13 year old debt

talk to a solicitor about Limitations Act which may mean they can't take you to court (but see below)

"In England and Wales only, the Limitation Act 1980 provides that recovery action for debts should commence within six years from the debt becoming payable. But Section 37(2) of the Act excludes proceedings for recovery of tax and interest and thus there is no time limit for those debts. "

"Benefit Overpayments & Social Fund Loans. The Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) are still allowed to make deductions from your benefit for a debt over 6 years old as they don?t need to go to court to do this. This applies to overpayments of benefits such as Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and paying back Social Fund Loans. "

Phil

It's an absolute farce that the government can pursue individuals for many years but the DWP won't investigate a claim for benefit if you fail to notify them within 3 months of the claim arising.

Difficult to say without knowing what the letter actually says. Does it say that this is a debt, or that you have underpaid NI contributions for a certain period? My cousin has recently had similar letter saying in effect she had not paid 600+ over a period of 3 years. When you actually read the notes with the letter, it appears that they couldn't trace her for a period when she didn't work following her daughter's 16th birthday (she had contributions paid up to then as a home carer (or something like that!). Her letter gives the option of paying the missing contributions, but when read with the notes, which take a bit of getting your head round, it is not a demand for payment. We spent over 2 hours working out that this simply means that she will be

3.18/week short on her state pension, so she is putting 50/month away as a savings pot. Her retirement date (or at least her 60th birthday) is August 2006. If your letter actually refers to a debt, I was under the impression that (like Inland Revenue) they could only go back 6 years. Sorry - not a lot of help, but at least gives you food for thought. Sue

So if she pays the 600 she will be 165 a year better off for every year after retirement....

It may not be a demand for payment, but it sounds like paying it would be a good idea!

To go back to the OP, is this related to the two or three years of NI contribution records that the inland revenue 'lost' in the early 1990's? If so then you have until 2009(?) to pay them, or alternatively claim you paid. Inland revenue have no records..............

Mark BR

No according to the dhss it was overpaid as they say i was working but have never heard from these before and i have lived in the same house all them years to be honest i cannot remember 13 years ago so i might have been.

thanks

steve