DWP incompetence has started again

Caker wrote:.....So my job came to an end (it was temporary). Boss was pleased with my work and promised to ask for me again if they have more work in the future.  

Made my claim to the joke centre and went along. So far, no problems. Filled in a form for my PO a/c and posted this. Received a letter (from my local BDC) to acknowledge the a/c - there was a typo made by the BDC manager, the letter said ESA and not JSA, but I noticed that later.

Received a 2nd letter (from a distant BC, not local to me at all) to tell me that they need my a/c details or they will 'make a formal decision that no benefit can be paid' to me, which was typed in bold.  

I emailed my district manager with copies of these silly letters and a request to sort out the contradiction and process my claim.  

There was a prepaid envelope enclosed (for the distant BC), so I will be sending a copy of my complaint letter + copies of the 2 letters which contradict each other.  

Watch this space.

Hi Caker,

Give them absolute hell as they deserve it, their administration is an awful mess to put it politely and designed to cause individuals maximum undue stress.

Caker wrote:.......I have now read the info' in ND's link and I recognise the standard letter as similar to those I received in the past (and ignored).

The recent letter was not like the one in the link. It was signed off by name of person, job centre manager (under name) and was quite coercive in tone, providing a date by which I am obliged to respond.

Hundreds of thousands of elderly people are being forced to close Post Office accounts where their state pension is paid.

The Post Office Card Account was launched for people who did not have a bank account and needed somewhere to receive pension and benefits payments

Those affected will receive a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions warning they must set up a new bank account.

A DWP spokesman says: ‘We are committed to tackling financial exclusion and helping more people benefit from mainstream banking.

‘Those who receive a letter should call to discuss their options.’

I have just received a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) asking me, and presumably tens of thousands of other retirees, to nominate a bank, building society or credit union account in which to have my state pension paid in future. At present, I have it paid into a Post Office Card Account. No reason is given, only that “most people use one of these accounts”. Can you help me to keep my payments as they are? Name and address supplied

The DWP did confirm that it will be possible for people in your situation, who cannot use a mainstream bank account, to continue using a Post Office Card Account until 2021. Having found a copy of the letter myself online, I must say it could be clearer that this is the case. The opening paragraph rather bluntly states: “We now expect you to use a bank, building society or credit union account. Most people already do this.” It doesn’t mention the 2021 deadline at all.

This slightly bizarre letter has even prompted some speculation online that it’s a scam – which is not difficult to understand, not least because the letterhead says HM Government rather than DWP, and because it’s signed by an office manager. A letter offering a fuller explanation could have avoided a lot of confusion. The letters are genuine, however. You will eventually need to open a new account, if you don’t already have one. The good news is that most current accounts can be accessed via a post office branch, including the Post Office’s own account, which is operated through the Bank of Ireland. So it won’t be necessary to change your routine, once you’ve got a new account in place. The DWP is keen to stress that it has set up a free helpline for people in your situation, which can be reached on 0800 085 7133.

Department for Work and PensionsState Retirement Pensions: Post Office Card Account122905
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, why her Department is asking the recipients of state pensions to switch the accounts that their pensions are paid into from the Post Office to a bank, building society or credit union.

A Answered by: Guy Opperman Answered on: 23 January 2018
Direct Payment into a bank, building society or credit union account is the standard way to make all government payments.

The Post Office card account (POca) was introduced in 2003 as a very simple service through which pension and benefits can be paid. It was always intended as a stepping stone into mainstream banking, and financial inclusion, while customers got used to elements of banking.

There are now fewer barriers to prevent people, who do not have an existing account, from accessing and using one. Importantly as most bank accounts can be accessed at the post office it doesn’t need to change how or where they collect their money.

Additionally, POca is expensive to administer and as we deal with public funds we have a duty to use the most cost-effective method for issuing customer payments - which is into a bank, building society or credit union account.

Dear Mr Creasy

Freedom of Information Act - Request for Information
Our Reference: FOI 2616

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request received on 11 July 2016. You
asked:

Currently we pay your benefits or tax credits into a Post Office card account. But we now
expect you to use a bank, building society or credit union account" What legal authority
do you to make someone stop using the Post Office card account and legal authority
you have to bully them to open or use a bank, building society or credit union account for
benefits?

Why send me letter from HM Government when you are HMRC or DWP?

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has defined powers to direct when and
how payments of benefits will be made.  Section 5(1)(i) of the Social Security
Administration Act 1992 gives the Secretary of State the power to make regulations
setting out, “the person to whom, time and manner in which a benefit to which this
section applies is to be paid…”.  Paragraph (2) of that section lists the relevant benefits,
and these include Universal Credit (UC), Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Employment
and Support Allowance (ESA), amongst others.

Regulation 21(1) of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 (S.I.
1987/1968) gives the Secretary of State the discretion to pay benefits covered by those
regulations into a bank account, or a similar account as nominated by the claimant.  
Benefits which are covered by these regulations include old style JSA and ESA.
Regulation 46(1) of the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payments,
Jobseekers’ Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments)
Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/380) gives the Secretary of State the discretion to pay UC,
PIP and new style JSA and ESA into a bank account, or a similar account as nominated
by the claimant.  

The Secretary of State does not have the power to make a claimant supply their bank
account details. The Secretary of State cannot force a claimant to use a bank account
rather than a POca


The letters are headed HM Government as they are being issued on behalf of both DWP
and HMRC.


If you have any queries about this letter please contact us quoting the reference number
above.  

Yours sincerely



DWP Caxton House Commercial Directorate Correspondence Team

Non Deficere wrote:Caker,

The letter does not specify bank account, just a/c.  Therefore, an adverse decision cannot be reached.

Further, the letter does not specify the grounds for not paying benefit.

I would ring to explain the errors so your JSA claim can proceed.