Latest letter I saw today states "This amount that has been overpaid must be paid back under Social Security law." Client would probably have taken out a loan and repaid were it not for being advised not to do so.He was surprised to find that Social Security law most certainly does not say any such thing. No misrepresentation. No failure to diosclose a material fact. No such fact unknown to the DM. So claimant does not have to repay under SS law at all. How outrageous, to send an official letter in a buff envelope with the implicit message that any overpayment must be repaid.

Incidentally, the letter was addressed from the Dearne Valley (in Yorkshire) working out of an address in Mitcheldean (Gloucestershire). The envelope carried a return address in Belfast (County Antrim?) while the return envelope enclosed with the letter is destined for Camberley (Surrey).

The Debt Management people must have a hell of a carbon footprint.

They do indeed have a large footprint. One of our clients received an identical missive. All the more noteworthy because there is a Debt Management Centre in Corby,

I have a secondary issue with all this nonsense. I have a DLA client accused of failing to report a change of circumstances (nothing to report) who has been greatly distressed to receive such letters. Aside from the obvious legal issues and negative impact on the client, I question the waste of public money involved in pursuing people before a tribunal date has even been listed. I feel the National Audit Office office should take a look at such poor practice.

Pity George Orwell isn't around to write a novel about government offices that apparently move around the country and issue demands for failing to report something that didn't happen.