Dro, frozen bank and taken benefits

shaunnamb · 10 July 2018 at 10:11PM

So I recently was granted a DRO. Little did I know my Natwest accounts would be froze and my Child Benefit paid into the account today and Child Tax Credits due tomorrow are also frozen!!

I have also slowly been adding £5 per week from child tax credits into separate accounts for each of my children. My daughters DLA and carers allowance is also due to be paid in!!

Natwest won’t help me to access my money and have been very much useless despite all my income being benefits!! (Not a proud benefit claimer, unable to work due to my 5 year olds disabilities and being a single parent)

Any advice on how I can access my money?? My Money Advice Advisor has been pretty hit and miss, for example I was not once advised to close my accounts and move my benefits!

Little insight, all debts are related to furniture finance companies and water bills, however bank overdraft was included but not a financial struggle as I didn’t use it?

Help!?

[Deleted User] · 11 July 2018 at 12:22AM

You need to write a formal letter of complaint to the bank with a viewing to taking it to the FOS.

I remember Barclays when they closed my bank account due to a DRO (they liked to allow my basic account at the time over draw in paying the credit cards! And it wasn't even sharkly card! £6 was my problem as to why account was closed) within days they sent a cheque for the pence left in my account I want to say it arrived within a week and was something sorted quickly - I was pre warned by the advisor who submitted the application so perhaps there was more diligence 6 years ago to explain these things, appreciate that is no comfort but cheque did land as one of the first things to happen so hopefully that is in motion for you.

I was able to bank elsewhere and fortunately with another bank on the high street as I remember at the time pay for bank accounts were rather heavily sold so perhaps why more effort was made to advise of the closure back then. :cool: I would ditch and get a reliable bank account updating those who need knowing for future payments.

Lucy5781 · 11 July 2018 at 2:16PM

I was advised on here to open a 'parachute account' elsewhere before putting my DRO through as the account I was using the overdraft of was included in the debts.

I moved everything to a Co-operative bank 'Cashminder' account, which I'm still using now, five years later. They're good for those with low credit rating etc.

Hope you have some success soon.

National_Debtline · 11 July 2018 at 5:33PM

Hi shaunnamb

Unfortunately your bank has the right to freeze or withdraw your account, and this is something that some banks choose to do when you have a DRO. If Natwest are unwilling to unfreeze your account then you need to open a new basic bank account elsewhere as soon as possible.

You'll need to request that your benefits are paid into your new account. Or to speed things up, do you have a trusted friend or family member whose account you could temporarily use to have your benefits paid into?

Best of luck with it all

Susie
@natdebtline

DorisTrousers · 13 July 2018 at 3:35PM

Banks will be sympathetic where money has been frozen that is clearly either not yours or is needed for basic living expenses, but they will not do so without something in writing from whoever your Approved Intermediary or advice service is.

I use a templated letter for these types of circumstances, which are, mercifully, very rare and if you get no joy with your advisor then I would be happy to let you have a copy by PM so that he or she can fill in the blanks if you wish.

Dro, frozen bank and taken benefits

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free