Why do I have a direct earning attachment deducted from my pay?

Posted by ktitten@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 12 comments

Got my payslip today and found this on deductions it and I am not sure why. Normal Rate Direct Earnings A - 134.66. I googled and from what I can make out, direct earnings attachments are only issued when money is owed to the Department for Work and Pensions or HMRC. I don't knowingly owe any money to either though. I had a tax refund due which I had recently received and also checked my HMRC account with nothing there. I was on universal credit for a very small amount of time last year, but I was eligible for that and attended job centre, updated my journal etc. Nothing is showing on my UC account either and I never got any housing benefit. I can't work out what it might be and my net pay this month is only £1089.49 so it's a lot... This is the third month of these deductions. I hope someone can help or has experience with this. I am also in Scotland I know that may change things with tax and benefits.

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12 Comments

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holdmystaffandmybeer@reddit

It's likely a deduction from DWP. They send a letter to your address (if you have moved address you may have not received the letter) and if you do not respond, your employer will get a DEA letter. They can take up to 20% of your earnings. If I were you I would call DWP debt management to check if you have a debt with them. Failing that do you have children and possible child maintenance payments, because that is another reason this could occur.

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ktitten@reddit (OP)

This is shit. I did take an advance and I did move address. I closed my UC claim before I moved and kept address updated at HMRC. I had an £250 advance on UC, only got £518 in total from UC incl the advance. Now £315 has been taken from my wages in the last three months. I don't have children luckily. Thanks for letting me know, but now I am just angry, I am in a tough spot for money now and getting a payslip with this shit deducted after you have worked your ass off doesn't feel great. I guess I have to wait to call DWP tomorrow.

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Mundane_Falcon4203@reddit

Updating address with hmrc doesn't keep it up to date with dwp. They are essentially 2 different companies.

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ktitten@reddit (OP)

Yeah I figured that. But I had no way to update my address with DWP after my claim for UC was closed, when you login to the website after a closed claim all you get is your journal and past payments, you cant get in contact or change anything. So I guess I assumed wrongly that they wouldn't need an updated address due to this.

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Manc4O@reddit

Did you take an advanced payment? If yes, then it's more than likely that if you haven't, call the dwp tomorrow and find out why.

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ktitten@reddit (OP)

Ah I see, I did. It was £250 though, I paid back £64 while on UC. So I assume my balance was £186 (I can't see as my claim is closed) . But they have taken £315 from my pay in the last 3 months.  I'll call DWP tomorrow I guess. Very shitty of them if it is though, to take more than I even got from the advance.

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Manc4O@reddit

You'll get the money refunded within 3 working days if they have taken excess money off you. Did you get a cost of living payment while you were on UC? I know a few people who got it by mistake who are having to pay it back through their wages.

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ktitten@reddit (OP)

Thanks for the reassurance, I assumed I'd be waiting ages if a refund was needed. I did but I was very sure I was eligible - I have the criteria up now. 'You were eligible for the first Cost of Living Payment of £326 if you were entitled to a payment (or later found to be entitled to a payment) of Universal Credit for an assessment period that ended in the period 26 April 2022 to 25 May 2022.' I got a paltry £40 from UC that month as I started work. Therefore I was eligible for COL payment and was quite chuffed at the time. Hope that doesn't come back to bite me.

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Cam2910@reddit

Have you spoken to your companies payroll department?

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ktitten@reddit (OP)

No I haven't, noticed after I left work today. However they are notoriously unhelpful, and reddit has since proved probably more helpful than they would have been!

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Suitable-Length4255@reddit

You new to this sub?

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BibbleBeans@reddit

Don’t be silly why would they do that