Too Many Problems, Any suggestions? 10 January 2009 at 2:31PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Debt-Free Wannabe 9 replies 1.5K views

Lucy5781

Hi,

Just when I was on the verge of sorting out my Credit Card debts back in Feb last year I spilt with my boyf, he moved out of our rented flat and I ended up using up the space I had shuffled onto my cards to keep myself afloat.

I then had a trip to hospital and got let go from my job (company now folded) in July 08 and signed on to Jobseekers.

I put together a claim for my bank charges from Barclays, citing my benefit status as a means to have the claim dealt with sooner rather than later.

By September I was also claiming Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit as I was on JSA.

In October I did two and a half days work, which totalled 20 hours (over the 16hr limit set by JSA) and declared it when I went to sign on the following week. (could have not mentioned it, but I was honest and declared it). I asked the man at the time if it was ok that it was 20 hrs and I was still signed on and he said it was fine.

When I started my current temp job, on Nov 7th (two days after I went in for my JSA three month review) I went in and signed off JSA. This obviously triggered a review of my details at which point they suddenly started making noises about how I shouldn't have been claiming after the October work without signing off and back on again. They retrospectively ended my claim from the October date and only informed my by letter dated 23/11/08!

The up shot of all of this is that I have in the last week received letters from DWP for JSA overpayment, (£233.36) my local council for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit over payment (£587.25 & £195.85) and for outstanding Council tax (£297.79 - as it has not been fully paid due to the benefit being made). All to be paid by 7th Feb 09.

So, unable to sort my Credit Card debt through unemployment, being ignored by the bank regarding my unfair charges, and finishing my temp contract next week and about to sign on again..... I'm now being hassled to repay £1,314.25 within the next month because some ignorant person at my Jobcentre didn't advise me correctly when I was honest enough to delcare 2.5 days work.......

Sorry this is such a long story....
I have four credit cards, all into full interest rates as I've had to use them to live on since Feb 08... prior to that I'd made a good start on shuffling and had moved the biggest debt onto the lowest rated card.

Having been unemployed I so far have not be able to obtain any new cards or a loan to begin diminishing this debt again.

I'm 27, single female living alone, with my heating off all the time! lol

I think right now I'm best off getting everything written down ready to fire off a few irrate letters, then waiting until after next week when I go to sign on again before challenging my benefit problems....

I need to get some help arranging lower payments to my Credit Cards, plan to spend some time sat in CAB once I'm back to being on JSA and have the time to wait for hours on end!

Also, where is best to call/write to Barclays to chase up my Claim for Charges?

In advance thank you for your help.

Lxx

Ames

Right, you really need to see CAB. As it was official error that caused the overpayment you shouldn't have to pay it.

As for the debt, if you don't want to have to wait for CAB then you could try the online debt remedy on the CCCS website.

bathgatebuyer

I can only echo what Ames has said and contact CAB. The DWP make a lot of mistakes and it costs people a lot of money when they can least afford to be in that position.

They lost my paperwork a few years back and only managed to find it again after I contacted my MP who then contacted the Minister responsible!

sammy115

I would contact your MP - most definitely...from what you are saying you maybe should not have received JSA for the one week of working over 16 hours....therefore that week you should have signed off and then back on again...

The advisor was plainly told you worked and you are not the one who is trained in DW&P stuff (they don't make it easy)- have you written to the job centre and put your complaint in writing...This needs to be resolved and they have something like a tribunal to deal with such matters.

As you said you need to put all this in writing to the various offices stating that these 'overpayments' are in dispute - keep copies and send the letters recorded. They should then hold off chasing you until the dispute is resolved one way or another.

As to reducing your debt payments give National Debtline a call if you haven't got time to spend in the CAB.

beanielou

Best to vist your CAB.

Lucy5781

One major positive update:

After over a year of trying, I finally got a 'Goodwill Gesture' of most of my claimed bank charges from Barclays under the Financial Hardship details!

I got £1178 out of £1395. It has made me very happy!

Lxx

Katy83

Great news Lucy, well done!

catmiaow

Lucy5781 wrote: »

One major positive update:

After over a year of trying, I finally got a 'Goodwill Gesture' of most of my claimed bank charges from Barclays under the Financial Hardship details!

I got £1178 out of £1395. It has made me very happy!

Lxx

Well done I found Barclays to be more reasonable than Halifax. Any luck with the other problem?

Lucy5781

Now that my overdraft it cleared (thanks to 'Goodwill Gesture') I think I can go forward with a DRO, which I have been told I can get, for the amounts on my credit cards, so we'll see how we go, in the mean time, I have asked them to accept 'Token Payment' as up until now I've still been trying to manage minimum payments, but it's gotten too much.

I have however also gained a flatmate which has made my rent less of an issue and I've now been permanently employed for six months.

Didn't realise how long ago I wrote the original post!

Lucy5781

Latest Update:

I went through lots of appeal letters etc with DWP but they refused to admit to the JSA being their fault.

I am still trying to pay back about £500 worth of Housing Benefit to them (two years afterthe fact!!) and have just discovered that the monthly standing order of £50 I set up to them in April has been 'refused' and sent back to my account a fortnight later every month :eek: This should have paid it off by Xmas but I will have to sort this out in person week after next when I have some time off work!

Three out of four of my credit cards are now on token payments with charges and interest on hold and the total over all four cards is now less than £14k, let alone £15k, so hopefully, I can actually visit CAB (Visiting CAB is not easy when you work full time!!) during my week off and finally start official proceedings for a DRO (I've been trying to get this far since 2008!!!).

I've been with my 'new' boyfriend almost two years now, he moved in ten months ago and we're trying for a baby Already scanning Ebay and Gumtree for the Cot and Buggy we want and he's really happy to go with my suggestion of re-useable nappies as he's seen some of his friends do well with them

Lxx