DWP Debt Management - but not claimed benefits in years?

freckles13

Hi all

I've received a letter from DWP Debt Management today, saying I owe outstanding debts to them.  This is the first letter or contact I've ever had about this kind of thing - it looks legit, as it has the DWP letterhead and my information on it.

However, I have no idea what it's for.  I claimed Universal Credit for a very short period back in 2018 maybe?  But it's well over 3 years ago - I've been working full time in the same job for over 3 years and not had any benefits claim since before then.

I can't call them until Monday to figure out what's going on due to their opening hours, but has anyone had experience of this before?  Can they contact me 3+ years later to ask me to repay something if they haven't mentioned this before?  Where do I stand with this?

poppy12345

They are catching up with debts people owe from as far back as 2005 and yes they can ask you to repay what you owe them. Have you ever claimed tax credit? of so then it could be that or your UC claim, if you had a advance payment from when you started your claim?

freckles13

Thanks - I claimed UC very briefly before I was employed in my current role, and I think I did get an advance payment so it's probably that.  I was just surprised to be contacted so long after it - I guess I always assumed that if I needed to repay anything, particularly considering I told them about my employment, they would have asked for it at the time.

poppy12345

You can send a right of access request to DWP and they will send you all the information they hold about it. This will tell you if it was from the UC claim. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/request-your-personal-information-from-the-department-for-work-and-pensions

If you did have an advance payment and didn't repay it then it is highly likely to be that.

TELLIT01

You certainly have the right to full detail of when the debt occurred and the amount.  They can reclaim any overpayment of UC.

tacpot12

DWP Debt Management don't always have the details of how the debt has arisen and will refer you back to the DWP department that has told them about the debt. That department should be able to explain how the debt arose. Don't hang around as debt management will look to attach your earnings if you can't get the original department to confirm that an error has been made. 

poppy12345

tacpot12 said:

DWP Debt Management don't always have the details of how the debt has arisen and will refer you back to the DWP department that has told them about the debt. That department should be able to explain how the debt arose. Don't hang around as debt management will look to attach your earnings if you can't get the original department to confirm that an error has been made. 

Surely the right of access request will tell them what exactly it's for?

calcotti

poppy12345 said:

Surely the right of access request will tell them what exactly it's for?

But if DWP debt management can tell him that will be quicker so I would try that first (if OP can get through).

Robbie64

poppy12345 said:

tacpot12 said:

DWP Debt Management don't always have the details of how the debt has arisen and will refer you back to the DWP department that has told them about the debt. That department should be able to explain how the debt arose. Don't hang around as debt management will look to attach your earnings if you can't get the original department to confirm that an error has been made. 

Surely the right of access request will tell them what exactly it's for?

The problem with a Subject Access Request is that the person making the request can end up with dozens or even hundreds of pages of printouts, even for a relatively short period of being on benefit. With that amount of paperwork it would be a difficult job finding what you are looking for unless you know where to find it. Earlier this year I did a SAR for my ESA, to check something, and ended up with 400+ pages of printouts. I used to work for the DWP so was able to quickly locate what I was after but most people would end up looking through page after page and would probably struggle to locate what they wanted. And if they did they may not even understand it.