ESA overpayment/ dwp misconduct

Honesti

Also, what can I do to help myself in dealing with this. I don’t know much about dealing with the dwp and would appreciate all advice.

TELLIT01

Honesti, I can understand your frustration with the system, but it is the responsibility of the claimant to know, or find out, what their entitlement is or might be. I have personal experience of the claimant side of the system, albeit from many years ago. A close relative was told they weren't entitled to a certain benefit because they lived at home and the parents' income was taken into account. Years later we discovered that the rules had changed and they could have been claiming for a number of years. When the question was asked about backdating they got exactly the same answer "It's the claimant's responsibility....."

tazwhoever

TELLIT01 gives good advice, I will suggest OP to check it at MSE, CAB, Turn2Us, and possible centre to see if you get the same answer. MSE is very good as you get people all walks of lives.

Newly_retired

Yes, it is the claimant’s responsibility to find out their entitlement.
You can use turn2us.
Job Centre staff have a job to do but are not benefit advisors. If they have given you wrong advice or information you can make a complaint, but not for just not saying anything when you closed your claim.
Citizens Advice will help you if you do not agree with the DWP decision, and normally you have one month from the date of your decision letter to do so.
I am not sure why there should be an overpayment. Can you explain?

Honesti

Update : dwp have told me that there is an overpayment for all the years I was at uni but accepted that it was their mistake as I informed them so I don’t have to pay it back. However, theyve thrown new curveballs at me which I will share in a few days for some advice. This really does just keep getting more complicated.