Cost of Living payment received for deceased person

Golactico

I am the executor for the estate of an old lady who died on 06 October 2022. I obviously notified the DWP and received all outstanding pension/pension credit amounts some time ago. I am therefore surprised to have now received a payment of £324 in respect of the deceased for (according to the letter) 'Cost of living' with the payment period shown as 29/03/23 to 29/03/23.

The letter acknowledges that the person concerned is deceased. I got nowhere trying to call DWP to query the payment but from the gov.uk website, I can't see how this payment is due to the deceased lady's estate when she died in October last year. If anyone can confirm that this payment is not a mistake, I'd be really grateful. I don't want to pass it on to the beneficiaries of the will, only to find that I have to try to claw it back at a later date, if an error has been made by the DWP.

Many thanks

Newcad

The £324 payment is valid and is due for when she was still alive and getting Pension Credit.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payment

You were eligible for the second Cost of Living Payment of £324 if you were entitled to a payment (or later found to be entitled to a payment) of income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Income Support or Pension Credit for any day in the period 26 August 2022 to 25 September 2022.

The only question that I can see is why it's taken so long for them to pay it.
But presumably that's because she was already deceased by the date it should have been paid, which was between 8 and 23 November 2022, and so somehow got missed at the time?

Or maybe her bank account had been closed/suspended due to her death and they couldn't make a payment at the time?

If however her bank records do show a £324 CoL payment from the DWP last November then you'll need to query if it's now been paid twice.

p00hsticks

Golactico said:

I am the executor for the estate of an old lady who died on 06 October 2022. I obviously notified the DWP and received all outstanding pension/pension credit amounts some time ago.

Following on from Newcads post, she would also have been eligible and should have received the 2022 Winter Fuel Payment, so worth checking that out too, as DWP may not have tried to pay it until after her death. 

(Note: if she did not live alone then you'd need to cross-check with any co-habitants as to what they received, as it;s done by a total amount per household)

Robbie64

The DWP made a number of Cost Of Living payments at the end of March as part of a sweep up exercise to catch people who, for one reason or another, had not had the payment at the time the payment should have been made. I'm assuming that this is one such case.

As suggested above, check to see if a £324 payment was made to her bank account last November. If none was received then this payment is correct. If one was received last November then it will need to be queried.

Golactico

Thank you for all responses - very helpful and informative.