Taking benefit money to pay charges and interest

[sara75]

I have just found out that banks are not meant to take benefit money to pay bank charges.

 

We are charged around £25 a month for the interest on are overdraft would i be able to claim that back?

 

My nan had a bank account with natwest for years which my mum helped to deal with but when my mum died my nan put me as a named person on the account,

then about 8 years ago my nan put me as a joint account holder on the account.

 

My nan died on the 11th of september 2006 and i wrote to natwest and said that i would like to keep the account

and took on the responsibility of the £1,800 overdraft which was to the max as i had used it to pay a months rent in advance and a deposit.

 

Since then i have lost count of how many times they have charged us for being over the over draft,

not having enough funds to pay a direct debit and letters,

and like i said we have been charged around £25 a month since 2004 for the over draft interest charges.

 

For all those years i was receiving income support and housing benefit in to the account

until i was transferred over to income related ESA with the support component this year,

 

i also receive DLA so any monies the bank have taken have been from either housing benefit, esa or dla.

 

What i would like to know please is can i request the bank to refund all the bank charges that they have taken since my nan died in 2006?

and can i request the bank refund the over draft charges since 2006?

 

Also has the bank take a over draft interest charge each month can i stop them from taking that or would i have to be left with no money so it has to cause hardship to be able to claim it back?

Thanks