PO BOX 795 Telford TF7 9GG Letter – Who is it?

Have you got a letter from PO BOX 795 Telford TF7 9GG and are wondering what it is all about? You’ve come to the right place. Each month, over 170,000 people visit our website looking for guidance on debt issues.

This article will help you understand:

•  What is PO Box 795 Telford TF7 9GG
•  Why the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) might send you a letter
•  How to respond to DWP Debt Management
•  If DWP offers payment plans
•  What happens if you ignore a DWP Debt Management letter

We know that getting a letter from a debt collector can be confusing and worrying. And if you can’t afford to pay, that can be very scary. Especially considering that nearly half of individuals who deal with debt collection agencies have experienced harassment or aggression¹.

But don’t worry; we’re here to help you understand your options.

Why would DWP send you a letter?

The Department for Work and Pensions will send a letter from their PO Box 795 Telford address if they need to contact you about a DWP debt². You can get into DWP debt in different ways, such as:

1. Benefit overpayments – this happens when you don’t provide accurate details when making a benefit payment claim, or when you don’t update your details which would result in you receiving a smaller benefit payment.
2. Failing behind on a payment plan to clear overpayments – you may also receive a letter if you’ve agreed on a payment plan with the DWP to clear benefit overpayments but have not kept to the arrangement. 
3. Budgeting loan repayments – a budgeting loan may be secured if you cannot afford essentials while waiting for benefit payments. They may contact you to ask for repayments on this loan.
4. DWP errors – the DWP might have sent you a larger payment than they were supposed to. Although this is rare, they have a right to ask for the overpayment back. You could also receive a debt letter in error.

Managing DWP debt can be difficult, so we recommend speaking to a debt charity for some free advice. Their advisors will be able to look at your case in detail and make some suggestions for your next steps.

Do You have to write back to DWP Debt Management?

Although the address is included on their debt letters for you to write back, you can phone them instead. The DWP Debt Management number is 0800 916 0647. 

However, you must use a different number if you want to discuss a social fund loan. The number for these types of enquiries is 0800 169 0140. None of the six DWP Debt Management offices can be visited in person by a member of the public. So you either have to call them on the numbers above or write to them at:

PO BOX 795

Telford

TF7 9GG

From our experience, the consequences of ignoring DWP letters are far too severe to not respond to their letters.

Can you ignore a DWP Debt Management letter?

We always recommend responding to debt collectors – even just to question the debt’s validity. Remember, you have the right to request proof of the debt. They have to prove it or they can’t charge you.

You shouldn’t ignore DWP Debt management because the department could take further action against you to recover the debt.

Even if you think you’ll struggle to repay what is owed, you should make contact with the DWP Debt Management department.

You may be pleasantly surprised at the payment plan you can agree on with them. 

DWP Debt Management Letters

The DWP debt letter from Telford will come as quite a shock, especially if you thought you were receiving the right amount of benefit payments. The letters themselves can have lots of bold text and red writing, which makes them even more intimidating. 

You’ll be asked to repay the amount owed, which can usually be done over the phone. If the amount owed is significant, the DWP will offer you a payment plan option.

This is so you can continue to maintain a standard of living while you clear the DWP debt. You may also be able to repay by having the money owed deducted from ongoing benefit payments. For example, you might receive less Universal Credit for a set period to repay what you owe. 

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Can DWP send debt collectors?

The DWP aren’t debt collectors themselves, but they might hire bailiffs or debt collection companies to recover their debts.

A debt collection agency is a company that just chases you for payments with letters and phone calls, often threatening legal action in the process. They buy billions of debt annually at rock bottom prices – at an average of 10p to £1! ³

If you don’t pay and legal action is taken, you could end up being subject to a county Court Judgement (CCJ).

A County Court Judgement (CCJ) is an order from a judge that states you have to pay the debt. This means that the court agrees with your creditor, and you owe the money.

Your judgement will include the following:

• How much you owe
• How you should pay
• Who you should pay
• Your deadline to pay.

Unless you pay within one month of the CCJ being issued, it will be recorded in the Register of Judgements, Orders and Fines for 6 years. If you pay off your debt within these 6 years, you can request that your judgement is marked as ‘satisfied’ on the register.

To do this, write to the court with proof that you have paid off the debt in full.

If you manage to pay within one month of the CCJ being issued, the judgement will not be recorded in the register. You will need to write to the court explaining that you have paid and provide proof.

CCJs are also visible on your credit file for 6 years. This will make it almost impossible for you to get credit during this time.

This is because companies use your credit file to see if you are a ‘high-risk’ customer – someone who might have difficulty paying their bills on time. If you have a CCJ, you have had such trouble paying back your debt that someone had to go to court about it.

Understandably, companies are going to be reluctant to give you credit!

After 6 years, it is no longer visible on your credit report and you should find it easier to get credit again.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

Your Rights With Debt Collectors

We understand that dealing with debt collectors can be a bit scary, especially when you don’t know your rights.

Here’s a quick table to help you better understand what they can and can’t do. If you’d like to learn more, make sure to read our detailed guide.

Can the DWP debt become legally unenforceable?

If it has been 6 years – or 5 years in Scotland – since you last paid towards your unsecured debts and you have not written to your creditor about your debt during this time, it is statute-barred.

This means that the debt is not enforceable.

It still technically exists, and you still technically owe the money, but there is no legal way for you to be forced to pay or for the debt to be enforced.

Keep in mind that not all debts become statute-barred!

Any HMRC debts, for example, will stay enforceable for decades. Any debt that had a County Court Judgement (CCJ) attached to it during the 5 or 6-year window it will be enforceable for the duration of the CCJ. 

If your debt is statute-barred, you can use our free letter template to write to DWP and explain the situation. But we don’t recommend writing to them if you aren’t 100% sure that your debt is statute-barred because this might restart the timer!

If you are unsure about the status of your debt, you can contact a debt charity for some advice. Their advisors will be able to look at the debt in question, determine its status, and advise you on your next steps.

Does DWP Offer Payment Plans?

If you’re not in a position to pay off your debts in one go, DWP has to offer you a few different repayment plans for you to follow.

You may be able to negotiate with DWP and get them to write off part of your debt or even to pause interest while you make some payments. If you can show them that you need a few weeks to sort out your finances, you could even negotiate a short payment holiday to help you get back on your feet.

Keep in mind that there is an impact of DWP debts on your credit score, and this can be made a little bit worse by negotiating or writing off a little bit of your debt. This is because it may be marked as ‘account not settled’ on your credit file, even if you have paid what you and DWP agreed.

DWP Contact Details

References

1. Indebted Debt Collection Survey
2. StepChange DWP Debt Management
3. Jubilee Debt Campaign