A bill has arrived after estate has been distributed

GSS20

This happened to me. I phoned the local council to check if there were any outstanding amounts to be paid for warden charges as due to covid could not deal in person. They told me just for the 3 days of the month that she was alive. I paid this and thought no more of it, 4 months down the line I received a letter threatening debt collectors/bailiffs if an outstanding monthly sum for the previous month before she died was not paid. It turned out that the previous month’s  bill did not come out of her account until the 9th of the following month by which time I had informed the bank of her death and the account frozen so the direct debit was bounced back to them. It was quite shocking to receive this letter but fortunately I had not distributed any of her estate.

Sea_Shell

It would seem that speed is definitely not the essence in dealing with estates.

hb2

It took DWP a good few months to notify there had been an overpayment of Mum's pension. As it happened, I was the only beneficiary so it wasn't an issue (especially as they had actually made a mistake anyway). I would always encourage executors/administrators to wait at least 6 months, depending on the complexity of the estate, before assuming it is safe to distribute the bequests.

p00hsticks

hb2 said:

It took DWP a good few months to notify there had been an overpayment of Mum's pension. As it happened, I was the only beneficiary so it wasn't an issue (especially as they had actually made a mistake anyway). I would always encourage executors/administrators to wait at least 6 months, depending on the complexity of the estate, before assuming it is safe to distribute the bequests.

There have been a few stories I've seen here and elsewhere about DWP often not appearing to get into gear at all until probate is issued, and then often starting off with the assumption that because the size of the estate is comparatively large (because it includes a property) that the deceased may have been overpaid the means tested benefits they were getting.

I'm in a slightly different position - my terminally ill relative had a PIP claim fast-tracked just before he died. Unfortunately on the same day that he got the initial payment, he went into hospital, and spent the last month of his life there.  I drafted a letter to DWP on his behalf which he signed to notify them that he was in hospital (and therefore the claim should stop) and posted it for him, but the payments kept coming until presumably DWP picked up from the Tell Us Once service that he had died. That was about four months ago, and I've heard nothing from DWP about paying back the PIP payments made while he was in hospital (about £600).

I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and try to get in touch with them to see what they want paid back - not looking forward to it.

Dandylion

p00hsticks said:

hb2 said:

It took DWP a good few months to notify there had been an overpayment of Mum's pension. As it happened, I was the only beneficiary so it wasn't an issue (especially as they had actually made a mistake anyway). I would always encourage executors/administrators to wait at least 6 months, depending on the complexity of the estate, before assuming it is safe to distribute the bequests.

There have been a few stories I've seen here and elsewhere about DWP often not appearing to get into gear at all until probate is issued, and then often starting off with the assumption that because the size of the estate is comparatively large (because it includes a property) that the deceased may have been overpaid the means tested benefits they were getting.

I'm in a slightly different position - my terminally ill relative had a PIP claim fast-tracked just before he died. Unfortunately on the same day that he got the initial payment, he went into hospital, and spent the last month of his life there.  I drafted a letter to DWP on his behalf which he signed to notify them that he was in hospital (and therefore the claim should stop) and posted it for him, but the payments kept coming until presumably DWP picked up from the Tell Us Once service that he had died. That was about four months ago, and I've heard nothing from DWP about paying back the PIP payments made while he was in hospital (about £600).

I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and try to get in touch with them to see what they want paid back - not looking forward to it.

I think your relative would be entitled to the first 28 days of their PIP payments - according to this link: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Going-into-Hospital-and-benefits/Benefits-that-stop-being-paid-if-you-go-into-hospi#guide-content

p00hsticks

Dandylion said:

p00hsticks said:

hb2 said:

It took DWP a good few months to notify there had been an overpayment of Mum's pension. As it happened, I was the only beneficiary so it wasn't an issue (especially as they had actually made a mistake anyway). I would always encourage executors/administrators to wait at least 6 months, depending on the complexity of the estate, before assuming it is safe to distribute the bequests.

There have been a few stories I've seen here and elsewhere about DWP often not appearing to get into gear at all until probate is issued, and then often starting off with the assumption that because the size of the estate is comparatively large (because it includes a property) that the deceased may have been overpaid the means tested benefits they were getting.

I'm in a slightly different position - my terminally ill relative had a PIP claim fast-tracked just before he died. Unfortunately on the same day that he got the initial payment, he went into hospital, and spent the last month of his life there.  I drafted a letter to DWP on his behalf which he signed to notify them that he was in hospital (and therefore the claim should stop) and posted it for him, but the payments kept coming until presumably DWP picked up from the Tell Us Once service that he had died. That was about four months ago, and I've heard nothing from DWP about paying back the PIP payments made while he was in hospital (about £600).

I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and try to get in touch with them to see what they want paid back - not looking forward to it.

I think your relative would be entitled to the first 28 days of their PIP payments - according to this link: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Going-into-Hospital-and-benefits/Benefits-that-stop-being-paid-if-you-go-into-hospi#guide-content

Many thanks for that - I wasn't aware that that was the case.

The award letter (which arrived the same day he was admitted to hospital) said that he had to notify them of a change of circumstance if he went into hospital, so we thought that the payment would stop straight away - sounds like he was entitle to receive it right up to his death though.