It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

Flugelhorn

possibly they are concerned re not disclosing a pre existing condition? that is the usual with insurance companies 

ladyholly

I think in your pposition I would be putting in a formal complaint and ringing them daily. Writting to their CEO and anything else I could think of to make them move. The very fact you are not receiving emails because of their system is grounds for complaint. I do realise that this all involves work which is very hard for you at present but 7months for a payout is ridiculous. They have the death certificate and the rest is just delaying tactics.

Suffolksue

There a couple of money consumer advisers in the weekend papers who would take this up for you 

annieb64

My father-in-law was a doctor. He told DH that he had had an overdraft for most of his married life!
I was horrified when DH told me as I'd been brought up by parents who had had to be frugal. My father didn't earn very much and although we were lucky enough to live in a decent sized house that he had inherited from an aunt we had to be careful with money. 

Dad grew most of our vegetables-what he didn't grow Grandad did!.Mum used to buy a tray of cracked eggs from the farm down the road. Our clothes were cast off from older cousins, homemade or bought from the jumble sale. Occasionally we might get a new dress from the Ladybird shop as a birthday present.

We rarely ate out. My parents would go to a Berni Inn on their birthdays but we were left with Grandma.Holidays were a week self catering in a wooden cottage on the Norfolk coast. It had gas lights which my parents were scared to use so we went to bed when it got dark. We took a weeks vegetables with us. My sisters and I had to sit in the back seat with our feet resting on cardboard boxes full of veg.

Flugelhorn

annieb64 said:

My father-in-law was a doctor. He told DH that he had had an overdraft for most of his married life!

I can believe it! many of my colleagues spent up to the last penny - they had kids at private schools / big houses etc etc - one weekend we were working and my colleague (GP partner) was freaking out as he had a £700 tax bill and couldn't pay, this was having arrived in the very fancy new 4x4 and having a huge extension built at home - I had turned up in my tatty old 4x4 and was half tempted to offer him the money as he was in such a bad way over it.  Several used to turn up to do extra weekend sessions as they "had a big bill at the garage"

Many spent like mad and relied on the pension lump sum to pay off the huge mortgages etc - I think they were bemused by my old cars and smaller house, they didn't see that I had no overdraft and no debts though 

Spendless

SIRENS said:

Just got my council tax bill and it's up £11.50 a month! I confess to struggling a bit to budget as since I lost my husband last year my income has nearly halved but I still have all the bills and the kids to feed and clothe as well as travel for me and dd. I have reapplied for single person discount on the council tax as they removed it when dd turned 18 earlier in the month despite her still being in full time education. But it's a whole new learning curve in juggling money. Hopefully I shall be able to pay off the mortgage when the life insurance finally pays out but it's been over 7 months now and still waiting. Dd has been applying for part time jobs but 'lack of experience' is hampering her efforts. It's tough going some days.

I'm sorry for your loss. Are you claiming everything you are entitled to as a widow? eg https://www.gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment

From what I've quickly read, it's not too late to claim if you haven't already but your payments would be reduced.

The council tax discount being removed doesn't sound correct either. Is your daughter doing A levels or equivalent? I'd query that with the relevant department.

Mine (nearly 19) also struggled with finding part time jobs until she turned 18 when more opportunities became open to her. What sort of places has she tried? I'd suggest the fast food places and hospitality as starting points if she hasn't already tried those.   

Spendless

annieb64 said:

My father-in-law was a doctor. He told DH that he had had an overdraft for most of his married life!
I was horrified when DH told me as I'd been brought up by parents who had had to be frugal. My father didn't earn very much and although we were lucky enough to live in a decent sized house that he had inherited from an aunt we had to be careful with money. 

Dad grew most of our vegetables-what he didn't grow Grandad did!.Mum used to buy a tray of cracked eggs from the farm down the road. Our clothes were cast off from older cousins, homemade or bought from the jumble sale. Occasionally we might get a new dress from the Ladybird shop as a birthday present.

We rarely ate out. My parents would go to a Berni Inn on their birthdays but we were left with Grandma.Holidays were a week self catering in a wooden cottage on the Norfolk coast. It had gas lights which my parents were scared to use so we went to bed when it got dark. We took a weeks vegetables with us. My sisters and I had to sit in the back seat with our feet resting on cardboard boxes full of veg.

Yes, that's a similar point to one I made. I doubt my parents incomes were always better than my IL's. My Dad worked in a factory though well paid for the work it was. I should imagine my FIL in the Army was paid more and my MIL even worked f-time nights at one point around army postings, whereas my Mum though a hairdresser by trade, worked p-time in local salons until I was 14 and she got her own place and we became better off then, because my then  I was old enough to let myself in and watch my younger sister until she came home. Mine were more careful about  what they spent money on

mumtoomany

Hi @SIRENS. So sorry for your loss. I'm sure you already know, but in case it's of use. You should be able to get child benefit and child tax credit for your daughter till she's twenty, if still in further education. But not in higher education. If it's higher check with the uni to see if she can claim any extra berseries etc.I hope your money is sorted soon for you, take care, mumtoomany.xx

SIRENS

Thank you all for your replies, I have claimed the widows pension, thank you Spendless a friend of mine who lost her husband a couple of years ago told me about it. I tried calling the council tax but they are not taking calls at the moment so have submitted an online form so we shall see what becomes of that. 

Thank you mumtoomany my dd will be taking her A levels this year I think the child benefit ends in august, she will be going to uni but they don't class that as 'approved education' not sure why?? I am not entitled to any form of tax credits or benefits as my salary and hours are a fraction above, so will just get child benefit for ds.
I will be contacting the ombudsman as I just rang and they said they received the details form the nhs on the 9th but no one has looked at it yet.
My daughter been looking at retail and food places, she is quite shy though so finds it hard to put herself out there. I've told her not to worry too much until after her exams though as I want her to focus on those.
Thank you all for your replies and suggestions though, very much appreciated xx

EssexHebridean

Didn't want to read and run without saying @SIRENS so sorry for your loss. I really hope you are able to get the financial side sorted sooner rather than later - you have so much to deal with without that being made more difficult than it should.