debt letter after 10 years

andys15

Hi,

My wife has just received a letter from the DWP relating to a Job centre plus social fund loan of £220 which she has no memory off. She phoned them today but all the computers were down, but they say it relates to a payment she recieved before I knew her, when she was unemployed. The loan was taken in 1998. Now we assume that the money was loaned, even though she cant remember. Our gripe is that we got the letter this morning, which states it has to be payed in full by 31st may, it obviously got lost in the post. And after 10 years, it has come as a bit of a shock. Can the department for work and pensions call in a debt which there has been absolutley no contact for 10 years.

many thanks

fermi

They may be able to deduct it from any benefits you are receiving, but they can't take you to court for it.

Have a read through:

Link: Factsheet | Liability for Debts and the Limitation Act (England/Wales)

Benefit Overpayments & Social Fund Loans

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has six years to take action through the courts to recover benefit overpayments and social fund loans.

This time starts running from the date of the final decision made on the overpayment and from when the social fund loan was due to be paid. But the DWP are still allowed to make deductions from your benefit for a debt over six years old as they don't need to go to court to do this. This applies to overpayments of benefit such as Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and paying back social fund loans.

andys15

Thanks very much.

We dont have any social payments, all we get is child benefit. I am not sure if they can touch this, but I just cannot believe after 10 years they ask for the payment to be made, and give us 6 days to do it(from when the letter was sent) we only got the letter this morning.
To be honest the repayment would not be a problem for us, but I am trying to think about the priciple. Part of me says sod them, they should have contacted us sooner, they had the details in order to contact us, another part thinks, well if she was given the money,the it is only fair to pay them back.

LilacPixie

Pania1 - troll reported.

LilacPixie

glad you like it bridge dweller. Here is an idea for you why don't you call yourself lilacpixie1 next time. Its always flattering to have someone who has no life imatate you.

andys15

pania1 wrote: »

so somebody else on here that doesnt want toface up to their responsibilities and wants to avoid paying.....

Actually if you read the bottom line, it states that I feel I should pay them back, if my wife had the money in the first place. My gripe is the time they have given us after generally not knowing for 10 years. I didn't even know my wife 10 years ago, so I was never to know anyway.

Burlesque_Babe

same troll as yesterday, but picked pania to copy today rather than bank of slate.....

LilacPixie

Andy - ignore pania1, its just a troll trying to cause offence.

pania

andys15 please ignre this person, he has nothing better to do with the time and is NOT a representative of this forum.

Please read the first post in my thread "notice to newcomers" regarding this person.

And please please keep posting. xxx

10past6

LilacPixie wrote: »

pania1, its just a troll trying to cause offence.

Looks like they'll have to try a lot harder, we're made of steel :rotfl:

LilacPixie

ooo wings of steel.... batfink wasn't it?? :rotfl: :rotfl: