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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Income support, JSA and tax credits  →  Thread

DWP trawling old debts?

PandaNBTA
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National Bargee Travellers Association, Reading

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Total Posts: 32

Joined: 7 August 2012

A client has recently had a letter from DWP debt collection about an alleged debt where the last benefit payment occurred around 11 years ago and the last attempt to recover the alleged overpayment more than 6 years ago. Has there been a recent policy decision by DWP to review and chase up old debts? Or is it more likely that DWP has discovered there was an oversight in this particular case? Hopefully someone with more knowledge of DWP debt collection than me can help. Many thanks.

Helen Rogers
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Welfare rights officer - Stockport MBC

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I’ve also had a few clients recently who have had deductions for overpayments from years ago started.  We had asked for MRs for 3 of these and have yet to receive decisions.  One of them from 5 years ago.  Someone at Debt Management told me that deductions have been started “robotically” after the suspension of deductions during covid.

PandaNBTA
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National Bargee Travellers Association, Reading

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Total Posts: 32

Joined: 7 August 2012

Thanks Helen.