I’ve won on EuroMillions but I can’t even afford a haircut

Pete said ‘every time I ring up I get a different story’

A man says he is being forced to live “out of food banks” as he waits for a EuroMillions payout. Pete Daly said he won £582.20 on the lottery in July, but is yet to receive his winnings.

The 71-year-old told the ECHO how he won on the EuroMillions 34 days ago and when he rang up and put his claim in he was told the money would be paid to him within 10 days. It has now been 33 days since he put the claim in and there is no sign of the money, with the lottery’s operators telling the ECHO they were sorry and had contacted Pete with an update.

Pete said: “Every time I ring up I get a different story to why it hasn’t been paid.” Pete, from Pensby, Wirral, claims he paid for his car insurance renewal out of his monthly budget, leaving him with no money in the bank until the winnings from the lottery came in. He says due to the winnings not being paid he has been forced to use food banks and can’t afford simple things like getting a haircut because he has no money.

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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.”