S
Simon
Back in 1988, the then DHSS decided that they had overpaid my late
father by over £7000. His pension was cut to a mere £9.90 per week.
Soon after this he died.
My mother (then 65) agreed to pay the amount owing back at the £8.00
per month she could afford. She has been paying this back over the
last 18 years.
Then, out of the blue, she receives a letter from the DWP saying that
they are going to take £30.00 per WEEK off her state pension and
attendance allowance. I completed an income expenditure sheet for her,
made a reasonable offer (in my mind), and that has been declined. So,
at 83, she is still repaying a debt incurred through maladministration
at the DHSS in the first place, she has had her attendance allowance
all but taken off her, and she receives no other form of benefit from
the state.
As she as a small teachers pension (approx £400 per month) she gets no
Council Tax benefit, nor housing benefit as my parents were foolish
enough to but their own home. She receives no help towards dental
costs, nor opticians costs or any other concessions, other than a blue
badge.
This home needed extensive repair and modification for her needs which
meant she had to take out a mortgage at 81 to pay for those repairs.
She is house bound, and only gets out if I take her (I'm medically
retired as a result of illness, but thats another story), has the
beginning of cataracts, angina, arthritis, is recovering from a fall
last November, and is essentially, a vulnerable member of socety.
Through her service as a radar operator during the war, a teacher
afterwards (she taught the local comedian Don MacLean (I forgive her
that)), and when she was able, as a volunteer tutor for English as a
second language, has contributed more than her fair share to society.
She still pays income tax for heavens sake.
The purpose of this letter is to highlight the bullying, uncaring way
in which the DWP and in the past the DHSS have treated her and my late
father. The campaign to recover overpaid monies so well publicised by
this government doesn't mention it goes just for the soft, vulnerable
targets. Those who systematically defraud, fiddle, or whatever
euphamism you care to use, the system are left to their own devices as
targets can be met by the simple expedient of going for the vulnerable.
I am her carer, retired from the local authority, getting IB and once
again a small pension. So when my pension goes up, the exact amount is
taken off my IB.
*Sigh* end of rant.
Thanks for reading.
father by over £7000. His pension was cut to a mere £9.90 per week.
Soon after this he died.
My mother (then 65) agreed to pay the amount owing back at the £8.00
per month she could afford. She has been paying this back over the
last 18 years.
Then, out of the blue, she receives a letter from the DWP saying that
they are going to take £30.00 per WEEK off her state pension and
attendance allowance. I completed an income expenditure sheet for her,
made a reasonable offer (in my mind), and that has been declined. So,
at 83, she is still repaying a debt incurred through maladministration
at the DHSS in the first place, she has had her attendance allowance
all but taken off her, and she receives no other form of benefit from
the state.
As she as a small teachers pension (approx £400 per month) she gets no
Council Tax benefit, nor housing benefit as my parents were foolish
enough to but their own home. She receives no help towards dental
costs, nor opticians costs or any other concessions, other than a blue
badge.
This home needed extensive repair and modification for her needs which
meant she had to take out a mortgage at 81 to pay for those repairs.
She is house bound, and only gets out if I take her (I'm medically
retired as a result of illness, but thats another story), has the
beginning of cataracts, angina, arthritis, is recovering from a fall
last November, and is essentially, a vulnerable member of socety.
Through her service as a radar operator during the war, a teacher
afterwards (she taught the local comedian Don MacLean (I forgive her
that)), and when she was able, as a volunteer tutor for English as a
second language, has contributed more than her fair share to society.
She still pays income tax for heavens sake.
The purpose of this letter is to highlight the bullying, uncaring way
in which the DWP and in the past the DHSS have treated her and my late
father. The campaign to recover overpaid monies so well publicised by
this government doesn't mention it goes just for the soft, vulnerable
targets. Those who systematically defraud, fiddle, or whatever
euphamism you care to use, the system are left to their own devices as
targets can be met by the simple expedient of going for the vulnerable.
I am her carer, retired from the local authority, getting IB and once
again a small pension. So when my pension goes up, the exact amount is
taken off my IB.
*Sigh* end of rant.
Thanks for reading.