A question about : JSA Overpayment, need serious help?! :(
So basically, me and my partner have been together since 04/2011, I was the only claiming partner up until 08/2012 which is the point she then made a claim for income-based JSA.
At this point in time we are both claiming the same benefit and the same amount, HOWEVER we are not living together as we come from separate sides of the country.
After continuous travelling back and forward and coming to see her for a few nights every fortnight, we decided that things needed to improve and it was discussed that I could come up on a more semi-permanent - permanent basis and stay with her and her family.
So anyway, I moved my claim from my home city, to her city and local JCP around 09-10/2012
Which after being up here for a while I was referred to the JCP's WP.
Nothing changed between us and we had continued claiming single JSA claims.
As the years went on, we both had managed to get some work and signed off then lost jobs and had to sign back on.
Lately I have had an appointment with a Local Compliance officer because there was an issue with my correspondence address, she has now flagged that I am living with my partner and that we both have to attend an interview.
She has said that DWP will probably want everything back that we have had since 2012.
The thing that's really worrying me is that after calculating it, the total is around Ј16,358 
Will they want all of that back?
I have been stressing over this and freaking out because we aren't people that don't want to work we just can't seem to break into the job market and it's really got me down.
After doing a little working out, the difference in claim amounts going back to the 2012 tax year until Feb 2015 is less then 1/100th of what I have worked it out as.
The difference between x2 Single Claimants and x1 Joint claim from 09-10/2012 - 02/2015 is only Ј130.20 difference.
The lady I spoke to has told me that they are probably going to decide that we were not eligible for any of the money. So does this mean we will owe the DWP Ј16,358?
I've got an appointment booked with the Citizens Advice Bureau on the 03/03/2015 to discuss this and to see what can be done.
I am considering contacting my local MP and writing to the DWP as well because this is a genuine mistake and we had no idea .
More than anything I just wanna kick in the doors of the job market and start making a life for myself and my partner.
Please can someone shed some more light on this??
PM me if you like ...
Best answers:
- Sorry its a rather long post.
What's the problem? Were you both claiming JSA and housing benefit or just JSA? - Hi, we were just claiming JSA. :/ i dunno what to do, i mean nothing has been set in concrete as its not gone to a decision maker until after our appointment tomorrow so i dunno what to do, if we do owe Ј16,358 then thats an astronomical amount of debt im not even 25 yet.
- So the problem is that you didn't claim JSA together when you moved in together and continued claiming separately.
Is that correct? - Hi yeah thats correct a gigantic screw up on our behalf, just don't really know who else to talk to so just poured my heart and worry into this post :/
- Its not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things.
I see you've worked out the difference if you both claimed together which is however much?That in my opinion is the worse it could get.
Rest assured they definitely will NOT ask for the whole amount back. - Hi, the lady i spoke to from the local compliance team said it looks like a case of benefit overpayment.
She said she thinks they will want it all back which is everything we have had since my partner started her claim, which will mean we would have had nothing in the past couple years .
I dont see why we can't pay the difference of Ј130.20 and be done with it , getting myself proper worked up and i'm not eating or sleeping right. Just dunno what to do especially if the decision maker does decide we owe Ј16,358 - Personally I think the lady is talking rubbish.
Yes it is an overpayment of Ј130.20(if that's correct).
I wouldn't be too worried about it.
Yes,when you sign on they ask if any circumstances have changed etc.
Why didn't you just tell them as its not a lot of money?There going to ask you that. - If i'm completely honest it never crossed my mind, which is one of the reasons im freaking out because its a big deal for both sides and i should have known better , but i've completely messed things up.
I may ne worrying over nothing but im going to keep worrying until i get that letter that tells me how much needs to be repayed. - The overpayment will be the difference between the couple rate and 2 x single rate. Currently that difference is roughly Ј40 per week. That is roughly Ј2k per year or Ј5k for the 2 1/2 years you have been living together. The normal line taken is demand to repay the overpayment plus 50%. That's going to give you a potential bill of about Ј7.5k.
I don't understand how you have come up with a figure of Ј130 for 2 1/2 years, that suggests you think there is only a difference of Ј1 between the single person and couple rate. - The amount doesn't really matter. You don't have the funds to pay it, I presume you don't have property either.
Worst case scenario is you have to pay back the overpayment plus any fine, and a payment plan will be set up for this. - Please try not to worry yourself sick about it
They will work out a repayment plan and they will only take back what you can afford to pay each week. They will do an income/expenditure form.
You will not be left destitute.
If you have any further problems then speak to your local cab office. - How can they prove your partners. Yes you live together but that doesn't mean to say your partners. I would have thought only a marriage or civil partnership could prove this in the eyes of the law. Anyways as perviously said likely only want difference back and if you can't afford it all at once a affordable repayment plan will be worked out with you.
- How can they prove it?
- No because probably get found out in end but as I say how could they prove it?
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