Overpayment of Illness Benefit

[kmk]

Hi
I am hoping someone will be able to help me. I was unable to work for a total of 10 weeks and received illness benefit for this. I returned to work and stupidly never sent in my final cert. For six weeks I received illness benefit whilst I was working. While I did try on several occasions to call the SW office to inform them that I was working I was always left on hold for too long and could never complete the call. As I was financially struggling I ended up spending the money on bills etc. I received a letter from SW stating that they are looking for the overpayment back from me and that they could issue legal proceedings against me. Obviously I have no problem in repaying the illness benefit because I should not have received it whilst working and wasnt intentionally committing fraud. So I have sent a letter back today stating that I will pay back 200euro a month until repayment is met. I am just totally panicking now that they will also take me to court. Does anyone have any experience of this? I am hoping that becuase it was overpayment for such a short time (6 weeks) they will not want to take it any further once I am agreeing to pay the money back.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[Black Sheep]

Unless things have dramatically changed recently SW were always very understanding in the area of overpayments.
As long as you made a genuine agreement with them for the repayment and stuck with that agreement they were fine about it

 

[annet]

Did you continue to send in the Illness Benefit forms every week since you returned to work... cos there are two sections to the form one for people who continue to be unable to work due to illness and the other side which is the final certification of incapacity? I dont understand how the department continued to pay you in such an instance given payment is only processed on receipt of completed forms (which is generally weekly or alternatively monthly). If they paid you and you never completed or sent in the illness benefit claim form over that six week period since returning to work - that would obviously strenghten your case in relation to the administrative failures of the system!

Anyhow, doubt very much if they'd be taking you to court - that in itself costs money.... and you as you said you've proposed a repayment schedule. Once you stick to it - you should have no probs.