Over 80 year old told £150 per month stopped from Pension credit no appeal

Vegastare

Partners parent in 80's received letter staing a change in circumstance means  has to repay approx £150 per month for next 3 1/2 months - he visited today and she was holding this letter  and very disressed, the letter concludes no appeal can be made and gives no reason as to what the change of circumstance is or overpayment.  He has stayed with her till this evening and is worried about leaving her.

It is awful to think a letter drops on an elderly person doormat on a Saturday and she has the worry all weekend and come Monday she will not be able to possibly get through on the phone or cope with understanding what they say, she manages very well for her years, but the upset is really distressing.  Hoping to arrange for family member to pick her up Monday so someone can try DWP with her.

She is bewildered and has no idea what the change is, I myself feel it is not due to the State Pension increase as over £550 seems alot to accumulate since this April.

I realise it is difficult to ask advice as clearly we have no clear picture, but we are sat here as baffled as she is and also very concerned at her suddenly being £150 per month down with her money, clearly we will have to all rally round to help her.  But it seems so callous.

Rubyroobs

Has she let capital build up or anything like that and not declared it ? 

Dazed_and_C0nfused

Vegastare said:

Partners parent in 80's received letter staing a change in circumstance means  has to repay approx £150 per month for next 3 1/2 months - he visited today and she was holding this letter  and very disressed, the letter concludes no appeal can be made and gives no reason as to what the change of circumstance is or overpayment.  He has stayed with her till this evening and is worried about leaving her.

It is awful to think a letter drops on an elderly person doormat on a Saturday and she has the worry all weekend and come Monday she will not be able to possibly get through on the phone or cope with understanding what they say, she manages very well for her years, but the upset is really distressing.  Hoping to arrange for family member to pick her up Monday so someone can try DWP with her.

She is bewildered and has no idea what the change is, I myself feel it is not due to the State Pension increase as over £550 seems alot to accumulate since this April.

I realise it is difficult to ask advice as clearly we have no clear picture, but we are sat here as baffled as she is and also very concerned at her suddenly being £150 per month down with her money, clearly we will have to all rally round to help her.  But it seems so callous.

DWP are notorious for this, they have a special contract with Royal Mail which means certain letters are only delivered you can't contact them.

Seriously though there will be a reason for it, they may have continued living to old means whilst State Pension has seen a significant increase since April this year meaning capital savings have increased.

Vegastare

I too wonder what her savings are, it is an unknown area to us.  She seems is watch every penny she spends, also she has no idea what portion or pension goes to council tax housing etc.  I fear trying to address this or speak to DWP will be tricky which every siblings takes it on.  The only time she ever mentioned saving was to say she was making sure her family did not pay for her funeral!

Newly_retired

You need to ask for a written statement of reasons, with the breakdown of figures used in the calculations.

It could be that the increase on State Pension has caused the change, perhaps.