MoD claws back dead soldier’s pay a year after his death
28 October 2011, 02:47 AM
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MoD claws back dead soldier’s pay a year after his death
From today's Times:
The Ministry of Defence has clawed back £433 paid to a soldier who was killed in Afghanistan because he died ten days before the end of a month for which he had already been paid.
“When I read the letter it felt like I’d been poked in the eye with a sharp stick,” said Tony Bancroft, the father of Lance Corporal Jordan Bancroft, 25, of the 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.
Lance Corporal Bancroft, from Earby, near Burnley, was shot dead on August 2010 as his platoon exchanged fire with insurgents while providing security for a meeting between Nato forces and village elders.
He had joined the army in 2001 and had already served two operational tours in Iraq when he was sent to Helmand province.
The MoD’s letter to his parents, sent on October 14, explained that he had been paid in advance for the month, but because he died on August 21 the amount of £433 would be reclaimed for the remaining ten days.
The ministry had made no effort to reclaim the money at the time of his death, “not wishing to cause any further distress or potential hardship”.
But Lance Corporal Bancroft was owed £1,493.04 for leave he had not taken, so the outstanding money has been deducted from that.
Mr Bancroft, also of Earby, said: “I think it’s undignified and very petty to be sent a bureaucratic letter like this. Jordan gave his life for this country and this is how they treat him.
“When I read the letter you could have knocked me down with a feather. I want to make it clear that this is no way a question of money but one of respect,” he told a newspaper.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “We regret any distress that this has caused for the family. We never ask families of those killed in service to pay money back.
“If there is an overpayment of salary and further payments are due to an estate, adjustments are made to ensure families receive what they are owed.
“A recent improvement means that families of those killed in service receive payment for leave due, but of course overpayments need to be taken into account at the same time.
“Every case involving death in action must be handled with particular care and to achieve this we strive to have clear rules to ensure the system operates fairly for all.”
The Ministry of Defence has clawed back £433 paid to a soldier who was killed in Afghanistan because he died ten days before the end of a month for which he had already been paid.
“When I read the letter it felt like I’d been poked in the eye with a sharp stick,” said Tony Bancroft, the father of Lance Corporal Jordan Bancroft, 25, of the 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.
Lance Corporal Bancroft, from Earby, near Burnley, was shot dead on August 2010 as his platoon exchanged fire with insurgents while providing security for a meeting between Nato forces and village elders.
He had joined the army in 2001 and had already served two operational tours in Iraq when he was sent to Helmand province.
The MoD’s letter to his parents, sent on October 14, explained that he had been paid in advance for the month, but because he died on August 21 the amount of £433 would be reclaimed for the remaining ten days.
The ministry had made no effort to reclaim the money at the time of his death, “not wishing to cause any further distress or potential hardship”.
But Lance Corporal Bancroft was owed £1,493.04 for leave he had not taken, so the outstanding money has been deducted from that.
Mr Bancroft, also of Earby, said: “I think it’s undignified and very petty to be sent a bureaucratic letter like this. Jordan gave his life for this country and this is how they treat him.
“When I read the letter you could have knocked me down with a feather. I want to make it clear that this is no way a question of money but one of respect,” he told a newspaper.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “We regret any distress that this has caused for the family. We never ask families of those killed in service to pay money back.
“If there is an overpayment of salary and further payments are due to an estate, adjustments are made to ensure families receive what they are owed.
“A recent improvement means that families of those killed in service receive payment for leave due, but of course overpayments need to be taken into account at the same time.
“Every case involving death in action must be handled with particular care and to achieve this we strive to have clear rules to ensure the system operates fairly for all.”
Last edited by 22BUK; 28 October 2011 at 02:50 AM.
28 October 2011, 06:50 AM
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The MOD leaks money like a sieve, before looking at the pay of soldiers who gave their lives for this country they should take a long, hard look at the many (if not all) projects running millions/billions over budget and get them sorted!
28 October 2011, 09:00 AM
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Put it this way:
The MOD needed a replacement input coupling for one of their marine gearboxes.
But because they only had a Nato number for complete gearbox, that is what they ordered.
We were unaware of this and went to deliver the gearbox that they had ordered.
Army storeman came across, removed the input coupling (around £1000 worth of product) and then said, 'That's all I need mate, you can take the rest of the gearbox (around £20,000!) back with you.'
This happens quite often.
It is just shocking the money that the mod wastes.
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