Pension Service

[blackvelvet]

A number of years ago the pension credit service prosecuted me for fraud.
I was found not guilty.

I now have a new dispute with them, a completely different matter than the fraud case, regarding my state pension.
A person from the pension service has written to me, and told me quite openly that all decisions about me are still influenced by the fraud accusation.
Where do I stand?

[nemesis45]

Re: Pension Service

Hi,

This certainly does not seem right, if you were not guilty of the alleged fraud it should not have any influence on your current problem.
Of what level civil service grade is the writer of this letter.
Could you post a redacted copy here please?

nem

[blackvelvet]

Re: Pension Service

Thank you Nem.
Here is an abridged portion of the letter, from Operations correspondence team.
" I would like to apologise for the mistakes that have been made on your case and for the correspondence that has not been responded to." ( over 20 recorded delivery }
" We discussed the issue of Debt Management and their role in recovering the overpayment. I have contacted Debt to see if they would suspend recovery pending the above further inquiries. They have confirmed that it would not be possible to suspend recovery of the overpayment at this time. This is because of the previous fraud involvement with the case."
Complaint Resolution Manager

[nemesis45]

Re: Pension Service

Thank you Nem.
Here is an abridged portion of the letter, from Operations correspondence team.
" I would like to apologise for the mistakes that have been made on your case and for the correspondence that has not been responded to." ( over 20 recorded delivery }
" We discussed the issue of Debt Management and their role in recovering the overpayment. I have contacted Debt to see if they would suspend recovery pending the above further inquiries. They have confirmed that it would not be possible to suspend recovery of the overpayment at this time. This is because of the previous fraud involvement with the case."
Complaint Resolution Manager

OK not so clear as at first appeared!

Please clarify " previous fraud involvement with the case" ?
Was the accusation in relation to this overpayment?
nem

[blackvelvet]

Re: Pension Service

The outcome of the fraud case is, I was found not guilty of fraud. Tribunal ruled that money overpaid should be reclaimed. that is fine up to that point.
The case was 3 years ago.
I have been in receipt of state pension and pension credit ever since. Money was being deducted from my pension Credit at £28 per week for the overpayment. I did not complain about that.
Last year 2014 the pension service wrote to me requesting an interview, without getting too deeply involved in my problems I was in poor health and my wife was dealing with all of my affairs. Both appointments were short notice and my wife who is self employed and receiving tax credits could not keep the appointments and phoned on both occasions . The pension service agreed to make another appointment but they never arranged another date.
Next thing I know, they stop my pension Credit ,because they claim I did not cooperate.
I now only receive my State Pension at £75 per week.
They then started deducting money from my £75 state pension at £25 per week.
My dispute is about stopping my Pension Credit and not about repayments for the fraud proceedings.
The Pension Service have combined both issues and made it sound like I am disputing the fraud overpayment. I am not.
I believe the pension service are deliberately confusing the issues. They are passing my case around and refuse to investigate.
I can prove they lied to me {see apology above referring to their handling of the issue}
Now they tell me the fraud case is still relevant.

[blackvelvet]

Re: Pension Service

Am i right in assuming this post has reached a conclusion?

[des8]

Re: Pension Service

Possibly not reached a conclusion, but at weekends things go quiet as members have families.
If I was in your position I would follow the complaints system right through to the Parliamentary Ombudsman
https://www.gov.uk/complain-pension-service
DWP prefer to deal with complaints by phone.
I'm old fashioned and prefer a written record and would suggest you write to them (signed for) and request written reply.
If they phone, insist on a written response.
I think your next step is to escalate to Director General of Operations and take it from there.

[blackvelvet]

Re: Pension Service

TA !
des8