DWP Assesment

[DJM10118]

Dear All,

My wife's grandparents have received a letter from the DWP suggesting that they are coming to assess the income allowance as they are aware that they have some savings.

They are 87 and 85 and only receive the Statutory State pension, although her grandfather has asbestosis so does get an allowance for his chest condition. I don't think they get any other benefits.

The DWP said they want to go through all their bank statement and savings books. Do they have a legal right to see your personal bank statements etc?


Thanks

[enaid]

Re: DWP Assesment

Hi and welcome to Legal Beagles.
I think the DWP can access bank statements when they are investigating possible benefit fraud, not sure if they can when just assessing.
If the couple are only claiming pension and I would imagine IIB for grandads asbestos condition then they are not means tested benefits and makes no difference how much savings they have.
It may just be they are not claiming all they could/should be.
Have they been assessed before do you know?

[DJM10118]

Re: DWP Assesment

Thanks enaid

I'm not sure if they have been assessed before. Her grandmother is quite ill, so her grandfather is her full time carer. From the information I have from my wife it appears that the DWP think they are frauding the system, when really I think they under claiming.

They are both quite old and feel quite threatened by the tone of the letter. They only claim the standard pension but don't really do much with the money due to their old age so have some savings in an ISA.

Should we contact them and ask the nature of the assessment before disclosing any information? The assessment is next Tuesday

[nemesis45]

Re: DWP Assesment

You will need the grandparents authority to make enquiries on their behalf.
Can you arranged to be present when the assessment is done.

[enaid]

Re: DWP Assesment

Thanks enaid

I'm not sure if they have been assessed before. Her grandmother is quite ill, so her grandfather is her full time carer. From the information I have from my wife it appears that the DWP think they are frauding the system, when really I think they under claiming.

They are both quite old and feel quite threatened by the tone of the letter. They only claim the standard pension but don't really do much with the money due to their old age so have some savings in an ISA.

Should we contact them and ask the nature of the assessment before disclosing any information? The assessment is next Tuesday

Fore armed as they say so this is some info on what can be claimed and what benefits are income based.

I can only think it is Pension Credit and any Housing Benefit they are claiming that can be over paid so I would check if they are claiming them,

Have a read through see what if anything they are entitled to they are not claiming.
The rates of the benefits should be on there so if you can glance bank statements you should be able to work out what they are getting.

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/money-matter...FSsCwwodwCAApw

[DJM10118]

Re: DWP Assesment

Thank you both for your help.

I think we are slightly concerned that they can be aware of what savings they have. I would have thought this was protected by the data protection act. They are both very old and the grandmother is quite frail now, so they don't have the opportunity to spend all their entitled to. I think they have just put the remaining into an ISA in case of an emergency.

I haven't seen the letter but it seems to suggest that they have been looking into what savings they have in ISA, deposit accounts and any other accounts they have. From what I've been told the letter just says that they need to be available next week for a visit and they need to see bank and savings statements.



We are happy for them to do the assessment as we believe they are under claiming but I don't believe they should have access to all savings etc. Would the amount of savings effect the basic state pension allowance?

Thanks

[enaid]

Re: DWP Assesment

The state pension is not means tested here is info on the benefits that are means tested and what is taken into account.

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/money-matter...sted-benefits/

[anmarj]

Re: DWP Assesment

DWP have started getting real time information from HMRC which includes tax paid on interest of savings. They may not be just getting state pension but getting Pension Credit which is means tested and savings/investments are counted. If possible, it may worth getting a look at the letter they have been sent, and finding out exactly what benefits they are getting, and take from there.