Erica, thank you very much. one last question (hopefully) - what should I do if they pass this on to a debt collection agency? Would the advice still be the same, or would I have to do something different? In the letter they have sent me, they have said that if I don't pay by 3rd August, then they will consider taking further action to recover the money.

Thanks for the quick response! Does this mean you think I should just stick by my guns that they have never tried to contact me and it's too late anyhow? I have not been in receipt of any benefits since 1998, and hopefully won't need to for the forseeable future. Whilst it is perfectly possible that they did overpay me, I genuinely don't know anything about it, and they have definitely never contacted me. I think what I have taken from everybody's responses is that they are lying to me about the statute?

I have just received a letter from DWP Debt Management saying that I owe them £111.60, and that I had been contacted previously explaining why I owe this money. This was the first I had heard about it, so I rang them to find out more. Apparently they had overpaid me income support in 1998 and were wanting the money back! He couldn't give me any details about what date the overpayment was, and would have to send me the details through the post - but it's ok, he has updated my details to say I have rang them! Although I was on income support around this time, in no way do I believe that I was overpaid! Also, this was at a previous address (I moved into my present address over 10 years ago) and it was also in my maiden name. This letter is addressed to Miss but in my married name. I have never been contacted about this before, it is the first I have heard about it, - and pointed this out to them, but the guy at DWP insisted that they had sent me letters in 2004 and one a bit later (I can't remember the dates, as I was gobsmacked!). I mentioned whether or not they could still claim this "debt" as it was 14 years ago, and they said that it only became "written off" if they had made no attempt to contact me, and they had.... I am not sure what to do - I don't have any outstanding debt whatsoever, and as it is only £111.60 I am tempted to just pay it, but something is really hacking me off about this. Can anybody give me some of their views on this? Thanks. Mrs Guest