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DWP Apologises After Single Mother Wrongly Chased for £5,444 Debt

Officials cite mistaken identity, with letters listing another woman's National Insurance number.

Overview

  • The Department for Work and Pensions said it has corrected Sarah McKenzie's records and confirmed she will no longer receive debt notices.
  • McKenzie reported receiving DWP letters over roughly five years demanding £5,444.19 that the department now accepts she did not owe.
  • She said repeated calls to the DWP brought assurances the debt was not hers, yet correspondence continued despite those confirmations.
  • The mail briefly stopped then restarted after she moved home about three years ago, according to her account to local media.
  • McKenzie described severe distress while caring for her 23-year-old autistic son, saying the sustained demands took a serious toll on her mental health.