# Got money from Social Protection.  Don't know why!!!



## Wollie (18 Dec 2020)

Hi
Just over €7,000 appeared in my bank account, courtesy of Social Protection, a couple of days ago.  I don't have a clue what it relates to.   I can't get anyone in the Department, as there isn't a number to press if they sent you money that you haven't asked for! 
Does anyone know of a glitch in their computer system that might have caused this?  Whom do I contact to return the money?!


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## mathepac (18 Dec 2020)

I'll look after that for you @Wollie, for a suitable fee of course!


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## Páid (18 Dec 2020)

Email them - info@welfare.ie


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## gipimann (18 Dec 2020)

Were you on PUP at any time during the year?   There was a backlog of arrears to be paid - maybe that was it?


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## DB74 (18 Dec 2020)

gipimann said:


> Were you on PUP at any time during the year?   There was a backlog of arrears to be paid - maybe that was it?



That's 20 weeks of arrears!


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## Wollie (18 Dec 2020)

Thanks for the replies.  
Yes, I'll email them to see if I can get an explanation.
No, I haven't been on PUP at any time.  It occurred to me too that it could have something to do with PUP, either classifying me incorrectly as an employer or as an employee.  
@mathepac   Appreciate your offer, but no thanks!  
I'll try to remember to give an update on this forum when I eventually discover why it happened.


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## Saavy99 (18 Dec 2020)

Wollie said:


> Hi
> Just over €7,000 appeared in my bank account, courtesy of Social Protection, a couple of days ago.  I don't have a clue what it relates to.   I can't get anyone in the Department, as there isn't a number to press if they sent you money that you haven't asked for!
> Does anyone know of a glitch in their computer system that might have caused this?  Whom do I contact to return the money?!



Very honest person, my faith in humanity is restored


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## Black Sheep (18 Dec 2020)

I suspect a letter of explanation is on it's way and as so many civil servants are working from home the post and bank are not in sync


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## Saavy99 (18 Dec 2020)

Black Sheep said:


> I suspect a letter of explanation is on it's way and as so many civil servants are working from home the post and bank are not in sync



Some other poor soul was probably waiting for that sum to hit their account today.


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## mathepac (18 Dec 2020)

Black Sheep said:


> as so many civil servants are working from home the post and bank are not in sync


I suspect they're just not working, any excuse. 3 weeks since I applied for my new driving licence. The old one is out of date tomorrow and it's now a week since I emailed them asking for an update. No response, no acknowledgement, not even an auto-reply.


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## Sue Ellen (19 Dec 2020)

If you have a full https://www.mygovid.ie/ account have you tried logging in to see if there is any message there for you regarding the payment.


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## Wollie (19 Dec 2020)

Thanks @Sue Ellen.   I'm stone-age on technology, but I have tax advisers who look after my returns.  They would surely have seen if there was anything on there.  They are equally baffled.  
I'm sure that all will be revealed in due course.  In the meantime, I'll try to make sure not to spend the money - not easy at this time of year!


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## Sue Ellen (19 Dec 2020)

Wollie said:


> Thanks @Sue Ellen.   I'm stone-age on technology, but I have tax advisers who look after my returns.  They would surely have seen if there was anything on there.  They are equally baffled.
> I'm sure that all will be revealed in due course.  In the meantime, I'll try to make sure not to spend the money - not easy at this time of year!



Can't imagine that they would regularly access your mygov account and check it for messages but I would only deal with it on a personal basis for myself so don't know a lot about that aspect.

You need to get this investigated/sorted and to be seen to have done something to cover yourself so make sure you send off the e-mail at least.


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## Wollie (19 Dec 2020)

Black Sheep said:


> I suspect a letter of explanation is on it's way and as so many civil servants are working from home the post and bank are not in sync


Yes!   The letter arrived today!    It tells me that "the wrong PRSI class has been paid" for one of my former employments (which terminated a few years ago) and they have refunded the overpayment.  The amount credited to my account was the employee's share of the refund.  It makes me wonder what my tax advisers were doing, that they didn't notice that I was being overcharged at the time.  
A nice surprise just coming up to Christmas!


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## Brendan Burgess (19 Dec 2020)

Wollie said:


> It makes me wonder what my tax advisers were doing, that they didn't notice that I was being overcharged at the time.



To be fair, prsi is a complex area with all sorts of classes. 

Brendan


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## SGWidow (20 Dec 2020)

Hi Wollie,

Congrats on the windfall. Perhaps you could share the nature of the original incorrect PRSI payments? This may help other users.


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## Wollie (20 Dec 2020)

SGWidow said:


> Perhaps you could share the nature of the original incorrect PRSI payments? This may help other users.


All I know at present is what DEASP said in their letter, that 'the incorrect PRSI class has been paid'.  First thing tomorrow, I'm getting on to my former employer and my tax advisers, to find out what exactly happened and why.  I'll also check if other people were affected.  In fairness to Social Welfare, they've probably contacted other people (if any) affected by this error already, as it was they who alerted me to it.  
I suspect that it may by due to the fact that I changed from being under to over 66 (or whatever the relevant age is for change of PRSI rates) during my (temporary) employment with that company.


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## Wollie (22 Dec 2020)

A further update, which may be of interest to anyone who is lucky/unlucky enough to be working past their 66th birthday (you decide whether it's good or bad news to be still working at that age!).  
My understanding (as a layman, not a tax expert) is that, for PAYE income, PRSI is payable for income received up to your 66th birthday in the year, but not afterwards.  For non-PAYE income, no PRSI is payable for income received in the year in which you turn 66.


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## peemac (25 Dec 2020)

Whoops


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