stopped benefits

ESA and DLA claim ramifications. My daughter had many physical and mental problems over the passed several years. After loosing her job and relying on benefits she struggled, as most do. No family lived near her as she had moved away since uni. She spent long periods in hospital and early last year whilst she was in hospital her benefit forms for ESA and IS were sent to her house.

Unaware of this. the forms remained behind the door uncompleted. As a consequence her benefits stopped and she went into unauthorised overdraft, she had bank charges and all her direct debits were stopped by her bank. Important mortgage, insurance and utility bills went unpaid leading to financial crisis. When she came home from hospital months later her benefits were reinstated but she was unable to catch up with the debt, and due to her Depression/mental/physical illness she could not open her post and she would not let anyone else open it.

Recently she passed away (natural causes) we now find the true extend to the fall out of from her benefits being stopped whilst she was hospitalised. Debts have spiralled with bank charges of hundreds of pounds and whilst the bank stopped her direct debts most of them were never reinstated, including her life insurance which had been cancelled by the insurance company, this then leaves her estate insolvent.

The benefit system failed her at her time of need leading to dire consequences. I suppose this is what you get with unfair DWP rules that just stop benefits. Did the old DSS not have visiting officers that went out to the vulnerable? What procedures are now in place now if any? Could anyone help as I am considering writing to our MP.

Sorry to go on a bit but believe me when I say I’ve not scratched the surface.

I am so sorry to hear your story and for the loss of your daughter. Truly awful.
I agree with Gordon, do involve your MP in this. This is a shocking failure of the system.

I assume benefits were stopped because of a failure to return the forms or attend an assessment.
I wonder if being in hospital is enough to justify "good cause", and thus appeal the DWP decision to stop benefits?
I am not sure, whether this would be appropriate or not, there may well be strict time limits which have now expired.
It might be worthwhile to try and find a local Welfare Rights Specialist who could advise you further on this point. Would there be anyone in the Social Work team at the hospital your daughter was admitted to who may be able to help?
I wish you all the best.

Thank you all for the input and advice much appreciated. As I said in my original post I have not scratched the surface on what are very complex issues that my daughter had. Thanks Gordon for your grasp of the present situation. You have confirmed what my own thoughts were, thanks.

Without going into personal details it appears that the whole systems employed have failed her in her circumstances the DWP, NHS, and social services have all failed individually and collectively (data protection was also a hindrance). But to be clear I don’t consider any individual has been at fault in any organisation. Individually all have done there best.

My wife has written to our MP regarding systematic problems within the NHS, but I will now update him on the other issues regarding the claims procedure and the gaps in the system employed by the DWP/legislation.

allwornout, I am so sorry for your loss and also sorry that the system failed your daughter when she was in such desperate need.