Customers were notified of the problem by letter on 24 January and given details of how to repay the duplicate payment. Letters were issued to 109,663 customers. The Secretary of State has a duty to seek recovery under common law where an overpayment has arisen outside of the provisions of Sections 71 and 74 of the Administration Act 1992. Recovery under common law has been a feature of the social security system since its inception. The BAs Central Recovery Group has set up dedicated phone lines to receive phone calls from customers who needed to speak to somebody about how to pay the money back.
Customers can also contact their local benefit offices for advice and guidance.
I hope this is helpful.