The Department has reviewed this matter and there is no indication that anyone other than the person concerned collected these payments and this issue was not raised by her at that time. The contention that someone else collected the payment has not been raised as an issue up to now and was not raised in any of two previous correspondences.
Where a payment is made at a post office, as in this case, the customers signature would have been required in order to cash their child benefit payments. As this matter happened some 14 years ago too much time has elapsed for the Department to investigate this matter in any further detail.
An overpayment arose in this case as the person concerned continued to collect child benefit payments in respect of a child that no longer resided in their household. Another qualified third party applied for child benefit for this child and following enquiries was awarded the payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.