Hi, im Mungy! I have a question about an ESA underpayment.

Mungy

Please can anyone help.
I received an underpayment of ESA a few months ago of £12000. The lady who rang said I had to spend half of it. Is this correct and what is the time frame? I didn't receive a letter explaining anything.
Many thanks,
Mungy

poppy123456

HI and welcome,

It will totally depend on what the underpayment was for. If you could give some more details then i'll be able to advise you further.

Cher_Alumni

Hi @Mungy and welcome to the community

I've moved your post over to our ESA discussion group and in the meantime if you could provide some more details about the underpayment then our benefit savvy members will be able to better help you.  

Mungy

Hello everyone. Thank you for your replies. I was underpaid for the last 4 years, I am afraid that is all I know. Esa rang me  to say I was owed £12000 and they paid it into my bank account. No letter of explanation or how it was calculated. I am sorry , thats all I know. I have paid off a credit card and bought a few things. I am now down to £9000. Do I still have to spend £3000? Am I allowed to give it to my children and charity? I was paid at the end of July this year.
Many thanks,
Kindest regards

poppy123456

Without knowing the reasons why you were underpaid, it's not possible to answer your question. If it was from an official DWP error then backdated money of more than £5,000 can be disregarded for the life of the ESA claim.

If it wasn't a DWP official error then it's disregarded for 1 year.

My advice is to ring DWP to ask how long it's disregarded for or what the backdated money was for. Very odd that they didn't send a letter because usually they do, unless they sent it but you never received it.

Mungy

Hello there.
Thank you very much for your reply. Yes, good idea, I will ring them to see why I received the money. Thanks for your help, Much appreciated.
Kindest regards

Tori_Scope

Welcome to the community, and let us know how you get on @Mungy  

chiarieds

Hi @Mungy - & welcome to the community. I hope when you ring the DWP that you'll find out more.