Questions Regarding SW Over-Payment

DeltaLodestar

Hi

I received a letter from social welfare about a year ago stating I was overpaid by €2.5K or so, because they overpaid me by €44 a week in the previous year. At the time I was 20 and they were initially paying me €144 as always, until shortly after I turned 21 they began paying me €188, which was the max rate for an adult at the time. I chalked up the extra €44 weekly to me turning 21 and being entitled to the higher rate, and passed no remarks, as I was confident if I was being paid €44 a week extra it was something they were aware of and obviously did purposely, so I clearly didn't know it was a mistake.

This continued for a year until I was almost 22 and returned to college to finish up a course I was doing. I received a letter saying the extra €44 euro per week was a mistake and that they paid me the higher rate when they shouldn't have, and were now going to deduct it from me weekly. This was a huge blow as I was struggling to make ends meet with balancing commuting costs to college every week and bills/food etc.

Before I went to talk to them I did some research online and gave up hope that there was any repercussions. The people at the local SW office are nothing but terrible to deal with, and this seems to be true for everyone in the country. I've read/heard stories about people in my position who were told that even though the SW office made the mistake, that the debt still has to be repaid? Complete nonsense

What are my options here? I gave them no misinformation through the time from when I made my claim up until now. They have all my info on file, and they stated that the mix up in me getting the higher rate was completely their fault, and they know this. The SW website says that if the situation is appealed or brought to them, and that if I can show that the fault lies with them, that they can cancel the repayment or lower the weekly repayment rate. I'd prefer the former as I don't owe them anything for a mistake they made, it's just common sense.

Am I completely cornered? Is appealing this or attempting to convince them they're in the wrong completely pointless? At this stage I've paid them back a little over a grand I estimate, money they had no right to take off me, money I struggled to pay back. Why would they take the fall for the €2.5k when they can blame it on me? Their files will show all the information they had on me and failed to act on. I'm struggling now with them reclaiming this nonsense off me every week, the debt being cancelled is one thing but honestly I'm angry they've taken money off me they have no right to take. Would I be able to appeal/claim that money back that I lost every week? Any information or help you can give me would be excellent.

Thanks for reading

The Diddakoi

Exact same thing happened to my son, but luckily enough only for 6 weeks before he got a job.
We contacted the local social welfare office and were told to send in an appeal stating it was their mistake not ours.
Unfortunately the appeal was turned down and the money had to be repaid at a rate of €5 a week.

Tina82

very unlikely they will tell you you dont have to pay it make. if you appeal it they may agree to pay back €5 p/week which may ease the burden.

Gatling

Tina82 wrote: »

very unlikely they will tell you you dont have to pay it make. if you appeal it they may agree to pay back €5 p/week which may ease the burden.

Not exactly true anymore there now legally entitled to take 15% from weekly payments till the overpayment is cleared .
The days of ohh I can only afford €2-€5 are gone

mp22

Closed.