DWP want £3000 repaid?

Radster

My partner and I were claiming JSA back in 2006 when we found out my partner was pregnant. she was due to give birth in february and from november onwards DWP made us claim income support my partner was then claiming for herself and me.

My partner had the baby on the 8th feb we informed the DWP that she gave birth in february and a couple of days later we recieved a letter from the DWP stating that we was on income support and showed us how much we would be entitled to.

We continued to claim income support I helped my partner look after our son and in Nov 2007 i returned to work, i informed the DWP that i was working and they closed the claim down.

A couple of days later i enquired about the 4 week housing benefit run on and the back to work bonus to which we should have been entitled to however i was informed on the phone that we had been claiing the wrong benefit and was not entitled to the money and also that the money paid would have to be returned.

They sent us a letter a week or so later stating that because we had given birth and not changed out claim to JSA 15 weeks after our son was born we was liable for the money we had recieved althought the amount we recieved was the same amount as it would have been on JSA.

I appealed against the decision as noone told us i would need to claim for my partner after 15 weeks, however a week later i recieved a form stating that i was not able to dispute this and was ordered to pay back the £3000 owed.

Is there anything i can do regarding this noone ever informed us we needed to change to JSA, we applied for a budgeting loan while on income support in the june and someone could have pointed out this mistake then but didnt.

real1314

sorry but your account is confusing?

You were claiming JSA in 2006
Nov 2006 she claimed IS for both of you as she was expecting, and they paid for you both?
Feb 2007 she gave birth, IS continued?
But you got a letter saying you were entitled to IS at that point?
Then in Nov 2007 you started work and stopped the claim?

Is this what happened? Why the letter in Feb to say IS awarded if you were getting it from Nov 2006?

How much were they paying you a week?

kosma1

when your partner was within 11 weeks of her due date, you then have to claim IS which you did.

You are then entitled for 15 weeks after the birth, unfortunately aftr 15 weeks the conditions of entitlement to Income Support has ended

To be honest, Is should have set up some reminder on teh system to identify the 15 week period, then check if there were any other conditions of entitlement, if this had happened, i am sure at that point, you would have reverted back to JSA.

i think all you can do is appeal against the decision to debt management (using an official appeal form) stating the events that happened and that no one ever told you you could not claim IS after 15 weeks.

Hopefully if they look at it as there error, it may sway in your favour.

good luck