winter fuel overpayment

poverina

Dear forum members,

Please advise me on the following problem.

On 22 of November 2017 my account with Halifax was credited with a Giro of £300 in a winter fuel payment. On the same date, my husband's account with Barclays was credited with another Giro £300. The current winter fuel benefit is £150 per person. Unlike my husband, I had received no prior letter from my Pension Service centre, 5 Wolverhampton, Mail Handling site 1, informing me that I would get any winter fuel payment.

Last December, by phone, I informed my Pension Centre about that dubious payment of £300 to me, to be told that between January and March of this year they would be recovering overpaid benefits, when I, too, would be contacted. On 20 of March, by FAX, I raised that matter with their Operations Manager, and in a course of last April made another 2 phone calls, eact time to be promised that the matter would soon receive due attention. With no resolution in sight, on 29 May I sent e-mail letter to the Department's complaints resolution manager based in Motherwell Pension Centre. A member of his stuff contacted me by phone suggesting that my husband and I each repay our extra £150 by cheques payable to the Department for Work and Pensions.

Having found that suggestion somewhat strange, we contacted Barclays for advice, One of their advisors told us that the only correct form of payment as applicable to our situation would be a payment by invoice.

Please advise me what we should do. We are worried that the overpayments would be uncovered by an audit, and then we would be in a real trouble.

Best regards,

poverina

jessex1990

poverina wrote: »

Dear forum members,

Please advise me on the following problem.

On 22 of November 2017 my account with Halifax was credited with a Giro of £300 in a winter fuel payment. On the same date, my husband's account with Barclays was credited with another Giro £300. The current winter fuel benefit is £150 per person. Unlike my husband, I had received no prior letter from my Pension Service centre, 5 Wolverhampton, Mail Handling site 1, informing me that I would get any winter fuel payment.

Last December, by phone, I informed my Pension Centre about that dubious payment of £300 to me, to be told that between January and March of this year they would be recovering overpaid benefits, when I, too, would be contacted. On 20 of March, by FAX, I raised that matter with their Operations Manager, and in a course of last April made another 2 phone calls, eact time to be promised that the matter would soon receive due attention. With no resolution in sight, on 29 May I sent e-mail letter to the Department's complaints resolution manager based in Motherwell Pension Centre. A member of his stuff contacted me by phone suggesting that my husband and I each repay our extra £150 by cheques payable to the Department for Work and Pensions.

Having found that suggestion somewhat strange, we contacted Barclays for advice, One of their advisors told us that the only correct form of payment as applicable to our situation would be a payment by invoice.

Please advise me what we should do. We are worried that the overpayments would be uncovered by an audit, and then we would be in a real trouble.

Best regards,

poverina

Have you tried contacting the DWP directly to ask them how they would like you to repay the overpayment? Pay it by one of the methods that they tell you - you might even be able to do it by card on the phone.

IAmWales

It is acceptable to repay a benefit overpayment by cheque. Enclose a letter explaining what it is for.

I'm not sure why you think Barclays would know better, it's not them you owe the money to.

xylophone

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/72782037#Comment_72782037

Discussed above.