Discretionary Waivers & How to Succeed

Course Overview

A discretionary waiver allows the Department for Communities (DfC) to decide not to recover all or part of a benefit overpayment in exceptional circumstances. Claimants may request a waiver of an overpayment or benefit advance in specific situations. Thanks to policy advocacy by the Law Centre, all overpayment notices in Northern Ireland now inform recipients of their right to request a waiver, and DfC guidance has been updated to clearly state that the cause of the overpayment—including official error—is a key factor in considering whether to grant one.

Building on the Law Centre’s success in shaping discretionary waiver policy, this practitioner-led masterclass is designed to equip advisers with the knowledge and tools to effectively support clients in making waiver requests.