JSA monies owed through Department of Work and Pensions

[Hanz_87]

Can someone please help me?

This morning my employer received a letter from Department of Work and Pensions stating they are seeking recovery of monies for me.

They had a very old address I hadn't lived at in 4 years.

So I call them and give them my reference, the lady at the end of the line, who is clearly miserable and hates her job tells me I owe 93.70 from Job seekers allowance.

I have not claimed JSA since 2005 when I claimed for 2-3 months. (9 years ago!)

But I know what this is about as soon as she says this.

One day in 2005 when I went to sign on I was told the next sign on sate was a bank holiday, so I'd sign twice on that day and wouldn't go in during the bank holiday. Thinking nothing of it 2 YEARS later when I'm in employment in 2007 I receive a letter saying I owe £93.70.

I speak to a range of different people and they tell me as I didn't actually sign on a date I should have (as it was a bank holiday) I had technically been overpaid and owe them.

I refuse to pay on the grounds of I was just doing exactly what I was told to do, I was not paid any additional amount to what I usually pay. So I appeal. I don't hear anything more from it, until this letter today.

Then I speak to this lady and she says I have no option to appeal despite it being 7 YEARS since I did and I've heard nothing from them until today.

She said I have to pay the money within 10 days.

What do I do? I really don't want to pay money I do not owe.

I feel shocked that despite only signing on for a couple of months in my life and being a tax payer for the past 9 years I am having to deal with this!

 

Many thanks

[silverfox1961]

Hi and welcome to CAG.

 

I think for such a small amount, they should write it off but my knowledge in this area is slim so I will move this thread to a more suitable location.

[Lapsed Workaholic]

As a first step I would write back to whoever it was who wrote the letter challenging the demand and say that I couldn’t possibly pay within the time specified. I would need a copy of the evidence they hold for making such a claim.

 

You could repeat the details of the events that you gave here.

 

I would also make a Subject Access Request [sAR] asking for copies of all records held by the DWP relevant to me from the date of signing on 9 years ago to the present. Copies of SAR forms can be downloaded from DWP site.