Has my poorly wife lost her pension pot? Your money problems solved ...(Sport)

Byline: Margaret

SCOTTISH WIDOWS contacted us about a pension owed to my wife, who is in a nursing home and suffers from dementia.

It seems to say she was entitled to [pounds sterling]14,933, but that as it is now six years since her retirement date, she can no longer have it.

Scottish Widows said I would need Power of Attorney to sort it out. I went to see a solicitor who couldn't help me, other than to tell me there is no such thing as Power of Attorney now.

C.N.H., Clitheroe, Lancs.

IT IS a complicated situation, but with a simple solution, and it is just a pity that neither Scottish Widows nor the solicitor you consulted dealt with your enquiries more sympathetically -- not to mention more efficiently.

Your wife's pension policy originally had a retirement date of March 31, 2001, her 70th birthday. However, Widows had no address for her, so the policy was automatically deferred for five years to March 2006, when she was 75. However, it was not until May 2007 that they found her address. At this stage, Widows acknowledges, it should have got in touch. In fact, nothing happened until you got in touch with them in October last year -- as a result of the Your money problems solved ... Dear Margaret taxman contacting you about this pension policy. In the meantime, new pensions legislation introduced in April 2006 meant that after age 75, your wife lost the option of taking a quarter of the pension as a tax-free lump sum.

But the pension is still there. Widows will pay an annual pension of [pounds sterling]2,017.99 yearly in arrears, backdated to March 2006, a total to date of [pounds sterling]8,071.96 before tax. There will also be some backdated interest. Normal payments will start in March.

This is a single life pension for your wife only. It could be converted to a joint annuity or to provide a widower's pension (the payments will be lower, of course).

I've askedWidows to provide you with the figures, but suspect the larger backdated sum will be the most attractive for you.

The rules relating to looking after the financial interests of the incapacitated have also changed. Instead of a Power of Attorney, you would normally have to obtain an appointment from the Court of Protection to deal with your wife's affairs.

However, in your particular circumstances, Widows's legal advisers are happy to waive this official documentation provided you send them written confirmation of your wife's health and condition, either from a doctor or nursing home manager, and a certified copy (but preferably the original) of your marriage certificate.

Once these are in hand, the pension payments will be made. In addition, Scottish Widows (now part of the Lloyds Banking Group) is going to pay you [pounds sterling]300 as 'compensation for its shortcomings'.

IN NOVEMBER 2009, I invested [pounds sterling]1,912 in a Santander Super Direct Cash Isa. My parents both took out Super Direct Cash Isas, too. Early this November, they received letters advising them the Isas would mature in December.

As Santander had not written to me about my Isa, I asked Santander what was going on. The upshot was that I was asked to call into my branch to discuss my Isa.

It transpires that it had been invested in the wrong Isa, the Easy Isa, which pays interest at a much lower rate. It amounted to [pounds sterling]1.94 -- instead of the [pounds sterling]106.60 it should have earned.

I have telephoned and again visited the branch, but all I am told is that head office has been asked to deal with it.

Mr L.T. Underwood, Blackpool.

Your complaint was being dealt with by Santander, but when you sent the bank a copy of your letter to me, the process was accelerated. It transpires that Santander had in fact already sent you a cheque for the closing balance and backdated interest, at the Super Direct Cash Isa rate, which amounted to [pounds sterling]2,020.50.

In addition, Santander had sent a cheque for [pounds sterling]35 by way of compensation in recognition of the inconvenience and worry. It has now decided to up that payment by a further goodwill payment of [pounds sterling]30.

ON FEBRUARY 19, I deposited a cheque for [pounds sterling]50,000 with Nationwide into an internet account that I was advised to open by one of its financial advisers.

Some 20 months later, I discover it was sitting in a current account earning no interest. I feel badly informed and treated.

D.H., Sutton Coldfield.

NATIONWIDE says you deposited the cheques into its current account on February 19 and that it gave you assistance on how to register for internet banking.

It claims it explained to you that once you received your internet banking details it was your responsibility to transfer the funds across. Although you signed on to internet banking, you did not set up an internet account. It claims you also received several statements showing your money remained in the current account. As such, it will not be compensating you for lost interest.

WRITE to Dear Margaret, Scottish Daily Mail, Money Mail, 20 Waterloo Street, Glasgow G2 6DB or email m.stone@dailymail.co.uk -- please include your daytime phone number, postal address and a separate note addressed to the offending organisation giving them permission to talk to Margaret Stone. We regret we cannot reply to individual letters. Please do not send original documents as we cannot take responsibility for them. No legal responsibility can be accepted by the Daily Mail for answers given. Illustration: ANDY WARD