Is this amount of compensation for distress reasonable?

[Wotagain]

My Darling husband died suddenly just over 5 weeks ago.
As the executor I had to contact our bank, First Direct about our joint accounts, and then of course send them the interim death certificate proving he had died. ( it’s an interim one as there will be an inquest).
This was all done within a few days and immediately after myself receiving the interim death certificate from the coroners office.
Two weeks later I received a letter from First Direct, addressed to the executor of Wotagain’s estate, sending their condolences on my death and asking for my death certificate.
To say I was upset is a complete understatement, I was devastated, tearful, shaking, and then really, really angry.
My view is the bereavement team at First Direct had one job, to get the name and details of the deceased person right first time, and not send such a letter to a widow numb with grief.

AIBU to ask for £500 as compensation for this distress?

First Direct have offered me £150 which amounts to just over 1p per day for the years that my husband and I banked with them.

I'm sorry that your husband died and they made such an error. I don't think £500 is appropriate though. They have just selected the wrong name when they issued the letter.

I can understand why you’re upset. I’m so sorry.

YANBU to be upset..

But YABU to expect 500 quid for it I think.

It's not personal, its an error, they've put Mrs instead of Mr, or selected the wrong name - I think if you took a poll, most people who have had to deal with the admin after someone dies will tell you at least one company will do this, or will appear to forget they've been informed someones died, issue bills as if they were never told, will address letters to the deceased months after they've been told... on and on the errors go.

Three companies, when my mother died, made errors like this - we closed a bank account, after massive issues with them being unable to receive the DC, with them seemingly baffled that a dead person wouldn't be interested in a different sort of account, and finally a frankly 'so sick its funny' letter, asking her to attend an in person meeting in their branch!

I think 150 is fair for a single error in a name.

Gosh. Was chatting with an acquaintance the other day and exactly the same thing happened to him when his wife died. Except someone unhelpfully informed lots of other organisations and his driving licence and insurances were cancelled.

Sorry for your loss

I'm so sorry for your loss.
I don't think it's possible to put monetary value on emotional distress. But if you feel £500 is what you need then why not suggest they donate that sum to charity in your husbands memory. They may have more leeway in the amount they can offer if it is a charitable donation.

I’m sorry for your loss but I think £150 is adequate.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

A friend of mine had a similar thing happen and was given £500 by the bank as an apology so I don't think you're being unreasonable at all.

I'm sorry for your loss I do understand why you are upset and it's totally reasonable but I think 500 is unreasonable I would accept the 150

I can understand your distress and I am very sorry for your loss.

I work in probate and trust me, things like this happen all the time. Obviously we are not family so we're not affected as you would be but it is very common and I doubt very much you will get any compensation and will probably just distress yourself even more pursuing it

I'm so sorry you're hurting, but someone has made a mistake, i don't think it warrants giving you any money at all. Their offer of £150 sounds very generous to me, why do people expect money for nothing these days?

I'm sorry for your loss but I really don't see why a greater amount would somehow make up for the incident, which really does amount to a simple clerical error. No amount will surely? Its not a monetary loss or impact so its simply a goodwill gesture. I think you'll only cause yourself more distress by prolonging any discussion of this.

I understand why you're upset, but I don't think £500 is necessary or appropriate for an admin error that they have apologised for and offered compensation for already. I would take the £150 offered and just ask them to check their processes.

I think it's in line with distress payments.

I suppose what is so terribly difficult to convey is how emotionally vulnerable and exhausted I feel, coping with immense grief at a sudden, awful death, and dealing with what to a normal person, ‘not in state of shock’ is a routine admin error.

I’m sorry for your loss. Yes, they were shoddy, careless and u thinking in their communication with you. And I’m afraid this happens to probably 90% of bereaved people.
Tell them £150 is inadequate and see how they respond. But please pick your battles. I understand your anger but I also know how exhausting widowhood is with everything you will have to deal with.

I will also add that First Direct is part of HSBC, one of the worlds largest banks, and at the end of the day, money is their business, and if this stings them just a little, so be it.

Thank you @AnnaSW1 and @HeckyPeck this is what I am trying to gauge.

The financial ombudsman give similar guidance for emotional distress.

Tbh I think YABU and grabby. It was a genuine error and you have not suffered any financial or material hardship due to it. I think an apology is enough and £150 is more than generous.

@Wotagain

I suppose what is so terribly difficult to convey is how emotionally vulnerable and exhausted I feel, coping with immense grief at a sudden, awful death, and dealing with what to a normal person, ‘not in state of shock’ is a routine admin error.

Exactly. It's a routine admin error, nothing more. YABU, understandably.

I lost my dh suddenly in his 40s too. I'm so sorry for what you are going through. I think an apology is appropriate but not financial compensation

I am so sorry for your loss. I can understand that you want to inflict some significant redress on HSBC after their careless, clumsy error, but I am afraid I agree with the majority of posters that £500 is an unreasonable amount of compensation.

Just say you don't think its sufficient. It's probably about what FOS would say is reasonable but there's a chance they might increase it.

Sorry for you loss 💐

I worked for nationwide call centre once.

The first (supervised) call I took was from a sobbing widow who had the same problem you did. She had called 5 times to correct the error already and been told they needed to speak to her (deceased) husband as she was dead on their records.

I was utterly thrown and completely unable to help her resolve her issue.

I don’t think your unreasonable to demand more than £150. It’s not like that’s going to affect their profit margin

What made you arrive at the sum of £500? Is it the money you want or would recognition, admonishment of who made the mistake and an apology not mean more?

150, 500, 100, 100,000 - no amount will make your grief go away, only time will do that. It was a mistake - they weren't doing it to get at you. Move on and seek support from friends and family, not money.