Thanks for your help and understanding Stan! I have taken your constructive advice on board.

Thanks for that! The DWP have nothing to do with it.

Thanks Stan, I've still not heard if it's going to Court as yet. I'm working as self employed at present for very little money. There are not enough hours in the day as it is, time to sort things is a problem. If I take time off we don't eat, it's that simple. I really don't have anyone to physically help me. I have never had any money in my account apart from day to day living funds. Any loans were used for necessities.

Thanks for the reply. As I did not attend an interview I did send them a detailed letter as to my situation and all the ins and outs. I am not a dishonest person, I have been upfront with them in this letter. I also explained as to why I would not attend the interview. As for the letter, it was very threatening. Trying to bully me into an interview and demanding I contact him. So much so, a friend commented that it seemed he was desperate to gather more evidence from me.

Thanks for your help. I'm afraid it's gone past that stage now. I've not heard anything for around 6 weeks now, just waiting for the bomb to drop. Guess I will have to hope that the Court will look sympathetically at the case. I have very little now, my main priority was to give my kids what they needed.

It was contributions based. Thanks.

Hi there, I was also claiming Incapacity Benefit for those periods. I have heard nothing from the DWP or HMCR regarding it. I suppose, including with my incapacity benefit and DLA there was average £1400 per month going through. £150 of this was from my sister for the kids. Also paypal for friends at times. In their calculations they have not taken into account that my benefits were part of this ammount. Their figures are badly flawed.

I'm in a world of worry and really do not know what to do. I had been claiming benefits since 2003. I suffer from severe arthritis and had been in receipt of Incapacity Benefit, Housing and Council Tax Benefit up untill June 2011. I am still in receipt of DLA. Last year, a friend of mine offered to train me in an administrative job in his Company which I started on 1st June 2011. I subsequently signed off my benefits and started paying my rent and council tax. In April of 2011 I received a letter from the Council stating they had cause to believe that I had not advised them in a change in my circumstances and was under investigation. They have looked into my bank statements back to December 2006 and seen that more money has gone into my bank than I received in benefits. I explained the reason in writing to them. I am a single father of 3. I have joint custody of my children but my ex-wife has always claimed their benefits. This meant that I was not entitled to claim any help for them. It was impossible for me to do my bit for them on the benefits I received. My sister paid for their mobile phones, Sky TV and anything else she could for them. She gave me the money for this which went into my account to pay direct debits. Before my illness struck I was quite well off and built up various collections of memorabillia. I sold all these off over the past 5 or 6 years on Ebay or at car boot sales to raise money to support my kids. Paypal payments for these sales also went into my bank. I also sold things on my ebay account for friends. Not for profit, they paid the fees, thats it! These paypal payments also went through my bank account. I also had loans from friends and family, credit cards, etc. I am in serious debt. I have explained to the Investigator that just because money has gone through my account it does not mean it's all mine! Also, I don't see how selling my belongings to put food on the table can be classed as income, I sold things out of necessity . I was advised not to attend the interviews under caution due to my mental state. I have received a benefit overpayment bill of £17000:00 for the past 5 years and also an intimidating letter from the investigator saying he is pushing for a criminal prosecution. The stress from all the worry is affecting my illness which in turn is affecting my ability to work. I don't want to have to give up work and end up back on benefits. I don't know where to turn. I'm in the depths of depression and I know I couldn't cope with a court case. I need to know if loans, sale of belongings or financial help from friends and family can be classed as income? Any advice would be much appreciated.