Dwp pension a week late help

[niceraffy]

They also refuse to let anyone higher than a Supervisor deal with this problem even though its their mistakes.

[seanamarts]

A crossed giro should be able to go into your bank account.

[niceraffy]

I do not have a bank account. Its my daughthers account I use to have my benefit paid into. Plus even I did it would be 3 to 5 days to clear. I have absolutely NO money so a crossed cheque is useless.

[seanamarts]

when do you expect to get a replacement giro

[niceraffy]

Later in the week. I could not even get hold of the Social Fund today. What gets me is the Job Centre issues a crisis loan straight into the bank as they did on Friday. However if your pension is not paid the Job Centre can issue a Counter Credit but you have to get someone to go into the job centre to collect the cash but not a payment into your bank account! Where is the logic in that. As I am disabled I need the money in my daughters account to pay for food deliveries.

 

Clearly the Disability Discrimination Act does not apply to DWP?

[seanamarts]

In hindsight it would have been better to have the giro placed in your bank, it could have been cashed by wednesday, then you would at least know your money was there.

It is possible that they may not get another giro out to you until thursday/friday. Then getting some one to cash it, then putting it in your bank. It would have been less hassle for you.

However do complain, because of their mistake they have disrupted your routine and it has obviously caused you some distress.

[niceraffy]

I do NOT have a bank account to pay it into! I do not have a bank account in my name!My pension is paid in my daughters account.

 

Their crossed cheque is as useful as a chocolate teapot!

[seanamarts]

Fair enough!

[MIKEY DABODEE]

they cannot replace that Giro untill its returned to their finance department, you are going to have to return it, a counter giro can then be issued to you.

can your daughter not give you a lift there.

a bit of a pain I know

[niceraffy]

They have said they will replace it and will send a first class envelope for me to return the old one. Why the hell they cannot cancel I do not know. Sorry but this all their errors, they admit that yet all they do is cause major inconvenience and leave people without any access to money.

[niceraffy]

I also have to write a formal complaint to get all my bank charges repaid for my failed direct debits.

 

No I am immobile I cannot get anywhere without an ambulance.

[ErikaPNP]

Hi.

 

As I understand it, the pension service do not have the facility to process FEP payments. That may be the reason why they cannot pay you into the account on the same day - it may simply not be possible for them to do if they do not have the facility. Benefits, Social Fund and Pensions all come under DWP umbrella but they do not all have the same systems or access in place.

 

The reason that they won't replace the giro before it is returned is because of the possibility of it being cashed. But is is not possible for this giro to be cashed. They cannot 'cancel' a giro once it has been issued. All they can do is send a stop notification to one particular post office. However this should not apply - because the giro is crossed, it cannot be cashed at a post office, or a money shop, and it can only be paid into an account with the name of the payee which will be you - so it can't be paid into your daughters account. A crossed cheque can only be paid into an account which is held by the same payee named on the cheque.

 

Should they then replace it? Morally speaking, and in my own opinion, yes they should. Can they? Honest answer, I don't know. They probably have very stringent policies about when they can and cannot replace a cheque and I would guess that if a claimant has recieved a cheque that it cannot be replaced until the original is returned. But again I would guess that any guidelines about replacing payments probably also have a factor of 'reasonability' about them. If I were your advocate, I would put that to them.

 

The quickest way to get your funds is to have someone return the payment on your behalf and have that same person collect a payment on your behalf. They would need your ID and the person collecting the payment's ID to do this and a letter from you giving permission for them to collect it. I know that is in not convenient and isn't ideal but it seems that it will be quicker for you with the way things are going at the moment. If the payment is returned to the jobcentre then it is perhaps possible for the finance staff to check it as returned on the computer system on the same day and for a replacement to be issued reasonably quickly. By post, it's going to take longer to sort out.

 

Getting the money is the priority for now but you absolutely must complain about this formally in writing, and submit a case for redress for maladministration.

[niceraffy]

The problem my nearest DWP Pension Centre is apparently Cardiff I am in Berks so not feasible.

 

They have in fact made two errors one not paying my monies into my established (daughters account) on Mon and then made the error of issuing a crossed check.

 

Plus they are taking no account of my disability under The Disability Discriminations Act. I have cancer so it falls under the Act. Yes I have a letter from my PCT to prove this.

 

Why do they push you to have monies made into a bank account when if they make an error they have no mechanism of quickly remedy it?They are leaving vulnerable and disabled elderly people without access to any money. Virtually all banks accept Faster Payments or CHAPS. Again being unable to cancel a cheque is just not on it this day and age.

[MIKEY DABODEE]

I dont know how much the giro is but I am pressume it must over £449.95, if this is the case then it will be crossed because its to much to cash at a Post Office they will not cash anything over this amount.... If this is the case then the processer who sent the giro should have inhibited crossed giros this would have sent out two, you would have had no problem then the PO could have cashed them..

 

If you send the cheque back by post it may take days, and they will not reissue if their finance has not marked it returned... They can put a stop on a giro but this makes it just uncashable at Post Offices so you will have to return it I am afraid...

Why did you change over to your daughters bank?

Also they can send you out an invitation for a POCA thats a post office account to have your money paid into in the future

Edited February 20, 2012 by MIKEY DABODEE

[niceraffy]

My daughters account as my is hideously overdrawn. Natwest have closed it. Its her spare account she does not use. Pension has been paid into for a while now so all official with DWP. Post Office account is useless as I am totally immobile and need card/account to have food delivered.

[seanamarts]

Have you a macmillan nurse, if so then have a chat with her and she may be able to sort something out for you.

[niceraffy]

No I do not finished treatment at Xmas. So hopefully no need for a nurse at the moment. A review in March. Mainly immobile due to serious crumbling spine and associated nerve damage.

[seanamarts]

Are you under social services and do you live on your own.

[MIKEY DABODEE]

Have you got someone to help you,

I think you need to make a complaint, the giro shouldnt have been sent out crossed, they would know its going into a thrd party account and wasnt cashable..

I just wish I could help you more, but as you state you cant get to a jobcentre for a counter you will have to wait untill they get it back.

and then they can reissue..

[niceraffy]

Yes I live on my own. No no social services would not want them involved thanks! I am thinking of making a complaint by getting my MP involved. I usually have a good system in place and GP who will visit at the drop of hat. But this has totally flawed me through no fault of my own.

[niceraffy]

I am wondering about the Press as well as it is not just me being at risk. This must have happened to other elderly people in my situation.

[seanamarts]

Are you on DLA, You would be entitled to some home care.

[niceraffy]

To be honest I do not want home care. I have two nervous rescue dogs it would be a nightmare. A neighbour walks them. I can potter from room to room to do what I need to, albeit slowly. I just cannot walk any distance.

 

I am quite happy with the system I have in place. My issue is purely worrying about my pension.