DWP messed up my benefit payments!

[veilside01702]

Earlier this year i changed from Natwest to HSBC after claiming charges back and then having Natwest close my bank account in retaliation.
My incapacity benefit was changed to the new account with HSBC.
I won my charges back from Natwest and paid the cheque into HSBC account. I used this to sort out and clear all outstanding DD's that natwest had bounced....so I was upto date.
I then stupidly just expected the benefit agency to carry on and put the money into the new HSBC account as they had promised to do.....
2 payments later I popped into my branch to transfer money to Natwest to cover the amount I owed them still....
The money was gone.....The DWP had not paid anything into my account....
I called them and they appologised for their mistake and sent 2 cheques out....
They told me to send them any proof of charges to my account due to their error...
I did this on 13th July and again on 2nd August with yet more charges...
Everytime I call them I get promises of calls returned....no calls...
I ask to speak to the dept dealing with the refund of charges and get told they do not take calls....
I am promised yet more calls......no calls...
Now I have gone over the overdraft again due to the charges and got yet more charges added.....another £300....with another £50 to be added on 8th September!
All my DD's have bounced and I am sinking fast...
I am now £300 over the agreed £100 overdraft limit....
with no way of paying it back.....so it is like the lottery and will roll over again.....
more bounced payments.....more charges....

[veilside01702]

Re: DWP messed up my benefit payments!

Just as I posted the phone went.....finally they called!
The lady told me they hadn't got my bank statements....yet they got the letter they were sent with.....
After looking she found them......strangely enough!
She has agreed to refund the ones she has already and to wait for me to send statements for the rest of them.....
So i will get back within the OD limit till the 8th september and this all starts over again.......
As soon as they try to take my DD's again, I will get more charges as my account will be cleared but have nothing to pay them with......
Everytime I submit copies of charges to the DWP....the bank adds more....and so on....It seems never ending this!
All because of their mistake.....but the DWP take so long "looking into it", that more charges get added.....
How the hell can i get them to end this mess.......

[Amy]

Re: DWP messed up my benefit payments!

Need to get that complaint letter done ASAP.

[veilside01702]

Re: DWP messed up my benefit payments!

Here is the DWP information on refunding charges for their mistakes....
in case anyone else needs it....
This is the main guidance page.....

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2003/frm/

and this is the one that deals with what they will actually accept and deal with!!

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/d...07_exgal.asp#f

[veilside01702]

Re: DWP messed up my benefit payments!

Letter I have drafted to send to the DWP......


To Jackie xxxxxxxxx,
Thank you for returning my telephone call this afternoon and agreeing to refund the charges I have already supplied proof for.
As you are aware I have incurred yet more charges to my bank accounts and from creditors. These have been added due to the first set of charges that you are due to refund to me, not being refunded and causing my accounts to go over the agreed overdraft limit.
Due to the error made by the DWP in payment to my account, I am suffering more and more charges and unpaid Direct Debits on a daily basis!

It is taking so long for the refund of charges to be "looked into" that I am acruing more and more charges whilst you resolve your error!
It appears there is a 'Snowball' effect on these charges and they are growing rapidly due to the errors made by the DWP!

I am currently £300 over my overdraft limit, with more DD'd due to come out!
When they do bounce, this will add yet more charges and unpaid creditors!

So when you pay the original charges, they will have doubled or tripled and so on!
I need to stop the charges being added, so we can work out how much they are in total, otherwise it is like using a finger to plug a Dam!

Whilst I am sending you proof of these charges, I am recieving yet more charges, so I send proof of the new charges and they add more.....I think you will see how this is heading!

If it wasn't for the original error and charges, my accounts would be clear and I would get No charges at all....

I cannot believe that it has taken months to even look into this and I still have not had the charges refunded!
Your own Publicised policy from your website says you should have offered immediate solutions to this error. Under "Guide to Financial Redress for Maladministration", I have been offered No compensation, Appology or Resolution to the mistakes and reprocussions that have resulted from this Maladministration taking place!
Copy of 'Your' Guidelines can be found on the internet at:-

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2003/frm/

A very nice guide, but it appears to mean nothing in practice!
Not one guidline seems to have been followed!
I have had to find out how to resolve this and fight for you to even contact me!

What is the point in the DWP setting out policies and Guidlines if you just ignore them?

I look forward to finally getting my financial situation back to the same point it was prior to the DWP's mistakes, Maladministration and breach of it's own Guidlines!

Yours Sincerely

[enaid]

Re: DWP messed up my benefit payments!

I thought when you changed bank accounts the new bank did everything for you. That's how I understood it to work when applying for my son's parachute account. If you have given them all the details when you opened your account with them, is it not down to them to make sure everything is transferred?

[iancognito]

Re: DWP messed up my benefit payments!

Sorry Russ, I know you've been through a lot but that is far too bombastic for my liking, polite and concise would get you much further I think!!

[Paule]

Re: DWP messed up my benefit payments!

Russ

Have you though about giving your local MP and councillor a call.
You can find their phone numbers on your councils website.

PK

[Amy]

Re: DWP messed up my benefit payments!

Dear M********** (not Jackie, keep it formal)

Thank you for returning my telephone call this afternoon (23rd August) and agreeing to refund the bank charges I have incurred. However, I have also incurred further bank charges.

This situation is a direct result of maladministration. To clarify I quote from the web page for the Department of Work and Pensions “this is the term used to describe the action or inaction that leads to a failure in the processes of government. The term is not defined within the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 but the following examples were quoted by Richard Crossman, Leader of the House of Commons, when the Parliamentary Commissioner Bill was taken through Parliament in 1966: `bias, neglect, inattention, delay, incompetence, ineptitude, perversity, turpitude and arbitrariness'.
I believe I also have a claim for an Ex Gratia payment. A payment whereby the maladministration has had a direct adverse effect on the life of the customer.
For example where official error has resulted in:

• gross inconvenience resulting from persistent error
• severe distress which has significantly impacted on a customer's physical or mental health

I believe my complaint is covered by all of the above and, therefore, reserve my right to make an additional claim for £100 compensation. I also reserve my right to claim for my expenses, which amount to approximately £******* in telephone calls to your office.

I look forward to your comments on this matter and would request that you treat my complaint as a matter or urgency.

You may contact me on ****************


Yours sincerely,

[veilside01702]

Re: DWP messed up my benefit payments!

Thank you soooo much Amy.....
Just read mine after calming down and I look like a ranting monster....
JAN you are correct.....lol
I am printing off a copy now and will post tomorrow morning.....
This stress seems to be triggering multiple headaches again......so not feeling too well now....I hate these headaches...
I maybe doing that Pkea.....thanks
Just had visit from me mum as well.....she just went nuts and went to the bank....
She just read the riot act at Natwest and paid off my entire HSBC overdraft and charges......
Now she wants me to get all the charges back and pay them to her......so I get a interest free loan from me mum......lol
Bailed out yet again.......
So nooooo more charges from Natwest or HSBC for a while......thank god...
Breathing space......
Russ

[Amy]

Re: DWP messed up my benefit payments!

You are more than welcome xx

[Amethyst]

Re: DWP messed up my benefit payments!

good letter amy x

particularly - ''`bias, neglect, inattention, delay, incompetence, ineptitude, perversity, turpitude and arbitrariness'.''

like that bit

[iancognito]

Re: DWP messed up my benefit payments!

Sounds like a dictionary entry for a bank........

[Sapphire]

Re: DWP messed up my benefit payments!

Wish I was clever enough to write letters like that

Good luck with it Russ.

sapphire

[enaid]

Re: DWP messed up my benefit payments!

wish I knew what all them words meant, thats why I always have me little dic handy lol.
Chin up Russ, hope you get sorted soon Enaid x