Savings Query

Hi

Informed DWP of an increase in savings due to back payment one year ago. Sent them a copy of my premium bond holding. Get letter today and they have added an extra £250 and thus penalised me another £1 per week.

Is there any reason why they would do this? They did not request my bank statements.

For a couple of years I was at the threshold of £6k but they never stuck another £250 onto it. Although this was done over the phone by the person who took my claim.

I suppose the person who did it could have thought that I am going to get an ESA payment of less than £250 per fortnight therefore let’s consider him to be another £250 over his savings.

Does that sound about right or should I pursue the matter, it’s only a pound after all.

Also am I right in thinking that you have to spend every penny of your ESA every fortnight and even if you have a few pence or pounds sitting in the bank strictly speaking you should tell them? If that is the case I’m wondering if I should just take it on the chin and think that I’ve now got a £250 buffer so I don’t need to make sure my account is showing a zero balance every fortnight.

Out of curiosity does the same principle apply to PIP as well. You have four weeks to make sure it’s all spent?

Thanks.

Thanks Gary.

What do you make of the extra £250? I showed them premium bond record and they just added £250 to it.

It kind of makes sense I suppose but could it be an error or has someone been a bit over exuberant in penalising me further? Would I have a case if presumably if I asked for a MR?

Hi Gordon

Yes. I had a £5000 PIP back payment a year ago but haven’t spent it and have put it in premium bonds thus giving me £11k.

Come to think of it the back payment was about £5200 but they would only know that if they checked the PIP but I did not declare the £200 or so as I spent it.

They could have assumed I hadn’t spent it I suppose.