DWP refuse my marriage certificate, after husband died

notanothername

After my husband recently died end April, I contacted the dwp bereavement to let them know and they told me that I had to send in my marriage certificate for top up from husband's pension.
I did.
Today I receive a letter stating they do not accept the proof of marriage.
I phoned and was told I couldn't have sent the original marriage certificate. I said I didn't have the original but i had bought copies from the Register Office where we married,
He said that's a copy. I said no it isn't as the originals are in the actual registers and cannot be removed so everyone received certified copies on the special certified watermarked paper.
So, I now have to send another and I have to explain why the original was refused?
I feel like giving up. I have an exact copy ready to send, an exact copy of the one I originally sent. I can't even get to a post box let alone a post office to buy those new stamp barcodes.  Just so fed up banging my head against a brick wall. They haven't even returned the previous copy I sent them.
What do I do?

tacpot12

I think I would contact your MP and ask them for help to understand why the DWP didn't accept the certified copy of your marriage certificate and whether they will accept another copy. (If they tell your MP that they will accept a copy, then they can't refuse to accept a copy if you send them another one. I think I would also ask your MP to find out what tey did with the copy you sent them and why they can't process your request using that copy. 

I don't see how you can explain why the first copy was refused when you don't understand the reason. 

xylophone

Complain to your MP.

Their stance is ridiculous.

Suppose the certificate  provided on or shortly after your wedding day had been lost in a fire or a house move.

Your only recourse would be to do as you have done and order a replacement.

Marcon

notanothername said:

After my husband recently died end April, I contacted the dwp bereavement to let them know and they told me that I had to send in my marriage certificate for top up from husband's pension.
I did.
Today I receive a letter stating they do not accept the proof of marriage.
I phoned and was told I couldn't have sent the original marriage certificate. I said I didn't have the original but i had bought copies from the Register Office where we married,
He said that's a copy. I said no it isn't as the originals are in the actual registers and cannot be removed so everyone received certified copies on the special certified watermarked paper.
So, I now have to send another and I have to explain why the original was refused?
I feel like giving up. I have an exact copy ready to send, an exact copy of the one I originally sent. I can't even get to a post box let alone a post office to buy those new stamp barcodes.  Just so fed up banging my head against a brick wall. They haven't even returned the previous copy I sent them.
What do I do?

Here's a wall, bang your head on it... Just what you need when you've just lost your life partner.

You say you bought the copies from the Register Office where you married. Is it possible that has caused the problem (although I can't see why it should, unless they got the procedure wrong - it's a legitimate option)? In an attempt to save your sanity, perhaps try ordering from the General Register Office https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate 

You don't need to get to a post office or post box. You can buy postage online; and your local postman will collect from your home with no extra charge for the collection: https://www.royalmail.com/

FIREmenow

Sorry you are going through this 

Just to add to Marcon's message. If you need the GRO index reference (which saves you money and helps the certificate to be sent more quickly) the government website recommends looking for it on FreeBMD - a charity which is digitising the archive. The website says they have completed the period 1837-1997, but if you were married after that it might be worth checking in case they are further along now. I had a go and found my parents' marriage certificate index entry by only adding my dad's full name. Totally free and no sign up required. The link below explains what information you need from their website to give the GRO index reference when you order a certificate.

https://www.freebmd.org.uk/Certificates.html

This is all assuming you were married in England or Wales.

Hope that helps.

Marcon

You could also make a formal complaint about the poor service you've received:https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/complaints-procedure

Not much point writing to your MP right now, given that whoever it is probably won't yet have a desk and chair, never mind a computer, regardless of whether they are a shiny new MP or a longstanding returning MP.

notanothername said:

So, I now have to send another and I have to explain why the original was refused?

Turn that on its head and point out that you are at a loss to explain why the certificate you sent previously was rejected, and you await a full explanation from them.

notanothername

I phoned a different number this morning but this time was told I hadn't sent the certificate! I said but the letter I received clearly references an issue with verification which they could not accept - so they must have seen it? Then told it would take 8 working days to update my details that it had been received! So asked how much longer could that take and she said wait until the end of July.

There was nothing wrong with the certificate I bought from local register office where we married. It was a certified copy with the official seal and watermarked paper - hence the cost!
(as was the 'original' which was a copy created the day after we married) You'd think all they had to do was check electronically themselves.
I reckon they have lost it. 

Silvertabby

I wonder if it is something as simple as a poor training issue?  ie, newbie is told that they can only accept original certificates, not copies.  Newbie receives an original death certificate, which is headed 'Certified Copy'.  Newbie fails to apply common sense and jumps into 'jobsworth' mode.

Not that this explanation is any comfort to OP, who has enough to worry about without dealing with this nonsense.  

Billy-no-Money

Silvertabby said:

I wonder if it is something as simple as a poor training issue?  ie, newbie is told that they can only accept original certificates, not copies.  Newbie receives an original death certificate, which is headed 'Certified Copy'.  Newbie fails to apply common sense and jumps into 'jobsworth' mode.

Almost certainly this - the concept of official certificates ALL being copies of a register entry is widely misunderstood, and procedures may say ‘copies’ are unacceptable but should actually say ‘photocopies’ or ‘photographs’. 

This is far from being unique to the DWP, but that Department has acute staffing and training challenges making it more likely.

xylophone

This is far from being unique to the DWP, but that Department has acute staffing and training challenges making it more likely.

The same excuse is regularly trotted out for HMRC.

Similarly for the NHS.

Just three examples of the shambles to which our public services have been reduced.

And even though it appears that the OP's inherited entitlement will now be calculated, in her position I would still be writing a letter of

complaint to  the MP - who knows, if a newbie, he/ she might want to earn efficiency points from a constituent.

He/she might even urge the DWP to invest in some training.

sheramber

You mention 'top up' from your husband's pension.

DWP Beavement  department deal with the Breavement Support Payment, which does require you to send your marriage certificate.  It should be returned to you.

Is this what you are claiming?


Claiming Inherited State Pension or Top Up from deferment of Sate Pension is dealt with by the Pensions Service not DWP.