Crisis Loan - DWP

[sinkinghelp]

Hello All

 

Well GOOD NEWS for a change................I have today received a letter from the DWP admitting they made a mistake and appologising for the distress caused. No mention of any refund or compensation yet but at last we are on the right path

 

 

regards

 

 

sinkinghelp

[antone]

Good to hear. They should refund any payments they unjustly took from your benefits, but if you're looking for compensation beyond that (perfectly reasonable under the circumstances) then you'll likely have to ask for it.

[sinkinghelp]

Hello Antone

 

Thank you for the reply. I have written a formal letter asking for a refund of all my costs with a full listing and also a request for an exgratia or special payment for the maladministration that has taken place just have to wait and see what happens

 

regards

 

sinkinghelp

[sinkinghelp]

Hello Lillibelle

 

Have a read of this one

 

 

sinkinghelp

[sinkinghelp]

Hello All

 

Well - well - well guess what ?

 

The DWP despite writing and confirming that an error occurred and deeply appologising for the incorrect deductions of Social Fund Payment despite the Crisis Loan was repaid January 2012 in full the DWP have deducted the repayments again from my benefit.

 

I have as you can imagine telephoned the DWP and been passed from Bristol to Middlesborough and back again to be told I will get a call back.

 

The Social Fund as of today stated quite clearly I do not owe any money and do not understand why these deductions are still continuing.

 

Incompetance springs to mind

 

So I am waiting for yet another call back

 

sinkinghelp

[Mr.P]

Have you contacted your MP over this matter ?

 

It is starting to sound more like gross maladministration and something that could be escalated to the I.C.E. or the P.H.S.O. - Before either of these bodies can take up the cudgel, you need to go through the DWP complaints process. But as the DWP have already "resolved" the case and are still making deductions, I think it safe to say you have exhausted the DWP complaints process. Next stop, MP and I.C.E.

[sinkinghelp]

Hello Mr P

 

Yes I have involved my MP and the DWP have not responded to him either. I have just updated today the MP office of what has happened.

 

I will let you all know how it progress's or otherwise

 

sinkinghelp

[sinkinghelp]

Hello all

 

Bit of an update. Today my Subject Access Data request I asked for 17th December 2013 arrived by special delivery.

 

It is clear that someone has seriously screwed up at the DWP and my complaint is being passed around like a hot potato.

 

They have managed to show that the Crisis Loan was repaid in January 2012 in full as I stated but the receipt numbers are un locatable. The amount we repaid by instalments is incorrect in method and amount.

 

Still not had my refund of phone calls and postage or interest. Still not had explanation.

 

Any more I will post but a Data Request is of great value please consider with any enquiry you may have with DWP.

 

regards

 

sinkinghelp

[antone]

Yes, people should SAR the DWP more often. As you know, there's no charge other than a stamp.

[sinkinghelp]

Hello all

 

Bit more of an update. The SAR report was good but information clearly was missing so I have made the Data Protection Officer aware and they are requesting the missing information again.

 

No one has acted on my complaint letter so once I have received the missing ( hopefully ) information I have been advised to write to the District Manager and I have his details

 

So the word is do not give up and get yourselves a Subject Access Data printout

 

regards

 

sinkinghelp

[sinkinghelp]

Hello all

 

Well I have received a massive haul of paperwork as a result of the DWP Data Controller demanding information from his own DWP departments. Now I have to sift through and see if the dates and times I recorded are the same as what the DWP have recorded

 

Its not going to be a quick read !

 

Also DWP have still not responded to my MP letter of explanation -

 

sinkinghelp

[sinkinghelp]

UPDATE.......................

 

I have today received a letter from a Senior Investigator at The DWP who acknolwedges an error did occur and that a payment of £60.00 will be made to cover my telephone and postage costs plus the incorrect payments deducted will be re-paid without interest and that is the end of the matter as far as they are concerned.

I can of course appeal the decision

I do not think the money offered covers any way shape or form for the distress we had from December 2013 until the middle of February 2014

 

So do I leave it or do I push on but it is trying to understand what to do next

 

regards

 

sinkinghelp

[sinkinghelp]

Hello all

 

I am sat here fuming so I have just sent the DWP a letter stating I am not happy with the letter they have sent and requesting a compensatory payment

 

sinkinghelp

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

I don't think the payment is in any way intended to be compensation/redress for stress/distress which is an entirely separate matter.

I seriously doubt you will get more.

[sinkinghelp]

Hello

 

Thanks for the reply. Well I am going to give it a go. The lies and deceit shown by the DWP has been deplorable

 

 

 

sinkinghelp

[sinkinghelp]

Hello all

 

Just to update................I have received a payment of £60.00 for my telephone calls and postage costs. The department investigating has stated they are deeply appologetic over what has happened. They are unable to make any higher payment. So I have written and asked " who is then "

 

So we will see how it goes

 

 

regards

 

sinkinghelp

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

The Secretary of State Ian Duncan Smith.

[antone]

There is a formal complaints procedure detailed here.

 

Basically, a formal complaint to the office that dealt with your claim is the first stage. It can then be escalated to the DWP's senior staff, and then if necessary to the Independent Case Examiner.

 

Personally, I'm not sure how far you will get with this, and I urge you not to make it into some sort of crusade - that way madness lies. However, by all means follow up the avenues available to you. You could ask your MP for help also. That's what they get paid for.

[sinkinghelp]

Hello Antone,

 

I have today the 24th of March 2014 received a letter from the manager of the special payments section and has awarded a further payment of £11.20 to add to the £60.00 already received.

 

They recognise that they have made a mistake but that is the end of the matter.

 

They do advise me that I can escalte to the head of Special Payments but as you rightly say Antone I do not want another crusade as this has been a point of pushing me to the edge indeed. It is sad when a professional body tell blatant lies and tries to hide mistakes in the way the system works

 

So all who are reading this keep records no matter how trivial as it would have been a thousand times worse had ai not managed to keep a few details safe.

 

sinkinghelp