Read here the rules have changed regarding back billing...

https://www.energy-uk.org.uk/customers/energy-industry-codes/code-of-practice-for-accurate-bills.html

The rules regarding back billing changed this year. More info here >>

https://www.energy-uk.org.uk/customers/energy-industry-codes/code-of-practice-for-accurate-bills.html

Put in a SAR get it all back, ask for the recorded calls as well.

The rules regarding back billing changed this year. More info here >>

https://www.energy-uk.org.uk/customers/energy-industry-codes/code-of-practice-for-accurate-bills.html

Put in a SAR get it all back, ask for the recorded calls as well.

The Warm Home Discount Scheme for winter 2017 to 2018 closed on 31 March 2018. The 2018 to 2019 scheme will start on 15 October 2018.

https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme

BF: Advice taken and passed on to the Data Subjects.

I will update this thread if and when information is made available...

Thx

MM

Thank you Bankfodder,

I have 8 disks to go through, the amount of data is on disk 1 hour 30 minutes in total on disk one alone. the information is significant.

The information goes in to great detail about the data subjects account...

Since I still have 3rd party for both subjects then I've just informed both.

One is ok with it and didn't know, the breach subject is furious.

Once I have listened to each disk I will have a better idea of how much data was wrongfully released...

I have now listened to the disks, there are a total of nearly 2 hours worth of information that has been leaked incorrectly.

Data subject 2 now has the data and has decided to complain, having taken the advice of BF this is the right thing to do in this case.

Given the serious nature of the breach I have advised that they seek professional advice. I have made over the extra information and hopefully the ICO will deal with SP in the correct manner.

Now, given that it is important to make your own recordings it also pays to obtain those from the creditors if they record.

I believe a complaint letter must wing its way to DERMOT NOLAN, CEO OFGEM.

There are a few open letters freely available if you search for them, but a few years ago SP were in trouble with Ofgem >>

Scottish Power has agreed to pay £18 million for failing to treat its customers fairly.

The fine – of which up to £15 million will be paid to vulnerable Scottish Power customers and £3 million to charity - is the third biggest penalty given to one of the major six energy providers. It follows an investigation by the industry regulator Ofgem into the firm’s customer service.

Scottish Power's call handling, complaint resolution and billing were all below the basic level of standards required, the investigation concluded. The poor service resulted in over 1 million complaints between June 2013 and December 2015.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/scottish-power-fined-18m-for-poor-customer-service-that-prompted-one-million-complaints-a7001346.html

As some of you know Scottish Power (SP) are terrible at everything they do!

Story:

Friend 1:

I helped an SP customer get their account sorted, back-billing issues.

Now that's sorted and redress was nice for the customer.

Friend 2:

I am currently helping sort their back-billing issues, some success so far.

Now being smart a SAR was sent to SP for friend 2.

In their name only .

The data pack duly arrives within the 40 days, some items were missing, a quick email to SP sorted that out.

Now its complicated, on listening to the cd's of the phone calls for friend 2, SP have sent friend 2 copies of all friend 1's calls, neither friend know each other, never met nor communicated with each other whatsoever. The only common thing is me.

I am not the data subject for either account.

So why have SP issued data for friend 1 to friend 2, can friend 2 now complain to the ICO and the Ombudsman in relation to the data breach.

It clearly can be heard that the normal security questions being asked and confirmed!

Your thoughts please

I have a thread on this here also >> https://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?483726-Appeals-re-PiP-at-the-Tribunal

It comes under commercial burglary. Having been banned you do indeed become a trespassers with intent due to previous behaviour. This is strange but why steal in the 1st place? You may get the following.

Criminal record work is then restricted, disclosure required and so on.

You may want to read up on this as well as your actions past and future may have an effect you will not want..

Section 176 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014

I have gathered some interesting appeal cases and thought I would share with the regular posters here. There are many places to get this information and will update this thread as and when I need too. Any questions please start your own thread for questions that you may have.

Please see the attachments and I am sorry for the long reads involved..... Please follow the links below for even more...

https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/selected-upper-tribunal-decisions-april-2017-march-2018#Employment

https://tinyurl.com/ya7dohze

As the decision of the First-tier Tribunal (made on 1 March 2016 at Bolton under reference SC122/15/00941) involved the making of an error in point of law, it is set aside under section 12(2)(a) and (b)(i) of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 and the case is remitted to the tribunal for rehearing by a differently constituted panel.

Some more cases for the above

Merged PDFs.pdf

When will the roll out affect Northern Ireland?

In Northern Ireland the Universal Credit roll out will begin in September 2017 and be completed by September 2018.

• 27 September 2017 - Limavady
  
• 15 November 2017 - Ballymoney
  
• 13 December 2017 - Magherafelt and Coleraine
  
• 17 January 2018 - Strabane and Lisnagelvin
  
• 7 February 2018 - Foyle and Armagh
  
• 21 February 2018 - Omagh and Enniskillen
  
• 7 March 2018 - Dungannon and Portadown
  
• 18 April 2018 - Banbridge and Lurgan
  
• 2 May 2018 - Kilkeel, Downpatrick and Newry
  
• 16 May 2018 - Bangor, Newtownards and Holywood Road
  
• 30 May 2018 - Knockbreda, Newtownabbey and Shankill
  
• 13 June 2018 - Corporation Street, Falls and Andersonstown
  
• 27 June 2018 - Shaftesbury Square, Lisburn and Larne
  
• 4 July 2018 - Carrickfergus, Antrim and Ballymena
  
• July to September 2018 - Cookstown, Ballynahinch and Newcastle
  

For more general information about Universal Credit please see our Universal Credit guide. more here >> https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/Universal-Credit-Pilot

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/Universal-Credit-Pilot

What counts as a change of circumstance? For a fuller insight please follow the above link ^^ ..

There's no published list of what counts as a change of circumstance to trigger a move from one of the existing benefits to Universal Credit but below is a guide of the changes likely to be included:

• If your entitlement to the current benefit ends prompting a need to claim a new one, for example if you stop being entitled to Working Tax Credit because you lose your job (or regularly reduce your hours below the minimum number of hours you must work) or you stop being entitled to income-based Jobseekers' Allowance because you start working more than 16 hours a week.
  
• If you become entitled to a different or extra benefit, for example you are claiming income-based Jobseeker's Allowance and have a child so you would have become eligible for Child Tax Credit, or you separate from a partner and would have become eligible for help with your rent through Housing Benefit.
  
• If you have a change in your relationship, for example if you move in with somebody already claiming Universal Credit you will claim Universal Credit together.
  

You may not want to hear this about your situation IS SERIOUS

You are required to notify the DWP of any changes as advised earlier. The section of law you will need to read up on is s111a and /or s112 of the SSA 1992 from here >>

Here is what is said from https://www.criminallawandjustice .co...Fraud-Offences

Last summer, the then Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, QC, announced new guidelines for prosecution of benefit fraud. One of the changes in these new guidelines is that prosecutors should charge under the Fraud Act 2006 where “the alleged offending merits such an approach and prosecutors anticipate a very substantial prison sentence”. The headlines that resulted from these new guidelines were that charging under the Fraud Act has a maximum sentence of 10 years, opposed to seven years under the Social Security Administration Act (SSAA) 1992. There are, however, other substantial differences between the general offences under the Fraud Act and the specific offences under the SSAA.

The sentencing Council say this >> https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk...benefit-fraud/

Dishonest representations for obtaining benefit etc Social Security Administration Act 1992 (section 111A)

Tax Credit fraud Tax Credits Act 2002 (section 35)

False accounting Theft Act 1968 (section 17)

Triable either way

Maximum: 7 years’ custody

Offence range: Discharge – 6 years 6 months’ custody

False representations for obtaining benefit etc Social Security Administration Act 1992 (section 112)

Triable summarily only

Maximum: Level 5 fine and/or 3 months’ custody

Offence range: Discharge – 12 weeks’ custody

Fraud by false representation, fraud by failing to disclose information, fraud by abuse of position Fraud Act 2006 (section 1)

Triable either way

Conspiracy to defraud Common law

Triable on indictment only

Maximum: 10 years’ custody

Offence range: Discharge – 8 years’ custody

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/system/files/docs/2016/09/open_letter_eon_complaints_handling.pdf

and

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/get-help-paying-your-bills/stop-your-energy-supplier-installing-a-prepayment-meter/

Both links are for interesting reading... Especially that one from the CAB!

Put a formal complaint in to your supplier then use the full complaints procedure the escalate this to Ofgem.

I have just started a thread in the energy section of CAG which shows you how the big companies are doing regarding complaints.

I am currently assisting a customer with one of the big six and have already had results in one week which the actual customer could not do in 4 years.

IT PAYS TO COMPLAIN!

Complaints to energy companies research report 2016

Publication date 22nd September 2016

Information types

• Reports and plans
   
   
  Policy areas
  

• Domestic consumers
  
• Electricity - retail markets
  
• Gas - retail markets
   
   
   
  Show Related links
  

• Ofgem publishes bi-annual survey on how suppliers handle complaints
  
• Latest data on volume of complaints
  
• 2014 wave of complaints handling survey
  

Every two years we commission independent research to see how satisfied energy consumers are with how suppliers handled their complaints. This report produced by Quadrangle is the fifth survey we’ve undertaken.

This survey is conducted within the context of falling complaints numbers. Data on complaints to individual suppliers shows that the volume of complaints is down significantly since 2014.

Information from here >> https://tinyurl.com/ya6behjz

Go to the bottom of the above link to read the open letters to each CEO of the big companies...

EDF is up and running for this year now. >> https://edfenergyuk.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1399/session/L3RpbWUvMTUwMTI3MjA4Ny9zaWQvNEtPNnBMb24=

The link includes this years criteria to apply..... To apply go to the bottom of the page....

Can admin please add this to the above post #1 as the last link is already broken, so have included a short url

Short url >> https://tinyurl.com/y7wwzkxz and the pdf as an attachment but this one is for nationwide the Essex one is included in post #1

universal-credit-transition-rollout-schedule.pdf

Universal credit (UC) and other benefits i.e. Housing Benefit (HB)

Are you aware that if you have more than 2 children and going to claim UC you may find that you may not get all you think or you might be sent around in circles, please read here for more information.

https://tinyurl.com/ycqvnr7y

Clarification on how Universal Credit claimants are affected by the two child limit

1. Some claimants are being misdirected to claim the wrong benefit depending upon their personal circumstances. This misdirection results in claimants being sent from Universal Credit to tax credits and Housing Benefit (HB) and, often, back again; resulting in financial difficulties.

2. The information below provides clarity on which benefit claimants living within a Universal Credit area should be signposted to.

Claimants with two children or less

3. Claimants can make a new claim to Universal Credit if they have two or less children or qualifying young persons (QYPs); this includes claimants with no children.

Claimants with more than two children

4. Claimants with three or more children or QYPs will not be able to make a new claim for Universal Credit, unless the claimant:

• has been in receipt of Universal Credit within the previous six month period and is making a re-claim

• is making a new claim as a single person within one month of a previous joint claim ending, because they are no longer a member of a couple

5. New Universal Credit claimants with more than two children or QYPs will need to apply for Child Tax Credit and any other benefits they may be entitled to including HB.

The following schedule was updated in July 2017 due to changes being made to the DWP estate network. This schedule sets out the latest planning assumptions for sites that will transition to the full Universal Credit service (including those already announced – see Annex A). The list is in alphabetical order by local authority mapped to Jobcentre sites.

After the rollout process has completed, DWP will then begin moving all remaining existing benefit claimants to the full Universal Credit service.

Last updated: 25 July 2017, see all updates

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-transition-to-full-service

Here is the current released list of Job-centres that are now known about for the change to UC.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/632252/universal-credit-transition-rollout-schedule.pdf

Please follow the link if you are or will be claiming benefits anywhere in Essex from 17/07/2017

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?441364-Universal-Credit-national-expansion-–-Tranche-two/page3 Post #51

This thread for anyone living in Essex and starting a new UC claim/or migrating. The attachments gives you the time frame and by area. This will allow you to know in advance of the new changes and when you may be affected...

Please see the new attachments for further information.

If you have any questions please start a new thread also for further information please see the links below.

Hello, MM.

Thank you all for attending the introduction to full service universal credit presentation yesterday. Please find attached copies of the slides from all the items discussed.

The contact details for referring people for support with Universal Credit claims is second listed set of slides, as is the web address for the Council Tax Reduction consultation.

Family Mosaic also offered to provide support to vulnerable people, their referral telephone number is 01702 445872. Their office number is 01702 445870.

This is a link to the web page *NAME* mentioned on the toolkit. The telephone number above is for anyone living in Southend on sea Essex only This will be different for your area please Google this information

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universa...-organisations

And this is the link to the web page for UC47 form to request payment direct

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...ears-deduction

You can quickly read whether or not your local JC is in the newest list by following this link >> https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/632252/universal-credit-transition-rollout-schedule.pdf

UC Full Service July 2017.pdf

Universal Support and CTR Presentation.pdf