekly paid cases, ignore the week you are working in, ignore the next three weeks and start recovery from the following week
    • four-weekly paid cases, ignore the current payment cycle and start recovery from the first week of the following payment cycle.
  • Issue SEES letter CBOP170A to confirm details of the recovery plan.
  • Set OPREC BF to delayed code 2 BF Code 5.
  • Set the BF date for a Mon or Tues (mirroring the Child Benefit payday); for:
    • weekly cases set the BF for the week prior to the recovery start date
    • four-weekly cases set the BF for the first week of the payment cycle in which recovery will commence.
  • Update the OPREC notepad with “CBOP170A issued withhold from (Date)(Initials)”.

Action on BF code 5 expiry or after customer contact

Customer contact only

  • Negotiate recovery following the guidance at DMBM557270.
  • Issue SEES letter CBOP170A unless the customer has confirmed they do not require one.

OPREC action to show recovery

  • Highlight ‘recovery’ and select ‘edit’.
  • Select ‘immediate’.
  • Select ‘benefit deductions’.
  • Click on ‘benefit deductions’ tab at the top of the page.
  • Select ‘add’.
  • Enter 28 in deductions from.
  • Enter 1 in benefit payday.
  • Enter the weekly amount of recovery.
  • Enter recovery start date (always use Monday date).
  • Select ‘OK’.
  • A prompt box may appear advising that you are starting a recovery over £15, please ignore and select ‘OK’.
  • Make a note of the recovery end date.

OPREC action to set BF

  • Click on the ‘recovery’ tab at the top of the page.
  • If recovery will take over one year, leave BF code as 12 and set BF period for 52 weeks.
  • If recovery will be complete within one year, change to BF code 9 and set the ‘BF date’ to Mon or Tues mirroring the Child Benefit payday; for:
    • weekly cases, set the BF date for the week prior to the recovery end date
    • four-weekly cases, set the BF date for the week of the final deduction.
  • Select ‘OK’.
  • If any fulltime exclusion dates occur within the recovery period, add ££ in front of the first name on OPREC.

CBOL action

Open the ‘corres’ indicator on CBOL by using dialogue 3 and transaction number 2.

CBUS action to start recovery on the Child Benefit Computer System (CBCS)

  • Select ‘C’ screen – ‘instrument of payment code’; for:
    • weekly cases, enter 56
    • four-weekly cases, enter 44.
  • Enter weekly amount of recovery (consider uprating).
  • Enter start date.
  • Enter ‘C’ in pay code.
  • Click on ‘Lost & Ret/Rec’ tab at the top of the screen.
  • Select ‘yes’ from the ‘long term recovery’ dropdown menu.
  • Select ‘E’ screen (consider uprating).
  • Click on ‘questions’ tab at the top of the page.
  • Select ‘yes’ from the ‘is the case to be cleared’ dropdown menu.
  • For ‘misc BF date’ enter a date one month after the end of recovery.
  • Select ‘update’.