I cancelled my ESA due to large lump sum, appear to have been sent wrong documents from them

Bonbonberry

sheramber said:

 was then asked if it was property sales, insurance payments etc. I just said yes,

I would have said no . as it was not from your property sales etc. You just got a sum of money.

To be more exact, she asked me where the money had come from, I said "An inheritance, lump sum" She then proceeded to ask "But what was it made up from, house sale, insurance?" I said "both, I think, but I don't have all the info as I'm not executor, it's just a lump sum". I don't think she was convinced by my answer and she seemed pretty clueless on how to proceed. 

Bonbonberry

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Bonbonberry said:

Newcad said:

Thanks, that rules out one possibility then.

All I can think now is that they are just double checking that all is as you say about the inheritance and that you weren't over the limit before then?

Or it may just be an automatic, computer generated, thing?

I've had a few of those in my time (particularly when migrating from ESA to UC) which were totally irrelevant to my claims but when someone at the DWP presses a button when opening/closing a claim the computer programme says to spit them out, so it spits them out even when not needed.

All of the terminology on this letter is "your benefit may be stopped if you don't send this info" (it's already stopped), and "to process your claim" (there is no claim) etc. 

That may just be standard wording regardless of the circumstances.  Like the references to income on the letters they send out for New-Style ESA which has not and can not have anything to do with income.  They're just template letters generated by the computer and confuse the heck out of people all the time!

My other issue is that they are also asking for bank statements "to date". This includes a period outside of my claim, and is frankly, none of their business. If they want verification of the payment of the inheritance, I'm happy to send that with a copy of the solicitor's letter confirming the amount, that's fine. If they're asking for a year's worth of bank statements from about 5 accounts (one of which was an empty savings account that has since been closed), then they can look into that themselves. I don't have to worry about not being paid since they aren't paying me anyway. 

HillStreetBlues

Bonbonberry said:

To be more exact, she asked me where the money had come from, I said "An inheritance, lump sum" She then proceeded to ask "But what was it made up from, house sale, insurance?" I said "both, I think, but I don't have all the info as I'm not executor, it's just a lump sum". I don't think she was convinced by my answer and she seemed pretty clueless on how to proceed. 

Sadly the DWP staff that answer the phones are mostly clueless.
I can see what's happened, it should be a simple capital over 16k from inheritance. But the DWP staff saw that there  is an entry for property sale, failing to realise that is only to do it you actually inherited a property, so no doubt made an incorrect entry into that box.

Bonbonberry said:

My other issue is that they are also asking for bank statements "to date". This includes a period outside of my claim, and is frankly, none of their business. If they want verification of the payment of the inheritance, I'm happy to send that with a copy of the solicitor's letter confirming the amount, that's fine. If they're asking for a year's worth of bank statements from about 5 accounts (one of which was an empty savings account that has since been closed), then they can look into that themselves. I don't have to worry about not being paid since they aren't paying me anyway. 

But you might have to worry about them claiming the last X years are an overpayment.
As annoying as it is you do need to sort it out.

Bonbonberry

HillStreetBlues said:

Bonbonberry said:

To be more exact, she asked me where the money had come from, I said "An inheritance, lump sum" She then proceeded to ask "But what was it made up from, house sale, insurance?" I said "both, I think, but I don't have all the info as I'm not executor, it's just a lump sum". I don't think she was convinced by my answer and she seemed pretty clueless on how to proceed. 

Sadly the DWP staff that answer the phones are mostly clueless.
I can see what's happened, it should be a simple capital over 16k from inheritance. But the DWP staff saw that there  is an entry for property sale, failing to realise that is only to do it you actually inherited a property, so no doubt made an incorrect entry into that box.

Bonbonberry said:

My other issue is that they are also asking for bank statements "to date". This includes a period outside of my claim, and is frankly, none of their business. If they want verification of the payment of the inheritance, I'm happy to send that with a copy of the solicitor's letter confirming the amount, that's fine. If they're asking for a year's worth of bank statements from about 5 accounts (one of which was an empty savings account that has since been closed), then they can look into that themselves. I don't have to worry about not being paid since they aren't paying me anyway. 

But you might have to worry about them claiming the last X years are an overpayment.
As annoying as it is you do need to sort it out.

I'm just going to write to them with my concerns. I can't be bothered waiting 50 minutes on the phone to deal with staff who aren't trained correctly. In my letter I'll ask them to listen to the recording to make sure that my call has been recorded accurately and this will confirm the correct info I relayed. If they will want the bank statements after that then they'll have to wait on my bank sending me paper copies. 

Alice_Holt

May be worth keeping the ESA running but with no payments (as you are over the capital limit), then you claim will become a credits only claim and you will continue to receive NI credits towards your State Pension. 
Perhaps include that with the letter ?

Bonbonberry

Alice_Holt said:

May be worth keeping the ESA running but with no payments (as you are over the capital limit), then you claim will become a credits only claim and you will continue to receive NI credits towards your State Pension. 
Perhaps include that with the letter ?

Thanks for the advice, I will ask. Their letter is worded as if the claim is completely closed as they stated to claim again if my capital falls under £16,000, but then again their letters are as clear as mud. I hadn't actually heard of credits only claims until this thread.

Not sure I am keen to still be kept under DWP reins though for no payment, would this mean I'd still need to attend WCAs and comply with various conditions? As an example; if I hypothetically wanted to leave the country for 2 months, I'd like to be able to do that without answering to the DWP when they aren't paying me.

Alice_Holt

Bonbonberry said:

Alice_Holt said:

May be worth keeping the ESA running but with no payments (as you are over the capital limit), then you claim will become a credits only claim and you will continue to receive NI credits towards your State Pension. 
Perhaps include that with the letter ?

Not sure I am keen to still be kept under DWP reins though for no payment, would this mean I'd still need to attend WCAs and comply with various conditions? As an example; if I hypothetically wanted to leave the country for 2 months, I'd like to be able to do that without answering to the DWP when they aren't paying me.

  Unfortunately it does.  I guess it depends on your likely SP provision (taking into account the possibility of Pension Credit).  May be worth getting a SP forecast when deciding.  

HillStreetBlues

Bonbonberry said:

Thanks for the advice, I will ask. Their letter is worded as if the claim is completely closed as they stated to claim again if my capital falls under £16,000, but then again their letters are as clear as mud. I hadn't actually heard of credits only claims until this thread.

Not sure I am keen to still be kept under DWP reins though for no payment, would this mean I'd still need to attend WCAs and comply with various conditions? As an example; if I hypothetically wanted to leave the country for 2 months, I'd like to be able to do that without answering to the DWP when they aren't paying me.

Did your child benefit end? as I noticed you were getting NI credits for that.

Alice_Holt said:

  Unfortunately it does.  I guess it depends on your likely SP provision (taking into account the possibility of Pension Credit).  May be worth getting a SP forecast when deciding.  

If OP gets credits via CB  is there an upside of keeping the ESA claim open?