Soo... benefits want to charge me £3000? help.

shegirl

OP,when exactly were you meant to have stopped claiming benefits.You were sacked from a job in January 2010 and started a new one in February 2010.you wouldn't have been entitled if you were working before the new job that started in Feb...so when did you stop and start claiming?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2272317=

Fiver29

Mehman wrote: »

and so the fact i was no longer sending in sick notes which entitled me to the benefit...
or going down to the job centre fortnightly to see my advisor to confirm my still-unable-to-work status

has no bearing on this what-so-ever...
..I appreciate you lot explaining its my fault, i just feel its bad that my reward for enquiring about the payments is a bill.

And yes, i did notice the payments.. i enquired as to what they were in 2009, got passed around through different jobcentre departments and nobody could explain what they were... So nothing came of it. All i had was the numbering on my bank statements and nobody on the phone was very helpful.

This is my following up on it, when i queried it back in June.
But at the same time i was on (at one point) Income support, incapacity benefit and disability living allowance.. i think

and they're not clearly labelled on your bank statements, so i dont understand how anyone could think its incomprehensable to not know what every single statement is on your bank statements...

...Not to mention when you're doing 40 hours a week full time, coming home to pour over bank statements is not my idea of a fun friday night..

But glad you all read the part where i asked for positive advice, and thanks for all your positive advice. Appreciated.

So you knew you shouldn't be getting them, why didn't you move them to a separate account for when the inevitable occurred?

rogerblack

By 'sent off an appeal' - what do you mean?
There are several stages to an appeal - first it is an internal reconsideration by the DWP - this will take several weeks.
Then there is an appeal to the independant tribunal, which can be in person, or on paper.

Has the second been done?

So again i persued it, worst mistake i have ever made.. Apparently i -was- still sending in certificates and i have failed to disclose that i started fulltime work, even though the job centre got me the job... and i wasnt sending in certificates which should have alone made them stop the benefits and furthermore i was the one to bring the whole thing to their attention... Without which i'd be sitting here merrily accepting free government cash but instead i've got a bill. For my honesty.

If not, you can continue to appeal.

First step would be to get your complete file for all the benefits affected.
They can't both argue that you are and are not sending sick-notes.
If it can be proved that the overpayments are as a result of official error (in not terminating your award when you stopped sending sick-notes) then it may not be recoverable.
This would at least let you repay it at your own pace, rather than in one lump.

shegirl

what is it with arsey posters this week????

Lady_gaga

Mehman wrote: »

Actually i just got the date wrong in my initial post... The job i got sacked from is the only job i have done other than being self employed since my year in hospital.

I wasnt aware of what benefits i was claiming or entitled to when i got out of hospital, the people at the benefits office helped me out immensely and i basically left it in their and my mums hands.

I didnt know i was receiving benefits i wasnt entitled to, i'm self employed and i take pride in making an honest living.. Some of you might find it hard to believe, maybe your life has made you jaded to the fact there are honest people out there who just try to get by.. If thats the case i pity you.

What I do appreciate is my fault is not taking more of an active interest in my own benefits but what can i say, i thought these people might actually be able to handle it... its their full time job, but i guess i'll just pay it back as little as possible on as long a payment plan as possible.


Thanks to Fbaby, your clinical interpretation of the situation is refreshing in a sea of condescension.


To everyone - If you find yourself writing stuff like:

'You should have'
'why didnt you'
'How on earth could you'

and it's not to get further information to be helpful, but to make yourself feel like a big man on the internets - You're a !!!!!!.

Go away, unplug your computer and try talking to people like that down your pub and see how many friends you make - you certainly shouldnt be on a forum pretending to be 'helpful'.


Good day.
:beer:

So you spent benefit money you knew you wern't entitled to and now your moaning because you have to pay it back?!?

there's only one d ick around here and I'm afraid your it!!:rotfl:

Mehman_2

rogerblack wrote: »

By 'sent off an appeal' - what do you mean?
There are several stages to an appeal ...

I don't even know, i feel a bit stupid but.. The letter i got back was from DWP
They said the letters will also be sent to the Tribunals Service who will be in touch to explain what happens next with my appeal...


I think its gone to an independant tribunal already but i'm not entirely sure, i'll give them a call tomorrow and get out all the old paperwork and doublecheck everything.

Thanks for your helpful information regardless.

Mehman_2

Lady_gaga wrote: »

So you spent benefit money you knew you wern't entitled to

Afraid you're wrong... I didnt know i wasn't entitled to it. I questioned, at a point what it was for.. But wrongly assumed it -was- something i was entitled to.


The fact you keep missing this point leads me to believe you're selectively reading my posts and/or trolling me.

Lady_gaga

Mehman wrote: »

Afraid you're wrong... I didnt know i wasn't entitled to it. I questioned, at a point what it was for.. But wrongly assumed it -was- something i was entitled to.


The fact you keep missing this point leads me to believe you're selectively reading my posts and/or trolling me.

Oh come on now, the same amounts of money were going into your account as previously, you knew as you were working you shouldn't have been getting them but chose to spend the money anyway.
Not very bright

Torry_Quine

I have to agree with those who say that you really must take responsibility for this. I can't understand how someone doesn't know exactly what they are getting as surely you get at least an annual letter detailing the benefit and any changes.

That said, I hope you get it sorted out.

Arg

Lady_gaga wrote: »

Oh come on now, the same amounts of money were going into your account as previously, you knew as you were working you shouldn't have been getting them but chose to spend the money anyway.
Not very bright

Neither are some of the morons in this thread who should p iss off to the discussion time section of these forums if they want to moan about benefits.