Kathryn Report post Posted August 4, 2010 Thought Christmas had come early when I received a nice little sum from the DWP they apparently owed me. Now a month later they've told me I owe them for overpayment of Carer's allowance in 2008 - a much larger amount. Thought it was too good to be true. Not sure how they've arrived at this so I don't know if it's right or not. Hoping they'll allow me to pay in instalments - anyone else been in this position? K x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justine1 Report post Posted August 4, 2010 Oh Kathryn how awful for you <'> I dont have any experience of this but I did hear on the news recently about overpayments of tax creadits and they had some info from money experts,I heard that sometimes you dont have to pay them back as it is there blunder,not sure how this works and how difficult it will be. But if you do pay it back I am certain they will accept instalments. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted August 4, 2010 They should allow you to pay it back in installments by deducting it from your payments over the coming year. If even that is going to be a problem, you should contact them to arrange another way to pay it back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
call me jaded Report post Posted August 4, 2010 (edited) Commiserations Kathryn. It's a joke in my family that every time I receive a windfall something else happens to take it away. Roof repairs, new boiler, new shower all as a result of a bit of good luck. The latest was getting £200 back (by some miracle) for returning the motability car in good nick*, and sitting on my glasses. Same day gggrrrrrrr * DH suggested I'd 'flashed' the car salesman, cheeky get. Edited August 4, 2010 by call me jaded Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted August 5, 2010 Well I'd flash someone at the DWP if it would help. Tally - there's nothing to deduct it from. I don't get CA any more, they stopped it in Dec when I took up my current job which took me over the paltry earnings limit. Apparently I can ask them to look at the decision again and/or appeal but although I might ask them to explain how they arrived at their amount, I'm reluctant to challenge them too far or they might just readjust the amount upwards! Grr - the benefits system: who needs it! K x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jannih Report post Posted August 6, 2010 (edited) Pop down to the CAB, as the overpayment is obviously a DWP error. Take the letter with you, as I have seen some letters where the the person who is claiming,is invited, to pay back the overpayment. Note that I say "invited". It could be worded differently, but that's what's implied. The chances are that if in a few years time, you become eligible for benefits again, the deductions might be done then. I come across people who took out a crisis loan in eg, 2001 and then 9 years later when they return to make a claim for benefits, they get a letter re. deductions. Often they don't have a clue what its about, but after some investigating, it applies to a loan that was never repaid. However this is not a loan, this is an office error. So don't just go ahead and pay it back without a fight. If you have to give the money back, then complete a complaints form and/or complain to your MP. It's not right that vulnerable people should have to pay for officialdom's mistakes and suffer hardship as a result. The benefits system is so complex that you are not to know that you have been given too much. All the best. Edited August 6, 2010 by Jannih Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KezT Report post Posted August 9, 2010 I am curently repaying an overpayment of carers allowance. I'm paying them back at £5 per week which they had no problem with. They didn't query my suggestion of this amunt at any time. As I'm not getting any benefits now, the choice was to deduct it from my husband's IB (with his permission) or to set up a standing order. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted August 9, 2010 Thanks Kez. Did you just write to them to say what you were prepared to pay? Jannih, I wish it was an error, but I think I did go over the earnings limit on at least some occasions during the period they mention - I was doing a job where pay fluctuated, so I'll have to dig out my payslips to check. I thought it would balance out as there were periods of unemployment before and after - didn't realise they could just take the whole lot back off you. It is a complex system. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
