Claimants receiving PIP, Pension Credit and other state benefits have described being left “in absolute horror” after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) mistakenly sent letters stating they were dead, an administrative error that resulted in payments being stopped and caused widespread distress.
Claimant Left Without Payments After Error
Barbara Skedd told the BBC she was left in “absolute horror” after receiving correspondence wrongly informing her local council that she had died. Following the error, her benefit payments were suspended, leaving her without access to income from Personal Independence Payment, Pension Credit, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit and her state pension.
She said the sudden loss of income left her unable to afford basic necessities such as food and travel, and significantly affected her daily life.
Impact On Daily Life And Wellbeing
The suspension of payments meant all four sources of income were stopped at the same time, leaving her without financial support until the issue was resolved. She described the situation as deeply distressing and said it had a severe impact on her wellbeing and ability to carry out normal activities.
Local authorities confirmed that standard procedures linked to reported deaths were automatically triggered following the incorrect notification.
Council Response And Administrative Process
North West Leicestershire District Council said it had been wrongly informed by the Department for Work and Pensions that the resident had died. This notification led to routine processes being activated, including stopping payments and issuing a condolence letter in line with procedure.
The council said it believes the case to be isolated and confirmed it had apologised to the claimant and reinstated payments under its control. Council tax demands were also placed on hold while the matter is being resolved with the DWP.
DWP Apology And Investigation
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said it had apologised for the distress caused and described the situation as an administrative error. Officials confirmed that all payments had now been reinstated, including arrears owed to the claimant.
The department added that it is continuing to investigate how the error occurred and how similar issues can be prevented in future.
Wider Concerns Over System Errors
The incident has raised concerns about the impact of administrative mistakes on benefit recipients, particularly where multiple payments are affected at once. Campaigners have warned that such errors can create serious financial hardship for vulnerable claimants who rely on state support for essential living costs.
Authorities say reviews are ongoing to strengthen processes and reduce the risk of similar cases happening again.
