Overpayment of ESA

[Timd]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Well got back yesterday and two brown letters were there, I opened one to see I have at least been awarded some from January up until 11th October, but it does not explain why from October i do not get any more. However I do remain in the support group and have still no idea what that is all about.

So I don't know what the over payment will be yet but at least it is not as bad as I feared at first that all entitlement would stop from last January, but I am sure it is still a hefty amount. My small pension I get a month is deemed by them as much or more than the law says I need to live on, it barely pays my small by today's standards mortgage, and i have just had to pay my gas and electric bills.

The other brown letter was them quick as a flash cancelling my Council Tax Benefit, funny how in some areas they can communicate very quickly and efficiently.

Can anyone explain the Support group and what that is all about

[Maggie]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Quite, though administering Benefits through a Local Authority was a different ball game then, although we followed the rules used by the DSS as was then, we could deal with problems in a wholly different manner, you generally saw someone with a problem, discussed it, got the details and did the work there and then, recalculating on the spot, entitlements etc, helping write appeal letters etc sometimes liasing directly with contacts in the DSS to sort out associated problems, sometimes the same time they came in with a query, although they may not have got the result they necessarily wanted, they got things moving, unlike the fill a form in and wait weeks etc, I could also then understand and used to advise on other benefits that people could claim etc, now the system to me is too complicated and incomprehensible and dis jointed, I have problems due to surgical brain damage in understanding things like this now, and come to the realisation at 47 years old I cannot manage my own affairs in these matters.

Thankfully the awful depression I have had has lifted after an appalling weekend, and have been in touch with the my Neuro unit who are managing my medications, i have over the phone suspended further payments and got names etc of who i have dealt with, and my daughter is printing a SAR form for me today.

So pleased to hear you depression has been lifted, my husband had a terrible week also I think the thing is you have no control and are trying to deal with a faceless organisation who hold all the cards. It is sad that unlike in your day there were employees who had compassion and understanding and were able to make correct judgements, now? I believe this country has lost its moral compass.

Good news you have managed to suspend all future payments until you know more about the situation, the last thing you want is for the "debt" to keep on rising. Good to hear your daughter is able to help you manage too.

I totally understand what you are saying about the present system being unrecognisable, I believe it has been reorganised into something that not many people would understand, let alone someone who has had brain surgery! Both myself and my husband who I like to think are of reasonable intelligence have little understanding of all these rules and regulations. I also believe that many of the DWP staff have a poor understanding also.

We have so far received no info re the SAR request other than to say they have received it. It's a waiting game I'm afraid.

Keep posting TimD and let me know how you are getting on.

Best wishes Maggie

[Timd]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

How ironic TimD that you worked with the benefits system, bet you're glad that this is no longer the case. I really don't understand how people employed by the DWP are able to make these decisions, don't they have any conscience or empathy! I know there is no way I could do the job. It makes you feel really bitter doesn't it TimD? You worked within the very sector who are now destroying you, makes you wonder why you bothered

Quite, though administering Benefits through a Local Authority was a different ball game then, although we followed the rules used by the DSS as was then, we could deal with problems in a wholly different manner, you generally saw someone with a problem, discussed it, got the details and did the work there and then, recalculating on the spot, entitlements etc, helping write appeal letters etc sometimes liasing directly with contacts in the DSS to sort out associated problems, sometimes the same time they came in with a query, although they may not have got the result they necessarily wanted, they got things moving, unlike the fill a form in and wait weeks etc, I could also then understand and used to advise on other benefits that people could claim etc, now the system to me is too complicated and incomprehensible and dis jointed, I have problems due to surgical brain damage in understanding things like this now, and come to the realisation at 47 years old I cannot manage my own affairs in these matters.

Thankfully the awful depression I have had has lifted after an appalling weekend, and have been in touch with the my Neuro unit who are managing my medications, i have over the phone suspended further payments and got names etc of who i have dealt with, and my daughter is printing a SAR form for me today.

[pompeyfaith]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Maggie

Keep posting, there are many other topics here besides debt like these for example:

http://forums.all-about-debt.co.uk/f...at-amp-Gossip!

I see you are an AAD Addict now too lol

[Maggie]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Oh no PF what the hell are they playing at? I truly believe as you do that the DWP themselves have no idea what is going on and what they are doing. I really hope you get it sorted quickly. It is no wonder that so many people are at breaking point in this country when we have such cruel people making these decisions.

Hoe ironic TimD that you worked with the benefits system, bet you're glad that this is no longer the case. I really don't understand how people employed by the DWP are able to make these decisions, don't they have any conscience or empathy! I know there is no way I could do the job. It makes you feel really bitter doesn't it TimD? You worked within the very sector who are now destroying you, makes you wonder why you bothered. I trained as a mental health nurse, it was my career for 30 odd years until I took a severe beating and became yet another casualty. I retired early which is just as well now as my husband needs me at home. I often think about my working life, I really enjoyed it in the early days, plenty of time to spend with patients, still short of staff but not half the paperwork that was involved at the end of my career. The work was much harder too, no hoists etc, back breaking work mostly. Now, had I chose another career where they pay would have no doubt been better and far better working conditions, I wouldn't have the joint problems I have now.

I trained in the early seventies but there is no way I would want to be a nurse now.

Well well that was a good moan We must stay strong and not let them beat us, I feel a lot better than when I first posted on this forum, and I haven't given up the fight just yet

[pompeyfaith]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Thanks, will they suspend payment ? If so how do you do that ? Letter, phone (ha ha) i also dont want it being paid any more it seems pointless until I know what is what.

thank you for the encouraging words, it has helped, these last three weeks since my medication change have just been hell, like I said waking up in an Ambulance and then being diagnosed with Brain Cancer seemed easier to deal with. The laugh is, in the 80's, before I switched jobs, I was a Benefits Manager for Housing Benefits etc and I was good at it. This fractured, dis jointed mess of a system that exists now is totally beyond me !

Believe me it is beyond them too and safe to say in meltdown

[pompeyfaith]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

No only found out today Pixie when I checked the account to pay my mortgage, Ill phone them Monday and email Debbie Gill the District Manager and my MP not that he will do anything but it will rattle a few cages lol

[Pixie]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Timd...I agree with the others...have your holiday. It will help your recovery and help you deal with the ESA situation.

PF...it isn't right that they can just stop your ESA without notification. What the hell do they expect you to live on? Have you phoned DWP?

[Timd]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Thanks, will they suspend payment ? If so how do you do that ? Letter, phone (ha ha) i also dont want it being paid any more it seems pointless until I know what is what.

thank you for the encouraging words, it has helped, these last three weeks since my medication change have just been hell, like I said waking up in an Ambulance and then being diagnosed with Brain Cancer seemed easier to deal with. The laugh is, in the 80's, before I switched jobs, I was a Benefits Manager for Housing Benefits etc and I was good at it. This fractured, dis jointed mess of a system that exists now is totally beyond me !

[pompeyfaith]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Timd,

I agree with Maggie take your holiday it is a break you will need so put it on the backburner until you return at least, nothing will happen for 40 days at least anyway as that is how much time they have to respond to your SAR.

Now as for me my fight starts again as check my bank account and only a shade over £14 of ESA went in this week no letter or nothing stopped just like that, pissed off with all this shite you bet however look out David Willetts MP I'm coming to get you and hold you responsable being my consituency MP.

[Maggie]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Ok thanks will do the SAR request, might as well leave the thread together.

Maggie my pension is administered by another Local Authority not DWP. Well no brown envelopes today, supposed to be going on holiday end of this month first time since my illness but see little point now, this is on my mind all the time.

I know just how you feel about the holiday TimD but you must go and try and put this mess aside, it's necessary for your recovery I'm sure. We are due to go away for a week at the end of November, just to a cottage with friends on the Northumberland coast. We debated about it, my husband like you felt there was no point as this situation just takes over your life! Frightened to spend any money in case they suddenly demand it ad leave you with next to nothing to live on. I know we have been there and got the tee shirt. But it's important that you don't let them interfere with everyday life all the time, you have been through a very traumatic time and both you and your wife deserve a break so do it.

We like you believed ESA support group was a non means tested benefit, we had told DWP of his pension etc so never questioned anything. He twice received letters from DWP asking him about his earnings whilst on ESA, so they obviously knew he had an income coming in so why not just ask him? But no they write twice in two years asking him how much he was earning from employment..he kept telling them " I don't work I'm medically retired" of course we never gave it anymore thought. If only they had asked us where the income was coming from as he was paying tax on his ESA.

we have gone through all the emotions possible, my husband is now being treated for depression and anxiety, never in his life has he been like this. So I say to you go on your holiday take time out it won't change anything so you may as well try to forget it for a while. They take forever to sort things out anyway.

My husband told them to suspend all ESA payments to him when it was first mentioned to him by the compliance officer, they did this otherwise he would still be receiving it and the debt wold be mounting up. £18000 is bad enough!

Please have your holiday. x

[Timd]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Ok thanks will do the SAR request, might as well leave the thread together.

Maggie my pension is administered by another Local Authority not DWP. Well no brown envelopes today, supposed to be going on holiday end of this month first time since my illness but see little point now, this is on my mind all the time.

[Maggie]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Hi PF and TimD

Makes you wonder just how many people are in the same boat as us doesn't it?

A brief update PF. As I said to TimD, our M0 wrote a very supportive letter, whether it will make any difference remains to be seen but it can't do any harm.

We today had a letter regarding the complaint we made to the District Manager. They apologised for the "standard letter" they sent out and the further ESA50 forms, in fact he received two! One dated 18th and one 20th but of course that is just computer generated so not their fault. It infuriates me that they use this type of excuse when errors are made but we are not allowed the make errors!
Now it's a further waiting game, designed to make you sweat I think.

We have not received anything regarding our SARS request other than to say they had received the request.

when/if it comes to the appeal, we will make contact with Michelle on Fightback and ask for assistance and of course you too PF.

TimD I know exactly what you mean about the public sector, I was a trained nurse in the NHS, my son is a teacher and other half worked in the public sector all his working life. When you are no longer useful they kick you out without a care and then torment you.

I'm guessing if you worked in local government then perhaps the DWP administer your pension too?

[pompeyfaith]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Maggie

Nice to hear your MP is getting off his backside keep me informed of your progress please

Timd,

Firstly get a SAR off to the DWP for all and any info they hold on you as you cannot fight without this.

Use there form for this otherwise they will write back requesting you do it on there form without enclosing them there is a link to the form in this thread.

Finally would you like me to move your post to your own thread so is easier to follow and not get mixed up with maggie's ?

Regards

[Timd]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Thanks Maggie, I know what those brown envelope terrors are like, since I started getting them from the Inland Revenue after I retired last January it has gradually got worse. It all started when I got a tax code because they said I had two jobs, I contacted them and explained I had been medically retired, they then sent me a demand in April saying I owed tax on the ESA I received, maybe that now may not be the case.

Problem is the brain surgery I had to remove my tumour has affected my memory, I am sure I rang the DWP when my pension was awarded, now I am just confused, I know I rang the Tax Credits people as well at that time, because they stopped paying me from then, I didn't want to get an over payment situation, ha ha.

So as of now I don't know if I qualified for any ESA from January until I get notified, then I will know what I owe, then I can start trying to resolve it. I rang them today to try and short cut it by asking if I give them the information could they process it rather than keep paying me, they said no I would have to send it in writing, so I have to just wait it out. I am having medication changes at the moment and stress and depression are a problem without this, I just want it done asap but it is going to be a long drag. At the end of the day they will say it is my fault just as the Inland Revenue did re the tax underpayment, I said to my wife I didn't know why they wanted me to bring all the stuff to the interview, I didn't get anything means tested !

Yes the Pension experience has left me very bitter, I worked in Local Government for 25 years, I studied for 4 years to qualify in my job, I could have earned double the salary if I had worked for private Industry, that would have been in clean offices with facilities, had equipment that was up to date and worked, probably not had to cover vacant posts because the pay was not attracting people into the job, but the pension I thought was worth the sacrifice, and the years of struggle on a lower salary, my advice to anyone is steer clear of working in the Public Sector you are treated like dirt by all and cast aside when you have a serious problem.