'It took six years to receive my late father's premium bonds'

'It took six years to receive my late father's premium bonds'
"It was the most awful, awful experience," says Tracy McGuire-Brown after it took six years to claim £2,000 in premium bonds her late father had left in his will.
The 61-year-old former care home manager from Newbury in Berkshire contacted BBC Your Voice, after we reported delays to bereaved families receiving funds held by relatives at government-backed bank National Savings and Investments (NS&I).
NS&I has apologised for the failings which are thought to affect some 37,500 people, with £470m involved. The government has appointed a new chief executive and promised bereaved families compensation.
Tracy says she "cannot describe how upsetting and frustrating" it was to deal with NS&I when trying to find her late father's premium bonds.
Some 24 million people have investments in £1 bonds which are entered into a monthly prize draw, with tax-free winnings from £25 up to £1 million.
Tracy says the process took a "huge amount of distressing form-filling, including sending the original will, original documents, all at my own expense," she says.
She was told she was not entitled to any wins that had been made during the six years it took to receive her late father's investments.
"The final insult was this year when we finally received the monies: a letter stating it should be used to clear any debts my father had and be used towards funeral expenses - though he had died five years earlier," she says.
After she complained, she says NS&I sent her £150 for the expense of sending numerous original documents by secure post.
'I can't get closure'
Peter Attwell, 71, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, still hasn't received premium bond funds from NS&I that belonged to his late brother who died in January.
Peter says the delays he has faced are "totally unacceptable".
"He died intestate [without a will], and my mother, 94 and living with dementia, is next of kin.
"She has no capacity and therefore cannot sign the paperwork."
He said that NS&I told him they deal with situations like this frequently and instructed him to fill in a form, and include a note about his mother's condition.
But after he hadn't heard from NS&I for a month, he rang back on Wednesday - only to be told that the firm was still dealing with post from mid-February. He thinks it will be around April before his form is opened.
"That will take it to three months since first contact. Completely unacceptable.
"I can't put closure to my brother's death until this last paperwork is done."
'Bereavement is tough enough'
Kevin Jones, 68, from Harlow, Essex, has encountered problems with NS&I following the death of his wife last month.
The 68-year-old told the BBC: "My wife died on 17 February. I contacted NS&I after completing a bereavement form online and getting no confirmation.
"I was told that, unlike all the other financial institutions I'd been in contact with, they didn't acknowledge whether or not they had received the information.
"When I asked how long I should wait for the matter to be resolved, and get the money, as stated in her will, to me, I was told between six and nine months."
He noted that four other banks, where his late wife had savings, dealt with the matter within weeks.
When Jones queried long delays, he says he was told the savings bank was "short staffed".
"It's tough enough when you've lost somebody but to have to deal with this..." he laments.