More than 30,000 people owe at least £10,000, MPs say Benefit claimants owe an "immense" £1.85bn in overpayments but the government is recovering less than £300m a year, MPs say.The public accounts committee is urging the Department for Work and Pensions to improve "significantly" its efforts to recover the money. More than 30,000 people owe at least £10,000, the MPs' report says. The Tories called the situation "unforgivable", but the government said debt reclaiming had "improved". The committee said the DWP had been successful in improving debt recovery procedures, increasing the amount recouped from £180m in 2005/06 to £281m in 2008/09. But the total debt was continuing to rise - reaching £1.85bn by 31 March last year, an increase of 11% on two years before - because overpayments were still larger than repayments. 'Outstripped'The committee warned the situation was likely to get worse as the recession had make people less able to repay.[Read more...]