Very old overpayments

I have just seen a client for debt advice who informs me that she has had £15 per week taken from her benefits to repay an overpayment, which she has queried and been told is over 20 years old. She says she asked for details about it but the DWP said they no longer had the files…

If the client is correct about this information - can the DWP really recover an overpayment for a debt they cannot prove…?

My first port of call os to contact DWP and ask them to provide details of the overpayment - balance and how it occurred and dates etc..  If they really cannot provide this.. What is the best way to tackle it - if any.. And if we can get them to accept in writing that they have no proof or evidence, can we ask for all the money to be repaid..??

Dianne.

Last time I had one like that I basically told them to either prove it or write it off. They wrote it off almost by return of post.

Thanks, I think my first will have to be to ask them for the evidence of the debt - as the client may be getting confused…

Di