DWP debt

flipperpurify

So a few years ago, during covid, i went and got some income support, for a few months. I was still doing some casual work, and it was all declared, there were a couple of questionable months, where i didn't declare, such were my conditions at home. Anyway, the DWP have been chasing me for over 11k, which is the whole amount of what i claimed through that period. This is an unfair amount, i have ignored their warning letters, but now I am sick of it, and stressed. I'd be grateful for a first stepping point to deal with this, is there an intermediary company, that can help me deal with them, as i feel unduly stressed at the thought of dealing with them, directly. For clarity, i do want to pay this off, but the amount is unjustified. thx

born_again

You could try Citizens Advice or some area's have local advice charities. 

itsthelittlethings

Perhaps access CAB for support with this.

Do you still have a record of what you declared and didn’t declare? As I see it, you were overpaid but they are punishing you for semi-fraudulent behaviour by asking for the full amount back. I don’t know anything about Covid support but my instinct would be to engage with them and try to appeal this. Ask them the procedure for making and appeal (it does not help that you have been avoiding their letters). When you appeal you need to document the reasons why you were not able to declare the work, perhaps your partner got Covid seriously or you have depression or you have ADHD, when you say conditions at home, what does this mean? If you can back this up with evidence like a dr or social worker letter, anything appropriate, that would be better.

Failing that ask your MP for help. 11k is a lot of money especially as you declared most of the work.

elsien

You shouldn’t be just ignoring them, you need to go through their appeals process. 

As above, see who there is on  your local area who can support with this. There might be smaller independent charities as well as well as Citizens Advice. 

Northern_Wanderer

There are time limits to challenging benefits decisions. What is the date of the decision letter where DWP changed your decision for entitlement for the benefit? You have one month to submit a Mandatory Recondsideration (MR) or 13 months with good reason. You have to do an MR before you could attempt an appeal.

Citizens advice can't help you if outside the time limits.

Why do you think the amount is unjustifed? What reasons were given for revising their decision to award benefit?

Robbie64

Was it Universal Credit (UC) that you were claiming? I'm wondering if the amount being chased is because (post-covid) the DWP (UC) attempted to verify aspects of the claim and you didn't respond. With the exercise that UC were undertaking, if someone failed to respond, UC were deeming all of the payments made as an overpayemnt.

itsthelittlethings

I am wondering if they are self employed and claimed some Covid support or similar.

flipperpurify

thanks for all the responses, really appreciate that. To answer a couple of points. It was UC I was receiving, and after I completed being on UC, as my work returned to normal. I was interviewed by someone from the DWP, and we went through every transaction in detail, and they checked when i claimed, and also the earnings i made at the same time. I can't recall exactly how it played out beyond that.  The claim they are making is for basically every penny they paid to me, which isn't right. 

KxMx

https://advicefinder.turn2us.org.uk/

Northern_Wanderer

flipperpurify said:

thanks for all the responses, really appreciate that. To answer a couple of points. It was UC I was receiving, and after I completed being on UC, as my work returned to normal. I was interviewed by someone from the DWP, and we went through every transaction in detail, and they checked when i claimed, and also the earnings i made at the same time. I can't recall exactly how it played out beyond that.  The claim they are making is for basically every penny they paid to me, which isn't right. 

Without knowing the decision date and the reasons given to you, it's difficult to give advice. Do you have the decision letter?

It sounds like they decided you weren't entilted to UC, so that could be due to capital or income. So yes, it could be right that they want every penny back.

Muttleythefrog

Agree with above.. a lot to unpack here and I suspect we could take a long time getting to sufficient detail necessary for advice when time could be issue. So I would try to get that 3rd party involvement to help you... CAB or some welfare rights officer. Get as much info together that is relevant... including DWP correspondence... you need to arm anyone who helps with what they need. But ultimately this does need resolving somehow... getting to appropriate resolution of repayment figure (which may indeed be wrong or contestable as it sounds a lot for what you describe) and then the details of repaying.