WINTER fuel payments to pensioners are being sent back to the DSS because some old folk do not know the money is waiting for them at the Post Office.

One Chorley pensioner has just had another cheque posted to him after the date of the original expired.

Angry Peter Crawford, aged 78, of Moor Road, Chorley, says he had no idea the £20 had been at his local post office for more than a month waiting to be picked up.

And he claims when he complained to the DSS at Barry House, Preston, he was told staff were busy dealing with lots of returned payments.

The Post Office and Benefits Agency said they let people know through an awareness campaign.

But Mr Crawford said: "I only go to the post office once a month. It's ridiculous. What's the point in sending the cheques to the post office for a month and if you are late, they go back to Barry House?

"I said I knew nothing about it. If there are thousands of cheques going back, there must be thousands of people who have not had their payments.

"I'm not bothered myself. I spent that £20 on Monday on coal - so that's my cold weather payment.

"I would just like it to be known there are people urgently waiting for their money."

A spokesperson for the Benefits Agency said the cost of posting cheques was too high, adding: "The thinking behind it was that people who normally pick up their pensions at the post office would get the payments at the post office." She said post offices had been asked over the past few weeks to find out if people were collecting their money, but that the return figure appeared to be "very small".

A spokesperson for the Post Office said: "For some elderly people the money is waiting for them at the post office and when they go to collect their pensions, the postmaster would check to see if their money has arrived. After a month they reissue the cheques.

"The post office has had posters up. There has been plenty of publicity following the government announcement. We are sorry one has slipped the net."

The first of more than eight million pensioners received their payments from the Government last month.

Age Concern said it had not had any complaints and understood the situation.

Have you had problems getting your winter fuel payments? If so, let us know - ring the newsroom on 01257 269313.

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