TCM0236100 - Payment - returned or not received: Payment returned

Background

A payment may be returned for one of the following reasons

  • made out to someone other than the customer
  • damaged - for example, torn, washed or spoiled
  • more than one month old and can no longer be cashed
  • sent to reduce an overpayment
  • returned undelivered by the Royal Mail - for example, it’s RLS or the address doesn’t exist
  • reported lost, stolen or not received and then found.

All payments must be cancelled and we will contact the customer to obtain bank or building society details if none held.

Note: From 1/8/17 cashcheques are no longer issued, payment vouchers are issued to customers who are unable to open or operate a bank account.

Note: From 23/3/20 Payable orders are no longer issued. Customers will be paid by Faster Payment.

Guidance

Consider the reason why the payment has been returned

  • read any correspondence or e-mail
  • examine the payment to determine the reason why it has been returned, if applicable
  • use Function VIEW HOUSEHOLD NOTES to check for any relevant notes - for example, to check if there’s an entry to indicate a change of address has been captured since the payment was issued.

Step 1

Check NTC to see if bank details are held

If NTC shows bank account details are held, go to Step 3.

If NTC shows bank account details are not held, go to Step 2.

Step 2

Contact the customer by telephone to request bank details. Follow the guidance in TCM0094080.

If bank details are obtained

  • update the bank account details on the claim. For how to do this, use TCM0046040.
  • go to Step 3.

If bank details are not obtained

  • claims with household notes advising customer is eligible to receive non bank payments make a note to pay by payment voucher
  • go to Step 3.

Step 3

Use Function VIEW HOUSEHOLD ACCOUNT and go to the View Award Period Postings screen to check the details on the payment against the details held on the computer.

If you receive the ‘You are not authorised’ message

  • refer the case to the Secure Management Unit (SMU) to deal with the referral. Follow the guidance in TCM0068160
    Note: When sending customer, staff or process data to another individual or team, make sure you follow the latest data security guidelines or contact the Data Guardian or Data Security Team for advice.
  • take no further action.

If the posting can not be found in View Award Period Postings screen

  • contact the manual payments team to obtain the R92 number
  • email the designated contact to request the payment to be posted
    Note: When Finance notify the payment has been posted, cancel the payment
  • go to Step 4.

If the posting can be found in View Award Period Postings screen, go to Step 4.

Step 4

If the payment is damaged, out-of-date, or sent to reduce an overpayment

  • cancel and re-issue the payment for the customer by following the guidance in TCM0212080
    Note: When considering re-issuing payments and bank details held, re-issue as a BACS payment. When bank details not held re-issue as a manual payment.
  • update Household Notes with the message PT01 from TCM0168040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
  • send the payment, if needed, to Finance
  • complete form MS164 and send documents or correspondence to storage. Follow the guidance in TCM0074140
  • take no further action.

If the payment has been found after being reported lost

  • check Household Notes for a message stating the payment has already been cancelled and reissued
  • cancel and re-issue the payment if not already actioned
    Note: Where a payment voucher has been issued check the payment voucher MI CAF to confirm the payment has not been cashed.
  • update Household Notes with the message PT01 or PT03, as appropriate from TCM0168040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
  • send the payment, if needed to Finance
  • complete form MS164 and send documents or correspondence to storage. Follow the guidance in TCM0074140
  • take no further action.

If the payment has been returned RLS, go to Step 5.

If the payment was returned following a change of circumstances, go to Step 6.

If the payment has not been posted on NTC, go to Step 7.

If the payment was issued to a deceased customer, go to Step 8.

Step 5

Check if a new address has been captured since the payment was issued. To do this use Function VIEW APPLICATION to compare the address details on the returned cashcheque with those shown in Applicant Details screen.

Note: Where payment has been issued using the payment voucher method you will receive an e-mail from Finance advising the payment has been returned RLS.

If there is a new address

  • cancel and re-issue the payment for the customer by following the guidance in TCM0212080
    Note: When considering re-issuing payments and bank details held, re-issue as a BACS payment. When bank details not held re-issue as a manual payment.
  • check if the RLS marker is unset. If it isn’t, unset the marker using Function AMEND APPLICATION in the Household Details screen
  • update Household Notes with the message PT16 from TCM0168040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
  • send the payment, if needed to Finance
  • complete form MS164 and send any documents or correspondence to storage. Follow the guidance in TCM0074140
  • take no further action.

If there isn’t a new address

  • use Function AMEND APPLICATION, choosing the Correction option and go to the Address Changes screen to set the RLS marker
  • cancel the payment for the customer by following the guidance in TCM0212080
  • update Household Notes with the message PT05 from TCM0168040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
  • send the payment, if needed to Finance
  • complete form MS164 and send any documents or correspondence to storage. Follow the guidance in TCM0074140
  • take no further action.

Step 6

Use Function VIEW HOUSEHOLD NOTES to check if the change has been actioned and Use Function VIEW APPLICATION to check for changes recently made.

If the change has been actioned

  • cancel and re-issue the payment for the customer by following the guidance in TCM0212080
    Note: When considering re-issuing payments and bank details held, re-issue as a BACS payment. When bank details not held re-issue as a manual payment.
  • update Household Notes with the message PT07 from TCM0168040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
  • send the payment, if needed to Finance
  • complete form MS164 and send any documents or correspondence to storage. Follow the guidance in TCM0074140
  • take no further action.

If the change hasn’t been actioned and the only change is a change of address

  • change the address on the system, following the guidance in TCM0036020
  • cancel and re-issue the payment for the customer by following the guidance in TCM0212080
    Note: When considering re-issuing payments and bank details held, re-issue as a BACS payment. When bank details not held re-issue as a manual payment.
  • update Household Notes with the message PT07 from TCM0168040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
  • send the payment, if needed to Finance
  • complete form MS164 and send any documents or correspondence to storage. Follow the guidance in TCM0074140
  • take no further action.

If the change hasn’t been actioned and any other circumstances apply

  • cancel, but don’t reissue the payment. Follow the guidance in TCM0212080
  • send the correspondence to the Change of Circumstances team with a completed form TC648
    Note: When sending customer, staff or process data to another individual or team, make sure you follow the latest data security guidelines or contact the Data Guardian or Data Security Team for advice.
  • update Household Notes with the message PT08 from TCM0168040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
  • send the payment, if needed to Finance
  • complete form MS164 and send any documents or correspondence to storage. Follow the guidance in TCM0074140
  • take no further action.

Step 7

Use Function HOUSEHOLD NOTES to check if payment has already been replaced

If the payment has already been replaced

  • update Household Notes with the message PT13 from TCM0168040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001.
  • send the payment, if needed to Finance
  • complete form MS164 and send any documents or correspondence to storage. Follow the guidance in TCM0074140.
  • take no further action.

If the payment hasn’t been replaced

  • re-issue the payment. Follow the guidance in TCM0212080, and then return to this guidance
  • update Household Notes with the message PT01 from TCM0168040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
  • send the payment, if needed to Finance
  • complete form MS164 and send any documents or correspondence to storage. Follow the guidance in TCM0074140
  • take no further action.

Step 8

Use Function VIEW HOUSEHOLD NOTES to check if the claim is being dealt with by the Priority 1 team.
Note: Where the message starts ‘NP05’, ‘NP07’ or ‘NP08’, this is a Priority 1 case.

If Priority 1 team is dealing with the case

  • cancel the payment, following the guidance in TCM0212080, do not re-issue
  • update Household Notes with the message PT09 from TCM0168040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
  • send the payment, if needed to Finance
  • complete form MS164 and send any documents or correspondence to storage. Follow the guidance in TCM0074140
  • take no further action.

If Priority 1 team is not dealing with the case

  • follow the guidance in TCM0040100
  • cancel the cashcheque, following the guidance in TCM0212080, do not re-issue
  • update Household Notes with the message PT09 from TCM0168040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
  • send the payment, if needed to Finance
  • complete form MS164 and send any documents or correspondence to storage. Follow the guidance in TCM0074140
  • take no further action.