IS payment into another bank account!

Hi all

i have just starting working with a 17 year old vulnerable young person, she made a claim to IS based upon estrangement and the claim has now been processed but a back payment of IS £400 has been paid into her mums ex-partners bank account (the account she gave at the time of making the claim). Mum and ex no longer a couple and this young person believes he will not hand over the IS back money to her.  My client also states she has rang IS a few times to ask for giro payments as she has no bank account but of course no record of those calls with DWP…...

any suggestions please??

cheers

Natalie

Hi

Contact DWP and see if they are willing to consider a replacement payment - they will need a declaration of non-receipt from the YP but it is not a quick process.

As a direct alternative I would suggest that you contact the bank account holder and suggest that they do hand over the money to your YP as a matter of urgency. if refused, I would remind them that it is a government payment and trackable and you will of course have no alternative to report the situation to both DWP and the police as technically speaking withholding of the money for YP could be viewed as theft…............?

The payment details include the YP’s National Insurance number so there is no way the bank account holder could claim they thought the money was for them. Certainly worth a try?

Hi

If after trying to get the bank account holder to repay (and he doesn’t) then your YP could consider bringing a claim against him in the county court. Long-winded but an option.

Thanks for your replies, definitely got a few options to try there so fingers crossed

cheers