I was owed over £700 from PIP. However I think this has been used to pay off debt- is this allowed?

dezzi111

I was owed over £700 from pip im on universal credit but just received a letter saying I was owed over £700 in benefits which I presume is pip as I have just been awarded higher on there but letter also states they have took that out of the money which is outstanding of money I owe which I have been paying out of my universal credit thought they can’t touch pip money ?

Ross_Alumni

Hello @dezzi111

Welcome to the community, how are you? 

It's quite common for them to send a claim to debt management to see if there is any money that needs recovering. 

loubylou1511

Hi @dezzi111,

Unfortunately they can and they will, including disability payments.

There are two factors two consider:

When the DWP decide you have been overpaid or owe them a debt etc:

Its because they think the claimant has made a misrepresentation ie you didn’t declare something or you had savings etc.

They other option is that they have made a mistake and you were unaware of this mistake.

Unfortunately, the onus is you you to prove that they have made a mistake.

My advice would be to write to them and ask them for a copy in writing of what it is they/ you are disputing.

Whilst doing so you can ask them to reduce the “debt” repayments as it will cause you severe hardship whilst you find out exactly what’s went on.

I hope this helps. 

LeeA380

I took out an early payment of UC totally around £400. I am quite happy to pay that off at £17 per month from my planned UC instalments. 

Now that I have been awarded PIP, does that UC pre-payment count as debt then?