Appointee Law

Just to update this thread, I attended the tribunal and was appalled to find that the DWP had ignored all the direction notices issued by the judge, did not send a presenting officer and did not supply the extra requested information that the judge had twice directed that they should.

The appeal judge was unable to make his decision on the day as he wanted to consider the evidence in front of him. The next day, I received a letter from the debt collection agency (written on the day of the tribunal) telling me that I had 14 days in which to pay the amount or they would start proceedings. This letter was obviously typed before the appeal outcome was known.

Two days later I received the decision from the tribunal judge that I had lost the appeal, even though he failed to explain a point of law ( a clause in the Social Security Act regarding overpayments recovery ) that I still believe means that I should have won the appeal.

So, the DWP ignore direction notices from the Tribunal service and press on regardless with recovery of any outstanding debt even before the appeal decision has been made.

It makes me wonder if the time and energy involved in going to appeal is actually worth the effort, as it appears that the DWP treats the service as a minor irritant which can be ignored at will.