Can you believe this: My mother inlaw... - Fibromyalgia Acti...

Fibromyalgia Action UK

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Can you believe this

Menarley profile image
19 Replies

My mother inlaw(90) last week today received a letter from good old DWP saying she had to prove she was still alive (she has to get letter signed by her GP) or they will stop her pension. This apparently is due to the fact that some people have continued to cash their deceased relatives pension. Does this mean that they don't expect people to live until they are 90. I think it is disgusting and wonder where we are all heading half of us probably won't get a state pension, she worked until she was almost 70 she is now very frail and riddled with arthritis also she is watching her son (my husband) suffer with a terminal illness, i will have to call her doctors on Monday to get this letter signed I also have my own appointment with doctor on Monday to sort all this pain out once and for all, today I have nerve like pain on my spine does anyone else have this. My apologies for ranting but i really couldn't believe it when she told me. Xx

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Menarley profile image
Menarley
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19 Replies
Hollie121 profile image
Hollie121

So sorry to hear this yes it's disgusting also my daughter gets the same pain in spine

Menarley profile image
Menarley in reply to Hollie121

Hi Hollie does your daughter have fibro ?

Hollie121 profile image
Hollie121 in reply to Menarley

Yes I'm a mum to a 15 year old daughter with fibro she als suffers with a lot of other alignments that go with fibro

LaLa67 profile image
LaLa67 in reply to Hollie121

Yes that is the trouble on top of fibro, I have this + IBS jaw displacement, arthritis, hiatus hernia Reflux Asophegotis & many many more.!

Lou1062 profile image
Lou1062

We had experience of this with my elderly uncle, the joke of it was that the letter is addressed to the very person they are enquiring about, I often wonder about the cost of all this nonsense xx

Menarley profile image
Menarley in reply to Lou1062

Whatever next, her NI number should give them some indication s

Scottish-piglet profile image
Scottish-piglet

That's disgusting there surely is some other way they could verify her continued longevity possibly by contacting her GP directly or checking health records. The seem to work closely enough with other government agencies and departments when they need to so why is this any different. Your poor mother in law must have been distraught to receive such a letter. They owe her a huge apology. xx

Kathy70 profile image
Kathy70

A friend of mine just got a letter from disability that he had died 41 days before and that they are cutting off his disability. You just cant win with these people, no matter what country you are in.

TheAuthor profile image
TheAuthor

Hi Menarley

I really am so gneuinely sorry to read this and I do wonder how far all of this kind of nonsense will go? I cannot say too much as an admin on the forum but I find it all disgusting and distasteful my friend.

I would like to sincerely wish you and your mother-in-law all the best.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken

twinks profile image
twinks

Yes I have the spine problem similar to you... drives me up wall like electric shock pain makes me jump.. difficult when trying to hold a conversation lol

My mum had a letter from Electric Co saying the meter readings were wrong... they had read them ggrr they said for her to read them but don't stand on a chair etc she's nearly 90

What idiots sends these out

Christy_R profile image
Christy_R

Can't believe this..I think that's horrible! I'm also sorry you're in pain. Thinking of you.

Hey Menarly that's abhorrent but I can believe it - when I worked as a nurse in a hospice GPs had to come out and assess people who were in comas so the hospice could claim Care allowance for them.

Usual thing though is that some people don't declare that the person has passed away and still claim any benefits that the deceased would be receiving - which is why genuine people like your mum in law get the grilling because of selfish/greedy people that exist out there. Take care 😘😘

achydunlin profile image
achydunlin

I get a Widows pension after my hubby died 9 years ago and the pension company (not the dwp) sends me a letter every year that I have to sign and get witnessed to say I'm still alive. I'm 49. I think there has been a lot of fraud with regards pensions. It's utterly bizarre I find that they send it to the person they think might be deceased!

annacruachan profile image
annacruachan

Aaaaach! They're all heart! You have enough to cope with Menarley without being run round the block by the DWP.

Sending you gentle hugs and wishes for a peaceful and pain-free Sunday xxx

RayB profile image
RayB

This does not surprise me in the slightest.

What next? "sanctions for pensioners failing to prove they were still alive within ridiculous time frames! even tho they can't get a Dr's appointment for weeks "

This government is a disgrace and needs sanctioned !!

Shazzzy profile image
Shazzzy

Disgusting way to treat someone of 90. Surely there are better ways, probably this was cheapest option. So sorry for your m-I-l

disgusting --- is another show of the nazism that the dwp are operating under just lie all the other crap that they are dishing out . .

RayB profile image
RayB

When I think back to the latter days of Mum and Dad's lives, they were totally at a loss when it came to any interaction of government bodies other than collecting the pension they accumulated over their working days by going to the post local office.

Dad couldn't even remember his pin number and the lady at the postoffice kept a note of it,,, as she did for many of the old dears on a big list beside her window!

Then they start closing the local post offices.

The vaunerability of older people and their ability to adapt to new unnecessary changes and bureaucracy seem not to be a consideration by the idiots who make these demands!

Or is it more sinister ?

I dread to think what it is going to be like by the time I am collecting my pension in a few years!

kzz23 profile image
kzz23

All this is so familiar when I was a community nurse a lady I looked after was 93years old and still paid full rent and full council tax because her late husband had saved and invested very wisely she also had to pay for her own care.

When my friends husband died the council sent him a letter a week after his funeral addressed to Mr Joe blogs deceased demanding nine days poll tax he died on the ninth. My friend took the letter to the council office handed it to the lady with the following on the envelope

Mr Joe bloggs

Plot 4653

anytown cemetery

And if you can get any money from him get some for me as well please.

We all had a laugh over that one.

Healing love and light to all xx

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