I took on the DWP and won back £22k after huge benefit error – even after I was told I was WRONG
A DISTRAUGHT pensioner has won his months-long fight with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) after being told he owed thousands of pounds - with the help of The Sun.
Last year, we revealed how Robert Vincent was told he would have to repay an eye-watering £22,000, after the government department said there were errors in his application for pension credit.
Pension credit is a benefit which helps those over state pension age (currently 66) and on a low income with the cost of living.
The benefit tops up their weekly income to a minimum of £201.05 for single pensioners and £306.85 for couples.
Mr Vincent was put on a plan that would have meant he was paying the money back until he was 86.
The 75-year-old was forced to cancel all his insurance policies just to afford food after the DWP said he had to repay £258.72 every four weeks until February 2030, then £105.17 until it was paid off completely.
MORE ON PENSIONS
At the time Mr Vincent disputed the repayment plan but accepted he would have to pay it back if he had genuinely made an error.
The DWP had blamed him for providing the incorrect income when he applied for the benefit six years ago.
The Sun first contacted the DWP on Mr Vincent's behalf in September and asked it to investigate his claim, at which point it maintained that he had declared the wrong pension income figure.
But now it's emerged that the fault lies with the DWP and not the retiree, from Porthcawl in South Wales.
Most read in Money
After almost five months of back and forth, it has admitted it was their error after a staff member misheard Robert's pension income during his application over the phone.
In a letter to Mr Vincent from the DWP, seen by The Sun, it said: "You asked us why we used the amount of £934.84 a year rather than the actual amount of £9,034.84 as your occupational income.
"Regrettably, this was due to our error. The person you spoke to on the telephone on April 4, 2017 misheard you and thought that you had said the occupational pension you were receiving from Derbyshire County Council was £934.84 a year."
The DWP also acknowledged that Mr Vincent had spotted this discrepancy and flagged it to them several times between 2017 and 2023, but no action was taken.
"I would like to offer my apologies for our errors in your case," it added.
The DWP said it will no longer be asking Mr Vincent to pay the money back, and has also refunded him the £976 he has repaid since September.
Mr Vincent said: "It's great news the DWP has finally admitted it made errors.
"Many thanks to The Sun for all your help in getting this resolved."
He is now seeking compensation for the distress this has caused him.
Mr Vincent is one of thousands of benefits claimants who have been asked to pay back money they were awarded in error over the past few years - in some cases because of mistakes by the DWP.
The latest government figures show around £330 million was overpaid in pension credit in the year to October 2022.
A spokesperson for the DWP said: “We have issued a full refund of the money already recovered to Mr Vincent and apologise for the error in handling this case.”
What if I'm asked to repay money and it wasn't my fault?
If the DWP believes you have been overpaid a benefit, it will write to you detailing what happened and how much you owe.
You can ask it to reassess your case if you don't agree with its decision.
In your response, ask how it made its decision, as well as for a "mandatory reconsideration".
You should then get another letter with the outcome of the reconsideration. If you still don't agree, you can appeal the decision at a tribunal.
You can also make a complaint about the customer service you receive from the department.
Say you're making a formal complaint and ask to initiate its complaints procedure, either in writing or over the phone.
A complaint resolution manager should look at your case and issue a final response.
It's a good idea to keep hold of any correspondence when you make a benefit claim in case you have any issues down the track.
For example, if there is an error and you spot it, make sure to raise it with the relevant department and keep a record of this correspondence.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
If you aren't satisfied with the response to your complaint, you can write to the independent case examiner for another opinion, but you must do so within six months of receiving a response.
Read our full guide on how to complain like a pro here.
How to contact our Squeeze Team
Our Squeeze Team wins back money for readers who have had a refund or billing issue with a company and are struggling to get it resolved.
We've won back thousands of pounds for readers including £22,000 for a man asked to pay back benefits to the DWP, £2,800 for a family who had a hellish holiday and £635 for a seller scammed on eBay.
To get help, write to our consumer champion, Laura Purkess:
I love getting your letters and emails, so do write to me at [email protected] or Laura Purkess, The Sun, 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF.
Tell me what happened and don’t forget to provide your phone number so I can ring you if I need more information. Share with me any reference number the company has given you relating to your case, or any account name/number if you're a customer.
Include the following line so I can go to the firm on your behalf: “I give permission for [company's name] to discuss my case with Laura Purkess at The Sun”.
Please include your full name and location in your email/letter.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Plus, you can join our Facebook group to share your tips and stories.