Is the bank taking your Benefits ?

[Mistermind]

deleted

Edited October 31, 2008 by Mistermind

[JGJ]

Mistermind.

I cannot believe your post 851, Banks for reasons for their "own" survival are obviously scraping every penny, they have always scraped every penny/pound unfair/ charge from their "customers" for a very long time. The banks should not!!, not cannot, do what they feel like, but as we all, on this site know about what the banks should not do and what they actually do, is another few pounds to try and convince the courts system to agree now and again to accede to the claims, that we have to submit to our courts to arrest/unravel the barrage of harrassment alarm and distress that they throw at us, nonetheless that they are within their rights, they the banks and their in house sols (IMHO) do not give two hoots about court procedures, they escape abuse of process time and again. Can you please explain to me how you drop a gentle hint!! to the banks about going to the ombudsman service, £400 an absolute drop in the ocean to them and their arrogance, are they bothered?? Have you ever tried recently to make a complaint to them about anything ? You are passed from pillar to post with not an executive sensible decision in sight. Whether a bank is within its rights or not, does not appear in the formula that they use. As far as jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire is concerned with these people, you can get burned either way. If I have offended you or anybody else reading this post I unreservedly apologise but I have been there and am still there attempting to batter down the walls with the help of all of the good people within the C.A.G. and yes I have managed to batter down the walls and had a full and final from these (IMHO) *ankers re a business acc. ;)

"EXEMPLO DUCEMUS"

[Connie1963]

Hi all .

 

New to all of the discussions but what a great site.

 

This has happened to my husband. He gets his DLA and IB paid into the Alliance & Leicester and we are thinking of changing accounts because of their "stealing" his monies. We rely on this money. I am going to write to the bank now I have read this thread. The banks are out of order on this matter. It constitues un-necessary suffering if you want my opinion. And I think we will be opening a Post Office account very soon.

 

[steven4064]

Hi Connie

 

Welcome to CAG

 

Opening a PO ac**** is a good move. You should also start a claim to get charges back from A&L. You will not get them yet but at least you r claim is started and you will get interest from that date.

 

Start your own thread in the 'other banks' forum and people will be along to help.

[The GodMother]

news flash re LloydsTSB.

 

there new rules state that:-

 

1) it is NOT illegal to take charges out of ur bebefits

2) if u use ur rite of appropration they have the rite to CLOSE ur account 30 days later without notice.

3) we can quote whatever laws we want as they DO NOT have to follow them.

4) these were approved by who ever approves he banking rules.

 

My local branch manager refused to send me a copy of these but have stated that they are on the website but i am still to find them.

 

anyone else want to look then please feel free.

 

Welcome to lloydstsb.com.

Edited December 4, 2008 by The GodMother
added a bit.

[steven4064]

NOT[/b] illegal to take charges out of ur bebefits

The situation remains as it has always been:

 

1. If bank charges are lawful then there is nothing in law to stop them being taken from benefits

 

2. If bank charges are not lawful the it is unlawful for them to be taken from benefits (and indeed any other income)

[The GodMother]

yes but is that not going against the social sercurity admistrations act?

[steven4064]

No, the Social Security Adminstration Act 1992 forbids charges against benefits but by charges it does not mean bank charges. If you write to you MP, DWP or the Treasury, they will all tell you the same thing - bank charges are charges for a service (which we know is wrong) like any other and therefore can be taken from benefits. 'Charges' in the SSAA means things like attachment of earnings. the same applies to the Tax Credit Act 2002 - see this letter from the treasury to my MP (I am the Steven referred to)

Edited December 4, 2008 by steven4064

[The GodMother]

Well thats interesting Steven as you got a totally different response from your Mp than i did when i spoke to him on the phone.

 

He said he had spoke to someone in the DWP department of the goverment and the impression that he got from that person was that Benefits tax credit child benefits DLA were not money that belong to the claimant but to the goverment so the only money that can be taken from the bank account is money that belongs to the named person on the bank account eg wages anything that says DWP, HMRC child benefits or any type of goverment money is not allowed to be taken for bank charges.

 

If you dont mind i will double check this monday when i am in town and ask him to refer to the tresuray quoting the name of the person that signed the letter and your MPs name.

[steven4064]

PLease do, but I got the same response when I wrote to Peter Hain.

[The GodMother]

Sorry i ment to say a different respose from your MP to what mine said.

Now i have re read what i put some ppl my be confused buy what i put.

 

I will see what he says on monday and get back to you.

[Dors]

Hi I am new here and have been reading about banks and taking benefits.

Not sure what avenue i need to go down as in the last 4 months bank has taken over £200 in bank charges because some direct debits came out and i went over my overdraft one week my whole weeks money was swallowed up before i even spent any by bank charges.

I did get one re-funded as a gesture of good will as they said i could have one a year refunded. I wrote a letter asking for more to be refunded just a standard letting by myself complaining how high there charges were.

But they said as one had been refunded could not have any more refunded.

I have now found this site and wondered if i could ask again and how to approach it this time.

Hope someone can advise me.

[steven4064]

Hi Dors

 

Welcome to CAG.

 

There is no easy answer to this as bank charges claims are currently all stuck and unfortunately, hardship does not seem to be sufficient reason to get them unstuck.

 

My advice would be to open a basic account at another bank or Post Office and get your benefits paid there. Cancell all DDs and pay the bills cash at the bank.

 

Abandon the old bank account. If they take you to court, you will be able to get the case stayed until after the test case at which point you will be able to get the charges back plus 8% interest in a counter-claim

 

The only upside is that 8% interest is better than what you would have got if you put the money in an ISA.

[Blackened_Tears]

i had (till the 30th of december 2008) a silver account with lloyds TSB Charging me £2.50 For Insurance's Opened The 20th of june 2008, which i had no problem paying till i moved city and went on JSA, Since I've Done This... The Banks Charged Me Several Times In The Last Three Months, Even When The £2.50's Been There, In Some Cases I Didnt Get Paid Till The Day After It Was Due To Go Out, I've Been Charged Twice by The Bank In The Last 2 months, Smalls Fees Of £7.95 And Then On Top Of That £57... I Checked My Bank This Morning To Find They Had Charged Me Another £7.95 With £75 On Top, The £2.50 Wudda Been There To Cover This Month (as When I DownGraded My Account They Said It Wud Take Upto 3-4 Days To Change) But Cos Of The Charge I'm Now Left Overdrawn And Not Paid Again Till 13th Of Jan 2009 And As Soon As my Money Goes In Their Gunna Be Trying To Take £78.88 (all My Money, Gone) Out For Charges, I Am Going To Fone The Jobcentre Monday morning to try and get my money paid into another account, but is there much else i can do? I Mean £78.88 For £2.50 Seems Abit Much...

 

Cheers

[Guest littlesally]

I work full time, no benefits at all but recently wrote to Natwest to ask for over £100 of charges back under 'extreme hardship'.

I wrote a break down of my incoming and outgoings and asked them to please waive them and they repaid all of it.

I didn't use any formal letter, just a human letter which I have always found works much better (have reclaimed numerous times in this way for those I work with).

Anyway, benefits or not, try writing a begging letter to the banks. Don't forget most of those that will read it do have hearts lol

Also, if they refuse you can appeal that decision - few people seem to realise this.

Sally x

[jailbird]

Has anyone had their ' Cold Weather Payment' taken in bank charges ?

[steven4064]

Loads of people I expect

[emmaf01]

We haven't got a Cold Weather Payment and there seems to be no way to find out if we are going to get one!

 

We haven't got the second part of my Christmas Bonus either (and no way to find out when we will get that either.)

[The GodMother]

the cold weather payments are only paid WITHOUT APPLYING if the temperature drop to 0 degrees or more for 7 consecutive days.

 

if u have not had that then u wont get the £25.00

 

chruistmas bonuses are normally paid within the first 2 wks of dc.

 

Emma i would ring your local jobcentre/dwp office re this.

Christmas Bonus : Directgov - Money, tax and benefits

 

Jobcentre Plus - Working Age Benefits Cold Weather Payment

 

Emma do u mean the extra £60 if so it will be paid see the first link above

[Guest littlesally]

the cold weather payments are only paid WITHOUT APPLYING if the temperature drop to 0 degrees or more for 7 consecutive days.

 

 

Bet the government extend that next year!!

It does appear random as where I work some service users have recieved it yet others getting the same benefits haven't.

Some who are staying in the nightshelter (where they have no bills etc) have had it, yet others who live on the street didn't. And some who have their own bedsit/flat didn't. There does not seem to be any consistancy, although the above link suggests there is - but it only says 'maybe entitled'.

Those who went to the DSS office to ask why they hadn't were told if they were going to they would've had it and the office didn't know why some had and some hadn't.

Very helpful lol

Sally xx

[emmaf01]

Well our own thermometer outside has shown 0 degrees Celcius or less. Problem is there is no way of finding out if THEY say our area is eligible for this! So how soon would we get it or know we were not getting it?

[The GodMother]

I dont know really.

 

I know i have been told it is only if the relivant temperature testing equipment at the testing area registers the temperature at 0 dergrees for 7 days but they refused to answer the rest of my questions.

 

I even pointed out the weather forcasts for the last 10 days have all registered at 0 degrees but he said they could be wrong.

 

I think it is a automatic bank/postoffice payment so u should recieve it how ever u normally get paid.

 

have u tried speaking to your local DWP?

 

Direct from there website for u emma

How do I claim?

 

You do not need to claim. We automatically pay anyone who can get a Cold Weather Payment. Tell your pension centre or contact Jobcentre Plus if you think you should have received a Cold Weather Payment but you have not had one.

[serioustrouble]

I am having income support paid into my bank and over the christmas i went overdraw by £1.38 and now have to pay £40. I rang and asked them how can this be fair but as usual they cant help me. I had 14.41 and the direct debit was for £15.80. I am so fedup:eek:

[chloecat]

]I'll post in the right place this time - I want to say I had a result on getting the money back the bank swiped, thanks to the advice on here.

 

Thank you!!

 

My thread in wrong place here!

 

[url=http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-debt-issues/176269-help-ref-getting-some.html]http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-debt-issues/176269-help-ref-getting-some.html[/url

[The GodMother]

Emma any ideas about your CWP?

 

I have had one.