old debt

layalexmac

Hi Can anyone help me,
Last year i was made redundant and had to sign on the dole.
after 6 weeks I received a letter from the department of work and pensions saying I owed them £522 .So I contacted them and they informed me the debt was from 1987 . I asked why it has taken so long to contact me . After a short discussion the person I was talking to spoke to there manager and said that they would not pursue this further as it was such a long time ago. then about 4 weeks ago another letter arrived asking for payment .I contacted them and they told me it was recoverable .Very worried cant afford to pay it will put me in serious debt.
just dont understand why they didnt ask me to pay when I was working.

Regards

layalexmac

McKneff

Do you remember the debt, did you ask what it was for.

It the debt is owed, they will eventually deduct amounts from your benefits.

layalexmac

No I dont what the debt was for .

I dont receieve any benefits they say i am not entitled to any after 6 months my wife works to many hours .

king100

Benefit overpayments and social fund loans

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has six years to take action through the courts to recover benefit overpayments and social fund loans. This time starts running from the date of the final decision made on the overpayment and from when the social fund loan was due to be paid. But the DWP are still allowed to make deductions from your benefit for a debt over six years old as they don't need to go to court to do this. This applies to overpayments of benefit such as Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and paying back social fund loans

http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/factsheet.php?page=25_liability_for_debts_and_the_limitation_act

McKneff

layalexmac wrote: »

No I dont what the debt was for .

I dont receieve any benefits they say i am not entitled to any after 6 months my wife works to many hours .

You need to ask them what th debt is for and get it in writing.

Do yu think yu may have had a social fund loan or something like that.