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new and about to tangle with the DWP

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  • new and about to tangle with the DWP

    Have got good information from this site, and now (see my reply to another thread) received a DWP letter asking for information re: Mother-in-law (deceased).
    Tags: None

  • #2
    Re: new and about to tangle with the DWP

    Hi Twiggy ... I'll tag [MENTION=39710]des8[/MENTION] [MENTION=141]enaid[/MENTION] for you and quote your comment from the old thread too

    Hope you get lots of help xx

    Originally posted by Twiggy View Post
    Thanks for all the good information. We just received the DWP letter asking for probate details. We know mum in law didn't declare increased savings so are expecting a DWP investigation and all the hassle involved. Will try to update this thread as we go along.
    did the bank involved charge for the statements?
    Debt is like any other trap, easy enough to get into, but hard enough to get out of.

    It doesn't matter where your journey begins, so long as you begin it...

    recte agens confido

    ~~~~~

    Any advice I provide is given without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

    I can be emailed if you need my help loading pictures/documents to your thread. My email address is Kati@legalbeagles.info
    But please include a link to your thread so I know who you are.

    Specialist advice can be sought via our sister site JustBeagle

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: new and about to tangle with the DWP

      Hi and welcome.

      It depends on the bank as to how far back the statements go and how much they charge.
      Here's a link to a 2012 survey by WHICH: http://www.which.co.uk/news/2012/02/...-which-279375/

      Don't let DWP hassle or bully you.
      It was not you who possibly did not declare increased savings, so you are not at fault.

      On another tack, how did your mother increase her savings and did she have an assessed income period?

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: new and about to tangle with the DWP

        Just an interim update - still haven't heard any more from DWP, but our own investigations show that there is likely to be a big bill for overpayment as without her knowledge her savings had built up to way over the £1000 limit.
        Unfortunately there are other 'subsidies' that she received, e.g. she paid no council tax, and only a small contribution to her care-in-the-home costs. What is the protocol for these - should we as executors contact the council and social services and volunteer this information (and face an even large bill for repayment). Do (he says hopefully) either councils or social services normally write-off these accidental overclaims ??

        Worried again ...

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: new and about to tangle with the DWP

          Just read this - as far as we know (but we have no paperwork to confirm) she was below £10,000 savings in 2012. At that time, we believe she had a social needs assessment, and was advised to make a claim for increased pension credit and for attendance allowance. We don't know if she had a formal financial assessment or whether an AIP was issued. As with many elderly, infirm, she lived on virtually nothing so over 5 years the extra income just mounted up in her bank account.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: new and about to tangle with the DWP

            I haven't had any replies to my last 2 points.

            I'm particularly keen to know whether I have to contact e.g. Social Services to ask if she had been overpaid there too (for care at home), or do I wait for them to contact me (and hope they don't !)

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: new and about to tangle with the DWP

              tagging [MENTION=39710]des8[/MENTION] again
              Debt is like any other trap, easy enough to get into, but hard enough to get out of.

              It doesn't matter where your journey begins, so long as you begin it...

              recte agens confido

              ~~~~~

              Any advice I provide is given without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

              I can be emailed if you need my help loading pictures/documents to your thread. My email address is Kati@legalbeagles.info
              But please include a link to your thread so I know who you are.

              Specialist advice can be sought via our sister site JustBeagle

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: new and about to tangle with the DWP

                I have a faint recollection that there was a ruling to the effect that savings made from correctly claimed benefits did not lower one's entitlement to those benefits.
                I'll have to do some research to see if I can find it.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: new and about to tangle with the DWP

                  Originally posted by des8 View Post
                  I have a faint recollection that there was a ruling to the effect that savings made from correctly claimed benefits did not lower one's entitlement to those benefits.
                  I'll have to do some research to see if I can find it.
                  https://www.pressreader.com/uk/scott...81797103691433

                  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-pay-back.html
                  CAVEAT LECTOR

                  This is only my opinion - "Opinions are made to be changed --or how is truth to be got at?" (Byron)

                  You and I do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.
                  Cohen, Herb


                  There is danger when a man throws his tongue into high gear before he
                  gets his brain a-going.
                  Phelps, C. C.


                  "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance!"
                  The last words of John Sedgwick

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: new and about to tangle with the DWP

                    Thanks [MENTION=5553]charitynjw[/MENTION]

                    However this other older thread is interesting.
                    The OP had a similar prob (deceased in receipt of pension credit accrued savings of £20,000 over the years through frugality).
                    Final judgement from estates recovery (post 38) no requirement to repay. http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...it-overpayment

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: new and about to tangle with the DWP

                      I do have a copy of the letter from DWP issued when she was urged to apply for pension credit in 2012. It specifically says:

                      'you have an assessed income period. This means you do not have to tell us about changes to certain types of income' (note INCOME not SAVINGS)

                      It then says the details are in leaflet INF4(PC) and that specifically says if you have an AIP you do not need to inform us about changes to savings.

                      We're still waiting to hear from DWP whether they're going to look into the situation.
                      Attached Files

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: new and about to tangle with the DWP

                        Most AIPs were for 5 years.
                        All should be OK, but you need to wait for DWP confirmation.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: new and about to tangle with the DWP

                          At LAST something happening - after over 2 months of waiting, and a phone call we have finally heard from DWP.

                          Not such good news is that their letter asks for bank details for year 2004.

                          We're guessing that's the date on which she first claimed pension credit, but suspect the chances of her bank having that info are about zero.
                          Crazy thing is that the DWP letter goes on to say that banks only keep the details for 6 years, and then they say to send them the latest statement available (2011?).

                          Considering 6 years back (2011) she'd probably already started to accumulate excess savings, our worry is how they're going to use the 'latest statement' information, as that cannot prove that at the time of her initial claim she was below the savings limit.

                          Surely the onus is on DWP to prove (given lack of evidence) that she had too much savings at that time, rather than on us to prove that she did not !

                          Anyhow it's got to the point where we're being held up from distributing the estate, and given thei current speed, looks like it might be months before this is resolved.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: new and about to tangle with the DWP

                            Originally posted by Twiggy View Post
                            At LAST something happening - after over 2 months of waiting, and a phone call we have finally heard from DWP.

                            Not such good news is that their letter asks for bank details for year 2004.

                            We're guessing that's the date on which she first claimed pension credit, but suspect the chances of her bank having that info are about zero.
                            Crazy thing is that the DWP letter goes on to say that banks only keep the details for 6 years, and then they say to send them the latest statement available (2011?).

                            Considering 6 years back (2011) she'd probably already started to accumulate excess savings, our worry is how they're going to use the 'latest statement' information, as that cannot prove that at the time of her initial claim she was below the savings limit.

                            Surely the onus is on DWP to prove (given lack of evidence) that she had too much savings at that time, rather than on us to prove that she did not !

                            Anyhow it's got to the point where we're being held up from distributing the estate, and given thei current speed, looks like it might be months before this is resolved.
                            Dwp are asking us to forward Halifax statements from 2003,
                            It seems theres no problem for them to get the infomation for us .
                            Santander on the other hand could not go back to 2008.
                            So it would seem to differ from bank to bank ................Paul

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: new and about to tangle with the DWP

                              Was your mother's AIP for 5 years or indefinite?
                              If it was originally for 5 years, she would have had to give up dated info in 2011 (hence their request for bank statements for that year)

                              Comment

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