Please help with Provident Loans

fedup81

I have 3 loans with Provident and after having my hours cut at work can't afford the full payment of £285 per month, the most I can afford is £50. I spoke to my agent explaining that I could only pay this and as soon as my hours went back up I would start paying the full amount again. I made one payment of £50, then the next time my payment was due my agent text me and asked how much I would be paying as they were being charged thousands in bad debt.
I replied telling her that I would be paying £50 again as I had already told her this is what I can afford at the moment. I then got a text of her manager asking me how much I would be paying this week, so I replied to her saying £50.
The manager then text me again asking if I could make a payment of £140 which is 2 weeks payments to prevent further action, I said I could at a push but this would leave me with no money until I got paid on the 27th March, she then text back to say she had spoken to her boss and he was asking for a payment of £170 this week to prevent a charge of over £4000 being levied on her.
I could not afford this and so have written to Provident head office and sent my payment of £50 to them. Does anyone know if this is this correct why would the manager be charged over £4000 because I am struggling to pay, I have always kept up with my repayments until my hours have been cut, do you know if this is correct?

Thanks
Fedup