Dwp writing to people on universal credit and demanding £4,100 from them

NACI NATJI, 62, FROM HASTINGS, EAST SUSSEX, OWES £4,000 THANKS TO DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS (DWP) ERRORS. 05:56, 30 May 2025 People on Universal Credit have been left thousands of

pounds in debt - as claimants fume they will be "repaying it" for the rest of their lift. One Universal Credit claimant Naci Natji, 62, from Hastings, East Sussex, owes £4,000

thanks to Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) errors. Mr Natji, who is partially blind, told The i Paper this week he incurred around £4,100 in debt due to his overpayments and that

money is now deducted from the amount of universal credit he receives each month. “They won’t hesitate to chuck us out if we can’t pay the rent,” he said to the newspaper, as he admitted

contemplating taking his own life thanks to the DWP error. “My living standards are terrible and my pension has only gone up one per cent," he said. READ MORE LLOYDS BANK BRINGS IN BIG

CHANGE AND ANYONE WHO IS IN A 'COUPLE' WILL BENEFIT “I owe money now for the rest of my life,” he said. A spokesperson for the DWP issued a statement in response to the story.

Article continues below They said: “We support customers struggling with repayment terms to agree affordable plans and urge all customers to report a change in circumstances to avoid falling

into debt.” Abdi Mohamed, head of policy, campaigns and public affairs at disability charity Scope, said the welfare system is “unnecessarily complex”. Mohamed also argued the fear of

overpayment debt “makes it more confusing, instilling fear and distrust in disabled people" up and down the land. Article continues below “Life already costs more if you are disabled,”

he said. “The pressure of being in debt because of avoidable overpayments only adds to the financial anxiety that many disabled people already face. “The DWP has a duty to get things right

for disabled people and make sure they receive the correct payments at the correct time.” “To further protect people, we have additional safeguards in place before any recovery action takes

place,” the DWP spokesperson added.