To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Driving bans for those who refuse to repay benefit debts as new DWP powers come into force, published on 24 June 2026, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that direct deductions from bank accounts are made only where the debt is correctly established.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Department for Work and Pensions' press release entitled Driving bans for those who refuse to repay benefit debts as new DWP powers come into force, published on 24 June 2026, whether guidance has been issued to officials on determining whether a debtor has the means to repay but has deliberately refused to do so.

New debt recovery powers agreed by Parliament in the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025 are designed to increase fairness and to more effectively and efficiently be able to recover debt from individuals who are not in receipt of benefit or in suitable PAYE employment.

These powers will encourage voluntary repayment as well as ensuring that there is recourse for those who have the means to repay but do not.

Use of these Debt Recovery powers is governed by the published DWP Direct Deduction and Disqualification from Driving Orders Code of Practice, which sets out the strict safeguards that must be followed before any enforcement action is taken.

All DWP debt recovery activity, including through Direct Deduction Order’s or Driving Disqualification only take place once an overpayment decision has been made and communicated to the customer. This communication includes information on mandatory reconsideration and appeal rights.