Housing benefit overpayment from 2013. I don’t owe this money.

fntfrost

Hello. I am in need of some advice please and I hope this is the right board for it, but I’m new here and may be mistaken. 

In 2013 I had a council tax and housing benefit overpayment. It was a mess, to the point I needed my M.P’s help to sort it out. The council got a liability order for the council tax, I don’t recall one for the housing benefit but ultimately I paid back every single penny. I assumed that was that and I have not heard from the council in years, aside from usual correspondence. 

 I have not received any benefits since then and no matter what, rent and council tax are paid. Despite being financially devastated by the corona virus lockdown, I never claimed benefits and I always paid those two bills. I cannot stress how terrified I am of the council. 

In late June of this year I received a final notice from the council. This is a new council as ours have recently formed a unitary council. The letter which was a bolt from the blue said I owed nearly a thousand pounds In housing benefit overpayments. 

The invoice date was 2013. The date of the letter was June 2021. 

Assuming this to be an error with the formation of the new council yet also knowing what they are like, I sent a letter requesting further information and an S.A.R showing all payments. I sent the letter around the 26th June. I have never had a reply. 

Today I had a letter from enforcement agents. Stating despite various requests I have failed to pay, I must pay in full within 7 days or they will commence recovery procedures. They also state a charge will be incurred for any additional letters sent to me. I absolutely swear these are the only two letters I have received since the original overpayment nearly a decade ago. 

I really don’t owe this money. There is no way they would not hound you for money outstanding that long ago. Our council are ruthless in their pursuit of even one pound outstanding. Plus I have no money. Surviving is all I do. 

I don’t know what to do. I have asked my bank for statements going back all those years but they said they don’t keep them past six years plus one. 

I have today contacted my MP as he helped me originally. 

And now I’m a ball of fear again. My home is a council property and I am terrified they will take my home away. I do have paralysing anxiety which I try and cope with. I do cope with most days in my defence. 

What can I do please? How can I prove I paid this and I don’t owe them? How can I stop their enforcement. 

Thank you for any advice you can give. 

Robbie64

I would suggest you contact the council again and tell them you don't owe the money. Also tell them you have contacted your MP and ask them to put a hold on any further action while your MP is involved. You could also contact your local councillor who may be able to help put at least a temporary stop on any further action.

poppy12345

Also when you contact your local council mention the S.A.R that you sent in June.

nicx83

Hi

the council can recover outstanding hb overpayments and there isn’t a time limit on it. 

The first port of call is to contact the council and ask them to put a hold on the recovery while you look into it. 

I would ask for the benefit letters from 2013 which should, to start with explain how the overpayment was calculated. They should also be able to advise of any payments they have received to date. Once you know how the overpayment was created I can then advise further.