Asda / Drydensfairfax

skippy23

Hello all,

Firstly, apologies if this has been posted in the wrong forum.

I'm posting on behalf of my mum, and after some advice (please!).

My mum worked on nights for Asda, but the manual job eventually took its toll on her health and as well as basically being a walking zombie, she was diagnosed with osteoarthritis. This got a lot worse quickly and after ongoing periods of being signed off work with a doctors sick note (she was receiving sick pay), Asda eventually offered redundancy, which my mum accepted as she felt she couldn't continue with the job (she also suffers with massive anxiety). This was back in April.

Since then she hasn't been employed (partly due to the arthritis, but also her anxiety which comes with its own set of horrible physical symptoms)- and hasn't been able to claim any benefits (because she lives with her partner who is in full time work - albeit low paid, and paying off debts, and also my younger brother, who lives at home and works full time - also low paid.)

She has basically been surviving on money from her partner and my brother to cover rent, bills and food etc, and by buying and selling small items from charity shops on ebay. (I'm talking a few pounds here and there - nothing major)

She just received a letter from Asda, dated October 4th stating that she had been overpaid sick pay and in accordance with her terms and conditions of employment, they are asking for it back.

The letter states that Drydens fairfax are now managing the debt and request that she contacts them directly.

The letter states the sum due is £390.84 broken down as follows:

"You had a sick note up to 30 May 2018
You were paid sick pay up to 19 May 2018as the leave date of 28 April was not processed untilJune pay period therefore you were overpaid by CSP by £444.14
The overpayment was recovered in June pay leaving the net amount owed of £390.84"

It then goes on to say that full payment can be made on the drydenfairfax website, or that if she isnt in a position to pay in full then they would be happy to work with her to reach an affordable repayment plan along with her income and expenditure details.

My mum can't afford to pay this debt.

I am just after some advice - does she have any rights here? Does she owe that money? She didnt realise at the time that she had been overpaid, so this is the first notice that she has had. Shes obviously very anxious about this, and it is causing her to worry no end.

I don't know anything about this company - is it worth her contacting them to arrange a repayment plan (though she wont be able to afford much at all and I don't know what the minimum they would allow is? Should she wait until drydens write? (The letter received was from Asda).

I certainly don't want my mum under anymore stress and if it comes to it I am willing to just pay the amount i nfull out of my savings - though not ideal as I have had my own unexpected expenses this month..

Any advice/personal experience with the company is welcomed.

Thank you in advance.

[Deleted User]

If she was overpaid then the company has the right to request the money back.

She needs to contact them to arrange a repayment plan