Is the bank taking your Benefits ?

[steven4064]

remeber, this is just my understanding at the moment - I am hoping to confirm it later

[archer_66]

i know but i havent seen u go wrong yet ,at least i have something to reply with!

[steven4064]

i know but i havent seen u go wrong yet

no pressure then!

[Vital Spark]

I've been thinking: dangerous occupation, I can tell you.

 

I pay £7 per month for a Select Account with Lloyds TSB. For that £7, I receive certain benefits (The bold red underlined are my comments and are not included in the bank's description):

 

Already a Select account holder?

Call our Select Membership Services team on 08457 16 11 16 to find out more about the benefits available to you.

 

 

 

Platinum Credit Card

0% on balance transfers for 12 months (3% fee applies). £100 minimum spend applies. 15.9% APR typical variable. (I pay my £7 but don't get this benefit: don't want it either)

 

 

 

Get benefits worth up to £199* a year with a Select account which combines your day-to-day banking needs with savings on a range of travel, motoring and insurance benefits.

 

 

 

The standard monthly fee for a Select account is £7. Apply or upgrade online and receive these great benefits for just £2 for the first three months:

• Mobile phone insurance worth up to £100 a year, (I have used this benefit and I'm about to use it again).
  
• AA Breakdown Cover worth up to £69 a year, (Don 't need it as cov er comes automatically with my Motability car)
  
• £50 interest free overdraft‡ (subject to status) worth up to £10 a year, (I have been, only today AGAIN, refused any overdraft hence the charges accumulating)
  
• 6.5% discount on holidays, short breaks, cruises, charter flights and accommodation when you book through the Lloyds TSB Select Travel Service, (Can't afford a holiday or short break as the banks keep taking charges from my benefits)
  
• Sentinel® Card Protection worth £20 a year,
  
• discounts on selected new or used cars with CarSelect and in-store branded electrical goods with Lloyds TSB Home Shopping Service,
  
• competitive tiered interest rates and instant access with an Exclusive Saver account,
  
• a VISA debit card you can use in over 500,000 places in the UK and 18 million outlets worldwide,
  
• 24/7 access to PhoneBank on 0845 3 000 000. You can speak to our advisors or use our quick automated service,
  
• the efficiency and control of Internet banking, if you are registered.

Don’t wait days for your interest

We’re the first and only bank to pay you interest from the day you pay in a cheque to the day your money leaves us.

• Start earning interest on cheques instantly when they are paid into your Lloyds TSB interest paying personal current account, as long as they are paid in over our counters between 9am-4:30pm weekdays and total less than £1,000 a day.
  
• Keep earning interest when you pay out. It can take up to three working days for your payment to get to where it needs to. We’ll keep paying you interest right until the moment it gets there.

Now, tell me, please, how can I get all that for £7 per month but it costs me £35 for a returned DD which costs the bank nothing?

[kgrant]

i have two charges due out one is for an unpaid direct debit for £1.99 which should have gone out on time but a debit card payment came out of my account that shouldnt have done but i have since had this refunded , and this left me without enough to cover this direct debit so i have been charged £39 , these charges will leave me about £78 overdrawn so when my tax credits and child benefit go in ill be left with about £20 to live on for a week, i have spoken to the bank this morning and he basically said its not our fault and its tough that its coming off your benefits he was really snotty. would dwp be able to pay the benefits into my husbands account instead, if i ring them soon enough? and would the letter that i can send to my bank apply to me?

[Louisamc1]

Hi

 

From what I've alredy read on this subject the DWP sound very helpful and aware of what the banks are doping. I think if you ring them they can arrange to pay it into any account you choose and if you explain why they are doing it they may step in and help.

 

It's worth a try

[sandraroff]

tax credits usually want a bit of notice to change bank details, i think you can do it over the phone though, so call them quick. income support will stop a payment immediately, bless them, and pay by giro until you tell them otherwise. good luck.x

[xDynamitex]

Today my bank was arrested by a debt recovery company. But it was wrongfuly arrested they made a mistake is there legal action I can take against them , the account is used for benefit purposes

[steven4064]

Hi xDynamitex

 

Is your account at a bank in Scotland?

[vandermerwe]

Sorry, but how does one arrest a bank?

 

Vandermerwe

[steven4064]

An arrestment is somnething allowed under Scottish law (hence my question) - it means they can take money from your account without your permission effecively. In Scottish law there is case law on this which we don't have in England.

[Vital Spark]

Lloyds TSB took £170 in bank charges on 3rd September, the same day as my working family tax credit was paid! I have just rung the bank and told them what they have done and that it was illegal and they offered straight away for me to go and collect it back from over the counter! She didn't even sound shocked and was very pleasant about it all. I would try ringing your bank in the first instance as it sounds like they are well aware of what they are doing as they don't even argue with you. The whole process took 30 mins from the phonecall to collecting my money.

 

I feel so empowered!

 

Good luck

 

So you should feel empowered Louisa.

 

Which Lloyds was this and to whom did you speak because I've had no luck whatsoever in getting the same bank (altho' maybe not same branch,) to stop taking charges from my benefits.

 

They seem content to pile them on.

[Louisamc1]

Vital Spark

 

It was actually the business centre that I rang. Apparently they deal with my personal account as well. The number was 0845 0725555.

 

The main number for LLoyds personal centre is 0845 3 000 000.

 

Hope that helps

[JunkiMunki]

Hi eveyone !!

Junkimunki ere just a quick note to let you all know I have been claiming back charges from Yorkshire Bank since Dec 2006 and finally today after a court hearing last week to oppose an allocation hearing by the YB who allocated not to appear so I went with my VERY VERY GOOD REASONS , WHICH INCLUDED THE REASON OF UNLAWFULLY DEDUCTING BENEFITS FROM MY ACCOUNT SINCE 2001- 2006 INCLUSIVE TODAY RECEIVED CHEQUE FOR £3,760.09P AM AWAITING A WASTED COSTS ORDER FOR £426 TO BE APPROVED NOW AND THEN THAT CLAIM WILL BE FULLY SETTLED, AND i WILL START MY NEXT CLAIM WITH THEM FOR THE PERIOD 1987 - 2001 INCLUSIVE MAINLY BENEFIT FUNDED AND HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THE DOCUMENTATION FOR THIS XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

SO KEEP YOUR CHINS UP AND ALWAYS REMEMBER TO TAKE AS MUCH PROOF OF HARDSHIP AS YOU CAN WHEN VISITING COURTS XXXXXX

[steven4064]

Well Done for sticking with it JM - CONGRATULATIONS

[muggins73]

Hi eveyone !!

Junkimunki ere just a quick note to let you all know I have been claiming back charges from Yorkshire Bank since Dec 2006 and finally today after a court hearing last week to oppose an allocation hearing by the YB who allocated not to appear so I went with my VERY VERY GOOD REASONS , WHICH INCLUDED THE REASON OF UNLAWFULLY DEDUCTING BENEFITS FROM MY ACCOUNT SINCE 2001- 2006 INCLUSIVE TODAY RECEIVED CHEQUE FOR £3,760.09P AM AWAITING A WASTED COSTS ORDER FOR £426 TO BE APPROVED NOW AND THEN THAT CLAIM WILL BE FULLY SETTLED, AND i WILL START MY NEXT CLAIM WITH THEM FOR THE PERIOD 1987 - 2001 INCLUSIVE MAINLY BENEFIT FUNDED AND HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THE DOCUMENTATION FOR THIS XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

SO KEEP YOUR CHINS UP AND ALWAYS REMEMBER TO TAKE AS MUCH PROOF OF HARDSHIP AS YOU CAN WHEN VISITING COURTS XXXXXX

 

Fantastic news JM.

 

You'll be an inspiration to us all, well done:D

[Vital Spark]

Most heartening news for the rest of us, JunkiMunki and great for you. I am sure it was great heaving sighs of relief that I heard last night and not a wind as I then thought.

 

CONGRATULATIONS!

[JonCris]

Well done JunkkMunki. Your success will give other benefit claimants some heart - It might also make the banks think twice ABOUT TAKING BENEFITS.

 

I just cannot understand how the government didn't see that be forcing low income families on benefits into the grasp of the banks that there was a great risk that those going overdrawn by even a relatively small amount (as these basic accounts have no o/d facility) that they would be forced, by mounting penalty charges, into a spiral of debt from which there was little chance of recovery.

 

But then the cynic in me wonders if they did know but simply wanted to produce more easy pickings for the sub-prime lenders who are either owned by the banks or, as we have just seen, funded by them

[Carpetbagger]

I hope someone on here can cheer me up. I've been suicidally depressed all week, because I have just found out that whilst I thought I was claiming incapacity benefit for the last 4 months, because I didn't send my sick notes in on time (because I am ill with stress and depression due to the death of my mum in traumatic circumstances, and having to sort out her probate on my own whilst also trying to raise a claim against Natwest) even though I did send them all in, and a medical questionnaire, and MED 4 form, they've cancelled my claim without even contacting me, so I will get NOTHING. And I have to start my claim all over again, and put in a appeal, which obvioulsy you never have a hope in hell of winning against these idiots. HA HA HA. You have to laugh.

So can someone help me with this one pleease and cheer me up a teeny bit? I've just been given the new Particulars of Claim, located here:

New POC for nAtwest

I started filling them in, but I'm confused as to where I add information about claiming benefits and the Social Security Act 1992. What have other people put?

[JunkiMunki]

Hiya Carpet bagger,

I have to disagree on the appeal statement as I myself after receiving benefits since April 95, consisting of DLA high rate mobility low rate care paid monthly , then a payment of Incapacity Benefit every 2weeks since Oct 95, after forgetting to renew my DLA Mobility award My benefit of IB was stopped without any knowledge to myself until I was informed by the bank that I was seriously overdrawn, and could I call to discuss, was then aware benefits had b een stopped 4weeks earlier.

 

was then told that I was not claiming Incapacity benefit and never had been , but was actually receiving [sDA] Severe disablement allowance [abolished april 2001] and that being as I had qualified using the ruling referring to high rate mobility , this being an instant psassport to SDA at the time of my claim, this I said was not the case.

 

I was lewft without any benefit for 33 weeks and had to prove that although I did forget to renew my claim it has been awarded and backdated to the day they recreived the form , which only lost me a week but in that case the DWP had decided that my transitional rights given back in 1995, were now actually forfeited due to the 1 week lost, but after appealing Was told At the appeal that I was correct in my research as the DWP were aoolying todays rules to 1995 claims .

 

this could not be done and had to use the rulings in force at the time of the claim, won the appeal after Judge asked to borrow my book CPAG welfare benefits handbook, but had been ignored at the DWP when referring to this book , and was stated as the stupid woman with that silly book, when advising them of a ruling abount "NON DEPENDANTS" and the care allowance to which they had never heard of so just ignored me basically.

 

After studying the ruling for Incap benefit [came into force 13/4/1995] where all the claimants who were claiming sickness benefit and Invalidity benefit on the 12/04/1995 ,but not those receiving SSP, were transferred over to the Short term benefit of the trimester stages which were the first 28wks was claimed as Short Term Low Rate, then for the next 28wks you claimed Short term High Rate, up to the 356th day which you then qualified for the Long Term High rate benefit, .

 

there was specific rulings regarding incapacity benefit which was NIC based and used as a way to cut government spending down,After claiming the maximum 28weeks SSP which finished october , I was told to fill out the forms for IB and wait for a medical,they said I had not qualified for IB, but due to Mobility was automatically entitled to SDA, which was not contribution based but to qualify for SDA you had to have 28weeks qualifying time covered by a statutory sick note, this I claimed I had as the time soent on SSP should enable this criteria met and that I should have been entitled to the benefit the day after my SSP ended or the date me mobility was awarded , but they automatically stopped my sda for another 28weeks which meant I had served 56 weeks coverd by a medical note,

 

Ist payment being made in Aug 96, DLA awarded Oct 95, SSP finished 28weeks October 95, meaning that from October 1995 I rewceived no benefits until August 1996, then was requested to attend a medical referring to my claim for Incap.

 

After attending received a letter unfit fir work Polyarthirits 20% disabled for sda purposes so was told that you had to be 75% ast leadst to qualify but had already been paid Incap from august according to DHSS letter, amount of lost benefit roughly assumed by myself according to rules about £1,500-£2000 at least and am still losing every week as I should be on Incap Benfit, not SDA.

 

But have just received cheque for £3,700 from Yorkshire Bank, for charges taken from benefits period claimed was 2001 -2007.

 

I am now startin another claim against them from 1987 - 2001 inclusive which from 1995 - 2001 was benfit payments only for me and my partner. I

 

have already received the appropriate statements after requesting 3x and not actually producing what was requested but had the follishness to once again furnish myself with statements that I had just used to complete my claim and had specifically requested that i DID NOT WANT SO PLEASE DONT SEND,,,,, IGNORED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT AT LONG LAST GOT THEM SO ERE WE GO AGAIN

 

SO dont give up dont despair,

stand your ground, for all to see

that the error STANDS WITH THE DWP.

junkimunki xx

[steven4064]

Just to close the loop, I put an answer to Carpetbagger's question on this thread

[f7200]

If you bank with LLoyds tsb they will honnor the right of appropriation once. If you request ongoing or a second RoA they will close your account as they cannot (or will not) do this.

[russ2101]

here goes, got a letter last month from alliance and leicester saying they had closed my account due to my account going over agreed overdraft limit and me having previous warnings.

what was happening was for last 6 years all the account has been used for is child tax credit payments, charges total for 6 years is just over £1300.

about 4 months ago i went over and got a £25 charge so when my payment went in i thought stuff you its my money your not having it. so end of month charge came out which made account go overdraft so got 2 £25 charges end of next month and this went on till they closed my account.

ive sent them a copy of martins letter and also a copy of the act of parliment and a list of charges, all i got was a bog standard letter saying the would get back to me in 4 weeks. ive got in touch with FOS last week just got a standard letter off them saying they'd be in touch soon.

do i file a court claim if so is it just the standard litigation or because they've taken my benefits is it different??

thanks russ

[steven4064]

You could put in a claim at court but it will almost certainly get stayed. It is probably best to wait until after the OFT case now.

 

The Acts of Parliament you refer to seem to say they can't take your benefits. Howevere, it turns out they don't actually mean that. You will have to make a claim on the same basis as everyone else - unlawful contract penalties and possibly unfair under UTCCR1999.

[nmitchell]

hi! My child benefit was swallowed up today by bank charges - i called and explained and they are letting me withdraw the monies!

 

Can i do the same with the housing benefit?