STRAIGHT TO THE POINT

I NOMINATED my wife to receive payments from my annuity on my death. Sadly, she has since died. I have no intention to remarry, but could a new wife benefit? N. W., Leamington Spa. IT DEPEnDs on the wording of your annuity contract. If your late wife was named in the documents, the payouts cannot be passed to anyone else. But if the contract simply refers to an unnamed spouse, then a new partner can benefit. SCOTTISHPOWER keeps sending me estimated bills, even though it takes a meter reading every month. Last month I got a bill for £5,549.92, but I’ve been paying every month by direct debit! M. P., Northampton. THE firm has investigated and says its meter reader took down the wrong numbers. Your account has been updated and is £355.47 in credit — with a £100 goodwill payment added by way of apology.

a spokesman says: ‘we sincerely apologise for any upset this has caused and for the length of time it has taken to resolve.’ VIRGIN Money kept charging me after I switched telephone providers in September. I’ve asked it to refund the £42 wrongly taken out of my bank account in October and November, but it has refused. A. M., Northamptonshire. IT Has apologised and issued a refund as a goodwill gesture. It says the issue stemmed from a delay in switching your line that it claims was out of its control. You say you are satisfied with the result. IN AUGUST 2017, I bought a funeral package through the Central England Co-operative, a partner of the Co-op, and accrued membership points totalling £199.80. Since then, I’ve repeatedly tried to claim the points to spend in store, but Co-op won’t help. G. B., Cambridgeshire. Co-oP says the Central England Cooperative doesn’t share the same loyalty points scheme. any rewards earned through Central England’s scheme are paid twice a year — and you will receive your money in May. In recognition of the confusion, Co-op has offered to donate £199.08 to a charity of your choice.