Carers Allowance Overpaid?

portlandboy

Last week the Mrs got a demand from the Carer's Allowance Unit to repay a supposed Carer's Allowance overpayment made to her in 2019. At the time she worked a quarterly pattern of 2x four week months and 1x five week month. This overpayment coinsides with the income she received in 2 separate five week pay periods, for which the CAU calculated as 4 week pay periods and comes to over £550.

That's okay in itself and, if we owe it, we will pay it. But here's where it get nasty...

The CAU letter doesn't give any details of their calculations, nor do they give any details of the customer's rights to a Mandatory Reconsideration. The instantly passed this case to a debt collection agency as they don't deal with the recovery themselves.

We have appealed against the overpayment notice but, the Carer's Allowance Unit don't have any legal timeframe in which they have to review the matter. However, the debt recovery company have the right to demand payment straight away and are doing so.

In short, if she didn't agree to set up a payment plan straight away, they would proceed with recovery action, contact her employer and have it deducted from her income, which presumably that would be noted on her credit file.
Fortunately we keep all payslips and P60s going back years and years, so have proof of what was earned and for how many weeks.
This just seems very heavy handed when you consider the CAU have the discretion to average the income over 52 weeks if you get paid varying amounts on a regular pattern.
How many people don't have the evidence to prove the CAU wrong and have no choice but to just pay up?
There's also the added worry of how this could affect her credit ratings