Dylan1959,
I think you will find that £5000.00 is the level at which it is neccessary for an Executor of an Estate has to apply for Probate, or Letters of Administration, if the Deceased was intestate. (Without Probate or Letters of Administration any residual Estate over £5000.00 cannot be distributed). Applications are copied to the "DHSS". The content of the Application is then compared to what the Deceased may have claimed to have when applying for "benefits". If the 2 are disparate, then the Executor will receive a letter from a Department called "Recovery From Estate" with a request to explain the difference. Overpayments are a liability of the Estate, and I think need to be repaid before the residue of the Estate can be distributed to the Beneficiaries, or the Executor may be personally liable. Additionally when an Executor informs DWP of the demise of the Deceased they will automatically request repayment of overpayment of pension, they will also pay to the Estate any underpayment.