Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025

1. Introductory Text

2. Part 1 Functions exercisable on behalf of public authorities

   1. Chapter 1 Key concepts

      1. 1. Core functions of the Minister for the Cabinet Office

      2. 2. Interaction with other public authorities etc

   2. Chapter 2 Investigatory powers

      1. Information

         1. 3. Information notices

         2. 4. Reviews

         3. 5. Information sharing

         4. 6. Amendment of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016

      2. Powers of entry, search and seizure etc

         1. 7. Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 etc powers

         2. 8. Disposal of property

         3. 9. Incidents etc

   3. Chapter 3 Rights to recover

      1. Recovery of recoverable amounts

         1. 10. Acting for another public authority

         2. 11. Recovery notices

         3. 12. Restriction on availability of powers: claimed amounts

      2. Recovery of other amounts

         1. 13. Penalties etc

         2. 14. Restriction on availability of powers: penalties

   4. Chapter 4 Methods of recovery

      1. Introduction

         1. 15. Payable amounts

      2. Recovery as if payable under a court order

         1. 16. Recovery orders

      3. Recovery from bank accounts etc

         1. 17. Direct deduction orders

         2. 18. Accounts which may be subject to a direct deduction order

         3. 19. Requirement for banks to provide information

         4. 20. Joint accounts

         5. 21. Further requirements before making a direct deduction order

         6. 22. Amount of deductions

         7. 23. Content and effect of direct deduction orders

         8. 24. Bank’s administrative costs

         9. 25. Insufficient funds

         10. 26. Restrictions on accounts: banks

         11. 27. Restrictions on accounts: account holders

         12. 28. Applications to vary

         13. 29. Variation

         14. 30. Revocation

         15. 31. Further information notices

         16. 32. Suspension of direct deduction orders

         17. 33. Cessation on death of liable person

         18. 34. Reviews

         19. 35. Appeals

         20. 36. Meaning of “bank” etc

         21. 37. Deputies

         22. 38. Regulations

      4. Deduction from earnings

         1. 39. Deduction from earnings orders

         2. 40. Content and effect of deduction from earnings orders

         3. 41. Requirements before making a deduction from earnings order

         4. 42. Amount of deductions

         5. 43. The employer’s administrative costs

         6. 44. Suspension of deduction from earnings orders

         7. 45. Duty to notify the Minister of change of circumstances

         8. 46. Applications to vary

         9. 47. Variation

         10. 48. Revocation

         11. 49. Reviews

         12. 50. Appeals

   5. Chapter 5 Civil penalties

      1. 51. Penalty relating to fraud

      2. 52. Application to members etc of bodies

      3. 53. Amount of penalty relating to fraud

      4. 54. Penalty for failing to comply with requirements

      5. 55. Application to members etc of bodies

      6. 56. Amount of penalty for failing to comply with requirements

      7. 57. Procedural rights

      8. 58. Penalty decision notices

      9. 59. Reviews and decisions

      10. 60. Penalty notices

      11. 61. Appeals

      12. 62. Interest

      13. 63. Code of practice

      14. 64. Penalties and criminal proceedings or convictions

   6. Chapter 6 General

      1. 65. Independent review

      2. 66. Independent review: further provision

      3. 67. Authorised officers

      4. 68. Guidance on exercise of investigatory functions

      5. 69. Reports on exercise of functions

      6. 70. Record of exercise of functions

      7. 71. Disclosure of information etc: interaction with external constraints

      8. 72. Crown etc application

      9. 73. Public Sector Fraud Authority and transfer of functions

      10. 74. Interpretation

      11. 75. Regulations

3. Part 2 Social security etc

   1. Chapter 1 Powers to require information

      1. 76. Information notices

      2. 77. Consequential amendments to the Social Security Fraud Act 2001

      3. 78. Eligibility verification

      4. 79. Eligibility verification: independent review

   2. Chapter 2 Powers of entry, search and seizure etc

      1. 80. Entry, search and seizure in England and Wales

      2. 81. Entry, search and seizure in Scotland

      3. 82. Entry, search and seizure: Crown application

      4. 83. Offence of delay, obstruction etc

      5. 84. Disposal of property

      6. 85. Amendments to the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001

      7. 86. Incidents etc in England and Wales

      8. 87. Incidents etc in Scotland

   3. Chapter 3 Further provision relevant to investigatory powers

      1. 88. Devolved benefits

      2. 89. DWP offence

      3. 90. Disclosure of information etc: interaction with external constraints

      4. 91. Giving notices etc

      5. 92. Independent review

   4. Chapter 4 Overpayments: recovery and enforcement

      1. 93. Enforcement of non-benefit payments

      2. 94. Recovery and enforcement mechanisms

      3. 95. Recovery from bank accounts etc

      4. 96. Disqualification from driving

      5. 97. Code of practice

      6. 98. Rights of audience

      7. 99. Recovery of costs

      8. 100. Recovery: further provision

   5. Chapter 5 Offences, penalties etc

      1. 101. Offences: non-benefit payments

      2. 102. Penalty as alternative to prosecution: extension to non-benefit payments

      3. 103. Amendments to the Social Security Fraud Act 2001: loss of benefits following penalty

      4. 104. Powers of Scottish Ministers

4. Part 3 General

   1. 105. Application and limitation

   2. 106. Power to make consequential provision

   3. 107. Financial provision

   4. 108. Extent

   5. 109. Commencement

   6. 110. Short title

5. Schedules

   1. Schedule 1

      Fraud against public authorities: Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 powers

      1. 1. Introduction

      2. 2. General modifications

      3. 3. Specific modifications

   2. Schedule 2

      Public Sector Fraud Authority and transfer of functions

      1. Part 1 Powers to establish the PSFA and transfer functions

         1. 1. Main powers

         2. 2. Authorised officers

         3. 3. Associated modifications

         4. 4. Procedure

      2. Part 2 Constitution etc

         1. 5. Introduction and status

         2. 6. Constitution

         3. 7. Appointment of non-executive members

         4. 8. Appointment of executive members

         5. 9. Interim chief executive

         6. 10. Appointment of members: eligibility

         7. 11. Terms of membership

         8. 12. Non-executive members: payments

         9. 13. Staffing

         10. 14. Discharge of functions etc

         11. 15. Procedure

         12. 16. Annual report

         13. 17. Seal and evidence

         14. 18. Supplementary powers

         15. 19. Transfer schemes

         16. 20. Amendments to other enactments

         17. 21. In Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (departments...

         18. 22. In Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the House of...

         19. 23. In Part 6 of Schedule 1 to the Freedom of...

         20. 24. In Part 1 of Schedule 19 to the Equality Act...

      3. Part 3 Power to change name

         1. 25. (1) The Minister may by regulations amend section 73 of...

   3. Schedule 3

      Eligibility verification etc

      1. Part 1 Eligibility verification

         1. 1. The Schedule to be inserted into the Social Security Administration...

      2. Part 2 Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

         1. 2. (1) The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 is amended as...

   4. Schedule 4

      Social security fraud: search and seizure powers etc

      1. 1. The Schedule to be inserted in the Social Security Administration...

      2. 2. The Schedule to be inserted in the Social Security Administration...

   5. Schedule 5

      Recovery from bank accounts etc

   6. Schedule 6

      Disqualification from driving