to collect her state pension after her death?

[wongadotmom]

I was wondering if anyone could advise me on this dilemma.

My elderly aunt was admitted to hospital several weeks ago. Earlier in December she asked me to collect her pension for her and go to her house and ensure that her bills were paid.

I intended to collect her pension on xmas eve but I ran out of time so intended to go today when I had more time. On Christmas day my aunt's condition deteriorated and she died that night. :( I am going to register the death today and collect her pension as she had asked me to as it is overdue. I have been told by a friend that it is illegal to do so once the person has died.

I am only trying to do what my aunt asked me to do. AIBU?

Um.

Not to sure about the fine detail, but, yup, I reckon collecting pension after someone has died is a bit wrong. I would imagine it's now in the hands of the Estate.

So, no don't collect.

I am sure you shouldn't be removing any money from the estate.

You need to call all the utility companies and people she laid bills to and advise them of her passing.

Definitely not! Sorry to hear about your loss. Although it may be possible in some way if she has bills to be paid, which presumably you have to sort? I wouldn't do it myself tbh but would seek advice.

You should collect the pension due up to the date she died, but it should go into her estate.

No you cannot collect.

www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2126131_woman_claimed_dead_fathers_pension

I am sorry for your loss though. What a sad day for her to go.

No I am afraid you can't. As Brady says inform utility companies and explain bills cannot be paid until Estate sorted.
Inform bank etc.
May well be straightforward if she had little money in her Estate.
[Get advice before paying bank to help with probate as you can do yourself if Will and straight forward].

I don't think the OP is trying to collect the pension for after she died, but up until her death.

I still think you may be on dodgy ground though.

Go along and tell them the situation and they will advise what to do, surely?

Ring benefit people...

Of course you can't.

I'm sorry that she's dead, but it is illegal to collect her pension now. Any bills will be settled from her estate, as Chaos said.

I paid some of her bills over the phone last Saturday using my own bank card, as one of them had gone red (first red bill in her life) and it was weighing on her mind. I intended to recoup the money from her pension. I let my aunt think I had paid out of her pension as I didn't want her worrying about it!

I'm sorry to hear about your aunt. It is clear that you don't intend to commit fraud by collecting her pension for the period after she died.

This page has the numbers you can use to contact the pensions service for advice.

If you paid some of her bills, you could claim reimbursement back from her Estate.

Phone benefit office and tell them of her passing. Also phone utilities and tell them.
The fact that you paid a bill out of your own money is bad luck but you will have to wait until her estate is finalised before you get it back.

I think you would claim that money from her estate (the money you paid).

Is there a solicitor set to deal with her estate? You could ask them the process and call the benefits folk to ask them the process as her owed pension would poss become part of her estate - they should be able to advise on that.

If it's any consolation, I found, recently, that the pensions people are really on the ball with settling up after a death. It was a matter of a week or so - which I guess might be two or three at this time of year - so the estate shouldn't have to wait too long at all.

If it leaves you short, explain the situation to the solicitor or the executor and they should be able to settle directly with you, well in advance of the estate being probated.

ask at the post office they might be able to tell you although i dont think you would be able to lift it even if she was still alive , ring the utility companies and tell them she has died , sorry for your loss

PS - you'll find that utility companies and other public bodies are well used to this sort of situation and won't be dunning for funds.

If you or a family member are her executors, I'd take a good few copies of her death certificate. You'll likely need to pass them to various bodies as part of writing to them to explain.

Thanks Fuckwittery. The executor is my DM.

Your DM should find it straightforward as, from what you've said, I would guess that the estate would not be substantial. As above, use the tell us once service which will tie up much of the official notification - and use the official websites one of which you've got a link to.

Just remind your DM to take copies of things/write down information. It should all go smoothly as long as she has the details of matters to hand.

Also, I had a bad experience when accompanying my OH to my FIL's bank, just after he had died. A horrible woman, in full sight of all the customers, told me that his car loan MUST be paid off in full ASAP. Not knowing any differently, we handed over the money - but I then discovered that funeral costs have to be covered first. I complained that things had not been dealt with properly and also that the staff member's attitude was brutal. They wrote off the debt and apologised.

I hope that yours is straightforward wongadot....

That is dreadful, Santas. I've closed two bank accounts for senior members of the family who died and both transactions (while a little lengthier than I expected) were done in a private room with tea and coffee and great sensitivity.