jsa overpayment letter

robpw2

as if i dont need any more bad luck
received a letter on saturday saying that i had been overpayed jsa contribution based in one month of 2006 reason given either you or a family members work.

thing is month i claimed i was out of work and living on my own in a horrible bedsit in maidstone so as far as i can see i got what i was entitled too

it seems to have come out the blue, do the dwp make mistakes , why now after i had to fight to get my incapcity claim through do they know spring this on me


anyone got any suggestions



i have never committed fraud always been honest on the forms etc and always informed them the minute i get a new job etc

zappster1966

2006 ? Wow, they're quick off the mark. Assuming you weren't working they've made a terrible mistake. They're under pressure to significantly increase the amount of overpayments that are calculated & recovered ... from what I hear, staff spend more time identifying overpayments than actually paying benefit to folks ... they've just gotta meet those internal targets.

You've got the right of appeal against the decision. Phone the number at the top of the letter, or call your local benefit delivery centre & obtain form GL24 (your appeal leaflet/form). Explains the appeal process quite neatly, fill out the tear off part & pop it straight to them in the post ... basically saying that you weren't working during that period, that you disagree with the calculation & wish to appeal. Fairly straightforward.

If they do happen to start taking the overpayment back from your Incapacity Benefit, while the appeal is still going through the system, speak to IB themselves & ask them to stop the deductions immediately. If the appeal goes to tribunal you can be represented by Citizens Advice, Welfare Rights etc. Might be a good idea to involve them right from the beginning.

Good luck !

robpw2

thanks zappster rang the number spoke to a really nice lady who has taken the details off me and is going to process towards appeal they will then contact me again then if they still claim i owe money she said that i should then start formal appeakl against them.


Apparently they are not treating it as fraud (whey) and they believe i had started work on the 05/04/06 but they hadnt even got my right dob apparently according to the women it said 2006.

so we shall see where i get ,