Thread by @Frances_Coppola

On Saturday, I received a letter from the DWP telling my partner about changes to Winter Fuel Payment.

My partner died on Thursday 19th September. I informed the DWP of his death on Friday 27th September using the online "Tell Us Once" service. 1/

My partner's state pension has already been stopped. I did not understand why they were writing to him about WFP, since clearly they knew he was dead. 2/

I rang the phone number on the letter. It comes up on my smartphone as the Government of Northern Ireland Environment department. The initial message asks in English if you want to speak to someone in English, then repeats the message in Irish. 3/

But nonetheless it is the correct phone number for WFP. If you select "speak to someone in English", you are put through to the DWP's WFP menu.

There are only two options on the WFP menu:
1 - find out about Pension Credit
2 - help with heating costs

Nothing else. 4/

Obviously, neither option was relevant, so I decided to press 1 and ask the respondent to put me through to the bereavement team.

After navigating another menu and listening to a whole shpiel about Pension Credit, I eventually spoke to a human being. 5/

I pointed out that the DWP had already been informed of my partner's death and asked why they had sent the letter.

The genius told me that even though my partner was deceased he would still be entitled to WFP if he claimed Pension Credit. I kid you not. 6/

When I said this was ridiculous, she told me I had to speak to the Winter Fuel Payments team. I had, of course, rung the Winter Fuel Payments phone number. Apparently option 1 on the Winter Fuel Payments phone menu does not go to the Winter Fuel Payments team. 7/

She told me to redial and press option 2. I asked her to put me through to the WFP team. She refused to do so, insisted I had to redial, and hung up.

She was, to be frank, bloody rude. Is this how you treat bereaved people, @DWPgovuk? 8/

So I redialed and pressed option 2. After navigating a complex series of menus and listening to more spiels about Pension Credit, I eventually got to a menu which included an option for a person ringing on behalf of someone who has died. I pressed it. 9/

I eventually got through to another human being. I explained that the recipient of the letter was deceased, that the DWP had been informed of his death, and asked why they had sent the letter. 10/

Initially, she said that the letter had been sent before I notified the DWP. I know the postal service is bad, but this isn't credible.

When I said that wasn't a reasonable explanation, she put me on hold so she could find out from someone else why the letter was sent. 11/

And this is where it becomes really, really bad.

When she returned, she told me that the DWP was sending the letters to everyone who had ever made a claim, including people who had died.

So thousands of bereaved spouses, partners & relatives are receiving these letters. /12

She told me that to ensure as many people as possible find out about the changes to WFP, DWP is ignoring official notifications of death and literally spamming the relatives of deceased WFP claimants.

I am horrified. /13

And as a final insult, this second genius told me to label the letter "Deceased" and return it to the DWP.

What is the point of a "Tell Us Once" service if @DWPgovuk has to be told twice?

I am not going to do any such thing. The letter is going in the bin.
/end of rant

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