Failure to notify reduced level of income

slowcars

I wonder if some kind soul would explain to me why the following is happening?
I have an income source (£8.90pa) that I honestly forgot about when putting in a claim for Pension Credit. The claim was made in 2013 and the Pension Service quite rightly now want the overpayment and fine of £130 back. I'm grateful in paying the £50 fine as it could have gone all the way to the criminal courts.
This then made me think that about the £1 a week deduction that they were making from 2013 to 2014 when I had £10,000 in capital and a £1 premium bond.
By 2014 my capital went down to £9000 due to some work I had to have done in the house. I am sure that I told them this, but they deny any knowledge of this reduction. So, in effect my Pension Credit has had a weekly £1 deduction from late 2014 until very recently.
They are refusing to backdate this underpayment (approx. £416) from 2014 yet are wanting the overpayment to be paid.
It seems that they can go back as far as they want to claim money back yet are refusing to do the same when they have been making deductions for the past 8 years incorrectly.
Is this how they work and if so, why? It seems so unfair. 

calcotti

Unfortunately the law places the responsibility on you to advise them of changes. They are not required to backdate a calculation of changes in capital if you failed to tell them. Although I note your comment that you told them it’s difficult to prove that - if you did tell them you obviously then didn’t noticed that they hadn’t made an adjustment to your PC.

slowcars

calcotti said:

Unfortunately the law places the responsibility on you to advise them of changes. They are not required to backdate a calculation of changes in capital if you failed to tell them. Although I note your comment that you told them it’s difficult to prove that - if you did tell them you obviously then didn’t noticed that they hadn’t made an adjustment to your PC.

Oh, I agree that is why I have not objected to them wanting the money for my pension oversight. I failed to notice that it was not included given that it works out at 17p per week. Likewise, when I realised that they had been deducting the £1 a week after 2014 I did telephone them. But they nor I have any evidence to support my claim hence they will not go back to 2014 to rectify it. 
But again, with the changes to the amount I received I didn't think that it was wrong and just assumed that it was right.

calcotti

It’s possible that if you did a Subject Access Request you might some record of your contact in 2014.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/request-your-personal-information-from-the-department-for-work-and-pensions

slowcars

Thanks for that. I will do it and see what happens. Not expecting a positive answer as they have already said that their records do not show a phone call from me.

calcotti

slowcars said:

Thanks for that. I will do it and see what happens. Not expecting a positive answer as they have already said that their records do not show a phone call from me.

True, obviously if no one made a record at the time there will be no record.