What to do after death....

[Lucy O]

Thank you everyone

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for their advice, it looks like my best option would be to pay a quick(!) visit to a solicitor. I do get on with my sisters quite well, and would like to try to avoid getting solicitors etc involved, however, I do keep waking in the night and if I'm not going over and over Mummy's last few days, I'm worrying about where I'm going to live etc! I guess I will just have to go and find out!
If I find out anything useful, I will keep you posted.
Lucy

 

[LIZ50]

Beware of DWP

Another thing for people to be aware of is the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions).
Back in 2003 I filled in all the forms for pension credit on behalf of Mum as the forms were too complicated for her and listed all her savings and assets with the result that she was entitled to pension credit.
When she was taken ill and moved in with me February 2007 I informed the DWP of the situation and they advised me that everything was ok and the pension credit would still continue.
When she died however I received a form from them stating that I had to declare all her assets and savings(peps,government bonds,properties here and abroad,private pensions,tessas, bank and building society accounts - the list was horrendous). I duly filled in this form and sent it back to them and I have now received a reply saying that they have overpaid mum and they are working it out by how much. In the meantime, I am not allowed to distribute any of the estate (I am the named executor) as, obviously, the overpayment has to come out of this estate.
WHY, when I filled in all the original forms correctly (which was again reviewed in 2005 with the same result) have they now decided that as Mum has passed away they have been overpaying her? Needless to say, I am still waiting for the letter stating the overpayment amount.
It may not be much, I don't know, but it really is something I could do without especially when I'm still trying to get over Mum not being here any more.
These things really are sent to try us!!
Love Liz xx

 

[sue38]

Hi Liz,

I'm sorry you are having this problem, and I'm afraid you are not alone. Unfortunately it seems that although people do things by the book, and inform DWP of a change of circumstances, they don't act on it and keep paying the benefit. It seems to be particularly Pension Credit as the amount you get depends both on your income and your capital, which of course can both change.

I would ring them and try and get a name of the person dealing with it and badger the life out of them. But you're right, it is a hassle you could do without whilst coping with everything else.

 

[CraigC]

Liz,

I have had similar problems with the DWP. They just don't answer questions and I still have not established the debt or credit owed to mum. I cannot access her accounts as everything was frozen and as they are internet accounts I have no record of payments in or out for the last month and few weeks after her death before I informed them. In fact, you have reminded me to contact the bank yet again to try and release these details to me.

I've had the added frustration that dad's attendance allowance and his state pension (I have EPA for dad but they continued to pay mum after a SS assesment)were paid into mum's accounts which were frozen. Still haven't worked out how much AA is owed to dad for the same reason.

It really has been a case of pillar to post with the DWP, there is never one single point of contact or one central file with everything relation to the correspondence, each time I call it is like starting from scratch.

When you compare the DWP with the helpful probate office it is quite shocking. And to add ot the frustration there is never one inividual dealing with your case.

I'm glad I got that off my chest
My only advice to others with good old hindsight is to ensure that a detailed record is kept and that internet bank account statements are printed regulary. It was a catch 22 as I knew it would be illegal to access mums account after she had passed away, and quite frankly I had other things on my mind at the time. Oh, and if you have two parents to care for, separate the accounts and finance's so you do not have added complications at such difficult times.

Kind Regards
Craig

 

[roger1941]

What to do after death

Hello Craig
Thanks for those postings.
I just wanted to say something in general about bereavement.
I have lost two partners, the anniversary of the second one is this week.
An american friend was kind enough to give me a book entitled 'Men and Grief - a guide for men surviving the death of a loved one' by Carol Staudacher (1991). My friend was right in saying that she had not met a bereaved man who had not benefited from the book and, although, it is rather american in its approach, I am sure she was right to say so. It is still available and can be ordered via Amazon etc.
No other advice from me but good wishes all the same.

Roger
LGBT Support Group

 

[Tender Face]

This may apply as attorney?

The last piece of post I had to deal with received at my mother's empty property was a cheque for a premium bond win ..... divine timing?

I had no idea she held premium bonds ..... no certificate found etc etc. I returned the cheque to the NSI with a copy of grant of probate and they are now arranging to transfer her holding (and prize money!) to her estate ..... (no, it hasn't taken me over Inheritance Tax threshold!!! .... but one small cheque made me realise I had not completed the 'jigsaw' when acting as EPA!- and how could I have known?) This is maybe something attorneys need to be mindful of ......? I have no idea when her holding was taken out ..... but nothing would ever show on a bank statement ... and unless the holder has retained the certificate (in some appropriate place!) and/or an attorney or personal representative of an estate is aware of the holding ..... little chance of ever knowing .... posting this link in case it helps .....

http://www.nsandi.com/help/tracing_service.jsp

Karen, x

 

[Cate]

Just when I thought!

Just when I thought I had sorted out everything to do with mum's Estate.

I telephoned the Funeral Director to see when mum and dad's headstone would be returned to their grave. I was hopeful it was going to be back by today, what would have been their 72nd wedding anniversary. After many phone calls it seems the paperwork has been lost.

Rather than mess about with the post off I go back to the Funeral Directors (the last place I wanted to visit) yesterday to complete more forms. I really want it back by the latest 27 May, which would have been mum's 91st birthday.

I visited their grave this morning with some flowers, it was chucking it down, nearly as bad as the day of mum's funeral. It looks so grim with just a wooden cross.

Going through all mum's paperwork looking for my copy of the headstone arrangements, and in amongst gas / electric bills going back to the year dot (bless, mum kept everything) I find a Building Society Share Certificate. I didnt know mum had any shares!

I made dozens of phone calls to sort it out, I have pressed 'one', 'two' back to 'one' got an automated message that the line is busy etc etc. Totally frusted I went into the Building Society yest armed with the Probate, Death Cert, Will etc. etc. A lovely young lady sorted it all out for me. She took copies of all the certificates so I didnt have to send off the originals and has arranged for a form to be sent to me. Bless her, she even said if I was having problems completing the form, just to pop in and see her. Doesnt it just restore your faith to once in a while meet someone who is willing to go the extra mile.

xxxx

 

[christine_batch]

Help needed about Title Deeds

Peter's name has been removed from the mortgage but I have the title deeds to the house and how do I go about removing his name?

Thanks on advance for any help.

Christine

 

[jenniferpa]

Christine, from googling it appears that this is done via the land registry. There seems to be a difference depending on how the property was owned http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/ask-an...icle.html?in_article_id=483531&in_page_id=109

However, I find the land registry site impenetrable: they use a language all of their own. This might be the relevant information http://www1.landregistry.gov.uk/assets/library/documents/public_guide_009.pdf

 

[christine_batch]

Dear Jennifer,

Thank you for that information. Another thing on the to do list.

Best wishes
Christine

 

[sue38]

Hi Christine,

I don't know how you and Peter owned the property, but in most cases this is the form you need

http://www.landregistry.gov.uk/www/...MTQwt381AP0xAXAyNzCw9jsxBnYwMDY_2CbEdFAPpXE5A!

PM me if I can help more.

 

[Vonny]

Hi Christine,

After my husband died I informed the mortgage company who put into my sole name, but it wasn't until I was in the process of selling that the Land Reg wouldn't let my solicitor transfer the deeds as I'd forgotten to remove my husband's name from them

It was all sorted out fairly painlessly but I don't know if I could have done it so quickly without a solicitor.

Good luck

Vonny xxx

 

[sue38]

Oops, that link doesn't work.

It was meant to go to form DJP1. Until recently you could just send a copy of the death certificate to the Land Registry, but they have now brought in a form.

Jennifer's link is to the right Practice Guide. As I said PM me if you need help.

 

[christine_batch]

Thank you all for your help. It is so hard removing Peter's name from documents but I know it has to be done.

Thank you all my virtual friends.

Love from
Christine

 

[griffinm7]

Banks & Debts After Death

Hello everyone

I lost my mother 5 weeks ago. She had no assets to speak of. Her house is Local Authority owned and she has no savings, investments or insurance policies. All that was left was some household furniture and a few hundred pounds in her bank account.

She has died owing a debt of £7000 to a bank/credit card. I advised them of her death and they immediately froze her bank account. As there is no will, probate is not relevant to her, but I hear you speak of letters of administration. What are they?

I know that her debts cannot be passed onto a surviving relative, but have no idea whether I need to get a solicitor involved or not. For me, her passing is quite cut and dry. She has left nothing to pay her debt and this is the only information I can provide her bank when they write to me.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

 

[sue38]

Hi Griffinm,

I'm sorry to hear of your mum's passing. Please accept my condolences.

If someone has left a will then the executors apply for a grant of probate. The word 'probate' essentially means proof that the will is valid. If there is no will then the next of kin, or a creditor can apply for a grant of Letters of Administration. This would allow them to administer the estate.

As your mum has very few assets, I doubt it would be worth the while of the bank/credit card company to pursue this option. They would only increase the debt.

If a bank becomes aware that someone has died they will automatically freeze the account, whether or not the person is in debt. You can often close the account without a grant of probate/letters of administration if there is only a small(ish) balance in the account. Policy varies from bank to bank, but if we are talking hundreds rather than thousands, you should be able to use the more simplified procedure (a statutory declaration - the bank will have pre-printed forms).

If the debt is owed to the same bank as where your mum had her account they will probably not allow you to do this, and any money in that account will go toward that debt. But that should be the end of it. As you know, they cannot force you to make up the difference.

Don't bother with a solicitor - you'll just run up more debt.

Hope this helps.

 

[griffinm7]

Many thanks Sue. Greatly appreciated.

 

[raec.1]

What to do after death

What wonderful advice and a great help to everyone.

I could do with some advice, on how to rebuild my confidence after having been bullied and hounded for eighteen months by a social worker? The woman made life a misery and towards the end to avoid her I had to turn the answer machine off and not answer the telephone.

I always thought social workers were there to help people but this one broke the mould, thankfully after my mother passed away I had no further contact with the woman but I feel that her constant nagging and bully boy tactics have completely broken me.

 

[jenniferpa]

I think your first step is what you have done here - acknowledge the effect she had on you. Next stage is to decide if you want to put it behind you and move on, or if it will help to put it behind you if put some energy into ensuring that this social worker doesn't do to others what she did to you. Only you can answer that - I'm inclined to be a bit 'water under the bridge" about this stuff, but other people do find it helps to take a stand. Whatever you do, it has to be what you are most comfortable with, and no one can tell you what that is. The only thing I would be concerned with, though, is if you allowed it to become an obsession: I do think that sometimes people become so wrapped up in what went wrong with their situation that the quest for justice can itself become corrosive.

Welcome to Talking Point, by the way.

 

[Ladywriter1968]

thank you

I think this is really good and helpful advice and I am going to write this down. As when you have never dealt with it, no one comes and tells you what you should do, do they really, and you are mostly left to get on with it. At least I now have an idea for when my dads time comes.

What to do after a death in England & Wales
Ref: D49 April 2006

This is a book/leaflet you can get from any CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau). It has loads of useful information including details on the things you must do.

For example - in the first five days you must:

• Notify the family doctor
• Register the death at the register office
• Contact a funer director
• Advise the DWP
• Complete form BD8 - this stops any benefits

Here is a link to a PDF version for the computer savey.
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2006/d49_april06.pdf

Moderator note: this page link is now broken. A chase-through leads to
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Death/WhatToDoAfterADeath/index.htm


Hope this helps
Craig

It is very useful and has a lot of information on benefit that the bereaved may claim.