http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1992/5/section/71ZBSocial Security Administration Act 1992An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to the administration of social security and related matters with amendments to give effect to recommendations of the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission.texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-08-04Expert Participation2026-07-08 Part IIIOverpayments and adjustments of Benefit<Emphasis><Addition ChangeId="key-7d800abde4efec4a1dd8a9d7b3bb02d7-1636038541663" CommentaryRef="key-7d800abde4efec4a1dd8a9d7b3bb02d7">Recovery of benefit payments</Addition></Emphasis><Addition ChangeId="key-7d800abde4efec4a1dd8a9d7b3bb02d7-1636038541663" CommentaryRef="key-7d800abde4efec4a1dd8a9d7b3bb02d7">Recovery of overpayments of certain benefits</Addition>71ZB1The Secretary of State may recover any amount of the following paid in excess of entitlement—auniversal credit,bjobseeker's allowance,cemployment and support allowance, anddexcept in prescribed circumstances, housing credit (within the meaning of the State Pension Credit Act 2002).2An amount recoverable under this section is recoverable from—athe person to whom it was paid, orbsuch other person (in addition to or instead of the person to whom it was paid) as may be prescribed.3An amount paid in pursuance of a determination is not recoverable under this section unless the determination has been—areversed or varied on an appeal, orbrevised or superseded under section 9 or section 10 of the Social Security Act 1998,except where regulations otherwise provide.4Regulations may provide that amounts recoverable under this section are to be calculated or estimated in a prescribed manner.5Where an amount of universal credit is paid for the sole reason that a payment by way of prescribed income is made after the date which is the prescribed date for payment of that income, that amount is for the purposes of this section paid in excess of entitlement.6In the case of a benefit referred to in subsection (1) which is awarded to persons jointly, an amount paid to one of those persons may for the purposes of this section be regarded as paid to the other.7An amount recoverable under this section may (without prejudice to any other means of recovery) be recovered—aby deduction from benefit (section 71ZC);bby deduction from earnings (section 71ZD);cthrough the courts etc (section 71ZE);dby adjustment of benefit (section 71ZF).Ss. 71ZB-71ZH and cross-heading inserted (1.7.2012 for specified purposes, 1.10.2012 for specified purposes, 29.4.2013 in so far as not already in force, except for s 71ZB(1)(d) and the word “and” immediately preceding it, and, in respect of s. 71ZB(1)(b)(c) only in so far as those paragraphs relate respectively to a new style JSA award and a new style ESA award) by Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5), ss. 105(1), 150(3); S.I. 2012/1246, art. 2(4)(a)(b)(5)(a); S.I. 2013/358, art. 5(2)(3)(a) (with art. 5(3A)(7)) (as amended by S.I. 2013/983, art. 23)S. 71ZB(3) excluded (29.4.2013) by The Social Security (Overpayments and Recovery) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/384), regs. 1(3), 5Pt. III restricted (22.8.1996) by Employment Tribunals Act 1996 (c. 17), ss. 17(1)(a), 46Pt. III excluded (11.11.1999) by Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30), ss. 68, 89(4)(a)S. 71ZB modified (1.4.2015) by The Tax Credits (Exercise of Functions) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3280), arts. 1, 4(2)