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State Pension / Deceased

Our Mother passed away on the 9th Nov 2015 at approx 19:00. That's when we got the call.

I used to collect her pension for her but on the very same day I'd forgotten the pin number 3 times and locked the card :o

We have closed the account a few days back.

So I have two questions.

1. Was she entitled to the pension for that week in full or does say 6 days go back to the state?

2. We have a letter saying she qualified for the winter fuel payment. Does that still go ahead in full or does part of it go back to the state.

We're just waiting on the Pension department to write back to let us know how much was due to her given the date of passing.

Thanks in advance
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Comments

  • le_loup
    le_loup Posts: 4,047 Forumite
    Depend whether pension was pain "in advance" or "in arrears". Pensions used to be paid in advance but now a new pensioner is paid in arrears.
  • greenglide
    greenglide Posts: 3,301 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Hung up my suit!
    So it was paid weekly at the Post Office (via a POCA account)?

    Depending on the date of death and the payday of the pension there may be an entitlement to arrears. If you have informed DWP of the death (phone the Pension Service - they have a special option on the phone menu) they will determine if there are arrears due and send you a form to fill in.

    If there is one or more payments at the Post Office presumably they will be claimed via the post office - much the same as a bank account.
  • brewerdave
    brewerdave Posts: 8,983 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I've just been paid arrears after my mother's death -DWP paid a full week for the week she died in.
  • greenglide
    greenglide Posts: 3,301 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Hung up my suit!
    The current State Pension is always paid in whole weeks (with the exception of "odd days" at the start of a claim which follows a period of working age benefits) and they pay for the whole week in which the death occurs.

    When nSP starts anyone with an SPa date after 5/4/2016 will only be paid up to the date of death but, at least, they all get the "odd days" at the start to put them on the correct payday rather than just those who a receiving working age benefits.

    The money is of more use to the claimant rather than the estate when they are dead.
  • Be_Happy
    Be_Happy Posts: 1,393 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    As regards the Winter Fuel payment. My mother died in October 7 years ago, but we received the full Winter Fuel payment for her in November, on the basis that she was alive at the qualifying date in September.
  • p00hsticks
    p00hsticks Posts: 14,952 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    GoingSolo wrote: »
    2. We have a letter saying she qualified for the winter fuel payment. Does that still go ahead in full or does part of it go back to the state.

    Sorry for your loss.

    I can't find anything to back me up at present, but I'm pretty sure that as long as someone is alive during the 'qualifying week' for the Winter Fuel Payment (whcih is at the end of September) and meets the other qualifying critiera then they (or their estate) are entitled to the full amount even if they die shortly afterwards.
  • FPI payment gone in bank today from unknown source but has ref number. No letter in post today so maybe that'll turn up soon from Pension dept to confirm it's from them. Looking it at the amount could be pension & heating allowance.
  • greenglide
    greenglide Posts: 3,301 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Hung up my suit!
    edited 27 November 2015 at 4:41PM
    So is this your mother's account? Have you not informed the bank and by now they should be bouncing transactions? The bank will also produce a cheque to pay the funeral costs if asked provided there is sufficient funds.

    The winter fuel payment will have a reference which includes her NINO.

    This is a BACS credit, not a faster payments payment.

    I got my letter on Wednesday but I am not in receipt of a State Pension so my payment comes from the Winter Fuel Payments system, not the pension system - the timescales are different.
  • Closed her account a week after passing by submitting paper work at Post Office with monies to be paid into my bank account if anything in her pension account.

    Funeral plan was a private on one paid back in 2005 by my Mother
  • greenglide
    greenglide Posts: 3,301 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Hung up my suit!
    FPI payment gone in bank today from unknown source but has ref number
    Closed her account a week after passing by submitting paper work at Post Office with monies to be paid into my bank account if anything in her pension account.

    So has this unidentified payment been paid into her POCA account and then forwarded to your account?

    With a DoD of 7th November DWP should have known for some time (you did tell them?) and the WFP should never have been issued, having been issued either last weekend or the weekend before
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