My wife received a letter yesterday containing a cheque for £200, this was the winter fuel allowance for her pensioner mother. The cheque was in my wife's name because she has power of attorney.

So far, so good ...... The letter started, We are sorry to hear of the death of your mother.....

It seems that as she was alive during the qualifying period in September, she gets paid anyway.

Ah well, she was cremated so it should cover her fuel costs.