Powered by Lexis+®
Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom
CASE STUDY

“I'm able to do more in the day, which means I'm providing more value to my clients - and it's helped my margins in terms of how much I can bill. LexisNexis is helping me make money.”

ParrisWhittaker

Access all documents on Wrongful credit

Wrongful credit meaning

What does Wrongful credit mean?
In practice, a wrongful credit is money paid into a bank account that originates from criminal conduct and is then retained by the account-holder. In England and Wales (and in Northern Ireland), it is a statutory concept within the offence of dishonestly retaining a wrongful credit: Theft Act 1968, section 24A(2A). A credit is wrongful to the extent it derives from theft, blackmail, fraud contrary to section 1 of the Fraud Act 2006, or stolen goods. Key features for criminal liability include: a credit to an account kept by or for the suspect; knowledge or belief that the credit is wrongful; and dishonesty. The “to the extent” wording means mixed credits can be partly wrongful. This is distinct from a purely mistaken or overpaid credit where no underlying offence has occurred; such cases are addressed by restitution and unjust enrichment, not section 24A. In Scotland and Ireland, “wrongful credit” is not a defined term; comparable conduct is prosecuted under fraud or handling offences (reset in Scotland) and dealt with under money-laundering regimes (POCA 2002 in the UK; the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Acts in Ireland). Practically, the label prompts SARs, investigations, freezing or recovery orders, and reversal of credit entries.
Speed up all aspects of your legal work with tools that help you to work faster and smarter. Win cases, close deals and grow your business–all whilst saving time and reducing risk.

View the related News about Wrongful credit

NEWS
Construction law and policy update—UKSC rejects Mackay v Dick; asbestos reforms; nuclear EN-7; grid connections; EU Construction Services Act and SMR; sustainability; CIOB survey; PMI falls

In this issue: Contract law Building safety Infrastructure projects Energy projects Environmental issues Construction industry news Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Construction trackers Contract law Supreme Court confirms the ‘Mackay v Dick’ notion is not part of English law; wrongful prevention of a condition’s fulfilment yields damages only, not a debt (King Crude Carriers SA and others v Ridgebury November LLC and others) The Supreme Court in King Crude Carriers SA v Ridgebury November LLC [2025] UKSC 39 unanimously decided that English law does not recognise the so‑called ‘Mackay v Dick principle’, by which a party that improperly stops a contractual condition being met is treated as though the condition were satisfied. The Court held that the sellers’ claims to deposits could not succeed as debts; their exclusive remedy lay in damages for breach of contract. The judgment underlines that English contract law should turn on construction and implied terms,...

Read More Right Arrow
NEWS
UK Public Law Weekly, 20 February 2025: Procurement Act 2023 go-live and NPPS; Brexit SI sifting; key equality, procurement and judicial review judgments; constitutional updates; AI Security Institute

In this issue: Public procurement Brexit highlights Brexit SIs Post-Brexit transition guidance Equality and human rights Constitutional and administrative law Judicial review Subsidy control and State aid Other Public law news Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information Public procurement New National Procurement Policy Statement published ahead of PA 2023 go-live The Cabinet Office has issued a refreshed National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) that outlines strategic priorities for public purchasing. Laid before Parliament under section 13(3)(c) of the Procurement Act 2023, it takes effect on 24 February 2025 to align with the PA 2023 go-live and will continue unless withdrawn, revised or replaced. Alongside the NPPS, government has released two new Procurement Policy Notes focused on small business procurement spend targets and social value. It has also set out plans for a suite of tools and measures to further enable...

Read More Right Arrow

View the related Practice Notes about Wrongful credit

PRACTICE NOTES
Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence July 2025: discount rate, costs/QOCS, RTA reforms, CPR updates and leading cases (England and Wales) [Archived]

PI & Clinical negligence horizon scanner—July 2025 [Archived] ARCHIVED: This Practice Note is archived and is not maintained. It summarises the principal legal developments relevant to personal injury and clinical negligence practitioners as at July 2025. For developments predating this horizon scanner, see PI and Clinical Negligence horizon scanning and key cases—overview. Key PI and clinical negligence developments The personal injury discount rate—a review In late 2024, the Lord Chancellor, Shabana Mahmood MP, revealed the outcome of her five‑month review of the discount rate, initiated in July 2024. One month after the new +0.5% discount rate took effect, Thea Wilson (barrister at 12 King’s Bench Walk) assesses its impact on cases, the responses from claimant and defendant representatives, and the consequences of the change for legal practitioners. See News Analysis: The personal injury discount rate—a review. MoJ announces reduction in CFO’s interest rates The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced lower interest rates for the Courts Funds Office’s (CFO) special and basic accounts...

Read More Right Arrow
PRACTICE NOTES
UK personal injury and clinical negligence update: key cases, costs, whiplash review, product liability and CPR changes—March 2026

This Practice Note summarises the principal legal updates relevant to personal injury and clinical negligence practitioners as at 2 March 2026, aimed at assisting current practice. For earlier developments, see PI and Clinical Negligence horizon scanning and key cases—overview. Key PI & clinical negligence developments Eighteenth edition of the Judicial College Guidelines due The 18th edition of the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) will be released on 9 April 2026. The Lexis+® UK PI & Clinical Negligence team will refresh the JCG link within our Key Resources on the Lexis+® UK PI & Clinical Negligence homepage, together with all connected materials. Law Society publishes practice note on conduct of litigation following Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys Following the High Court’s decision in Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys [2025] EWHC 2341 (KB), the Law Society has issued guidance for solicitors, law firms and legal businesses to ensure that only individuals authorised under the Legal Services Act 2007 undertake the conduct of litigation...

Read More Right Arrow
PRACTICE NOTES
Comprehensive glossary of UK restructuring and insolvency terms, covering Companies Act schemes, Part 26A plans, IA 1986 processes, and cross‑border concepts including COMI, UNCITRAL and assimilated EU rules.

This glossary sets out numerous expressions regularly encountered in the restructuring & insolvency sphere. Words shown in bold within definitions are themselves explained in other entries in this glossary as well. A Article X The MLIJ contains a single provision named Article X, aimed at jurisdictions that have already implemented the MLCBI, like England, or are weighing its adoption. Article X states: ‘Not withstanding any prior interpretation to the contrary, the relief available under [insert a cross-reference to the legislation of this State enacting Article 21 of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency] includes recognition and enforcement of a judgment’ (see Practice Note: UNCITRAL model law on recognition and enforcement of insolvency-related judgments (MLIJ): Article X). Asset-backed security (ABS) A form of security anchored by asset pools, for example loans, leases, and credit card receivables. Assimilated law From 1 January 2024, ‘retained law’ has been retitled ‘assimilated law’. The body of domestic law originally arising from EU obligations, created by the European...

Read More Right Arrow