Advice re Adult Dependant Grant overpayment

saba_110

Hello everyone,

I am new to the forum and have searched site re my enquiry and did not find any answers so decided to start a thread.

I applied for Adult Dependant Grant for academic year 07/08. I had not applied for any type of grant before and this was the only year since I got married in April 07 and my husband was unemployed since, till 1st May 08.

I was paid the grant in 3 installments (provided the LEA with all necessary documentations to prove my entitlement) and I don't think they would have agreed to pay if they had not assessed my situation or had not had evidence of my entitlement.

On May 1st my husband found a job and as soon as I graduate (mid May 08) we relocated to Sheffield. Until that day I had not been contacted by the LEA for any further assessements or any issues.

When we relocated, I did not (completely forgot) to inform them about the change of address, but the reason I forgot was because I had finished uni.

In March 09, my sister told me that SCL were trying to get hold of me but could not so had contacted her, so I immediately rang them and updated my contact details. so that means they were not able to get in touch with me from May 08 untill March 09 but did not hear anything after I updated my contact details.

In May 09, I received a final notification from Smith Lawson and Co that I have been overpaid adult dependant grant of £2510. No previous letters or anything from either the collection department or SCL.

I immediately contacted the LEA and they said that they tried to contact me to ask for evidence and because I failed to provide evidence and had not got back to them it was passed to collection department. I wrote a letter to them explaining the situation as it was very difficult last year to get in touch with them through their helpline and I disputed the overpayment.

They requested all the documents that I had once provided them with but because I had told them that my husband got a job in May they asked for his pay slips from May08 till August 08. I sent them his payslip but was not sure why they needed it because at that time I had finished uni! or at least only in May I was still officially at uni and not after.

They replied back with a letter of assessment and said that I am not entitled to any of the grant and I have to repay!

My husbands income from May08 till August 08 was approx £7500 but obviously from October 07 till May 08 I was entitled to SOME of this money if not all?! Should have they asked for his income from May till August considering I was at final year or regardless of the year it runs till August 31st?

Smith Lawson & co has rang me again to arrange repayment... I really dont think I should pay it back but I don't know I might be wrong!

any help or advice would so much appreciated.