Overpayment of ESA

[Maggie]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Yes, I know he gets his NI contributions paid whilst he is on ESA and these are being paid, but whilst still in the support group (which he is) why would he need to attend work focused interviews?

[pompeyfaith]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

He does not only WRAG Group is subject to Work Focused Interviews, I am seeing a lot of this lately and you should raise it in your letter to the Area District Manager as you can see the DWP has been put under so much pressure from Govt many mistakes and errors are being made.

[Maggie]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

He does not only WRAG Group is subject to Work Focused Interviews, I am seeing a lot of this lately and you should raise it in your letter to the Area District Manager as you can see the DWP has been put under so much pressure from Govt many mistakes and errors are being made.

You are not wrong there PF. He will be putting it into his email to the DM.

[Timd]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Oh Christ, I have read this after seeing a Compliance Officer today, my case almost mirrors this, though not as much, I had Brain Cancer last year, the same was retired, though my gold plated public sector pension was a rip off, don't believe the press.

Notified DWP by phone when pension awarded in February, they advised not necessary, today Compliance Officer homed straight in on my pension, Now have to wait for the wheels to turn to see what I owe. Inland Revenue say I owe them tax on what I received last year. I cannot cope with this, believe me Fighting and recovering from Cancer is less stressful than this, I notified Working families Tax Credits at every step last year, they say I owe them £1300, I really wish I had not survived after today.

[Maggie]

Re: Overpayment of ESA

Oh Timd I suffer your Pain and I am so sorry to hear of your predicament but please don't give up and let them beat you.

i haven't posted here in a while as not a lot has changed since my previous posts. Pompeyfaith I'm sure will offer you some good advice as he did us regarding requesting SARS etc. You will have the right to ask for a reconsideration and if this fails then the right of appeal so I suggest you do that if you you do indeed receive a letter telling you of the overpayment.

one thing I will add is that we contacted our local MP who along with his caseworker has been most supportive. He has written to the DWP himself telling them how appalled he is over my husbands situation. I might add that he is a Tory MP too. We are still waiting to hear regarding the reconsideration.

The whole process is extremely stressful I agree, my husband is now suffering mental health issues as a consequence and suffers acute anxiety every time he receives a brown envelope in the post. I am determined to not give in easily, if we have to pay it back then so be it but we will certainly not make it easy for them when we believe it is their own mismanagement.

Gold plated Pensions!! Don't make me laugh. The media and a majority of the public would have you believe that public sector workers retire on mega bucks and lead a life if indulgence....I wish

Take care my friend and keep posting, you are not alone.

One more thing, if you are on FB take a look at a group called Fightback, very helpful and informative.

[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.

[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

[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?

[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

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

[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.

[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 !

[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?

[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

[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