Related Articles
A pensioner said he was forced to rely on foodbanks as he desperately awaited a EuroMillions payout. Pete Daly can no longer afford simple things like getting a haircut or new shoes because he did not have any money, he said.
The 71-year-old said he was living ‘out of food banks’ due to his lack of funds. He thought his EuroMillions winnings would help ‘keep him afloat’ but he had not yet received the cash.
Mr Daly was told the EuroMillions funds would be sent to him within ten days. But more than 30 days on, he said he had yet to see any of it.
READ MORE: ITV This Morning’s Cat Deeley says ‘I don’t care I’m going to quit’ after backlash
Don’t miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the BirminghamLive newsletter here.
Lottery operator Allwyn has since apologised and said a small number of claims had been ‘delayed’. Mr Daly said he won £582.20 on the EuroMillions in July, Liverpool Echo reports.
The pensioner, from Pensby, Wirral, said: “Every time I ring up I get a different story to why it hasn’t been paid.” He said he paid for his car insurance renewal out of his monthly budget, leaving him with no money in the bank until the winnings come through.
But because the cash was not paid on time, Mr Daly said he cannot afford much. He said: “I won £582.20 and every time I ring them up I get a different story.
“I have been paying for the lottery for 10 years, that is £10 a week, £1,040 every year for 30 years and I finally make £500 and they won’t give me it.
“When I found out I had won I paid my car insurance off with my entire cash for the month because I was thinking this money would come in to keep me afloat for the month. So, I’ve been living in food banks all month because it hasn’t come in, I can’t afford a haircut, I need new shoes.
“I can’t afford anything because I paid for the car insurance thinking I’d get this money within 10 days. I’m stuck in the house, I can’t afford to go anywhere, I can’t afford the waste of fuel.
“I need this money, I’m struggling, money is the difference to being able to live, it sorts me to be able to live, not living well, but living.” A spokesperson for lottery operator Allwyn said: “We’re very sorry to hear the concerns raised and colleagues have now called Mr Daly with an update.
“We successfully process hundreds – sometimes thousands – of prize claims every week. This is following the introduction of a revised claims process that we had to bring in earlier this year following the Post Office’s decision to no longer pay National Lottery retail prizes between £500.01 and £50,000.
“Unfortunately, a small number of these claims are delayed for various reasons. However, we’re continuing to work on new ways to help further improve the claims process and would like to reassure our winners that they will definitely receive their prize.”
