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DWP claiming overpayment from 29 years ago

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My partner received a letter from the DWP saying she had an overpayment of £1212.91 and to log in to their website to see the reason why and how to pay it.

When she logged in, they claim it's for an overpayment made in 1993 and they wrote to her on the 18th November 1994.
As far as I can remember we did have to repay an overpayment but it was taken from any benefits we had at the time.

As it's from so long ago we don't have any paperwork to look back on.

What would be the best way to approach this.

Comments

  • freesha
    freesha Posts: 430 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper
    Ask them how you can pay it back and at what rate, would be a good start?
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 18,880 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I've never heard of anyone being able to log into any website to check for overpayments from DWP. Are you sure the letter is genuine?
  • Sounds like a scam. Don't make sense.
  • geordiejon
    geordiejon Posts: 257 Forumite
    100 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper

    How far back can DWP claim overpayments?

    The DWP can usually only chase you to pay back overpayments that were made within the last six years. Any overpayments that were made to you more than six years ago are not typically recovered.  

    However, StepChange states that the DWP can use a Direct Earnings Attachment at any time for any previous debt. Therefore, you could still end up having to pay back overpayments that were made to you over six years ago. 


    A DWP overpayment debt can be written off if the overpayment was made over six years ago, or if repaying the debt is deemed detrimental to your or your family’s health and wellbeing. 

    For example, if repaying the debt is impossible without causing severe financial hardship to you or your children, the DWP will consider writing off the DWP debt. It’s not common for DWP debts to be written off because flexible and long-term repayment plans can be offered. 

    How far back can the DWP claim overpayments? (recap!)

    In general, the DWP will only try to recover overpayments made to you within the last six years. But in theory, they can try to recover any overpayments made to you by taking money directly from your wages. 

  • tacpot12
    tacpot12 Posts: 9,261 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    You can call the DWP Debt Management team and ask them to provide evidence to support the fact that an overpayment was made. I would get them to log the fact that your recollection is that deductions were made from your beenfits in '93/94.
    The comments I post are my personal opinion. While I try to check everything is correct before posting, I can and do make mistakes, so always try to check official information sources before relying on my posts.
  • BigMart64
    BigMart64 Posts: 14 Forumite
    10 Posts Second Anniversary
    I've never heard of anyone being able to log into any website to check for overpayments from DWP. Are you sure the letter is genuine?
    Sounds like a scam. Don't make sense.
    I thought it was a scam too but looking at the website it's genuine.
    Repay and manage benefit money you owe: Part One - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

    The letter only came a couple of days ago so I'll have to get her to phone them.
  • peteuk
    peteuk Posts: 1,996 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 21 March 2023 at 2:25PM
    DWP have not time limit on how far they can gp back to reclaim overpayments.

    Note it might not be a DWP overpayment, it could be a HMRC overpayment passed to DWP to reclaim (if from CTC or WTC for instance)

    I would google DWP and contact them on the line provided on their website, confirm that they are wanting payment, including how much and from where the overpayment occured.  At this point you can arrange a payment schedule etc.

    Note if legitimate, DWP can take this from your OH earnings, also although this may not be the case here, but for others info if the CTC was a joint claim they may half the amount and request it from both claimants (regardless of where the payments were sent in the first instance)
    Proud to have dealt with our debts
    Starting debt 2005 £65.7K.
    Current debt ZERO.
    DEBT FREE
  • BigMart64
    BigMart64 Posts: 14 Forumite
    10 Posts Second Anniversary
    Thanks for the replies.

    As far as she can remember she came to an arrangement to pay the income support overpayment back and it was fully paid.

    DWP said they wrote to her in November 1994, surely if no arrangement was made they would have followed it up back then, not leave it 29 years.
  • TELLIT01
    TELLIT01 Posts: 18,015 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper PPI Party Pooper
    I certainly wouldn't just accept that there is a valid debt and pay it.  Back in the 1990s many systems were still at least partially manual rather than computer based.  Ask for their records covering the relevant period before doing anything else.  When I worked for DWP a friend of mine was a Decision Maker, i.e. one of the people who would look at claims where there was not a cut and dried, obvious answer.  He worked for a time on overpayment claims and said that for many older cases it was impossible to prove that the money had not been repaid, because records were incomplete.
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