- Posts: 13
× Members
This actually happened, so I thought I'd share
4 years 11 months ago #229800 by Wayne
This actually happened, so I thought I'd share was created by Wayne
My wife Alison, has Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, and is in receipt of both Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance, (although PIP application has been made and we have assessment next week) As part of her DLA award, she is in the higher mobility group and takes advantage of the Motability system to ensure she can have access to a vehicle. As you are no doubt aware, DWP is trying to cut numbers of people who are in receipt of these benefits, and high percentage of people are turned down for PIP in the first instance.
On April 5th, Alison received a letter from Motability, stating that she hadn't been awarded her PIP and as such they would be taking receipt of her vehicle in May. This is the first we had heard, with nothing from the DWP.
I opened the second letter in our post, and this was from the HMRC offering their condolences on the death of my wife, and stating that she has no outstanding tax liabilities with them. The third letter, also from a DWP department, Jobcentre Plus, was a form ESA50 which is a questionnaire about her capability to work.
Firstly, I contacted Motability to enquire why they had sent the letter about reclaiming her car, and was told that they were informed by DWP that she wouldn't be getting her PIP, and that her forms hadn't been received and her application cancelled. Although nothing from DWP. I them contacted HMRC about their letter, and was told that DWP had informed them of Alison's death by automated computer message. This message is sent to government agencies when someone has their death entered on the computer at DWP. This had happened to Alison. The lady I spoke to HMRC was mortified when I informed her that my wife, despite being gravely ill, was in fact very alive and very annoyed. She promised to 'bring Alison back from the dead' on her system. My words in parenthesis, not hers.
I then called the DWP to speak about PIP and what had gone on, When I got through to the DWP, I explained what had happened, and asked why Motability had been told that our forms hadn't been received, and could she clarify if they had. The lady said that they had been received on time, but could see that someone had entered my wife's death on their computer and this had in fact cancelled the entire process. I informed her that Alison was most definitely alive. I had to wait for a case manager to call me back about their mistake, and again I explained that Alison was in fact alive, very angry and stressed. She explained that there had been a serious error made with the data entry and she would contact Motability to rescind the vehicle recovery, and I then told her about the taxman thinking she was dead too. She explained to me that all government agencies would be informed of a death when it is entered onto this database. This then meant a further 49 hours on the phone to various departments to try and sort things out. Passport Office to try and un-cancel her now cancelled brand new passport, NHS/GP to reclaim her files that were auto archived, County Council who had changed her Council Tax records and removed her from the electoral roll. All without a death certificate.
Next, I had to deal with Jobcentre Plus who deal with Employment Support Allowance, and waited on hold for over 2 hours before anyone answered, and asked a few questions. Firstly, Alison is in what is known as the Support Group and should have an Severe Incapacity marker on her file which means that she will not be assessed for her capability to work, ever! We have filled in their forms on a few occasions and still receive them. I asked the young lady why we had received the form, explained the above regarding incapacity, support group blah blah and was told that the form was sent out to claimants whenever their was a change in their circumstances. I asked what happens when I filled in the form and was told that the claimant is then asked to attend a medical assessment to see if the circumstance change means a change in benefit level; however this change of circumstance was her being dead. I asked how a dead person could attend a medical. I again asked the young lady, if she was aware of what she was saying. ie change of circumstances being 'death', how will she fill in the form or attend a medical? The young lady informed me that this decision would have been made by a 'decision maker' (?) so I asked to speak to one of those. Eventually, a gentlemen called and informed me that i) Alison was in the Support Group ii) did have a severe incapacity marker, although it had been removed when the 'dead' button was pressed and iii) he will reinstate it all, I could tear up the form and that we should never have received it. Apologising profusely for the incompetence levels in his own department, scarey.
What a fun couple of weeks I had. To top it all, another part of the DWP sent me a letter confirming Carers Allowance after a 7 year fight. The devil in me had to call them and ask if I could get the allowance for caring for a 'dead' person and apparently, you can't.
Got to love the DWP. Anyway, MP informed, questions in the house and a letter from Minister of DWP or whoever he is this week.
She is very much alive, as she's encouraging me to do the hovering.
On April 5th, Alison received a letter from Motability, stating that she hadn't been awarded her PIP and as such they would be taking receipt of her vehicle in May. This is the first we had heard, with nothing from the DWP.
I opened the second letter in our post, and this was from the HMRC offering their condolences on the death of my wife, and stating that she has no outstanding tax liabilities with them. The third letter, also from a DWP department, Jobcentre Plus, was a form ESA50 which is a questionnaire about her capability to work.
Firstly, I contacted Motability to enquire why they had sent the letter about reclaiming her car, and was told that they were informed by DWP that she wouldn't be getting her PIP, and that her forms hadn't been received and her application cancelled. Although nothing from DWP. I them contacted HMRC about their letter, and was told that DWP had informed them of Alison's death by automated computer message. This message is sent to government agencies when someone has their death entered on the computer at DWP. This had happened to Alison. The lady I spoke to HMRC was mortified when I informed her that my wife, despite being gravely ill, was in fact very alive and very annoyed. She promised to 'bring Alison back from the dead' on her system. My words in parenthesis, not hers.
I then called the DWP to speak about PIP and what had gone on, When I got through to the DWP, I explained what had happened, and asked why Motability had been told that our forms hadn't been received, and could she clarify if they had. The lady said that they had been received on time, but could see that someone had entered my wife's death on their computer and this had in fact cancelled the entire process. I informed her that Alison was most definitely alive. I had to wait for a case manager to call me back about their mistake, and again I explained that Alison was in fact alive, very angry and stressed. She explained that there had been a serious error made with the data entry and she would contact Motability to rescind the vehicle recovery, and I then told her about the taxman thinking she was dead too. She explained to me that all government agencies would be informed of a death when it is entered onto this database. This then meant a further 49 hours on the phone to various departments to try and sort things out. Passport Office to try and un-cancel her now cancelled brand new passport, NHS/GP to reclaim her files that were auto archived, County Council who had changed her Council Tax records and removed her from the electoral roll. All without a death certificate.
Next, I had to deal with Jobcentre Plus who deal with Employment Support Allowance, and waited on hold for over 2 hours before anyone answered, and asked a few questions. Firstly, Alison is in what is known as the Support Group and should have an Severe Incapacity marker on her file which means that she will not be assessed for her capability to work, ever! We have filled in their forms on a few occasions and still receive them. I asked the young lady why we had received the form, explained the above regarding incapacity, support group blah blah and was told that the form was sent out to claimants whenever their was a change in their circumstances. I asked what happens when I filled in the form and was told that the claimant is then asked to attend a medical assessment to see if the circumstance change means a change in benefit level; however this change of circumstance was her being dead. I asked how a dead person could attend a medical. I again asked the young lady, if she was aware of what she was saying. ie change of circumstances being 'death', how will she fill in the form or attend a medical? The young lady informed me that this decision would have been made by a 'decision maker' (?) so I asked to speak to one of those. Eventually, a gentlemen called and informed me that i) Alison was in the Support Group ii) did have a severe incapacity marker, although it had been removed when the 'dead' button was pressed and iii) he will reinstate it all, I could tear up the form and that we should never have received it. Apologising profusely for the incompetence levels in his own department, scarey.
What a fun couple of weeks I had. To top it all, another part of the DWP sent me a letter confirming Carers Allowance after a 7 year fight. The devil in me had to call them and ask if I could get the allowance for caring for a 'dead' person and apparently, you can't.
Got to love the DWP. Anyway, MP informed, questions in the house and a letter from Minister of DWP or whoever he is this week.
She is very much alive, as she's encouraging me to do the hovering.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
Moderators: Gordon, Gary, BIS, Catherine, Wendy, Kelly, greekqueen, peter, Katherine, Super User, jimmck, Chris