DWP issued a Direct Earnings Attachment after 11 years

[Caspers Dad]

Hi all, just need to know if the DWP can do this?

Back in around 2010/2011 we were invited by letter from the DWP to apply for working tax credit telling us that we were eligible. We did so and soon began receiving working tax credits which went on for around 9 months. Then we received another letter saying that we are no longer entitled and that the payments would stop. We shrugged it off and thought no more of it and like they said the payments stopped. Then a few years later we received another letter saying that we had been over paid and owe them the tidy sum of £518 each (both myself and the wife) so £1036.00 between us.

To be honest I thought it was a mistake so ignored it and heard no more. Since then every year or so we get another letter stating this which to date I have always ignored. Then out of the blue my Wife received a notice from the DWP that they are in the process of setting up a DEA with my wife's employer. They havent sent me one I guess because I am self employed.

My question is, can they do this? Would this not be classed as statute barred after this long?

Cheers

[des8]

HMRC claims for overpayments are subject to the Limitation Act, but they can pass them to DWP for recovery as if they are Universal Credit overpayments (which are not subject to Limitation Act).

Others here will know more, but there is good information here; https://www.nationaldebtline.org/fac...20fact%20sheet.