19/12/05 - Alzheimer's patient was 'terrorised' over benefits

A Government department tried to take £2,300 from an Alzheimer's disease sufferer, claiming that she had received money that had never even entered her account.

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) spent large amounts of money trying to recover overpaid benefits from Philomena Woolley.

Her daughter-in-law had to go to a tribunal to prevent the money being taken from her.

Mrs Woolley is 82 and in full-time residential care. The DWP wanted to recover the money from her by docking her weekly pension, which helps to pay for her nursing home.

However, it emerged at a tribunal brought by Mrs Woolley's daughter that the money never entered the pensioner's account.

It was paid instead to her carer, daughter-in-law Susan Williams.

The tribunal found that Mrs Woolley, of Kidderminster, was not liable for the payments, and said that the only person the DWP could try to recover them from was Mrs Williams. Pauline McAdam, Mrs Woolley's daughter, said she had been told as soon as she walked into the tribunal in Worcester that they had been successful.

"They told us how disgusted they were with the DWP," she said. "They are just terrorising the elderly."

The problem arose when Mrs Woolley went into residential care. Mrs Williams did not tell the DWP she was no longer caring for her.

Around £140 a month Attendance Allowance continued to be paid into her account without her noticing.

Mrs Williams was then the "appointee" for Mrs Woolley, meaning that she was in charge of Mrs Woolley's money. Mrs McAdam is now the appointee.

Mrs Williams, who now lives in Gloucestershire, said yesterday that the DWP sent a letter saying it wanted the money back and then another that it was looking into the case and she didn't need to do anything.

"If I'd noticed, I would have stopped it," she said. Mrs Williams and Mrs McAdam are no longer in contact.

The Citizens Advice Bureau helped prepare a submission for Mrs Woolley's tribunal, which said she was "mentally incapable of managing her affairs, and would not have been able to tell anyone about being in receipt of an Attendance Allowance".

"It is extremely unlikely that she received any benefit from the Atttendance Allowance. There is no evidence to suggest this, particularly as she had no personal access to the funds."

The DWP first wrote to Mrs Woolley and Mrs McAdam in January, said Mrs McAdam, who is a foster carer.

The DWP just wouldn't listen, she said. "What would happen to any elderly folk on their own?"

Mrs Williams said she would have repaid the money if the DWP had asked for it.

A spokesman for the DWP said the organisation didn't comment on individual cases. "Our general policy is to go to the appointee if there has been an overpayment.

"If it is brought to our attention that this has not been followed then we would apologise to the individual concerned."

Source : Telegraph