DWP asking for weeks pension payment after death

wilkko73

My mum died in January and I have had a letter from the DWP asking for 1 weeks payment of pension that was paid after mum's death.I didn't notify the DWP of mum's death immediately as I was told this could be done with the tell us once service which I did as soon as I could but there was a delay in getting the relevant paperwork and getting the appointment to register the death so that weeks payment was made between mum's death and the  tell us once being notified.So does this money need to be paid back?I could just ignore the letter but wouldn't want to end up with bailiffs chasing me if they want this money

AP3

Sorry for your loss. Quite coincidentally, I received one of these letter today, relating to overpayment of PIP following my wife's passing.

The key line is "we are obliged to ask for them to be refunded".

So they have to ask, but you don't have to pay.

More info here:

https://paullewismoney.blogspot.com/2019/03/dwp-cannot-enforce-demands-to-repay.html

wilkko73

Thank you @AP3

marcia_

 I received the same letter 2 years ago when my sister died, overpaid pip. I threw it in the bin and haven't heard from them since 

jem16

AP3 said:

Sorry for your loss. Quite coincidentally, I received one of these letter today, relating to overpayment of PIP following my wife's passing.

The key line is "we are obliged to ask for them to be refunded".

So they have to ask, but you don't have to pay.

More info here:

https://paullewismoney.blogspot.com/2019/03/dwp-cannot-enforce-demands-to-repay.html

You do have to pay if there was an overpayment of state pension prior to them being notified as seems to be the case for the OP.

jem16

wilkko73 said:

My mum died in January and I have had a letter from the DWP asking for 1 weeks payment of pension that was paid after mum's death.I didn't notify the DWP of mum's death immediately as I was told this could be done with the tell us once service which I did as soon as I could but there was a delay in getting the relevant paperwork and getting the appointment to register the death so that weeks payment was made between mum's death and the  tell us once being notified.So does this money need to be paid back?I could just ignore the letter but wouldn't want to end up with bailiffs chasing me if they want this money

Yes you do owe it and yes it needs to be paid if there are funds in the estate.

Where you don't need to pay it is if they still pay after they've been notified.

Daniel54

I took the view that the estate should not benefit from public money to which it was not entitled, so refunded the overpaid amount.

I guess this is an area where the individual is required to exercise their own discretion.

jem16

Daniel54 said:

I took the view that the estate should not benefit from public money to which it was not entitled, so refunded the overpaid amount.

I guess this is an area where the individual is required to exercise their own discretion.

I chose to pay the money for both my Mum and Dad. In each case the Tell us Once service was used as soon as I could register the death but as they were paid weekly in advance it was impossible to prevent an overpayment. I had no hesitation in doing so regardless of that Paul Lewis blog.

Spendless

I told my Mum not to pay it when the DWP asked for my Nans back.

Nan had spent 25 years looking after my invalid Grandad (stroke patient) with a private pension that put them a £ or two over  receiving any help (private pension never what they would have been worth due to  them having to finish work 10 years early due to becoming an invalid/carer, they both worked full time before that) In that 25 years Grandad went into respite for 1 week (and only cos Nan was considering if she could leave him in order to attend my wedding abroad - she ultimately decided she couldnt) 
Nan was frequently on the receiving end of 'computer says no'  when she tried for any help. 
So in death when it didnt have to be legally paid back, I told Mum.not to. The money went towards the wording on Nans headstone. 

Just to give you a viewpoint of someone who didnt pay it back and the reason behind that decision. 

tooldle

I also paid back monies to DWP. I too took the view that it was wrong for the estate to benefit from public funds to which it was not entitled. 

Misha96

When my uncle died, I used the Tell Us Once service, within  days, I was asked for repayment of 1 week's State Pension and some Attendance Allowance. I considered this perfectly reasonable and paid what was a debt from my uncle's estate.