Demand for repayment of Crisis Loan not received.

Derv_Dooville

I have received a letter from DWP demanding that I repay them a Crisis Loan of £25 dated back in May 2009 or they will make a Direct Earnings Attachment. I have received a similar letter back in 2014 which I disputed as although I did make a claim for a Crisis Loan, I never received it either into the bank or by Giro as I didn't get to the Job Centre on time before they closed to collect it. I requested proof from DWP of the claim, collection and cashing of a Giro and have heard nothing from them since. DWP have today confirmed on the phone that they are unable to confirm/prove whether or not the Giro was actually collected and cashed yet they are telling me I have to repay money which I have not received. Surely a Government Agency cannot just bully people into paying money which they have not received? Does anybody have an experience of how to deal with this?