Thank you for your replies. I cannot see how any sort of controlled entry where a visitor needs prior information to avoid being fined will work. I can envisage even the dustbin men being flashed and fined. I will write to the Housing Association Chief Executive though as our Home Ownership Officer is useless. Whilst I understand that these tickets can be ignored I don't think people will visit on this basis and it is impossible to issue permits to every doctor, district nurse etc. The residents here are on the whole vulnerable and lack of access for any reason be it social or care will detract from their lives just when they need it most. It is a small complex, only 22 flats, with no access either by car or on foot other than through the ca rpark.

I live on an over 55's Shared Ownership (70%) complex which has a private car park.It is situated across from a football ground and on match days we have problems with cars blocking the car park and entrance. There used to be signs to say it was private but these were wood and have rotted away. We asked if they could be replaced and this was agreed but we have now been informed that an ANPR scheme is to be implemented which will require all authorised cars to have a permit.This is going to be a real pain for the residents, many in their eighties who rely on carers, district nurses, pharmacies etc to be able to access the car park and where the drivers are not always the same cars. The road outside the complex is double yellow lined on both sides as it is a major transport route so parking outside the complex is not an option. Elderly people need as much outside contact as possible but this is going to put friends off dropping in for a cup of tea. We have had no chance to discuss this or to agree or disagree to this happening. Is there anything we can do to stop this?

Thanks leemack. I think we will settle for the money being refunded and leave it at that. We are wiser from the experience and should one of the family need to claim in the future we now know to watch out for mistakes.

Monx. My daughter did not claim Income based JSA as she had a redundancy payment and a working husband so was not elibible for it. If she had been getting this she would have continued to receive it after 26 weeks and the mistake made by the processor would have been huge. She would have eventually been chased for an overpayment She did not claim on line and so the mistake was not hers or her computers. If as you say records had not been downloaded on to the departments computer they would not have paid her anything and they did, so somewhere along the line a deduction has been put on for some reason. However it happened it did and it shouldn't have. I understand as your sister works for The Department you want to defend it but for us, and probably for anyone else who is the victim of a mistake that is not their fault, it is indefensible no matter what the workload. The main thing now is that the missing money is going to be refunded.

Thanks for your reply Monx but as she was paid at a reduced rate from the beginning they must have known her NI contributions or they wouldn't have paid her anything at all. Human error in inputting information I would accept but we put our trust in these people to get things right. I worry about all the people who lose out because they haven't realised a mistake has been made. We only realised because I was looking to reclaim some Income Tax for her and included the £65 rate in the calculations of income. It was only then that my daughter said that wasn't what she was receiving. I am very grateful to Erika for her help with this as I am sure are others who have used this site and I would agree that she is a star. But, whoever processed my daughter's claim now has a tarnished halo.

My daughter went along to the appointment this afternoon and they have agreed that a mistake was made. They have not detailed what went wrong just said that sometimes this happens. They also said that if we had not realised ourselves about the error the £572 would just have been lost to her. Not a very good attitude when they are there to help people at difficult times in their lives. Bad enough to be made redundant without then being ripped off by officials unable to do their own job. Maybe there is an opening there!!!!!!!!!! She had paid NI for 10years in well paid jobs and the only time she needs some help they get it wrong. Diabolical!!!!!!!! They will repay the money but have said it may take a few weeks. Thanks for your help Erika.

Thanks for that. I will let you know what happens.

Thanks for the reply. She went today and asked them for an Anytime Revision on the basis that she thinks they have made a mistake. The person she saw agreed that it looks as if someone has made a mistake. She can't find the original award letter but there should be no reductions for anything . She has paid NI for 10 years with no breaks and has never claimed any sort of benefit or loan. They have made her an appointment for Friday afternoon to meet with another advisor as the one she saw today said she couldn't sort it out. Hopefully they will back date the balance of the award.

My daughter was made redundant on August 3rd. She had worked solidly for 10years. She signed on at the Jobcentre and was awarded JSA but I have just discovered that she has only been getting £43 not the £65 of Contribution based JSA. She knew nothing about these benefits and was guided by them. If they have paid Income based JSA instead of Contribution based JSA will she be able to get this backdated. Her last sign on day is tomorrow as the 26 weeks is up.