Housing benefit over payment notice from 2012?!!

[Sulliess]

I’ve just received a letter through the post addressed to someone else but at my address. However in the details it has my name and old address and is asking for £1153 HB overpayment from Jan 2012

I was on HB at that time but this is the first I have ever heard of an overpayment. Isn’t there some kind of time limit on how long they can chase a debt?! Shouldn’t they have told me about this before?

Disclaimer, i’m No expert. However, if this is the first you’ve heard of it and they have never made any contact with you to collect, despite having your correct details then you may be able to get it written off under the limitations act. Speak to the CAB about it. The exact same thing happened recently to DH regarding a grant overpayment from uni 9 years ago and it has now been written off. It was nearly £2k.

The limitation act relates to debts over 6 years old.

The limitations act means that after 6 years a debt is time barred and cannot be pursued in court.
Benefits overpayments are not included within this, as there are other ways to recoup it (taking from future benefit claims, coding it out under PAYE etc).